BIOME PROJECT FOR FOLDABLE
- Must consist of the following biomes and must be placed in this order on the project:
Tundra, Desert, TemperateDeciduousForest, TropicalRain Forest, “Grasslands” (with focus on Prairies/Temperate Grasslands & Tropical Savannas), Taiga;
- Each page of the foldable must include a picture of the biome landscape to include plants of the biome, two small pictures of representative animals and possibly a plant, identifying characteristics, soil information if applicable, native plants, native animals; AND a climatogram…
- I will provide each student with a handout of climatograms. The Tropical rainforest will have its climatogram along with the Tropical DRY forest climatogram for comparison.
- The project MUST be made of two pieces of regular size paper…folded “HOT DOG” style and glued together at the center fold. We will use the project length wise…side to side.
- The first/outside page should have a neat and attractive title… “Terrestrial Biomes”
Each of the following pages will have a biome and climatogram on it…
*Remember that the Rainforest biome will have two climatogram on it.
**The project must be neat and attractive.
**Must contain the required information.
**Name and class period is to be written on the very back of the project…
(when you glue it into your foldable, it will not be seen)
Information you can use (But please do some research of your own as well):
The TUNDRA…lowest biodiversity…COLDEST Temperatures and LOW precipitation.
Plants:Lichens, mosses, grasses, low growing shrubs due to the permafrost layer of soil that remains frozen most of the year.
Animals: Reindeer, Caribou, Arctic fox, small rodents & migratory water birds;
DESERT…Very dry-LOW precipitation;Temperatures are very extreme alternating between hot & cold. **THE LACK OF PRECIPITATION NOT THE TEMPERATURERANGE is the distinguished feature of a desert! A vast array of plants and animals that are able to survive harsh habitats;
PLANTS- Cacti & other succulents…plants with short growth cycles.
ANIMALS-Big Horn Sheep, Mule Deer, Mountain Lions, gray fox, bob-cats,bats, owls, hawks, rodents, insects, reptiles.
Tropical Rainforest…Greatest Bio-diveristy; Nutrient poor soil; Hot & Wet year-round; Forest has a tall layer known as the CANOPY…and a shorter layer of trees & vines known as the UNDERSTORY.
PLANTS: Broad-leaved evergreen trees, ferns, large woody vines & climbing plants; orchids;
ANIMALS: sloths, jaguars, monkeys, toucans, parrots, parakeets, insects such as butterflies, ants, and beetles; piranhas & other fresh water fishes; Reptiles such as caymens, boa constrictors, & anacondas; (***COMPARE THE CLIMATOGRAM OF THIS BIOME TO THAT OF A TROPICAL DRY FOREST!!)
Grasslands: Terrain of Many Names
Grasslands go by many names. In the U.S. Midwest, they're known as Prairies. In South America, they're called pampas. Central Eurasian grasslands are referred to as steppes, while in Africa they're named Savannas. What they all have in common is grass as their naturally dominant vegetation. Grasslands are found where there is not enough regular rainfall to support the growth of a forest, but not so little as to form a desert.
Temperate Grassland (Prairie)- Warm to Hot Summers & Cold Winters; Moderate, seasonal precipitation.( coyotes, prairie dogs, mule deer, bison, pronghorn sheep, prairie chickens, rabbits, reptiles, insects)
Tropical Savanna- More seasonal rainfall than deserts but less than tropical dry forests. Warm temperatures year round. Seasonal rainfall; Frequent fires started by lightning prevent forests from growing. (Lions, leopards, cheetahs, elephants, giraffes, antelopes, zebras, baboons, eagles, ostriches, storks)
TEMPERATE DECIDUOUS FOREST-Cold to moderate winters; warm summers; Year round precipitation; Fertile soils often rich in HUMUS (a material formed from decaying leaves & other organic matter that makes fertile soil);
PLANTS-Broad-leaf DECIDIOUS trees; some conifers; flowering shrubs; herbs; a ground layer of mosses & ferns;
ANIMALS-Deer; black bears; bob-cats; nut & acorn feeders such as squirrels; omnivores such as raccoons & skunks; numerous song-birds; turkeys;
(**Be sure to define deciduous!)
TAIGA-
(Coniferous Forest/Boreal Forest)
Long cold winters & short mild summers; Moderate precipitation; High humidity; Acidic nutrient poor soils.
PLANTS: Need-leaf coniferous trees such as spruce & fir; some broad-leaf deciduous trees; Small berry-bearing shrubs;
ANIMALS: moose, beaver, bears, lynx, timber wolves, migratory birds, snow-shoe hare;