Biomes
Biomes are the major associations of plants and animals discernible at a global scale. They are strongly correlated with regional climate patterns and identified according to the climax vegetation type. However, biomes are composed not only of the climax vegetation, but also its associated successional communities, persistent subclimax communities, fauna, and soils.
For each of the world's major terrestrial biomes, you will be expected to learn the following:
- The global distribution pattern. You should be able to describe in words and delineate on a world map the location of each biome. You should also know the names and locations of major formations within a given biome; for example, you should know where to find the prairies, steppes, pampas, and veld in the temperate grassland biome.
- The general characteristics of the regional climate and the limitations or requirements imposed upon life by specific temperature and/or precipitation patterns.
- Aspects of the physical environment that may exert a stronger influence than climate in determining common lifeforms and/or subclimax vegetation. Usually these factors are conditions of the substrate (e.g., waterlogged; excessively droughty, nutrient-poor) or of disturbance (e.g., periodic fire).
- The soil type(s) that characterize the biome and those processes involved in soil development.
- For the plant component of the biome, dominant, characteristic, and unique lifeforms; vertical stratification; leaf shape, size, and habit; special adaptations expressed in plant or vegetation structure; life cycles; dispersal mechanisms, etc.
- The types of animals (especially vertebrates) characteristic of the biome and their typical morphological, physiological, and/or behavioral adaptations to the environment.
The biomes for which you are responsible are:
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