The Earth has many different environments, varying in temperature, moisture, light, and many other factors. Each of these habitats has distinct life forms living in it, forming complex communities of interdependent organisms. A complex community of plants and animals in a region and a climate is called a biome.
Earth’s Biomes
- Desert - very dry, either hot or cold
- Tundra - cool, treeless, and dry
- Chaparral or scrub - coastal area with hot, dry summers and mild, cool, rainy winters
- Taiga or Coniferous Forest - cool and dry, with coniferous trees
- Temperate Deciduous Forest - cool and rainy, with deciduous trees
- Grassland - Windy, partly dry sea of grass with few trees, including tropical savanna, prairie, steppe, pampas, etc.
- Mountain biomes: there are a lot of different mountainous biomes, from grasslands at low altitudes, taiga (coniferous forests) below the treeline, and alpine (the same as tundra)
- Temperate Rain Forest - cool and wet
- Tropical Rain Forest - warm and very wet
- Land Cave - cool and dark
- Wetlands - there are many types of wetlands, including swamps, marshes, moors, bogs, fens, sloughs, etc.
- Freshwater Marsh - a wetland located near creeks, streams, rivers and lakes
- Temperate ponds
- Marine (ocean or sea) - including
- euphotic (sunlit) zone
- littoral or intertidal zones
- coral reef (warm shallow salt-water environments based on coral formations)
- estuarine biomes (where rivers meet oceans)
- pelagic biomes (open seas near the surface)
- disphotic (twilight) zone
- midnight (aphotic) zone
- benthic biomes (bottom)
- sea trenches
- sea Caves
- euphotic (sunlit) zone
- And many more.
Some Land (Terrestrial) Biomes
| Biome | Water | Temperature | Soil | Plants | Animals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Desert | Almost none | hot or cold | poor | sparse - succulents (like cactus), sage brush | sparse - insects, arachnids, reptiles and birds (often nocturnal) |
| Chaparal (scrub) | dry summer, rainy winter | hot summer, cool winter | poor | shrubs, some woodland (like scrub oak) | drought and fire-adapted animals |
| Tundra | dry | cold | permafrost (frozen soil) | lichens and mosses | migrating animals |
| Taiga (coniferous forest) | adequate | cool year-round | poor, rocky soil | conifers | many mammals, birds, insects, arachnids, etc. |
| Temperate Deciduous Forest | adequate | cool season and warm season | fertile soil | deciduous trees | many mammals, birds, reptiles, insects, arachnids, etc. |
| Grassland | wet season, dry season | warm to hot (often with a cold season) | fertile soil | grasses (few or no trees) | many mammals, birds, insects, arachnids, etc. |
| Tropical rain forest | very wet | always warm | poor, thin soil | many plants | many animals |
| Swamp | very wet | warm | nutrient-rich soil | many plants | many animals |
| Cave (terrestrial) | variable | cool (and dark) | rocks | almost no plants | few animals |
Related Activities
Biome Word Pieces Puzzle - Make biome-related words from word segments cave, desert, grassland, chaparrel, marsh, prairie, rainforest, reef, savanna, swamp, taiga, tundra.
Biome Report Chart #1 Printout: The chart includes: biome name, weather (temperature and precipitation), plants, herbivores and carnivores, an example of a food chain, locations worldwide, and describe the biome.
Biome Report Chart #2 Printout: The chart includes: biome name, weather (temperature and precipitation), plants, herbivores and carnivores (plus adaptations), endangered species, an example of a food chain, locations worldwide, soil type, and describe the biome.
Biome Report Chart #3 Printout: The chart includes: biome name, weather (temperature and precipitation), plants, herbivores, carnivores and omnivores (plus adaptations), endangered species, an example of a food chain, locations worldwide, soil type, and describe the biome.
Write Biome-Related Definitions - For each biome-related word, the student writes what part of speech the word is, writes its definition, and uses it in a sentence. Words: biome, wetland, tropical, temperate, prairie, chaparral, intertidal zone, rainforest, tundra, taiga.
Write Biome-Related Definitions Worksheet - Sample Answers: For each biome-related word, the student writes what part of speech the word is, writes its definition, and uses it in a sentence. Words: biome, wetland, tropical, temperate, prairie, chaparral, intertidal zone, rainforest, tundra, taiga.
Biome-Related Words: Write a Question for Each Answer - A printout about writing sentences for early readers.
A list of common words and phrases associated with biomes or habitats.