10 terms
rgamesbyTEACHER
GCSE distribution of ecosystems
Biome
A large naturally occurring community of flora (plants) and fauna (animals) occupying a major habitat.
Temperate deciduous forests
A forest characterised by trees that shed their leaves in the Autumn. Vegetation changes with the seasons because of the temperature or precipitation.
Tropical rainforests
are very humid and warm places with extreme amounts of rainfall. A large number of plants and animals live here including trees, vines, birds, frogs, and monkeys.
Savannah
a flat grassland in tropical or subtropical regions
Hot Desert
low annual precipitation below 250mm per year, daily temps ranging from around freezing at night to 50°C at night, plant life includes cacti and other plants that store water
Cold desert
low annual precipitation frequently in the form of snow, high daytime temps in summer, around freezing in winter, low plant diversity
Tundra
A biome at the northernmost limits of plant growth and at high altitudes, characterised by dwarf woody shrubs, grasses, mosses, and lichens.
Taiga
A biome which is characterised by evergreen trees and mammals such as moose, bears, and lynx?
Temperate grasslands
Dominated by grasses, trees and large shrubs are absent. They have hot summers and cold winters. Occur in South Africa, Hungary, Argentina, the steppes of former Soviet Union, and the plains and praries of central North America
Chaparral
Mediterranean Sea, California, Chile, and southern Australia; high seasonal; mild, wet winters; warm, dry summers; frequent fires; densely thicketed, evergreen shrubs