EnviSci Lesson 5 BIOMES OF THE WORLD

BIOMES OF
THE
Lesson 5
Topic
Terrestrial Biome (Land Biome) Aquatic Biome (Water Biome)

Objectives
After this lesson, the students will be able to:
1.Identify and define different biomes found on Earth.
2.Understand the characteristics and features that distinguish each biome.
3.Recognize the importance of biomes in supporting biodiversity and
ecosystem functioning.
4.Describe the climate, vegetation, and animal life associated with each biome.
5.Discuss the interrelationships between biomes and the physical environment.
6.Analyze the impact of human activities on biomes and the need for
conservation efforts.
7.Appreciate the beauty and complexity of Earth's diverse biomes and develop
a sense of stewardship towards the natural world.
Biomes
•A group of
ecosystems that
share similar
climates and
typical organisms.
•Terrestrial Biome
Main •Aquatic Biomes
1. Freshwater
1. Tropical
biomes of Rainforest 2. Marine
the world 2. Temperate

Deciduous
Forests
3. Taiga or Boreal
Forests
4. Deserts
5. Tundra
6. Grassland
Terrestrial
Biome
Tropical
Rainforest
• Located near the equator.
• Characterized by high
temperatures, abundant rainfall,
and dense vegetation with tall
trees forming a canopy.
• Tropical rainforests harbor the
highest biodiversity of any
biome.
• Amazon Rainforest in South
America (e.g., Brazil, Peru), Congo
Rainforest in Africa (e.g.,
Democratic Republic of Congo),
Southeast Asian rainforests (e.g.,
Indonesia, Malaysia), and New
Guinea.
Temperate
Deciduous
Forest
• Biome found in temperate
regions with four distinct
seasons, characterized by
broad-leaved deciduous trees
that lose their leaves in the fall.
• Trees such as oak, maple, and
beech are common.
• Eastern United States (e.g.,
Appalachian Mountains),
Western Europe (e.g., France,
Germany), Eastern China (e.g.,
Changbai Mountains), and
parts of Japan.
Taiga (Boreal
Forest)
• Located in subarctic
regions, dominated by
coniferous trees like
spruce, fir, and pine.
• Taiga experiences long,
cold winters and short,
mild summers.
• Northern Canada, Alaska,
Scandinavia (e.g.,
Sweden, Finland), Russia
(especially Siberia), and
parts of northern Asia
(e.g., Mongolia).
• Desert is an arid biome with low
precipitation and extreme temperatures,
ranging from hot deserts to cold deserts.
Vegetation is sparse and adapted to
Desert
drought conditions.
• Sahara Desert in Africa (e.g., Egypt, Libya),
Arabian Desert in the Middle East (e.g.,
Saudi Arabia, UAE), Mojave Desert in the
United States (e.g., California, Nevada),
and Atacama Desert in Chile.
Tundra
• Found in polar regions and at high

