BIOMES
Biomes Geographical Distribution Climate Features Vegetation
Tropical Evergreen 0-10 degrees N&S Equatorial type Tall trees Hardwood trees- Mahogany,
Amazon, Congo basin, guinea Low annual temp range Vertical Stratification ebony, rosewood, dyewood
coast, ASEAN, (<5) Herbaceous plants (Shade tolerant) Climbers: Vines, epiphytes,
Uniform temp throughout High primary product lianas
No winters Huge carbon sinks
Land and sea breezes
Dense forests called Selvas
High precip (200) After forest clearings- belukar
Two high seasons of (secondary forests)
rainfall coincide with
equinoxes.
Tropical Deciduous 10-30 N&S Alternate wet and dry Trees Shed leaves in summer Timber- teak, sal, shisham,
Indian subcontinent, Pre monsoon, wet summer, neem, mahua, bamboo,
Myanmar, Thai, laos, camb, cold winters Scrubland(AP<90cm) eucalyptus (Aus)
viet, madagas AP: 25-200cm
Tropical Grassland 10-30 N&S Continental type Mixed grassland: Tall grass + short Acacia, baobab, bottle trees-
Savanna Central africa (sudan, mali, Sudan climate trees(deciduous) huge trunks to save water
niger, chad, ghana), columbia, AP< : scrubs
campos(Brazil), Arg Alternate: hot rainy, cool Umbrella shaped
America: Llanos (orinoco dry season Grassland character:
basin), Campos (brazil) AP: 25-125 Soil, Fire, Grazing by herbivores
Extreme diurnal range Pyrotic trees (fire)
Tropical deserts 20-30 N&S Sub tropical HP belt Tap roots (long) Cacti, thorny bushes, pickle
Africa: Sahara-largest, High temp, Spacing between plants pear, dwarf acacia,
kalahari, namib Little rainfall (<25cm) few/no/needle leaves
Great australian, Succulent stems
Arabian, iranian, thar Xerophytic vegetation
Mohave/mexico,
Atacama/peruv- driest
Mid latitude deserts: gobi,
turkestan, patagonian
(rainshadow from andes)
Mediterranean 30-45 NS- west margin Dry summers (Trade Sclerophyllic vegetation( hard Laurel, myrtle, lavender,
Medit sea, chile, california, easterlies- offshore) leaves) rosemary
cape town, adelaide Wet summers , drought resistant
(westerlies-onshore) Orchard lands - citrus fruits Cork oaks of spain
AP: 35-85cm Depending upon AP Olives of europe
Less ET losses 1. Medit Scrubland/ bushland Eucalyptus of Aus
2. Evergreen trees
Maquis- france
Macchia- italy
Chaparral- california
Mallee scrub- Aus
Fymbos- SAmer
Temperate grasslands 40-55 NS- interiors Mild continental Practically treeless Alfalfa, lucerne- grasses
Steppes of russia AP: 25-70cm Soil: mollisols/chernozems (short)
Prairies of N america Merge with taiga polewards
Pustaz- hungary Prairie type- wetter Merge with deserts- equatorward Conifer trees- willows,
Pampas of argentina Steppe type- drier alders, poplars
High veld of Africa South hemisp ->
Downs of Murray-darling- Summers very warm Wheat baskets
Aus Winters extremely cold Mechanised agri
Canterbury plains- NZ Annual temp range in s Livestock indust.
hemisphere is relatively
low.
Temperate deciduous 45-60 NS- west British type climate Deciduous forests- Oak, elm, maple, beech,
Britain, france, belgium, AP: 50-100 Temperate hardwood birch, poplar
netherlands, Rainfall - westerlies + Trees shed leaves in autumn
N Amer, NZ Temp Cyclones Kauri (NZ) - kauri-gum
Mild winters for their
latitude (maritime infl)
Tundra Only in N. Hemisphere Arctic/polar climate Permafrost- permanently frozen (Cryophyllic )Mosses,
Beyond arctic circle Long winters (9-10 months) subsoil -> thawing of top soil in lichens, sedges,
Winters: -30 to -40 summers - spongy swamps, bogs rhododendrons
Summers-10
Contain largest portion of soil
organic matter (too cold for
decomposition)
Taiga 55/60-70 N only Temperate coniferous/ Largest Biome
Alaska, canada, norway, boreal forests Greatest forest belts Coniferous- Pine, fir, spruce,
sweden, finland, N russia, Short summers (4-5) cedar, larch
siberia. Winters: -40 to -50 Taiga (continentality influence)
colder than tundra(maritime infl) Softwood trees- paper and
Precipitation: 40-100 pulp industry
Coldest: verkhoyansk(-68)
Highest annual range of
temperature: -50 to 20
Laurentian 45-60 NS- eastern margin Precipitation: temperate Mixed forests
New york, Newfoundland, cyclones North of 50: Coniferous Pine, fir, spruce
siberia, N china, korea, japan 45-50: temperate deciduous Oak, beech, birch
Fruits: pear, plum, apple.
China type 30-45 NS- eastern margin Warm subtropical and Mixed vegetation Mulberry
SE china, S japan, SE temperate Heavy rainfall- evergreen
USA-mexico Summers: Wet(trade winds) Lesser rainfall- deciduous
Winters dry
Tropical cyclones: typhoon/
hurricane.
