Here are some fun activities to help get you started with the biome unit. Use these recourses to gain an idea of where you want your lessons and activities to go. There are so many ways to teach this, just be creative with it and have fun!!
http://www.abcteach.com/directory/subjects-science-habitats-biomes-3772-2-1 (Here is a link to so many fun activities realted to habitats/ biomes.)
http://pbskids.org/zoom/activities/sci/biomeinabaggie.html (Here is a great activity related to biomes for any grade in the elementary level.)
http://www.scribd.com/doc/85871383/Land-Form-Passport (This is a link to a possible start to an activity. After learning about the biomes, students can do this great activity. This can also be doubled up into a writing activity as well.)
http://storymaps.esri.com/stories/LandsatCompare/ (AMAZING!! Here is a link to a website to see biomes all over the world. A satelite image can show you biomes in their current state. I love this!)
Thursday, March 14, 2013
Tundra Biome Recourses
Videos
http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=Alpine+Tundra&view=detail&mid=78938550C7E82799B31B78938550C7E82799B31B&first=0&FORM=NVPFVR
(An informational video that relates strictly to the alpine tundra.)
http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=Arctic+Tundra&view=detail&mid=5A007F6410A67AAEC09C5A007F6410A67AAEC09C&first=0&FORM=NVPFVR
(This video is a project video that relates to strictly the arctic tundra.)
Websites
http://www.kidcyber.com.au/topics/biometundra.htm ( A kid friendly website that offers all the information you need about the tundra biome)
http://www.kidzworld.com/article/2044-biomes-of-the-world-tundra (Another kid friendly website that offers information, pictures, and is super interactive for students.)
http://bioexpedition.com/tundra-biome/ ( A very informational page that covers not only the tundra biome, but all the world's biomes as well.)
http://www.marietta.edu/~biol/biomes/tundra.htm (This is a fantastic recourse for students to use. It is very imfomational and provides so many pictures to keep the interest level going.This page offers anything and everything about the tundra biome.)
http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=Alpine+Tundra&view=detail&mid=78938550C7E82799B31B78938550C7E82799B31B&first=0&FORM=NVPFVR
(An informational video that relates strictly to the alpine tundra.)
http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=Arctic+Tundra&view=detail&mid=5A007F6410A67AAEC09C5A007F6410A67AAEC09C&first=0&FORM=NVPFVR
(This video is a project video that relates to strictly the arctic tundra.)
Websites
http://www.kidcyber.com.au/topics/biometundra.htm ( A kid friendly website that offers all the information you need about the tundra biome)
http://www.kidzworld.com/article/2044-biomes-of-the-world-tundra (Another kid friendly website that offers information, pictures, and is super interactive for students.)
http://bioexpedition.com/tundra-biome/ ( A very informational page that covers not only the tundra biome, but all the world's biomes as well.)
http://www.marietta.edu/~biol/biomes/tundra.htm (This is a fantastic recourse for students to use. It is very imfomational and provides so many pictures to keep the interest level going.This page offers anything and everything about the tundra biome.)
Tundra Biomes
- Tundra is the coldest of all the biomes.
- Tundra comes from the Finnish word tunturia, meaning treeless plain.
- It is noted for its frost-molded landscapes, extremely low temperatures, little precipitation, poor nutrients, and short growing seasons.
- Dead organic material functions as a nutrient pool.
- The two major nutrients are nitrogen and phosphorus. Nitrogen is created by biological fixation, and phosphorus is created by precipitation. Tundra is separated into two types:
- Artic Tundra
- Alpine Tundra
Characteristics of Tundra
- Low biotic diversity
- Simple vegetation structure
- Limitation of drainage
- Short season of growth and reproduction
- Energy and nutrients in the form of dead organic material
- Large population oscillations
Arctic
- Arctic tundra is located in the northern hemisphere, encircling the north pole and extending south to the coniferous forests of the taiga.
- The arctic is known for its cold, desert-like conditions.
- The growing season ranges from 50 to 60 days.
- The average winter temperature is -34° C (-30° F), but the average summer temperature is 3-12° C (37-54° F) which enables this biome to sustain life.
- Rainfall may vary in different regions of the arctic. Yearly precipitation, including melting snow, is 15 to 25 cm (6 to 10 inches).
- Soil is formed slowly. A layer of permanantly frozen subsoil called permafrost exists, consisting mostly of gravel and finer material.
- When water saturates the upper surface, bogs and ponds may form, providing moisture for plants. - There are no deep root systems in the vegetation of the arctic tundra, however, there are still a wide variety of plants that are able to resist the cold climate.
- There are about 1,700 kinds of plants in the arctic and subarctic, and these include:
- 400 varieties of flowers
- crustose and foliose lichen
- All of the plants are adapted to sweeping winds and disturbances of the soil.
- Plants are short and group together to resist the cold temperatures and are protected by the snow during the winter.
- They can carry out photosynthesis at low temperatures and low light intensities.
