BIOME ACTIVITY
Explain
1. List the major biomes of the world
2. How does climate of a biome affect the flora and fauna of the region?
3. List unique characteristics of biomes
Elaborate
1. Complete the “Pick Six” activity.
2. Pass out biome picture cards
3. Circulate and find students with pictures that represent the same biome.
4. The first group to locate the members of their biome wins.
5. Collect the biome picture cards and redistribute them for another round.
Evaluate
1. Select 5 biomes describing at least 3 characteristics for each of the 5 biomes.
2. Describe how different environments support different varieties of organisms.
Some animals may belong in more
than one category:
bear / tundrabison / grassland
camel / desert
cougar / Deciduous forest
elephant / grassland
giraffe / grassland
gorilla / rain forest
hippo / grassland
kangaroo / grassland
koala / deciduous forest
hyena / desert
lion / grassland
monkey / rain forest
rhino / grassland
seal / ocean
bighorn sheep / desert
tiger / grassland
zebra / grassland
BIOL101Lab Biomes Worksheet Due on next week
Name ______
1. Complete the table below for each of the listed terrestrial and marine biomes.
Biome / Location / Mean Precipitation / Year-RoundTemperature Range
Tropical wet
forest
Temperate rainforest
grassland
Subtropical
desert
Temperate forest
Tundra
Coral reef: staghorn coral dominates
Coral reef: lobe coral dominates
Salt marsh
Polar
Map of Hypothetical Island/Continent Loihi
3. On the map of the hypothetical continent, indicate the location(s) of each of the
biomes listed in the table in Question 1.
To do this, draw approximate boundary lines to delimit each biome type, and then label each delimited area with the type of biome it contains.
Point on the map / Biome type / Predominant Vegetation / Predominant FaunaA
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
4. What biomes or vegetation types would most likely be found at the given points? (Assume all are at sea level or low altitudes.)
5. Would the climate at point G be relatively wet or dry? Explain.
6. Our islands of Hawaii have some of the most unique and diverse ecosystems in the world. One reason it is so unique is the many climate types that can be found on one island alone. The tradewinds and elevation have a lot to do with the differing moisture, temperature, and precipitation, which vary considerably among our islands. For instance on Kauai, Mt. Waialeale (5148 ft above sea level) is regarded as the wettest spot on the planet. It receives 460 inches of rainfall per year. On the same island you also have one of the driest locations, Barking Sands Desert, which receives 8 inches of rainfall a year.
a. What is the rain-shadow effect?
b. Draw a rain shadow based on one of our islands.
c. Compare vegetation, rainfall, and humidity for Waianae, Manoa, Kaneohe, and Diamondhead
7. How are the general characteristics of plants (for example, morphology) influenced by climate? In other words, explain what effects climate has on the types of plants that grow in an area.
8. In general, how is the distribution of major ecosystems or biomes related to climate? If you know the mean annual precipitation and the mean annual temperature of an area, would you be able to accurately predict the type of biome that could exist there? Explain.
9. Why isn’t Earth’s climate uniform? To answer this, summarize the major factors that can produce differences in climate from place to place.
Extra credit. A large asteroid hits the Earth, and changes its axis tilt from 23.5° to 10°.
a. What effects would this have on seasons in the Northern Hemisphere?
b. What effects would this have on biome distribution in the Northern hemisphere?