Lesson 2 Climate
Climate Creates Biomes
Not every region on Earth has the same climatic factors.
D2.16 The different biomes of the world
Each region on Earth has a different climate. Some regions are hot and dry, others are wet and warm, and still others are any combination of climatic factors. A biome is a large area with a common climate and the plants and animals that are adapted to that climate. For example, Canada is mostly one biome. Small parts of Canada do fall into three other biomes as well.
Even regions that are the same biome may be different. Since a biome is defined as a region with a common climate and the plants and animals adapted to that climate, it does not take into account the type of soil, if the region is mountainous or flat, or human activity. This means that other factors affect each region, and biomes can vary within themselves. Some scientists will divide the land into more biomes because of this. Scientists still try to classify each region as a biome, as it helps them study the interactions between the living and non-living components of a region. It also helps them understand how groups of organisms will be affected by changes to the climate or other factors in that region.
Earth has six main land biomes, which we will study in more detail in the next lesson.
- tundra
- taiga
- deciduous forest
- grassland
- desert
- rain forest
A biome is an open system. Recall from Unit A that an open system is a group of connected parts that exchanges matter and energy with its surroundings. Just like the cells we studied in Unit A, a biome exchanges matter and energy with its surroundings.
Plants and animals are not forced to stay within the boundaries of their biome. This means that animals crisscross the boundaries of biomes regularly, especially if they are adapted to live in an environment where two biomes meet. The energy, food,
and waste created or used by these plants and animals travel with them, creating the open system. The atmosphere is part of all biomes, so all biomes share the materials found in that part of the biosphere. The sun is also part of all biomes and
is the main source of energy within each biome. Remember, some of the sun’s energy is reflected back into space or into other parts of the biosphere. This shows the exchange of energy between a biome and its surroundings.
D2.17 Canada geese migrate through multiple biomes
Read This
Please read pages 391 to 393 and 400 in your Science 10 textbook. Make sure you take notes on your readings to study from later. You should focus on what makes a biome and how they interact. Remember, if you have any questions or you do not understand
something, ask your teacher!
Practice Questions
Complete the following practice questions to check your understanding of the concept you just learned. Make sure you write complete answers to the practice questions in your notes. After you have checked your answers, make corrections to your responses
(where necessary) to study from.
- What is a biome?
A biome is a region on Earth with a common climate and the organisms that are adapted to living in that climate.
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Why do specific organisms live in specific biomes?
Organisms are adapted to live in specific climates. For example, a polar bear is adapted to live in a very cold climate. Since biomes are defined by the climate found within them, each biome has specific animals and plants that live within it that are adapted to that climate.
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Explain how a biome is an open system.
A biome is an open system because it exchanges matter and energy with its surroundings. A biome will absorb energy from the sun, but it will also reflect that energy back into space or into surrounding biomes. The plants and animals within a biome can move into surrounding biomes and back again, taking the energy, material, and waste that they use and produce with them. Since the atmosphere is shared by all biomes, the materials found in the atmosphere are also exchanged between biomes.