- The growing seasons are short and most plants reproduce by budding and division rather than sexually by flowering. The fauna in the arctic is also diverse:
- Carnivorous mammals: arctic foxes, wolves, and polar bears
- Migratory birds: ravens, snow buntings, falcons, loons, ravens, sandpipers, terns, snow birds, and various species of gulls
- Insects: mosquitoes, flies, moths, grasshoppers, blackflies and arctic bumble bees
Fish: cod, flatfish, salmon, and trout
- Animals are adapted to handle long, cold winters and to breed and raise young quickly in the summer.
- Animals such as mammals and birds also have additional insulation from fat.
- Many animals hibernate during the winter because food is not abundant.
- Another alternative is to migrate south in the winter, like birds do.
- Reptiles and amphibians are few or absent because of the extremely cold temperatures.
- Because of constant immigration and emigration, the population continually oscillates.
Alpine
- Alpine tundra is located on mountains throughout the world at high altitude where trees cannot grow.
- The growing season is approximately 180 days.
- The nighttime temperature is usually below freezing.
- Unlike the arctic tundra, the soil in the alpine is well drained.
- The plants are very similar to those of the arctic ones and include:
- tussock grasses, dwarf trees, small-leafed shrubs, and heaths
Animals living in the alpine tundra are also well adapted:
- Mammals: pikas, marmots, mountain goats, sheep, elk
- Birds: grouselike birds
- Insects: springtails, beetles, grasshoppers, butterflies
Destruction to the Tundra Biome
There are many effects to the tundra biome because not enough people are looking after it. These are the 4 main effects that are causing these biomes to lose their quality and beauty.
1. Climate Change - if the temperature rises then the permafrost will start to melt, this changes the physical structure of the soil.
2. Climate Change - if the permafrost melts then this will release large quantities of Methane that is currently trapped in the ice.
3. Natural Resources - the tundra contains large reserves of natural gas that is now becoming commercially viable.
4. Farming - industrial scale farming has a significant impact on the land.
Why is it important to teach to our students?
There is no real damage to these biomes that are caused by humans. But it is still important to make students aware to the changes that do occur in these places.
- Tundra comes from the Finnish word tunturia, meaning treeless plain.
- It is noted for its frost-molded landscapes, extremely low temperatures, little precipitation, poor nutrients, and short growing seasons.
- Dead organic material functions as a nutrient pool.
- The two major nutrients are nitrogen and phosphorus. Nitrogen is created by biological fixation, and phosphorus is created by precipitation. Tundra is separated into two types:
- Artic Tundra
- Alpine Tundra
Characteristics of Tundra
- Low biotic diversity
- Simple vegetation structure
- Limitation of drainage
- Short season of growth and reproduction
- Energy and nutrients in the form of dead organic material
- Large population oscillations
Arctic
- Arctic tundra is located in the northern hemisphere, encircling the north pole and extending south to the coniferous forests of the taiga.
- The arctic is known for its cold, desert-like conditions.
- The growing season ranges from 50 to 60 days.
- The average winter temperature is -34° C (-30° F), but the average summer temperature is 3-12° C (37-54° F) which enables this biome to sustain life.
- Rainfall may vary in different regions of the arctic. Yearly precipitation, including melting snow, is 15 to 25 cm (6 to 10 inches).
- Soil is formed slowly. A layer of permanantly frozen subsoil called permafrost exists, consisting mostly of gravel and finer material.
- When water saturates the upper surface, bogs and ponds may form, providing moisture for plants. - There are no deep root systems in the vegetation of the arctic tundra, however, there are still a wide variety of plants that are able to resist the cold climate.
- There are about 1,700 kinds of plants in the arctic and subarctic, and these include:
- 400 varieties of flowers
- crustose and foliose lichen
- All of the plants are adapted to sweeping winds and disturbances of the soil.
- Plants are short and group together to resist the cold temperatures and are protected by the snow during the winter.
- They can carry out photosynthesis at low temperatures and low light intensities.
- The growing seasons are short and most plants reproduce by budding and division rather than sexually by flowering. The fauna in the arctic is also diverse:
- Carnivorous mammals: arctic foxes, wolves, and polar bears
- Migratory birds: ravens, snow buntings, falcons, loons, ravens, sandpipers, terns, snow birds, and various species of gulls
- Insects: mosquitoes, flies, moths, grasshoppers, blackflies and arctic bumble bees
Fish: cod, flatfish, salmon, and trout
- Animals are adapted to handle long, cold winters and to breed and raise young quickly in the summer.
- Animals such as mammals and birds also have additional insulation from fat.
- Many animals hibernate during the winter because food is not abundant.
- Another alternative is to migrate south in the winter, like birds do.
- Reptiles and amphibians are few or absent because of the extremely cold temperatures.
- Because of constant immigration and emigration, the population continually oscillates.
Alpine
- Alpine tundra is located on mountains throughout the world at high altitude where trees cannot grow.
- The growing season is approximately 180 days.
