Table of Contents | Physical Geography Working Group | The Virtual Geography Department

Student Instructions

This module on biomes was designed to help you learn the basic patterns of life on earth and to prepare for examinations. The content is primarily descriptive (rather than explanatory) because these biomes provide the background patterns upon which we will try to formulate and answer biogeographic questions during the rest of the course. You may more or less set your own pace using these materials, although there will be deadlines by which time certain parts must be completed. For the most part, these deadlines are scheduled examinations.

Most of this material will also be discussed in class. Depending on how you think you learn best, read about each biome either before or after each is presented in class--or better yet, both before and after.

Below are several study hints to aid your learning this somewhat complex material. There is also a project, the primary objective of which is to help you organize information. On-line review quizzes and critical thinking questions are available to help you prepare for examinations.

Study Hints

  1. Read and check frequently the Introduction to Biomes page.
  2. Read and check frequently the Objectives of the Module in the Module Overview section.
  3. Based on numbers 1 and 2, decide what it is you need to know and list the kinds of information that you need to know for each biome.
  4. From time to time check that you are learning the appropriate information. Test yourself, using the outline you prepared in number 3.
  5. Check with textbooks placed on reserve.
  6. Do the project in a systematic way. Budget your time carefully. Don't leave it until the last minute.
  7. Try the review quizzes well before a scheduled examination. Prepare and ask questions of your classmates and instructor about concepts or facts that you don't understand or can't find.
  8. Prepare answers to the critical thinking questions. Ask that we go over some in class, especially if you don't understand them. The same or similar questions will appear on exams.

PROJECT: A MINI-ATLAS ON BIOMES

  1. Develop a worksheet of one or two pages that can be used for each biome. Information categories should be based upon what you need to know for each biome (see No. 3 above). We will work on developing good worksheet pages in class.
    Each biome's worksheet must contain the following:
    • Place for a title
    • A world outline map
    • A place to draw a vegetation profile
    • A blank climograph
    • A rectangle or block that can be used to illustrate a soil profile
    • Headings and places to record data for other aspects of biomes that you need to know
  2. Prepare eight worksheets--one for each biome:
    • Color the distribution area of the given biome on the world map.
    • Draw a vegetation profile that shows the structure (layering) of the vegetation and identifies all important, characteristic growthforms
    • Fill in the climograph to characterize the regional climate
    • Color and label the horizons of the characteristic soil order. Name the soil.
    • Fill in all other relevant information called for on your worksheet.
    • Note: It is important that you do these graphics yourself (and do not simply photocopy or print them off from elsewhere). This is how you will learn where each biome is and what it is like.You may use computer graphics programs to draft original illustrations or do them by hand.
  3. Make a final, cumulative world biome map that shows all the biomes together. (There will beblanks. We are not studying all of the biomes. The seasonal forests of the tropics and alpine communities are major regions that will remain vacant.)
Do not rely solely on information presented in this module. Look at world vegetation maps in world atlases and physical geography textbooks. You can find representative climographs in world atlases and in physical geography texts. Soil profiles are shown and explained in physical geography textbooks. If you don't have your own textbook from physical geography, there is one on reserve in the library and others in the stacks. The library also has several different world atlases available.

DUE DATE IS LISTED ON SYLLABUS

| Table of Contents| Introduction to Biomes | | Biogeography Home Page |
| Radford Geography Department | | Radford University |

Created by Susan L. Woodward, July 10, 1997; Last updated July 10, 1997 by slw.
The URL for this page is http://www.runet.edu/~swoodwar/CLASSES/GEOG235/biomes/studinst.html