Intro To World's Biomes:
Rainforests
1: What are the two types of rainforests? In the United States, where are our rainforests
located? (Be specific). What percentage of our original rainforests does this represent?
-The two types of rainforests are tropical and temperate. In the U.S, our forests are located at the pacific northwest.
Only about 39% are left of the original forests.
Tundra
2: Where is the Tundra Biome located? What is permafrost? What percentage of the
Earth’s surface is covered by Tundra?
The Tundra biome is located around the north pole. The tundra biome includes a feature called permafrost which is a permanent frozen layer of ground.
About 8% of the world is covered in tundra.
Taiga
3: Where is the Taiga Biome located? What is the soil like in the Taiga- why?
-The taiga biome is located around Canada, Europe, and Asia. The soil happens to be thin and lack a very large amount of nutrients. This is due to the slow rate of decomposition.
Desert
4: How much rainfall is characteristic of deserts? Explain where most deserts are located
and the RAINSHADOW Effect.
- The rainfall in the desert is about less than 10 inches. Most deserts are found at 30 degrees latitude north and 30 degrees latitude south. The rainshadow effect is when the precipitation is on the windward side of the mountain and the leeward side will get almost nothing due to the mountain acting as a wall.
Temperate Deciduous Forest
5: What is special about this biome? Deciduous trees have special leaves that are adapted to
the biome- explain.
-This biome is special due to the changes in all four seasons. Decidious trees adapt to the biome by changing with the season.
Grasslands
6: Grasslands are found on every continent except for one- which? How much rainfall do
grasslands get- why is this important? What are the 3 types of grasslands that are found in
North America? What are grasslands called in other places in the world?
- Grasslands are found on every continent except Antarctica. These biomes get about 10-30 inches of rainfall a year. Depending on how much rainfall, grasslands can turn into a desert or a forest. The three types of grasslands in North America are tall grasslands, mixed grasslands, and short grasslands. Grasslands in other places of the world are called Pampas in South America, steppes in Europe, savannas in Africa.
Rivers & Streams
7: How much water on Earth does running water represent? What is a watershed? What
are the two main processes that happen to surface water? What is the longest river in the
world? What is the longest river in the United States? What is a hydroelectric dam?
- Running water represents .3% of the earth's surface. A watershed is area of land all running water drains into. The two main processes that happen to surface water are surface runoff and infiltration. The Nile is the longest river in the world. In the U.S it is the Mississippi river. A hydroelectric dam is a dam that provides energy through the large body of water.
Ponds & Lakes
8: What is the difference between a pond and lake? Name the four stages of succession of a
pond. Explain how an Oxbow Lake is formed. What is the largest lake in the world? What
is the largest lake in the United States? What is the deepest lake in the world? What is
Lake Effect Snow? Explain. What is the cause of summerkill in some lakes?
- A lake is a large body of fresh water. A pond is a body of water that is shallow enough to support rooted plants. In a pond there are four stages of succession. The first one is called pond pioneering. The second one involves animal arrival which makes more debris at the bottom. Stage three involves plant decomposion. The last one involves emergents growing to be able to fill up the floor. An oxbow lake is a cresent-shaped lake. Through time an oxbow lake can be formed from erosion and deposits of soil that can change a river's pathway. The largest lake in the world happens to be called the Great Lake. The largest lake in the U.S however is called Lake Superior. Out of all lakes the deepest lake is called Baikal Lake. In lakes, the Lake Effect Snow is a phenomenon that can make more snow in the winter with the water in the lake. The cause of summerkill in some lakes are mostly the algae. Algae becomes overabundant and ripe.
Wetlands
9: What are the types of freshwater wetlands- name and define them. Explain why
wetlands are so important. What is happening to our wetlands?