- The nighttime temperature is usually below freezing.
- Unlike the arctic tundra, the soil in the alpine is well drained.
- The plants are very similar to those of the arctic ones and include:
- tussock grasses, dwarf trees, small-leafed shrubs, and heaths
Animals living in the alpine tundra are also well adapted:
- Mammals: pikas, marmots, mountain goats, sheep, elk
- Birds: grouselike birds
- Insects: springtails, beetles, grasshoppers, butterflies
Destruction to the Tundra Biome
There are many effects to the tundra biome because not enough people are looking after it. These are the 4 main effects that are causing these biomes to lose their quality and beauty.
1. Climate Change - if the temperature rises then the permafrost will start to melt, this changes the physical structure of the soil.
2. Climate Change - if the permafrost melts then this will release large quantities of Methane that is currently trapped in the ice.
3. Natural Resources - the tundra contains large reserves of natural gas that is now becoming commercially viable.
4. Farming - industrial scale farming has a significant impact on the land.
Why is it important to teach to our students?
There is no real damage to these biomes that are caused by humans. But it is still important to make students aware to the changes that do occur in these places.
Grassland Biome Recourses
Websites
http://www.kidcyber.com.au/topics/biomegrass.htm (This is website where students can find anything they need to know about Grassland Biomes. There are easy to find topics and a lot of information that the students can find interesting.)
http://bioexpedition.com/grassland-biome/ (This is another great website for teachers and/ or students. You can find a lot of fun information. This link is a bit more wordy but there is a lot to learn here.)
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/grassland-biome-animals-and-plants.html (This website offers some background information regarding grassland biomes, but mainly covers the plants and animals that you can find in these biomes.)
Destruction in Grassland Biomes
http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/habitats/grassland-threats/ (This is just a quick link that covers a minor amount of the destruction that occurs in these biomes.)
http://www.sawac.co.za/articles/grassland.htm (Here is a specific website that caters to the destruction of grassland biomes mainly in South Africa. It is a small link, but provides sufficient information regarding the trouble occuring.)
Videos
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpTNJcvY_-A (An informational video regarding the grassland biome. This video explores the grasslands all around the world.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CA65MVlfnSA (This video is a project video that covers all the necessary characteristics of grassland biomes along with a movie that represents the best familiar example of what a place like this looks like.)
Destruction
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBb0ZdmfYQc (A video describing the importance of grasslands, and the destruction that occurs.)
http://www.kidcyber.com.au/topics/biomegrass.htm (This is website where students can find anything they need to know about Grassland Biomes. There are easy to find topics and a lot of information that the students can find interesting.)
http://bioexpedition.com/grassland-biome/ (This is another great website for teachers and/ or students. You can find a lot of fun information. This link is a bit more wordy but there is a lot to learn here.)
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/grassland-biome-animals-and-plants.html (This website offers some background information regarding grassland biomes, but mainly covers the plants and animals that you can find in these biomes.)
Destruction in Grassland Biomes
http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/habitats/grassland-threats/ (This is just a quick link that covers a minor amount of the destruction that occurs in these biomes.)
http://www.sawac.co.za/articles/grassland.htm (Here is a specific website that caters to the destruction of grassland biomes mainly in South Africa. It is a small link, but provides sufficient information regarding the trouble occuring.)
Videos
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpTNJcvY_-A (An informational video regarding the grassland biome. This video explores the grasslands all around the world.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CA65MVlfnSA (This video is a project video that covers all the necessary characteristics of grassland biomes along with a movie that represents the best familiar example of what a place like this looks like.)
Destruction
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBb0ZdmfYQc (A video describing the importance of grasslands, and the destruction that occurs.)
Grassland Biomes
- Grasslands are characterized as lands dominated by grasses rather than large
shrubs or trees.
- Ancient forests declined and grasslands became widespread.
- There are two main divisions of grasslands:
- Tropical grasslands or Savannas
- Temperate Grasslands
Savanna
- Savanna is grassland with scattered individual trees.
- Savannas cover almost half the surface of Africa and large areas of Australia, South America, and India.
- Climate is the most important factor in creating a savanna.
- Savannas are always found in warm or hot climates where the annual rainfall is from about 50.8 to 127 cm (20-50 inches) per year.
- Animals (which do not all occur in the same savanna) include giraffes, zebras, buffaloes, kangaroos, mice, moles, gophers, ground squirrels, snakes, worms, termites, beetles, lions, leopards, hyenas, and elephants.
- The soil of the savanna is porous, with rapid drainage of water. It has only a thin layer of humus (the organic portion of the soil created by partial decomposition of plant or animal matter), which provides vegetation with nutrients.
- Savannas are sometimes classified as forests. The predominant vegetation consists of grasses and forbs (small broad-leaved plants that grow with grasses). Different savannas support different grasses due to disparities in rainfall and soil conditions.
How are Grasslands Created?
- Savannas which result from climatic conditions are called climatic savannas.
