Biomes Tropical, Savanna, Desert, and Chaparral - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Biomes Tropical, Savanna, Desert, and Chaparral

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Title: Biomes Tropical, Savanna, Desert, and Chaparral


1
BiomesTropical, Savanna, Desert, and Chaparral
By Aryam Kifle, Izzy Rosenblatt, Jordyn
Matthews, Korey Mui
B Block
2
Desert
  • Izzy Rosenblatt

3
Desert Facts
  • Annual Temperature 20-25C
  • extreme maximum temp 43.5-49C extreme
    minimum -18C
  • Annual precipitation 1 in. (0.25cm)
  • Latitude 15-28 north and south of the equator,
    there global range covers about 1/5 of the Earth

4
Personal Impressions of Desert Biome
  • As I research deserts, I am pondering about how
    any such animal or species could live in such an
    arid place with so little water. I compare the
    Sahara and other major deserts to Boston, where I
    have lived practically all my life, and I think
    about the differences in weather and climate. In
    New England, the inhabitants, people, plants,
    animals, are used to snow, drastic rainfall,
    severe storms and extreme changes in temperature.
    In the desert, they only receive about 1 inch of
    rainfall a year! When I think of deserts, I
    picture hot, dry and sandy. Although as I
    researched on the web, I came to realize that
    some deserts are cold and have a lot of
    vegetation. Some of these deserts are located in
    Utah, Nevada and parts of Western Asia. I also
    did not realize that deserts are characterized
    under the following categories hot and dry,
    semiarid, coastal, and cold. I was surprised when
    I read that cold deserts have cold winters,
    snowfall and rainfall. It is incredible how these
    biomes can range from the warmest and driest
    places on Earth to cold and relatively wet areas.

5
  • Barrel Cactus
  • A round cactus filled with a slimy alkaline
    juice. It has sharp, hooked spines. It only lives
    in desert biomes because it has adapted to the
    dry, hot extremes. The cactus is able to store
    water because of its xerophytes physical
    structure. These plants have long roots, allowing
    them to absorb moisture from deep in the earth.
  • The tree is very important to the desert
    ecosystem. They provide food and shelter for many
    of the desert animals. It is the largest of the
    yuccas, and like many other of the yuccas, it
    relies on the female Pronuba moth for
    pollination. These trees only live in the Mojave
    Desert. The trees prefer dry soil.

6
Animals in the Desert
  • Dorcas Gazelle
  • Found across the deserts of Africa and Western
    Arabia. They are grazers. They are well adapted
    to their dry habitat, and receive much of the
    moisture they need from the tissues of the plants
    it eats, such as the acacia.
  • Ecological Niches They eat vegetation,
    reproduce, and provide carnivores with something
    to eat (examples lions, cheetahs, leopards,
    hyenas)
  • They live in the desert because they are well
    adapted to the dryness. They can go their entire
    lives without drinking water. They can withstand
    high temperatures.
  • They are Common in the Sonoran Desert. The toads
    have extremely potent, defensive toxins that are
    released when the animal feels threatened. They
    migrate to the wet parts of the deserts. Their
    typical diet consists of insects and mice. They
    are the largest toads in Arizona.
  • Ecological Niches Raccoons eat the adult toads.
  • They can live in the desert because they spend
    the dry winters underground. They are able to
    tolerate the dry heat of the desert. They are
    usually active during the rain. The toads have
    severely dry skin because it has to survive in
    the desert.

7
Abiotic Factors in Desert
  • Temperature
  • Soil
  • The temperature in deserts can change
    drastically from day to night. The daytime is
    usually hot because there is hardly any moisture
    in the air to block the suns rays. High day time
    temperatures and low night time temperatures make
    it difficult to survive in this biome. Particular
    species of plants and animals must be able to
    tolerate these temperature conditions in order to
    live
  • Desert soils are rich in minerals, but poor in
    organic material. They are usually poorly
    developed because there is low plant
    productivity. Soils with low organic matter
    content have a low water-holding capacity, and
    the intense evaporation of water from desert
    soils brings the dissolved salts to the surface.
    The high sodium levels make it difficult for
    plants to grow. Plants in the desert had to adapt
    to the difficult living situations, barely any
    water and poor soil.

