Land Biomes Tundra Coniferous forest (taiga)- Deciduous Forest/Temperate Forest Grassland Chaparral- Desert: Savanna: Tropical Rain Forest: Page 30

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1 Name: Class: Honors Biology Weekly Packet March 25 th March 28 th, 2013 Monday March 25, 2013 Land Biomes Tundra- cold temperatures, high winds, less than 25 mm of rain yearly (Northern Alaska/Canada, Russia) Permafrost: thick subsoil that always remains frozen Small plants that grow quickly/ have a short growing season Small rodents, musk ox, caribou (have thick fur and large stores of fat to keep warm). No cold blooded reptiles! Coniferous forest (taiga)- Cool summers, cold winters, plenty of rain (Northern North America) Plants: Conifers, mosses, flowering shrubs Animals: bears, deer, elk, beaver, bobcat (thick fur and layers of fat; hibernation) Deciduous Forest/Temperate Forest- 4 distinct seasons, warm summers, cool winters, year round rainfall, fertile soil (you decided to live in Mississippi, people in Mississippi have a bad temper) Plants: some conifers, mostly deciduous forests (decide to shed their leaves), wildflowers Animals: birds, deer, bear, raccoons, turkeys, squirrels, skunks, insects Grassland- make up the largest part of the United States; moderate rainfall but not enough for trees, hot summers, cold winters, fertile soil (middle United States) Plants: grasses, no trees Animals: insects, reptiles, antelope, buffalo, prairie dogs, coyotes, wolves Chaparral- Southern California, hot dry summers; mild, cool, rainy winters Plants: Woody shrubs with leathery leaves or needles Animals: insects, reptiles, coyotes, mountain lion, owls, birds Desert: Southwest United States, Mexico, North Africa Hot days, cold nights, less than 25 mm of rain per year Plants: cacti and succulents (store water). Deep and spread out roots that help them collect water. Animals: Bobcats, mountain lions, rats, lizards, snakes, owls Savanna: Special type of Grassland located in Africa. Warm with seasonal rainfall Plants: grasses, small clusters of trees and shrubs Animals: elephants, rhinos, zebra, giraffe, lions, leopards Tropical Rain Forest: has more species of living organisms than all of the other terrestrial biomes combined. All of them are near the equator (Africa, South America, Asia, and Australia) Year round high temperatures, high rainfall Broad leaf evergreen trees, ferns, large variety of other plants All types of animals in a large variety, most biodiverse Monday Catalyst

2 Tuesday March 26, 2013 Tuesday Catalyst Wednesday March 27, 2013 Water Biomes Freshwater biomes: Rivers/streams (moving water)- may be fast or slow. Plants: little plant life in fast moving areas, more in slower regions Animals: have hooks or suckers to keep them anchored, fish (like trout) are streamlined Lakes and ponds (standing water)- Heat, oxygen, and nutrients circulate Plants: phytoplankton (algae)

3 Animals: zooplankton feed on phytoplankton, fish and other organisms that feed on zooplankton Saltwater biomes: Intertidal Zone: area between the low tide and high tide; subject to tidal changes Organisms that can survive temperature changes and that can live in or out of water. Because the tides come in and out, usually they are adapted to holding on to the rocks with sucker or are attached permanently. Starfish, sea urchins, some sea weeds, muscles. Estuaries: where freshwater rivers/streams merge with the ocean (varying salt concentrations) Organisms: algae, seaweed, marsh grass, oysters, shrimp, worms, crabs, waterfowl, saltwater fish eggs, immature fish (saltwater fish lay their eggs here- it is very important an a nursery) Coastal Zone- area from the low- tide mark to the outer continental shelf. There is land here for plants to attach to and organisms to live in allowing for varied places to hide and live. Plants: kelp, algae Animals: fish, seals, otters, sea urchins, sting rays Coral Reefs: made of calcium carbonate formed by cnidarians (coral), warm salt water Organism: very biodiverse, corals, colorful fishes, sea anemones, starfish (the rainforest of the ocean). Open Ocean: The great majority of the ocean where only water is present. There is no place to hide, so many organisms are silvery to reflect the sunlight. This is where you will find the largest fish and other organisms (whales, sharks). The only producers present are phytoplankton. Aphotic zone- no light Deep in the ocean where no sunlight reaches Organisms: chemosynthetic autotrophs (Archea), crabs, tubeworms, angler fish Wednesday Catalyst

4 Thursday March 28, 2013 Thursday Catalyst Weekly Vocabulary Aphotic- an area without light Chaparral- an area with limited rain covered in small bushes and shrubs Estuary- the area where fresh water from streams and salt water from the ocean mix Savanna- a special type of grassland with a few spread out trees located in Africa Taiga- coniferous forests filled with large pine trees. Have cold winters and cool summers. Tundra- an area with limited rain and very cold temperatures dominated by snow and small plants Weekly Objectives Monday: SWBAT describe the major climate and plant features of the land biomes. Tuesday: SWBAT describe the major animal and plant adaptations of the land biomes. Wednesday: SWBAT describe the major features of the water biomes. Thursday: Quiz Homework Wednesday March 27, 2013 Does the tundra get high, medium or low rain? Why do the plants grow quickly in just a short period? Why can t reptiles live there? What are three adaptations of animals that live in the taiga? What is the main kind of tree we see?