- Savannas that are caused by soil conditions and that are not entirely maintained by fire are called edaphic savannas. These can occur on hills or ridges where the soil is shallow, or in valleys where clay soils become waterlogged in wet weather.
- A third type of savanna, known as derived savanna, is the result of people clearing forest land for cultivation.
- Farmers fell a tract of forest, burn the dead trees, and plant crops in the ashes for as long as the soil remains fertile.
- Then, the field is abandoned and, although forest trees may recolonize, grass takes over on the bare ground (succession), becoming luxuriant enough to burn within a year or so.
- In Africa, a heavy concentration of elephants in protected parkland have created a savanna by eating leaves and twigs and breaking off the branches, smashing the trunks and stripping the bark of trees.
- Elephants can convert a dense woodland into an open grassland in a short period of time. Annual fires then maintain the area as a savanna.
Destruction in the Savanna's
- Savanna has both a dry and a rainy season.
- Seasonal fires play a vital role in the savanna’s biodiversity.
- A series of violent thunderstorms, followed by a strong drying wind, signals the beginning of the dry season.
- Fire is prevalent around January, at the height of the dry season.
- Fires in savannas are often caused by poachers who want to clear away dead grass to make it easier to see their prey.
- The fires do not devastate the community.
- Most of the animals killed by the fires are insects with short life spans.
- A fire is a feast for some animals, such as birds that come to sites of fires to eat grasshoppers, stick insects, beetles, mice, and lizards that are killed or driven out by the fire.
- Underground holes and crevices provide a safe refuge for small creatures.
- Larger animals are usually able to run fast enough to escape the fire.
- There are also some environmental concerns regarding savannas such as poaching, overgrazing, and clearing of the land for crops.
Temperate Grasslands
- Temperate grasslands are characterized as having grasses as the dominant vegetation.
- Trees and large shrubs are absent.
- Temperatures vary more from summer to winter, and the amount of rainfall is less in temperate grasslands than in savannas.
- Temperate grasslands have hot summers and cold winters.
- Rainfall is moderate. The amount of annual rainfall influences the height of grassland vegetation, with taller grasses in wetter regions.
- As in the savanna, seasonal drought and occasional fires are very important to biodiversity. However, their effects aren’t as dramatic in temperate grasslands as they are in savannas.
- The soil of the temperate grasslands is deep and dark, with fertile upper layers. It is nutrient-rich from the growth and decay of deep, many-branched grass roots. The rotted roots hold the soil together and provide a food source for living plants.
- Each different species of grass grows best in a particular grassland environment (determined by temperature, rainfall, and soil conditions).
- The seasonal drought, occasional fires, and grazing by large mammals all prevent woody shrubs and trees from invading and becoming established. However, a few trees, such as cottonwoods, oaks, and willows grow in river valleys, and some nonwoody plants, specifically a few hundred species of flowers, grow among the grasses.
- The various species of grasses include purple needlegrass, blue grama, buffalo grass, and galleta. Flowers include asters, blazing stars, coneflowers, goldenrods, sunflowers, clovers, psoraleas, and wild indigos.
- Precipitation in the temperate grasslands usually occurs in the late spring and early summer.
- The annual average is about 50.8 to 88.9 cm (20-35 inches).
- The temperature range is very large over the course of the year. Summer temperatures can be well over 38° C (100 degrees Fahrenheit), while winter temperatures can be as low as -40° C (-40 degrees Fahrenheit).
- The animals include gazelles, zebras, rhinoceroses, wild horses, lions, wolves, prairie dogs, jack rabbits, deer, mice, coyotes, foxes, skunks, badgers, blackbirds, grouses, meadowlarks, quails, sparrows, hawks, owls, snakes, grasshoppers, leafhoppers, and spiders.
Desctruction in the Temperate Grasslands
- Few natural prairie regions remain because most have been turned into farms or grazing land. This is because they are flat, treeless, covered with grass, and have rich soil.
- Temperate grasslands can be further subdivided. (Prairies are grasslands with tall grasses while steppes are grasslands with short grasses. Prairie and steppes are somewhat similar but the information given above pertains specifically to prairies.
Steppes
- Steppes are dry areas of grassland with hot summers and cold winters.
- They receive 25.4-50.8 cm (10-20 inches) of rainfall a year.
- Steppes occur in the interiors of North America and Europe.
- Plants growing in steppes are usually greater than 1 foot tall.
- They include blue grama and buffalo grass, cacti, sagebrush, speargrass, and small relatives of the sunflower. Steppe fauna includes badgers, hawks, owls, and snakes.
- Today, people use steppes to graze livestock and to grow wheat and other crops.
Destruction of Steppes
- Overgrazing, plowing, and excess salts left behind by irrigation waters have harmed some steppes. - Strong winds blow loose soil from the ground after plowing, especially during droughts.
- This causes the dust storms of the Great Plains of the U.S.
Why is it important to teach to students?