8
What if a flood occurred in the desert?
  • Most deserts are very dry, and animals are
    sometimes dependent on the aridness. Violent
    rainstorms can cause flashfloods in the desert.
    When floods do occur, it erodes the desert rocks
    quickly. Flash floods can either rip apart plants
    from the ground. On the other hand, the wind and
    water can be beneficial to plants that can
    withstand its abrasive force because the wind
    carries important minerals and nutrients across
    the desert soil. In addition, rainfall usually
    falls on poorly absorbent and clay-like soil,
    which increases the amount of run-off that rivers
    and bodies of water have to handle. Fish and
    other aquatic animals can die from the polluted
    water. However, some fish have the capabilities
    to rapidly align in the current when flooding
    occurs. Invertebrates experience high mortality
    rates from flash flooding. In some cases, insects
    are able to avoid flash flooding. In a study,
    both the Curicta pronotata and Aquarius remigis
    were found to be able to avoid flooding. In the
    case of flash flooding of a desert, secondary
    succession would occur. Meaning, that part of the
    existing community would be cleared, but the soil
    would remain intact and another community will
    evolve.

izzy0615
9
Sources
  • http//www.blueplanetbiomes.org/desert_climate_pag
    e.htm
  •  http//www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/exhibits/biomes/dese
    rts.php
  • http//www.desertusa.com/
  • http//www.desertmuseum.org/books/nhsd_desert_toad
    .php
  • http//www.science.oregonstate.edu

10
Tropical
  • Jordyn Matthews 

11
Background
  • Temperature Range
  • 20-25 degrees Celsius, or above 64 degrees
    Fahrenheit
  • There is little variation throughout year
  • The warmest months averages and coldest months
    averages do not differ by over 5 degree
  • Annual Precipitation
  • More than 100 inches or 2000 mm a year
  • There is usually a brief season of reduced
    precipitation
  • Rainy season and dry season
  • Latitudebetween 23.5 degrees north and south
    latitude

12
My Impression
  • This biome is very interesting there is a lot 
  • to learn about its plant and animal species, 
  • as they are both very diverse. There is also a 
  • different dynamic in terms of how the species
  •  interact because of the absence of sunlight. The
    trees are so thick that below them, where not
    much sunlight reaches the species that live
    there, both plant and animal, there are
    interesting and unique types of interactions and
    processes. This factor makes much about the biome
    very unique.

13
Plant Species
  • Epiphytesthese are plants that grow on other
    plants 
  • rather than on soil. The soil is very
    nutrient-poor in 
  • tropical forests, and there is a lack of sunlight
    that reaches
  • the forest floor. They grow on high branches, use
    limbs 
  • for support, and extract moisture from the air.
  • Ex orchids, bromel
  •   Lianas woody vines that quickly grow to fill
    in the gaps 
  •                          or openings, sometimes
    due to fallen trees they compete
  •                          for light and space.
    This would not be of such competitive
  •                          nature if it werent for
    the limited sunlight or nutrient-poor 
  •                          soil.
  •                             
  • Note Both of these plant species' adaptations
    and unique characteristics represent strategies
    to reach sunlight

14
Animal Species
  • Bright colors, sharp patterns, loud
    vocalizations, fruit-heavy diets, adaptations to
    arboreal life (arboreal having to do with trees)
  • Sloths Slow moving, little muscle. Sloths must
    eat very little to be able to maintain a minimum
    body size in order to not fall from the trees.
    They are unique to rainforests. Algae grow on
    their fur to help them blend in with the
    lichen-covered tree bark. They are helpless on
    the ground and so they live among the trees of
    the tropical forests. 
  • Tucans They are among the few adapted to feed on
    the many fruits found in the forest. The fruits
    are energy rich, and the birds pass out the seeds
    elsewhere, dispersing them. They play a major
    role in maintaining high diversity.

15
Abiotic Factors
  • Sunlight The trees keep out sunlight from layers
    below, and this creates many specific aspects of
    this biome. There are many unique plant species
    with adaptations to living in conditions like
    this, and animals also must adapt to the lack of
    sunlight.
  • Nutrient-poor soil Many plants have to adjust to
    this, and so there is a flourishing of plants
    that live on other plants. The fact that
    decomposition is very quick causes the soil to
    have low quantities of mineral nutrients.

