- A biome is a community of plants and animals adapted to similar conditions in certain parts of the world.
- Biomes are also known as ‘major life zones’ or ‘biogeographical regions.
- The soil and animal life of a region is closely linked to its vegetation. Biomes are usually named after the dominant vegetation, e.g. grassland or coniferous forest.
- Vegetation is closely linked to climate, so biomes correspond to climate zones.
- Major biome types include: tundra, boreal (cold) coniferous forests, temperate deciduous forests, temperate grasslands, savannahs (tropical grasslands), tropical rainforests and deserts.
- Most types of biome are found across several different continents.
- Species within a biome type vary from continent to continent, but they share the same kind of vegetation.
- Extreme conditions, such as flooding in a swamp, can create different kinds of communities within the same biome.
- Savannah, grassy plains with scattered trees, covers over two-fifths of the land in Africa.
- Many plants and animals have features that make them especially suited to a particular biome.
- Polar bears are adapted to life in the Arctic; cacti are well equipped to survive in the desert.
- Biomes also exist in the sea, for example coral reefs.
Biome Facts
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