Economically no other family of plants is of greater importance. People may not realize the importance of this biome. In this biome is a numerous variety of grasses. With these grasses come many different types of grains that we humans use for food. Cereal grains, such as rice, wheat, corn, barley, rye, and oats, are all grasses, and their importance as food producers for the growing populations of the world is unquestioned.
- Ancient forests declined and grasslands became widespread.
- There are two main divisions of grasslands:
- Tropical grasslands or Savannas
- Temperate Grasslands
Savanna
- Savanna is grassland with scattered individual trees.
- Savannas cover almost half the surface of Africa and large areas of Australia, South America, and India.
- Climate is the most important factor in creating a savanna.
- Savannas are always found in warm or hot climates where the annual rainfall is from about 50.8 to 127 cm (20-50 inches) per year.
- Animals (which do not all occur in the same savanna) include giraffes, zebras, buffaloes, kangaroos, mice, moles, gophers, ground squirrels, snakes, worms, termites, beetles, lions, leopards, hyenas, and elephants.
- The soil of the savanna is porous, with rapid drainage of water. It has only a thin layer of humus (the organic portion of the soil created by partial decomposition of plant or animal matter), which provides vegetation with nutrients.
- Savannas are sometimes classified as forests. The predominant vegetation consists of grasses and forbs (small broad-leaved plants that grow with grasses). Different savannas support different grasses due to disparities in rainfall and soil conditions.
How are Grasslands Created?
- Savannas which result from climatic conditions are called climatic savannas.
- Savannas that are caused by soil conditions and that are not entirely maintained by fire are called edaphic savannas. These can occur on hills or ridges where the soil is shallow, or in valleys where clay soils become waterlogged in wet weather.
- A third type of savanna, known as derived savanna, is the result of people clearing forest land for cultivation.
- Farmers fell a tract of forest, burn the dead trees, and plant crops in the ashes for as long as the soil remains fertile.
- Then, the field is abandoned and, although forest trees may recolonize, grass takes over on the bare ground (succession), becoming luxuriant enough to burn within a year or so.
- In Africa, a heavy concentration of elephants in protected parkland have created a savanna by eating leaves and twigs and breaking off the branches, smashing the trunks and stripping the bark of trees.
- Elephants can convert a dense woodland into an open grassland in a short period of time. Annual fires then maintain the area as a savanna.
Destruction in the Savanna's
- Savanna has both a dry and a rainy season.
- Seasonal fires play a vital role in the savanna’s biodiversity.
- A series of violent thunderstorms, followed by a strong drying wind, signals the beginning of the dry season.
- Fire is prevalent around January, at the height of the dry season.
- Fires in savannas are often caused by poachers who want to clear away dead grass to make it easier to see their prey.
- The fires do not devastate the community.
- Most of the animals killed by the fires are insects with short life spans.
- A fire is a feast for some animals, such as birds that come to sites of fires to eat grasshoppers, stick insects, beetles, mice, and lizards that are killed or driven out by the fire.
- Underground holes and crevices provide a safe refuge for small creatures.
- Larger animals are usually able to run fast enough to escape the fire.
- There are also some environmental concerns regarding savannas such as poaching, overgrazing, and clearing of the land for crops.
Temperate Grasslands
- Temperate grasslands are characterized as having grasses as the dominant vegetation.
- Trees and large shrubs are absent.
- Temperatures vary more from summer to winter, and the amount of rainfall is less in temperate grasslands than in savannas.
- Temperate grasslands have hot summers and cold winters.
- Rainfall is moderate. The amount of annual rainfall influences the height of grassland vegetation, with taller grasses in wetter regions.
- As in the savanna, seasonal drought and occasional fires are very important to biodiversity. However, their effects aren’t as dramatic in temperate grasslands as they are in savannas.
- The soil of the temperate grasslands is deep and dark, with fertile upper layers. It is nutrient-rich from the growth and decay of deep, many-branched grass roots. The rotted roots hold the soil together and provide a food source for living plants.
- Each different species of grass grows best in a particular grassland environment (determined by temperature, rainfall, and soil conditions).
- The seasonal drought, occasional fires, and grazing by large mammals all prevent woody shrubs and trees from invading and becoming established. However, a few trees, such as cottonwoods, oaks, and willows grow in river valleys, and some nonwoody plants, specifically a few hundred species of flowers, grow among the grasses.
- The various species of grasses include purple needlegrass, blue grama, buffalo grass, and galleta. Flowers include asters, blazing stars, coneflowers, goldenrods, sunflowers, clovers, psoraleas, and wild indigos.
- Precipitation in the temperate grasslands usually occurs in the late spring and early summer.
- The annual average is about 50.8 to 88.9 cm (20-35 inches).
- The temperature range is very large over the course of the year. Summer temperatures can be well over 38° C (100 degrees Fahrenheit), while winter temperatures can be as low as -40° C (-40 degrees Fahrenheit).
