Biomes

Biomes are areas of the Earth where the climate, landscape, animals and plants are similar.

What lives and grows in a biome depends on things like:

• how hot or cold it is
• how dry or wet it is
• how well things grow in the soil

Animals and plants depend on one another to stay alive. The animals need plants as food. The plants depend on animals to spread pollen and seeds so that new plants may grow.

Here are some of the planet's main biomes.

Deserts are very dry because they don't get much rain. Some of them are very hot but some, like Antarctica are extremely cold.

Living things have had to adapt to live in deserts. Some animals that live in hot deserts sleep in burrows underground during the day in order to stay cool.

Only certain types of plants can survive the harsh environment of a hot desert. They include cacti and small shrubs that can live in shallow and rocky soil.

Some plants and animals are able to store water in order to survive.

The tundra is found in the Arctic and on the tops of high mountains. It is dry, windy and cold. The land is covered with snow for much of the year, and summers are very short.

The conditions are very harsh so not many species of plants and animals can survive there.

A rainforest is an area that has very tall trees, which are usually evergreen, and gets a lot of rain. Rainforests can be found on every continent except Antarctica.

They are very important biomes because they are home to half of all the different types of plants and animals on the planet.

A savannah is grassland where shrubs and a few trees grow.

Different types of savannah can be found around the world. The East African savannahs are home to animals like lions, zebras, elephants and giraffes.

Lots of herbivores - animals that eat plants - live here because there's plenty of grass. These animals are hunted by carnivores - animals that eat meat. Some animals in the savannah, like vultures and hyenas, are scavengers which eat things that other animals have killed.

Biomes can change over time as a result of both natural processes and human activities. In some rainforest regions, large areas of trees have been removed through a process known as deforestation. Trees may be cleared for timber production, mining, infrastructure, agriculture and livestock farming.

Deforestation can affect the plants and animals that live in rainforest ecosystems by reducing or altering available habitats. Some species, including orangutans in parts of Southeast Asia, have experienced population declines that have been linked to habitat loss.

Governments, conservation organisations, local communities and businesses use a range of approaches to manage forests and reduce habitat loss.

National parks

National parks are managed under specific regulations that aim to conserve forests, wildlife and other natural features.

Logging and replanting

Forest management can include limiting the number of trees that are removed and planting new trees to replace those that have been harvested. These approaches may help maintain forest habitats and biodiversity.

Why are rainforests so important?

Answer the question in the form of a mind map. You should research and gather information about rainforests and present ideas suggesting why they are so important.

Think about:

• where are the world's rainforests?
• what living things can be found in the biome?
• how do people use rainforests?
• what is deforestation and why it happens?

In your own words, present facts and information about the biomes that you have learnt about.

In your work, you should:

• describe the biome and its conditions and climate
• say what plants and animals live and grow there
• give examples of where in the world these biomes can be found