16
Ecological Disturbance
  • If there were an ecological disturbance, such as
    a tropical storm, the plant species that would
    flourish would be the epiphytes. There would be a
    lot of fallen trees, and the epiphytes would grow
    along the trees, while lianas fill in the gaps.
    Anything that died would decompose quickly in the
    soil, and the forest would slowly rebuild.

17
Sources
  • Source- http//www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/glossary/glos
    s5/biome/forests.html, and http//www.radford.edu/
    swoodwar/CLASSES/GEOG235/biomes/rainforest/rainfr
    st.html, http//www.marietta.edu/biol/biomes/trop
    rain.htm, also used textbook

18
Chaparral
  • Korey Mui

19
Background
  • Temperature range 30F to 100F. Mild, moist
    winters and hot, dry summers.
  • Annual precipitation 10-40 inches per year. Most
    of the rain comes in the winter, never in the
    summer.
  • Latitude Mid-latitude climate. 30 to 50N and
    30 to 40S. Specific locations California,
    Chile, the Mediterranean, South Africa, and
    Australia. 
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  

http//www.blueplanetbiomes.org/chaparral.htm
http//www.cotf.edu/ete/modules/k4/biomes/Bovervie
w7.html  
20
My Impression
  • This biome is relatively dull compared to the
    others savannah, tropical, and desert.
  • I have never heard of this biome until this
    project. 
  • It is almost like a wannabe desert but has too
    many shrubs. 
  • California is characteristic of chaparrals, but I
    cant help to think of the Wild West as abetter
    connection.

  http//www.desktopwallpaperhd.com/wallpapers/des
ktop-cowboy-lasso-background-quality-various-89697
.html
21
Plant Species
  • Adenostoma fasciculatum (Chamise)?
  • Evergreen shrub with stick-like branches, small
    shiny leaves with flammable oils, and bunches of
    white tubular flowers
  • Drought tolerant
  • Able to grow in nutrient-poor and dry soil of
    chaparral
  • Controls erosion well
  • Dormant seeds sprout at high rates only after
    fire
  • Manzanita
  • Perrenial scrubs or small trees with long,
    twisted, and smooth maroon branches, grey-green
    evergreen leaves, hairy twigs, and occasional
    flowers and fruits
  • Drought tolerant
  • Dependent on chaparral fires to burn thick
    endocarp allowing seeds to germinate

  http//www.bahiker.com/slideshows/mtnhomepics.ht
ml
www.pbase.com/ image/57113729
22
Animal Species
  • Grysbok (Cape and Sharpes) 
  • ?Small antelope of around 35 pounds and 22 inches
    at the shoulder
  • Primarily nocturnal to evade heat
  • Sustains droughts by obtaining requirements from
    foods such as leaves buds, herb, and fruits
  • Hides in thick, short shrubs of chaparral without
    getting stuck
  • Protea canary
  • Stays in chaparral to primarily feed on protea
    seeds as well as some fruit, shoots, and insects
  • Places op cup nest in a dense bush
  • Is shy and prefers to retreat to thick vegetation
    after flight

http//mhsbiomes.wikispaces.com/Chaparral2
http//www.birdsisaw.com/Bird.aspx?q4179
23
Abiotic Factors
  • Temperature 
  • Hot summers and mild winters
  • Generates hot and dry characterization 
  • Produces dry soil, droughts, and fires
  • Soil
  • Nutrient-poor, dry, rocky
  • Result of dry climate and constant droughts
  • Characterizes distinct evergreen shrubs

http//cse.ssl.berkeley.edu/segwayed/lessons/start
emp/l1.htm
24
Ecological Disturbance
  • Fire!...duh
  • Caused by combination of dryness and
    lightning/human activity
  • Can be impressive and violent 
  • Secondary succession poor soil intact 
  • Burns plant life but most plants are quick to
    resprout and reproduce
  • Dormant seeds require heat intensity to
    germinate 
  • After fire, those species that resprout quicker
    and have fire-dependent seeds will succeed
    others. 

http//interwork.sdsu.edu/fire/resources/chapparal
-charecteristics.htm
25
Sources
  • "Adenostoma fasciculatum." US Forest Service -
    Caring for the land and serving people.. N.p.,
    n.d. Web. 25 Sept. 2011. lthttp//www.fs.fed.us/dat
    abase/feis/plants/shrub/adefas/all.htmlINTRODUCTO
    RYgt. 
  • Bailey, Regina. "Land Biomes Chaparrals."
    Biology. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Sept. 2011.
    lthttp//biology.about.com/od/landbiomes/a/aa060906
    a.htmgt. 
  • "Chaparral Plants." Blue Planet Biomes. N.p.,
    n.d. Web. 25 Sept. 2011. lthttp//www.blueplanetbio
    mes.org/chaparral_plant_page.htmgt. 
  • "Grysbok - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia."
    Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web.
    25 Sept. 2011. lthttp//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grysb
    okgt. 
  • "Protea Canary - Wikipedia, the free
    encyclopedia." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
    N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Sept. 2011. lthttp//en.wikipedi
    a.org/wiki/Protea_Seedeatergt. 
  • "Biomes - Living Worlds Chaparrals." Library
    ThinkQuest. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Sept. 2011.
    ltlibrary.thinkquest.org/C0113340/text/biomes/biome
    s.chaparral.animals.html?tqtime1qtime0208gt. 

26
  • Savanna
  • Aryam Kifle

27
Savanna Facts
  • Annual Temp 20-30 C (68-86 F)
  • Precipitaion 15-25 inches
  • Latitude (In Africa) 15 degrees North and 30
    degrees South

28
Impression
  • The savanna is an evidently dry biome, rain
    only hits it for a couple of months a year, and
    they usually do not get more than 25 inches. Its
    either in a state of drought, or monsoon, never
    in between. The savanna biome tends to have
    animals and plants that have adapted to the
    environment. Most of the animals are ungulates
    such as zebras, giraffes and the like. The
    savanna is essentially a big open plain with few
    trees, and even fewer tall trees.

29
Plants
A plant that lives in the savanna is the Senegal
Gum Acacia which is a small thorn tree which can
grow up to 20 meters tall and has many branches
that spread out and have thorns. Its leaves are a
green color, and the plant has flowers, which
turn into seedpods that look dried up and yellow.
This plant is special in that in can live through
periods of drought in the savanna. It grows in
sandy areas where there are about 12 or 15 inches
of rain a year. Another plant that lives in the
savanna is the Gum Tree Eucalyptus, which is
about 20 to 30 feet tall with round leaves of a
greenish-gray color. The eucalyptus is special to
the savanna because it grows in the sunny, dry
climates because it is not able to tolerate cold
weather.
30
Animals
An example of an animal that lives in the savanna
is the African Elephant. They are the largest
mammals in the world. African elephants live here
because they are herbivores, meaning they are
easily able to eat plants as they please in the
savanna. Another example of an animal that
survives in the savanna is the African Wild Dog.
The African Wild Dog is able to live in the
savanna because during the dry season they are
able to hunt many animals that they are able to
hunt with their light body and long legs. It has
large ears to help radiate heat away from its
body and its muzzle has powerful muscles, which
helps it catch and keep hold of its prey. Another
benefit to the Wild Dog is its multicolored coat,
which blends in with its surroundings making it
easier to hunt.
31
Abiotic
Seasonal rainfall is a major abiotic factor of
the savanna biome. It characterizes the savanna
because rainfall in the savanna is very
infrequent, its as close as can be to a desert
besides the monsoon season, which is the seasonal
rainfall factor in the savanna. Another major
abiotic factor that characterizes the savanna is
the compact soil, which has edaphic factors,
which contribute to the plant distribution in the
biome.
32
Disturbance- Fire
A possible ecological disturbance in the savanna
is a fire in which the plants could be affected.
Some plants in the savanna are fire resistant but
some are not. Of the ones that are not, they
would grow back in an order similar to the grass
first, followed by small plants and shrubs, then
succeeded by the larger trees, of which there are
not many.
33
Sources
http//www.blueplanetbiomes.org/savanna.htm biowe
b.uwlax.edu savanna.org.au
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