- The animals include gazelles, zebras, rhinoceroses, wild horses, lions, wolves, prairie dogs, jack rabbits, deer, mice, coyotes, foxes, skunks, badgers, blackbirds, grouses, meadowlarks, quails, sparrows, hawks, owls, snakes, grasshoppers, leafhoppers, and spiders.
Desctruction in the Temperate Grasslands
- Few natural prairie regions remain because most have been turned into farms or grazing land. This is because they are flat, treeless, covered with grass, and have rich soil.
- Temperate grasslands can be further subdivided. (Prairies are grasslands with tall grasses while steppes are grasslands with short grasses. Prairie and steppes are somewhat similar but the information given above pertains specifically to prairies.
Steppes
- Steppes are dry areas of grassland with hot summers and cold winters.
- They receive 25.4-50.8 cm (10-20 inches) of rainfall a year.
- Steppes occur in the interiors of North America and Europe.
- Plants growing in steppes are usually greater than 1 foot tall.
- They include blue grama and buffalo grass, cacti, sagebrush, speargrass, and small relatives of the sunflower. Steppe fauna includes badgers, hawks, owls, and snakes.
- Today, people use steppes to graze livestock and to grow wheat and other crops.
Destruction of Steppes
- Overgrazing, plowing, and excess salts left behind by irrigation waters have harmed some steppes. - Strong winds blow loose soil from the ground after plowing, especially during droughts.
- This causes the dust storms of the Great Plains of the U.S.
Why is it important to teach to students?
Economically no other family of plants is of greater importance. People may not realize the importance of this biome. In this biome is a numerous variety of grasses. With these grasses come many different types of grains that we humans use for food. Cereal grains, such as rice, wheat, corn, barley, rye, and oats, are all grasses, and their importance as food producers for the growing populations of the world is unquestioned.
Forest Biome Recourses
Websites
http://www.mbgnet.net/sets/temp/animals/index.htm (Here is a link that provides a list of many animals that can be found in any forest biome)
http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/deciduous_forest.htm (You can find all of the information you need regarding deciduous forests in this link)
http://www.globio.org/glossopedia/article.aspx?art_id=3 (Temperate forest information is all located in this funa dn kid friendly link)
http://www.cotf.edu/ete/modules/msese/earthsysflr/rforestA.html (Here is all the information your students will need about tropical forests)
Human threats on Forest Biomes
http://www.americanforests.org/conservation-programs/threats-to-forests/?gclid=COHyt9LZ-7UCFY9AMgodQD4ABA (This website is an official website to help keep our forest biomes alive. Here you can gain all the information you want on the importance of these biomes, and even donate to help to keep them protected.)
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/threats-to-the-rainforest.html (Here you can see so many different types of devastation that occur in forests almost every day.
Videos
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUuA-C_I3DE (A real and absolute beautiful look at the tropical rainforests)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEewbMP2zOY (An in depth look at the Boreal forests and how you can be involved by working with these habitats)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYSqnO3aMMc (A visual representation of the temperate forests)
Human Impact on Forest Biomes
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8nXltMZYtM ( A great video that shows the negative side of deforestation that keeps rapidly occuring)
http://www.mbgnet.net/sets/temp/animals/index.htm (Here is a link that provides a list of many animals that can be found in any forest biome)
http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/deciduous_forest.htm (You can find all of the information you need regarding deciduous forests in this link)
http://www.globio.org/glossopedia/article.aspx?art_id=3 (Temperate forest information is all located in this funa dn kid friendly link)
http://www.cotf.edu/ete/modules/msese/earthsysflr/rforestA.html (Here is all the information your students will need about tropical forests)
Human threats on Forest Biomes
http://www.americanforests.org/conservation-programs/threats-to-forests/?gclid=COHyt9LZ-7UCFY9AMgodQD4ABA (This website is an official website to help keep our forest biomes alive. Here you can gain all the information you want on the importance of these biomes, and even donate to help to keep them protected.)
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/threats-to-the-rainforest.html (Here you can see so many different types of devastation that occur in forests almost every day.
Videos
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUuA-C_I3DE (A real and absolute beautiful look at the tropical rainforests)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEewbMP2zOY (An in depth look at the Boreal forests and how you can be involved by working with these habitats)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYSqnO3aMMc (A visual representation of the temperate forests)
Human Impact on Forest Biomes
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8nXltMZYtM ( A great video that shows the negative side of deforestation that keeps rapidly occuring)
Forest Biomes
- Forests occupy approximately one-third of Earth's land area, account for over two-thirds of the leaf area of land plants, and contain about 70% of carbon present in living things.
- Forests are becoming major casualties of civilization as human populations have increased over the past several thousand years, bringing deforestation, pollution, and industrial usage problems to this important biome.
There are three major types of forests, classed according to latitude:
- Tropical
-Temperate
- Boreal (Taiga)
Tropical Forests
- Tropical forests are characterized by the greatest diversity of species.
- They occur near the equator, within the area bounded by latitudes 23.5 degrees N and 23.5 degrees S.