- The types of fresh water wetlands are marsh's, swamps, bogs, prairie potholes, and riparian marshes. Marshes areinland area inundated with 1–6 feet of water. Swamps are slowmoving streams. A bog accumulates peat. Prairie potholes are shallow and are various in wetness. Riparian marsh's absorb and release excess water. Wetlands are important because the are home to many animals and plants, control erosion, and prevent flooding. Our wetlands are sadly sadly disappearing due to our actions.
Shorelines
10: What kind of lifeforms will you find in the intertidal zone? What is a barrier island?
What is an estuary? What is life like in an estuary? What is a salt marsh? What is the
Mangrove Forest? How are the trees specially adapted to living in that environment? Why
are they important?
- On the intertidal zone you will find seastars, clams, algae, and bacteria. Barrier islands are islands parallel to the shore but are separated by a deep channel of water. An estuary is a place where fresh and salt water meet. Life in the estuary is diverse due to the lifeforms from both fresh and salt water. A salt marsh is a wetland which also is land that meets the sea. The mangrove forest a a forest made of tropical maritime trees or shrubs They thrive near the mouth of a river. The trees have adapted to the environment by leaving the trunks underwater and the leaves above so they stay planted from the waves. These are important because they are home to fish, crabs, birds, and a nursery run by the fish.
Temperate Ocean Zones
11: Name and describe the different zones of the ocean and how they are divided. Describe
the different photic zones of the ocean. What are kelp forests? Where are they found?
- There are three zones in the ocean. The first is the sunlit zone. This zone is the top where it receives most sunlight for photosynthesis. The next is the twilight zone where light barely penetrates. As the depth is deep, the pressure is stronger. The last zone is the midnight. This zone is super extreme in pressure and there is absolutely no sunlight. These zones are divided by the amount of sunlight they have. Kelp forests are forests of these plants called kelp which can grow up to 25 feet. They are found mostly in the Atlantic coast of the U.S.
Tropical Ocean Zones
12: What is coral made of? Explain. Where are most coral reefs located? Where is the
largest coral reef?
Coral is made of calcium carbonate from polyp. Most coral reefs are located are located near the tropical oceans of the equator and the largest coral reef is located in Australia.
1: What are the two types of rainforests? In the United States, where are our rainforests
located? (Be specific). What percentage of our original rainforests does this represent?
-The two types of rainforests are tropical and temperate. In the U.S, our forests are located at the pacific northwest.
Only about 39% are left of the original forests.
Tundra
2: Where is the Tundra Biome located? What is permafrost? What percentage of the
Earth’s surface is covered by Tundra?
The Tundra biome is located around the north pole. The tundra biome includes a feature called permafrost which is a permanent frozen layer of ground.
About 8% of the world is covered in tundra.
Taiga
3: Where is the Taiga Biome located? What is the soil like in the Taiga- why?
-The taiga biome is located around Canada, Europe, and Asia. The soil happens to be thin and lack a very large amount of nutrients. This is due to the slow rate of decomposition.
Desert
4: How much rainfall is characteristic of deserts? Explain where most deserts are located
and the RAINSHADOW Effect.
- The rainfall in the desert is about less than 10 inches. Most deserts are found at 30 degrees latitude north and 30 degrees latitude south. The rainshadow effect is when the precipitation is on the windward side of the mountain and the leeward side will get almost nothing due to the mountain acting as a wall.
Temperate Deciduous Forest
5: What is special about this biome? Deciduous trees have special leaves that are adapted to
the biome- explain.
-This biome is special due to the changes in all four seasons. Decidious trees adapt to the biome by changing with the season.
Grasslands
6: Grasslands are found on every continent except for one- which? How much rainfall do
grasslands get- why is this important? What are the 3 types of grasslands that are found in
North America? What are grasslands called in other places in the world?
- Grasslands are found on every continent except Antarctica. These biomes get about 10-30 inches of rainfall a year. Depending on how much rainfall, grasslands can turn into a desert or a forest. The three types of grasslands in North America are tall grasslands, mixed grasslands, and short grasslands. Grasslands in other places of the world are called Pampas in South America, steppes in Europe, savannas in Africa.
