Types of Biomes
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There are many different types of biomes on the Earth's surface. Each biome is unique in that it has its own weather and temperature patterns, plant species, and animal species. It is important to understand the uniqueness of each biome in order to understand why certain animals and plants thrive in one area yet would not be able to survive in another. Biomes are also very sensitive and each has special needs in order to maintain itself. Although there are many types of biomes, they each fit into two categories: aquatic biomes and terrestrial biomes. Aquatic Biomes Aquatic biomes are those that occur under water. This can be saltwater or freshwater. There is saltwater in the ocean and this is where one would find the ocean biome and the coral reef biome. The shallow part of the ocean that contains coral is a part of the coral reef biome. The freshwater biome includes areas of land covered in water that contains less than 1% of salt water. This includes rivers, lakes, ponds, and wetlands such as swamps and marshes. Terrestrial Biomes Terrestrial biomes are those that occur on dry land. These biomes differ in their climate, vegetation, and animal life. There are many types of terrestrial biomes but the main biomes include tundra biome, desert biome, forest biome, and grassland biome. The tundra biome is one of extreme weather conditions. Temperatures often remain very cold and harsh. Only a few plants and animals can survive there. The desert biome also has extreme weather conditions. There are two types of deserts, hot deserts and cold deserts. Both desert types are very dry and receive very little rainfall. The forest biome is characterized by its humidity and ample rainfall. The rain allows very tall trees to grow there. There are two types of forest, tropical rainforest and temperate deciduous forest. These forests are distinguishable by the types of plants and trees that grow there. Grasslands have a lot of variety among its plants and animals. The plants that grow there include many types of flowers. The soil in the grassland is very rich in nutrients so it is easy for many plants to survive there. Even though the temperatures in the grassland biome remain pleasant for most of the year, it does experience a dry season. This dry season sometimes results in a drought which makes water scarce for the plants and animals there. |