- One of the major characteristics of tropical forests is their distinct seasonality: winter is absent, and only two seasons are present (rainy and dry).
- The length of daylight is 12 hours and varies little.
- Temperature is on average 20-25° C and varies little throughout the year: the average temperatures of the three warmest and three coldest months do not differ by more than 5 degrees.
- Precipitation is evenly distributed throughout the year, with annual rainfall exceeding 200 cm.
- Soil is nutrient-poor and acidic.
- Decomposition is rapid and soils are subject to heavy leaching.
- Canopy in tropical forests is multilayered and continuous, allowing little light penetration.
- Flora is highly diverse: one square kilometer may contain as many as 100 different tree species.
- Trees are 25-35 m tall, with buttressed trunks and shallow roots, mostly evergreen, with large dark green leaves.
- Plants such as orchids, bromeliads, vines (lianas), ferns, mosses, and palms are present in tropical forests.
- Fauna include numerous birds, bats, small mammals, and insects.
More than one half of tropical forests have already been destroyed.
Temperate Forest
- Temperate forests occur in eastern North America, northeastern Asia, and western and central Europe.
- Well-defined seasons with a distinct winter characterize this forest biome.
- Moderate climate and a growing season of 140-200 days during 4-6 frost-free months distinguish temperate forests.
- Temperature varies from -30° C to 30° C.
- Precipitation (75-150 cm) is distributed evenly throughout the year.
- Soil is fertile, enriched with decaying litter.
- Canopy is moderately dense and allows light to penetrate, resulting in well-developed and richly diversified understory vegetation and stratification of animals.
- Flora is characterized by 3-4 tree species per square kilometer. Trees are distinguished by broad leaves that are lost annually and include such species as oak, hickory, beech, hemlock, maple, basswood, cottonwood, elm, willow, and spring-flowering herbs.
- Fauna is represented by squirrels, rabbits, skunks, birds, deer, mountain lion, bobcat, timber wolf, fox, and black bear.
Only scattered remnants of original temperate forests remain.
Boreal Forest
- Boreal forests, or taiga, represent the largest terrestial biome. Occuring between 50 and 60 degrees north latitudes, boreal forests can be found in the broad belt of Eurasia and North America: two-thirds in Siberia with the rest in Scandinavia, Alaska, and Canada.
- Seasons are divided into short, moist, and moderately warm summers and long, cold, and dry winters.
- The length of the growing season in boreal forests is 130 days.
- Temperatures are very low.
- Precipitation is primarily in the form of snow, 40-100 cm annually.
- Soil is thin, nutrient-poor, and acidic.
- Canopy permits low light penetration, and as a result, understory is limited.
- Flora consist mostly of cold-tolerant evergreen conifers with needle-like leaves, such as pine, fir, and spruce.
- Fauna include woodpeckers, hawks, moose, bear, weasel, lynx, fox, wolf, deer, hares, chipmunks, shrews, and bats.
Current extensive logging in boreal forests may soon cause their disappearance.
Threats on Forest Biomes
- People live too close to the deciduous forest biome
- Acid rain is caused by industrial and vehicle emissions and this causes damage to the leaves.
- Cutting trees for timber and to clear land for agriculture. THis leaves thousands of species of animals without a home.
- Also there is an introduction of non- native organisms which upsets the balance of the ecosystem by competing for food with native organisms.
- Diseases and insects, both native and foreign, are weakening and destroying forests across the country, even driving some species to the edge of extinction.
- With increased human activity and shifting climate patterns, we are seeing more frequent and intense wildfires, many of which can damage forests beyond the point of natural regeneration.
- Invasive plant species, which have few natural controls in our country, are overtaking native ecosystems, and driving out native plant and animal species.
- Increased development has led to loss of biodiversity and fragmentation of ecosystems and habitats.
- Mismanagement and unsustainable forestry practices are diminishing forests around the world faster than they can be regrown.
Why is this important to teach to students?
Biodiversity
A greater variety of life makes a forest better able to withstand and recover from disease, harmful infestations, wildfires, and other threats.
Clean Air & Water
Forests supply most of the freshwater flow in the US, and clean our atmosphere by intercepting airborne particles, carbon dioxide, and other greenhouse gases.
Medicine & Health
Trees not only create a healthier environment, they also provide a wide variety of medicines.
Social Benefits
Greener urban areas encourage more healthy social interaction between adults and children. They’ve also been a proven deterrent to graffiti, property crime, and even violent crime.
Recreation
Forests are a big part of why Americans love to get outdoors. They provide places for hikers, bicyclists, fishermen, hunters, and families of all ages to play and exercise.
Climate
Forests and climate are directly linked, both on the local and global scale. Healthy forests contribute to regular weather patterns, and help to combat the drastic changes that come from global climate change.
- Forests are becoming major casualties of civilization as human populations have increased over the past several thousand years, bringing deforestation, pollution, and industrial usage problems to this important biome.
There are three major types of forests, classed according to latitude:
- Tropical
-Temperate
- Boreal (Taiga)
Tropical Forests
- Tropical forests are characterized by the greatest diversity of species.