elevations, characterized by
extremely cold temperatures,
permafrost, and low vegetation
such as mosses, lichens, and small
shrubs.
• Northern parts of Canada (e.g.,
Nunavut), Alaska in the United States,
parts of Russia (e.g., Siberia), and
northern Scandinavia (e.g., Lapland).
Grassland/Savanna
• Found in regions with seasonal rainfall,
characterized by grasses and scattered
trees.
• Savannas are grasslands with scattered
trees and are typically found in tropical
regions.
• African Savannas (e.g., Serengeti in
Tanzania, Masai Mara in Kenya), North
American Prairies (e.g., Great Plains in the
United States), South American Pampas
(e.g., Argentina), and Australian Outback.
• Savannas, Prairies, Pampas, and the
Outback are all type of Grasslands.
Aquatic Biome
Aquatic Biomes
Freshwater Biomes
• Including rivers, lakes, ponds, and wetlands, these biomes support
diverse aquatic life and are influenced by factors like water flow,
temperature, and nutrient levels.
Marine Biomes
• Including estuaries, coral reefs, and oceans, these biomes cover
the majority of the Earth's surface and support diverse marine life
adapted to varying temperatures, salinity levels, and depths.
• Marine biomes plays a significant role in regulating global climate,
storing carbon dioxide, providing oxygen through
photosynthesis, supporting food chains and fisheries.
FRESHWATER Biomes
Rivers
• Rivers are flowing bodies of freshwater that typically
originate from various sources such as springs,
snowmelt, or lakes.
• They flow downhill, often merging with other rivers or
streams along the way, eventually emptying into
oceans, lakes, or estuaries.
• They support diverse aquatic life including fish,
amphibians, invertebrates, and plants.
• Rivers play crucial roles in transporting nutrients,
sediment, and freshwater to other parts of the
landscape, shaping the surrounding habitats, and
providing water resources for human activities such
as agriculture, industry, and recreation.
cont.
Lakes
• Lakes are large bodies of standing freshwater
surrounded by land. They form through various
processes such as tectonic activity, glacial erosion, or
volcanic activity.
• Lakes vary greatly in size, depth, and characteristics.
• Lakes support diverse ecosystems including
phytoplankton, zooplankton, fish, aquatic plants, and
bottom-dwelling organisms.
• They provide habitats for a wide range of species and
serve important functions such as regulating water
flow, storing water, and supporting recreational
activities like fishing and boating.
cont.
Ponds
• Ponds are smaller, shallower bodies of standing
freshwater compared to lakes.
• They may form naturally or be human-made, such as
farm ponds or garden ponds.
• Ponds have similar characteristics to lakes but are
usually shallower, allowing sunlight to penetrate to the
bottom, which promotes the growth of aquatic plants.
• Ponds support various organisms including fish, frogs,
insects, and birds. They are important for local
biodiversity, water storage, and as breeding grounds for
many species.
cont.
Wetlands
• Wetlands are transitional areas
between terrestrial and aquatic
ecosystems where the water table
is at or near the surface for at least
part of the year.
• They include marshes, swamps,
bogs, and fens, each with distinct
hydrology, soil, and vegetation.
• Wetlands are highly productive
ecosystems that provide important
ecological functions such as water
filtration, flood control, shoreline
stabilization, and habitat for
diverse plant and animal species.
• They support a rich array of
biodiversity including waterfowl
(duck, goose), amphibians,
reptiles, fish, and numerous plant
species adapted to wet conditions.
Cont.
Wetland Type Hydrology Soil Vegetation
Shallow, nutrient-rich Herbaceous plants
Marshes Muddy or sandy soil
water such as grasses
Slow-moving or Organic-rich, Trees and shrubs such
Swamps
stagnant water waterlogged soil mangroves
Acid-tolerant plants
Waterlogged, acidic Peat-rich, nutrient-poor
Bogs such as sphagnum
conditions soil
mosses
Fed primarily by Alkaline or Grasses, wildflowers,
Fens
groundwater circumneutral pH levels shrubs
MARINE Biome
Coral Reefs
• Coral reefs are underwater ecosystems built by coral polyps
colonies of coral polyps, tiny marine invertebrates
that secrete calcium carbonate to form hard, rocky
structures called coral reefs.
• Coral reefs are found in shallow, warm waters in
tropical and subtropical regions around the world,
particularly along coastlines and around islands.
They support high biodiversity, rivaling that of
tropical rainforests, and provide habitat for a vast
array of marine species, including fish,
invertebrates, and algae.
• Coral reefs are also valuable for coastal
protection, tourism, and recreation, but they are Coral reef is an underwater ecosystem
highly vulnerable to threats such as coral bleaching, formed from colonies of coral polyps
pollution, overfishing, and ocean acidification.
held together by calcium carbonate.
Cont.
Estuaries
• An estuary is a partially enclosed, coastal water body where
freshwater from rivers mixes with salt water from the ocean,
creating brackish water conditions.
• They are characterized by fluctuating water levels,
dynamic tidal flows, and diverse habitats.
• Estuaries are highly productive ecosystems that serve
as nurseries for many marine species and provide
important habitat for birds, fish, shellfish, and other
wildlife.
• Mangrove forests are typically found in estuary.
• Estuaries provide essential ecosystem services such as
water filtration, nutrient cycling, and flood control.
Cont.
Oceans
• Oceans are the largest and most expansive marine
biome, covering about 71% of the Earth's surface.
• They are divided into five main ocean basins: the Pacific,
Atlantic, Indian, Southern (or Antarctic), and Arctic Oceans.
• Oceans are characterized by saltwater, high salinity, and
vast expanses of open water.
• They support diverse ecosystems ranging from the sunlit
surface waters, where phytoplankton thrive and support
the marine food web, to the dark depths of the deep sea,
where unique and poorly understood organisms inhabit
extreme environments.
• Oceans play crucial roles in regulating global climate,
providing habitat for marine life, supporting fisheries, and
facilitating transportation and trade.
Zones based on distance from the shore.
• Intertidal zone (where the ocean

meets the land).
• ocean zone that experiences the most
extreme fluctuations in temperature and
salinity due to its exposure to both air
and water
• Neritic zone (shallow waters above
the continental shelf)
• ocean zone that has the highest species
diversity and abundance of marine life
• Oceanic zone (open ocean).
• ocean zone that has the low biodiversity.
Zones based on water depth.
The ocean is categorized into different zones based on
how far light reaches into the water.
• All the ocean’s open water is referred to as
the PELAGIC ZONE.
 Within the pelagic realm is the PHOTIC ZONE,
which is the portion of the ocean that light can
penetrate (approximately 200 m or 650 ft).
 At depths greater than 200 m, light cannot
penetrate; this is referred to as the APHOTIC
ZONE.
Most of the ocean is aphotic and lacks sufficient light for

photosynthesis.
cont.
• The deepest part of the ocean is the ABYSSAL ZONE,
which is at depths of 4000 m or greater.
• The abyssal zone is very cold and has very high
pressure, high oxygen content, and low nutrient
content.
• There are a variety of invertebrates and fishes found in this
zone, but the abyssal zone does not have plants
because of the lack of light.
• Cracks in the Earth’s crust called hydrothermal vents are
found primarily in the abyssal zone. Around these vents,
chemosynthetic bacteria utilize the hydrogen sulfide and
other minerals emitted as an energy source and serve as
the base of the food chain found in the abyssal zone.

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BIOMES OF

Terrestrial Biome (Land Biome) Aquatic Biome (Water Biome)

the world 2. Temperate

• Found in polar regions and at high

• Intertidal zone (where the ocean

Most of the ocean is aphotic and lacks sufficient light for

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