Lecture on Biomes and Climate Zones

Introduction to Biomes

• Biomes are the living landscapes of Earth, consisting of various plant adaptations.
• They are crucial for sustaining all life forms, including humans.
• Landscapes inspire art and define the character of regions through their natural vistas.

Factors Influencing Biomes

• Topography: Coastlines, hills, and mountains influence landscapes beneath.
• Vegetation: Surface landscapes are defined by plant life.
• Climate: Annual patterns of temperature and rainfall determine plant species distribution.

Types of Plant Varieties

• Trees:
  • Coniferous evergreens in boreal forests.
  • Mixed temperate woodlands.
  • Evergreen broadleaf forests in tropical regions.
• Shrubs:
  • Present in nearly every climate zone, dominant in semi-arid areas.
• Grasses:
  • Found in tropical savannahs, temperate prairies, and steppes.
• Desert Adaptations:
  • Cacti and other specialized plants.
• Cold Adaptations:
  • Plants in tundra regions.

Distinction Between Biomes and Climate Zones

• Climate Zones: Defined by rainfall and temperature patterns.
• Biomes: Adaptations of plants influenced by climate zones and other factors like soil type.
  • Different plant evolutions in similar climates on different continents.
  • Example: Eucalyptus in Australia vs. oaks/bamboo in other subtropical regions.

Influences on Biomes

• Soil Type: Affects water drainage and plant presence.
• Climate vs. Biome Complexity:
  • Biomes are more complex due to evolutionary paths.
  • Multiple attempts at biome classification over time.

Classification and Impact of Climate on Biomes

• Leslie Holdridge's Life Zones:
  • Combination of temperature and rainfall affecting biomes.
  • Aridity index: Potential evapotranspiration to total rainfall ratio.
  • Deserts have high aridity; rainforests have low.
• Examples:
  • Boreal forests and Sahel have similar rainfall but differ in vegetation due to temperature.

Recent Biome Classification - LONS08

• 13 Biomes Identified:
  1. Tropical Evergreen Forest
  2. Tropical Seasonal Forest
  3. Savannah
  4. Shrubland
  5. Semi-desert
  6. Desert
  7. Prairie and Steppe
  8. Temperate Forest
  9. Mixed Temperate Forest
  10. Boreal Evergreen Forest
  11. Boreal Seasonal Forest
  12. Tundra
  13. Ice

Conclusion

• Future series will explore each biome in detail with real examples and dominant species.
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