- They occur near the equator, within the area bounded by latitudes 23.5 degrees N and 23.5 degrees S.
- One of the major characteristics of tropical forests is their distinct seasonality: winter is absent, and only two seasons are present (rainy and dry).
- The length of daylight is 12 hours and varies little.
- Temperature is on average 20-25° C and varies little throughout the year: the average temperatures of the three warmest and three coldest months do not differ by more than 5 degrees.
- Precipitation is evenly distributed throughout the year, with annual rainfall exceeding 200 cm.
- Soil is nutrient-poor and acidic.
- Decomposition is rapid and soils are subject to heavy leaching.
- Canopy in tropical forests is multilayered and continuous, allowing little light penetration.
- Flora is highly diverse: one square kilometer may contain as many as 100 different tree species.
- Trees are 25-35 m tall, with buttressed trunks and shallow roots, mostly evergreen, with large dark green leaves.
- Plants such as orchids, bromeliads, vines (lianas), ferns, mosses, and palms are present in tropical forests.
- Fauna include numerous birds, bats, small mammals, and insects.
More than one half of tropical forests have already been destroyed.
Temperate Forest
- Temperate forests occur in eastern North America, northeastern Asia, and western and central Europe.
- Well-defined seasons with a distinct winter characterize this forest biome.
- Moderate climate and a growing season of 140-200 days during 4-6 frost-free months distinguish temperate forests.
- Temperature varies from -30° C to 30° C.
- Precipitation (75-150 cm) is distributed evenly throughout the year.
- Soil is fertile, enriched with decaying litter.
- Canopy is moderately dense and allows light to penetrate, resulting in well-developed and richly diversified understory vegetation and stratification of animals.
- Flora is characterized by 3-4 tree species per square kilometer. Trees are distinguished by broad leaves that are lost annually and include such species as oak, hickory, beech, hemlock, maple, basswood, cottonwood, elm, willow, and spring-flowering herbs.
- Fauna is represented by squirrels, rabbits, skunks, birds, deer, mountain lion, bobcat, timber wolf, fox, and black bear.
Only scattered remnants of original temperate forests remain.
Boreal Forest
- Boreal forests, or taiga, represent the largest terrestial biome. Occuring between 50 and 60 degrees north latitudes, boreal forests can be found in the broad belt of Eurasia and North America: two-thirds in Siberia with the rest in Scandinavia, Alaska, and Canada.
- Seasons are divided into short, moist, and moderately warm summers and long, cold, and dry winters.
- The length of the growing season in boreal forests is 130 days.
- Temperatures are very low.
- Precipitation is primarily in the form of snow, 40-100 cm annually.
- Soil is thin, nutrient-poor, and acidic.
- Canopy permits low light penetration, and as a result, understory is limited.
- Flora consist mostly of cold-tolerant evergreen conifers with needle-like leaves, such as pine, fir, and spruce.
- Fauna include woodpeckers, hawks, moose, bear, weasel, lynx, fox, wolf, deer, hares, chipmunks, shrews, and bats.
Current extensive logging in boreal forests may soon cause their disappearance.
Threats on Forest Biomes
- People live too close to the deciduous forest biome
- Acid rain is caused by industrial and vehicle emissions and this causes damage to the leaves.
- Cutting trees for timber and to clear land for agriculture. THis leaves thousands of species of animals without a home.
- Also there is an introduction of non- native organisms which upsets the balance of the ecosystem by competing for food with native organisms.
- Diseases and insects, both native and foreign, are weakening and destroying forests across the country, even driving some species to the edge of extinction.
- With increased human activity and shifting climate patterns, we are seeing more frequent and intense wildfires, many of which can damage forests beyond the point of natural regeneration.
- Invasive plant species, which have few natural controls in our country, are overtaking native ecosystems, and driving out native plant and animal species.
- Increased development has led to loss of biodiversity and fragmentation of ecosystems and habitats.
- Mismanagement and unsustainable forestry practices are diminishing forests around the world faster than they can be regrown.
Why is this important to teach to students?
Biodiversity
A greater variety of life makes a forest better able to withstand and recover from disease, harmful infestations, wildfires, and other threats.
Clean Air & Water
Forests supply most of the freshwater flow in the US, and clean our atmosphere by intercepting airborne particles, carbon dioxide, and other greenhouse gases.
Medicine & Health
Trees not only create a healthier environment, they also provide a wide variety of medicines.
Social Benefits
Greener urban areas encourage more healthy social interaction between adults and children. They’ve also been a proven deterrent to graffiti, property crime, and even violent crime.
Recreation
Forests are a big part of why Americans love to get outdoors. They provide places for hikers, bicyclists, fishermen, hunters, and families of all ages to play and exercise.
Climate
Forests and climate are directly linked, both on the local and global scale. Healthy forests contribute to regular weather patterns, and help to combat the drastic changes that come from global climate change.
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