5 What biome do we live in? What does deciduous mean? What is the largest biome in the US? Why don t trees grow there? What animals help maintain it? What is a chaparral? Why do their plants have leathery leave or needle? What is a savanna? Where do we find them? Why do they have trees when grasslands don t? What biome has the most diversity? Where are these biomes near on Earth? Where do you find plants in rivers and streams? Why? What are the main plants in lakes? What does aphotic mean? Where is this zone in the ocean? Do plants live there? Why or why not? Where is the intertidal zone? What are three adaptations of organisms that live in this zone? What water biome has the most diversity? This water biome is often compared to what land biome? What is an estuary? Why is it important to ocean fish? Ph.D. Extra Credit Summarize the following article for extra credit points. In Guyana, Wildlife Makes a Slow Return By LESLEY DE SOUZA

6 Dr. Lesley de Souza, a research biologist at John G. Shedd Aquarium, writes from Guyana, where she studies the region s rich aquatic wildlife, including the arapaima, one of the largest freshwater fishes in the world. Feb. 2, 2013 Matt de PaolisRudy Edwards, one of the Eco- Lodge managers, traveling on the Rewa River. The candle flame flickered as a slight breeze moved through the benab, a thatched roof hut, causing Rudy Edward s illuminated face to fade in and out of sight. We were gathered around a wooden table listening as he recounted stories of a time when there were no signs of turtles, birds flying overhead or arapaima rolling. A decade ago, the Rewa River was a very different place. Arapaima were illegally hunted and killed. A local delicacy prized for their boneless, meaty fillets, the fish were already endangered. Rudy, one of the top hunters and fishermen in the village, admitted that harvesting local wildlife was the main source of income for him and many families until a conservation workshop transformed him. He attended the meetings not realizing they were for conservation and confesses that he did not even know what the word conservation meant. Never before had he realized that he was directly having an effect on natural resources. He imagined how it would be if his children never saw an arapaima or some of the other wildlife he harvested and was dismayed. After the workshop, he continued to participate in groups working with conservation and began taking the message back to his village. The challenges were great, he told me. It was difficult to change their way of thinking and living, in regards to harvesting wildlife, especially as it was a main source of income for many families. Slowly change became evident. Commercial harvesting was banned in the village and new generations were growing up with the message of the importance of preserving their natural resources. Liz SmithThe giant water lily is the largest lily in the world and the national flower of Guyana. Arapaima are often found swimming among these flowers. Today the Rewa River drainage has the highest densities of arapaima populations in all of Guyana, making it the best site for my research. My crew s knowledge of arapaima and their behavior, originally gained from hunting animals, is now a vital part of the research that could protect these areas. I attribute the successes of the surgeries to their keen

7 perception and swift action. They guide like hunters and know every contour of the river channel and the arapaima s preferred habitat. They seem to have a nuanced understanding of the fish s movement. Rudy even spoke of arapaima behavior in ways I had never seen documented in scientific literature. Rewa villagers have told me that getting involved in research offers them an opportunity to be directly involved in conserving their resources. Additionally, Rewa villagers have established an Eco- Lodge where the flora, fauna and cultural heritage are the main attraction. Here, the level of tourism is on a small scale. But ecotourism in Rewa is still providing a direct benefit to the community by increasing awareness of its incredible biodiversity and generating a sustainable stream of revenue for its people. Liz SmithA tapir, also known as a bush cow among locals. Conservation is occurring at the local level, but in order to continue to protect arapaima the message must expand to the regional and national level. It is critical to have good science to inform governing officials about the proper management of natural resources. For now, good science involves swimming in murky waters wrestling fish as long as I am tall, amid the plethora of other incredible creatures that make Rewa among the wildest places on earth. The flickering flame is finally extinguished as the candle has melted completely onto the table. Silence envelopes the air as we acknowledge the end of the evening. My eyes adjust to the darkness and I see a shimmer of the flowing river reflecting the stars above; a place so wild that stars illuminate a moonless night. Summarize in your words: