Directions: Use the Websites Provided to Help You Answer These Questions

Name ______Date ______Biomes! Directions: Use the websites provided to help you answer these questions. Use: http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/exhibits/biomes/index.php

1. What is a biome?

2. How are humans impacting biomes worldwide?

Use: http://www.cotf.edu/ete/modules/msese/earthsysflr/biomes.html

3. What are six main biomes found in the world?

4. Describe the characteristics of each of these biomes: a. Arctic Tundra: i. Precipitation:

ii. Permafrost:

iii. Active Layer:

iv. Why is there lots of surface water in the tundra during the summer?

v. Sunlight:

b. Deciduous Forest: i. Weather Patterns:

ii. Precipitation: iii. Vegetation:

iv. Soils:

v. Agriculture: c. Desert: i. Precipitation:

ii. Temperature Range:

iii. Temperature Variation: d. Tropical Rainforest: i. Precipitation:

ii. Why is rainforest soil so nutrient-poor?

e. Tropical Savannah: i. Seasons:

ii. Precipitation:

iii. Role of Fire:

iv. How have humans contributed to the creation of tropical savannahs?

f. Taiga: i. Seasonal changes:

ii. Topography of Northern Taiga:

iii. Soil: Use: http://www2.una.edu/geography/Reading_Institute/biomes/world_biomes.htm

5. Write the name of each biome and tell the region or continent in which it is found.

Use: http://lsb.syr.edu/projects/cyberzoo/biome.html

6. Provide a few characteristics of 2 animals that can be found in each biome: a. Freshwater:

b. Tundra:

c. Desert:

d. Grasslands:

e. Tropical Rainforest: f. Coniferous Forest:

g. Marine:

h. Temperate Deciduous Forest:

Use: http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/plants.htm

7. Describe the plant life in each biome. a. Tundra:

b. Taiga:

c. Steppe:

d. Grasslands:

e. Deciduous Forest:

f. Chaparral: g. Desert:

h. Savanna:

i. Rainforest:

Use: http://ths.sps.lane.edu/biomes/rain3/rain3.html

8. Why are rainforest called rainforest?

Use: http://www.mbgnet.net

9. What are two challenges that desert animals face?

10. We currently live in the deciduous forest biome. If you had to move to a different biome, which one would you choose and why?