6-3 Grassland, Desert, and Tundra Biomes

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A. Savannas and Tropical Seasonal Forests

• 1. A savanna is tropical and dominated by grasses, shrubs, and small trees.

A. Savannas and Tropical Seasonal Forests

• 2. Rainfalls mainly during wet season which lasts a few months.

A. Savannas and Tropical Seasonal Forests

• 3. African Savannas support many herbivores and carnivores such as cheetahs and lions.

A. Savannas and Tropical Seasonal Forests

• 4. Plants need to adapt to periods of little rainfall.

A. Savannas and Tropical Seasonal Forests

• 5. Grazing herbivores, such as elephants, migrate towards areas of rain and newly grown plants.

B. Temperate Grasslands

• 1. Covers large areas of interior continents where rainfall is moderate.

B. Temperate Grasslands

• 2. An example are the prairies of North America.

B. Temperate Grasslands

• 3. Mountains maintain grasslands by absorbing most of the moisture from rainclouds, leaving little available for the grasslands.

B. Temperate Grasslands

• 4. Grasses and wildflowers are the most common plants.

B. Temperate Grasslands

• 5. Due to little rain and harsh temperatures, plants die back to their roots, providing nutrients back to the soil and making it very fertile.

B. Temperate Grasslands

• 6. Bison, burrowing owls and prairie dogs are common animals.

B. Temperate Grasslands

• 7. Farming and overgrazing have damaged this biome.

C. Chaparral

• 1. Temperate shrub land biome found in all parts of the world.

C. Chaparral

• 2. Dry climates with little to no rain.

C. Chaparral

• 3. Plants are low-lying evergreen shrubs and small trees.

C. Chaparral

• 4. Plants must be adapted to potential fires.

C. Chaparral

• 5. Quails, lizards, and chipmunks are some animals that can camouflage to survive here.

C. Chaparral

• 6. A major threat is human influence, developing land for commercial use.

D. Deserts

• 1. Have widely scattered vegetation and receive very little rain.

D. Deserts

• 2. Due to little insulating moisture, the temperatures can be very hot during the day to freezing at night.

D. Deserts

• 3. Plants need adaptations to survive in dry desert conditions.

D. Deserts

• 4. Cacti, for example, have fleshy stems and modified leaves with spikes that store water.

D. Deserts

• 5. Reptiles, such as Gila monsters and rattle snakes, have thick scaly skin that prevents water loss.

E. Tundra

• 1. Located in northern arctic regions; very cold and dry.

E. Tundra

• 2. Permafrost are deeper layers of soil that are permanently frozen thru the year.

E. Tundra

• 3. Mosses, lichens and over 400 types of wildflowers (fireweed) grow here.

E. Tundra

• 4. Migratory birds fly here to breed during summer.

E. Tundra

• 5. Caribou and wolves migrate in search of food.

E. Tundra

• 6. Global warming and oil drilling are threats to the Tundra.