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5.4.1: Introduction

  • Page ID
    34102
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    Learning Objective

    Identify the two major abiotic factors that determine terrestrial biomes.

    Plants are main components of terrestrial ecosystems as they are primary producers. Almost all terrestrial life if based on the types of plants found in the area. These types of plants are able to survive in the given environment based on the temperature and precipitation range of the biome. Annual totals and fluctuations of precipitation affect the kinds of vegetation and animal life that can exist in broad geographical regions. Temperature variation on a daily and seasonal basis is also important for predicting the geographic distribution of a biome. Since a biome is defined by climate, the same biome can occur in geographically distinct areas with similar climates (Figure \(\PageIndex{1}\))

    A world map with eight major biomes, polar ice caps, and mountains.
    Figure \(\PageIndex{1}\): Some of the major biomes, distinguished by characteristic temperatures and amount of precipitation. Tropical forests, deserts and savannas are found primarily in South America, Africa and Australia. Tropical forests also dominate southeast Asia. Deserts dominate the Middle East and are found in the southwestern United States. Temperate forests dominate the eastern United States, Europe and Eastern Asia. Temperate grasslands dominate the midwestern United States and parts of Asia, and are also found in South America. Boreal forest is found in northern Canada, Europe and Asia, and tundra exists to the north of the boreal forests. Mountainous regions run the length of North and South America, and are found in northern India, Africa and parts of Europe. Polar ice covers Greenland and Antarctica. The latter is not shown on the map.

    Given the amount of rainfall, for example, tall evergreen trees can dominate one area, whereas small shrubs may dominate another. The plants, thus, determine the types of vegetation (i.e., visually different plant communities). We will explore some of the most important types (also called biomes).

    Attributions

    Curated and authored by Kammy Algiers from the following sources:


    This page titled 5.4.1: Introduction is shared under a CC BY-NC 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Kammy Algiers (ASCCC Open Educational Resources Initiative) .