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Biomes of North America 1
Biomes of North America
How do temperature and precipitation affect the distribution of plants and animals?
Why?
Have you ever wondered why no polar bears are in California, or cacti in Alaska? The amount of precipi- tation and the temperature varies tremendously across North America, resulting in well-defined commu- nity boundaries or biomes that are suitable for some populations but not for others.
Model 1 – Biomes of North America
Average Precipitation and Temperature
0
100
50
150
200
Average Temperature (°C)
Average Precipitation (cm) Tropical Rainforest
Temperate Deciduous Forest
Desert Coniferous Forest/ Grasslands
Taiga
Tundra –10 15–18 25 >
- According to Model 1, which two biomes have the same amount of rainfall?
- Which biome in Model 1 has the most rainfall?
- Which biome has the highest average temperature?
- Which two biomes have nearly the same average temperature?
2 POGIL™^ Activities for High School Biology
- Refer to Model 1. a. Name the three different types of forests shown in Model 1.
b. What is another name for the coniferous forest?
- Refer to Model 1. a. What characteristic differentiates the tundra and the desert?
b. Why might the tundra also be known as the “frozen desert”?
- Consider the biomes in Model 1 with moderate temperatures. a. What characteristic differentiates the grasslands and temperate deciduous forests?
b. What would be the most likely reason for the grasslands having grasses rather than trees as their dominant plant species?
- Describe the relationship between temperature, rainfall, and the type of forest.
4 POGIL™^ Activities for High School Biology
- Identify each of the six biomes found in North America on the map below. Average rainfall data is given to help you choose between biomes in the same latitudinal region.
Zone Rainfall (cm) 1 25 2 75 3 25 4 60 5 150 6 >
- Use information from Model 1 and the map in Question 10 to label the six biomes in the chart in Model 2.
- Refer to Model 2. a. Which latitudinal region contains the fewest number of species?
b. List the biome(s) found in this latitudinal region.
c. Which latitudinal region contains the largest number of species?
d. List the biome(s) found in this latitudinal region.
Biomes of North America 5
- Biodiversity is a term used to describe the variety of plant and animal species in a given biome. An ecosystem or biome that supports a large variety of species is very biodiverse. a. What biome in North America has the highest biodiversity?
b. What characteristics of this biome enable it to support such a high level of biodiversity?
c. What biome in North America has the lowest biodiversity?
d. What characteristics of this biome make it diffi cult for a high level of biodiversity to develop?
- What is the general trend of the biodiversity in biomes as the latitude moves from the arctic region towards the equator?