Rivers & Streams
7: How much water on Earth does running water represent? What is a watershed? What
are the two main processes that happen to surface water? What is the longest river in the
world? What is the longest river in the United States? What is a hydroelectric dam?
- Running water represents .3% of the earth's surface. A watershed is area of land all running water drains into. The two main processes that happen to surface water are surface runoff and infiltration. The Nile is the longest river in the world. In the U.S it is the Mississippi river. A hydroelectric dam is a dam that provides energy through the large body of water.
Ponds & Lakes
8: What is the difference between a pond and lake? Name the four stages of succession of a
pond. Explain how an Oxbow Lake is formed. What is the largest lake in the world? What
is the largest lake in the United States? What is the deepest lake in the world? What is
Lake Effect Snow? Explain. What is the cause of summerkill in some lakes?
- A lake is a large body of fresh water. A pond is a body of water that is shallow enough to support rooted plants. In a pond there are four stages of succession. The first one is called pond pioneering. The second one involves animal arrival which makes more debris at the bottom. Stage three involves plant decomposion. The last one involves emergents growing to be able to fill up the floor. An oxbow lake is a cresent-shaped lake. Through time an oxbow lake can be formed from erosion and deposits of soil that can change a river's pathway. The largest lake in the world happens to be called the Great Lake. The largest lake in the U.S however is called Lake Superior. Out of all lakes the deepest lake is called Baikal Lake. In lakes, the Lake Effect Snow is a phenomenon that can make more snow in the winter with the water in the lake. The cause of summerkill in some lakes are mostly the algae. Algae becomes overabundant and ripe.
Wetlands
9: What are the types of freshwater wetlands- name and define them. Explain why
wetlands are so important. What is happening to our wetlands?
- The types of fresh water wetlands are marsh's, swamps, bogs, prairie potholes, and riparian marshes. Marshes areinland area inundated with 1–6 feet of water. Swamps are slowmoving streams. A bog accumulates peat. Prairie potholes are shallow and are various in wetness. Riparian marsh's absorb and release excess water. Wetlands are important because the are home to many animals and plants, control erosion, and prevent flooding. Our wetlands are sadly sadly disappearing due to our actions.
Shorelines
10: What kind of lifeforms will you find in the intertidal zone? What is a barrier island?
What is an estuary? What is life like in an estuary? What is a salt marsh? What is the
Mangrove Forest? How are the trees specially adapted to living in that environment? Why
are they important?
- On the intertidal zone you will find seastars, clams, algae, and bacteria. Barrier islands are islands parallel to the shore but are separated by a deep channel of water. An estuary is a place where fresh and salt water meet. Life in the estuary is diverse due to the lifeforms from both fresh and salt water. A salt marsh is a wetland which also is land that meets the sea. The mangrove forest a a forest made of tropical maritime trees or shrubs They thrive near the mouth of a river. The trees have adapted to the environment by leaving the trunks underwater and the leaves above so they stay planted from the waves. These are important because they are home to fish, crabs, birds, and a nursery run by the fish.
Temperate Ocean Zones
11: Name and describe the different zones of the ocean and how they are divided. Describe
the different photic zones of the ocean. What are kelp forests? Where are they found?
- There are three zones in the ocean. The first is the sunlit zone. This zone is the top where it receives most sunlight for photosynthesis. The next is the twilight zone where light barely penetrates. As the depth is deep, the pressure is stronger. The last zone is the midnight. This zone is super extreme in pressure and there is absolutely no sunlight. These zones are divided by the amount of sunlight they have. Kelp forests are forests of these plants called kelp which can grow up to 25 feet. They are found mostly in the Atlantic coast of the U.S.
Tropical Ocean Zones
12: What is coral made of? Explain. Where are most coral reefs located? Where is the
largest coral reef?
Coral is made of calcium carbonate from polyp. Most coral reefs are located are located near the tropical oceans of the equator and the largest coral reef is located in Australia.