Types of terrestrial biomes

We begin by clarifying the definition of bioma. The term bioma, from the Greek “bios” (life), refers to Set of ecosystems found in a biographical area determined. These ecosystems share both the same climate and the same flora and fauna. In this way, biomes are defined from the plant and animal species that predominate in their area.

Also called biotic areas or bioclimatic landscapesthe biomes express the ecological conditions of a certain place (region, continent and even at the planetary level), where the weather and soil determine these conditions and make possible the development of the communities of plants and animals characteristic of each bioma.

Now that we know what a bioma is, we are going to focus on the characteristics of terrestrial biomes. The Biogeography It is the science that is responsible for the study and description of terrestrial biomes, thus establishing the most representative characteristics of these.

Among the main characteristics of terrestrial biomes we find:

• Temperature, humidity and rainfall: Depending on the amount of water found in the air or the temperature you make, we will talk about humid, semi -arid or aggregate terrestrial biomes, which are the driest.
• Latitude and altitude: since it determines the distance at which the bioma of Ecuador.
• Plant structure: whether trees, shrubs and/or herbs.
• Types of leaves They present the plants: they can be wide leaves or, on the contrary, acicular and in the form of a needle. It is related to the amount of light and water that plants are capable of capturing and absorbing to carry out the photosynthesis process. The type of plant leaf also indicates the plant’s ability to capture both carbon dioxide, as well as moisture of the atmosphere.
• Spatial distribution of plants: giving rise to biomes with a closed or open spacing.
• Ecological succession and climax vegetation: That is, terrestrial biomes have communities of plants that he live together have a state of almost balance.

Apart from all these elements of terrestrial biomes, we can indicate that biogeography is also responsible for defining the types of biomes found in nature. Next we will comment What are the different types of terrestrial biomes.

In the previous sections we have been able to read what biomes are and what are the characteristics of terrestrial biomes. Now, within the terrestrial biomes of forests we can find:

• Mediterranean thicket forests: With warm and semi -middle climates, whose rainfall is concentrated during the winter months. Here you can learn better to the Mediterranean forest, its characteristics, flora and fauna.
• Template forests of conifers and leafy vegetations: its climate is tempered-cold and humid.
• Dry and subtropical forests of conifers or leafy: With a very marked tropical and semi -humid climate.
• Tropical wet forests of frondary vegetation: Its climate is humid tropical. In this other post you will find information about tropical forests, their characteristics, flora and fauna.

If you want to learn more examples of forest terrestrial biomes, we invite you to read this other article about the types of forests that exist.

Others of the types o examples of terrestrial biomes They are the deserts. The world’s desert biomes are characterized by having an arid, tempered or even tropical climate, depending on the region in which they are located. The water scarcity and the presence of irregular rain are present in all deserts.

In addition, they have marked evaporation phenomena of the little water they have, as well as a persistent soil erosion, Due to the action of the wind and the lack of vegetation or the little amount there is. This vegetation is usually distributed in a spaced way and has different adaptations to the climate in which it lives, such as long roots to absorb the deep moisture of the soils and the ability to store water in their tissues, such as cactus.

Learn everything about the desert, its characteristics, flora and fauna in this ecology article that we recommend.

The bioma of the steppes is characterized by having scarce rainfalls and dry climates With extreme temperatures, whose thermal amplitude between summer and winter stations is very marked.

The steppes are large extensions of plain in which the vegetation of herbaceous predominate, specifically with low -height herbs that constitute thickets. The bushes are plants adapted to the characteristic dry climate of this terrestrial bioma, they have different adaptations to water scarcity.

Perhaps this other post about the SERRANIA Esteparia may be interested: Flora and Fauna and thus be able to have more information on the subject.

The meadows have average temperatures that range between -20 and 29 ºC. The vegetation that dominates this type of terrestrial bioma is fundamentally herbaceous and grassland. In nature we find three types of meadows:

• Mountainous Prairies: Alpine or mountain climate.
• Prairies of temperate regions: Temperate-Semi-up climate.
• Prairies with tropical bushes: Tropical-Subtropical Climate.

If you want to know more about this type of land bioma, here we show you the animals of the meadow.

A Temperate and semi -arid climate characterizes the bioma of the savannas around the world. However, when the savannas are located in more tropical regions, the climate that characterizes them is subtropical or semi -arid.

They are large extensions located in Africa, South America, Northern Australia, India and Southeast Asia. Its vegetation, mainly constituted by trees and shrubsit is distributed very dispersed. Both plant diversity and fauna have their growth and reproductive periods associated with the climatic alterations suffered by savannas.

Discover more about this terrestrial bioma with ecology see in this other article about which animals live in the African savanna.

The different tropical jungles located both in South America, as in Asia, Africa and Oceania, are characterized by presenting Very warm and humid climateswith abundant rains during all stations.

The vegetation that inhabits the Terrestrial Bioma of Tropical Selva It is mainly tree, with species of robust trunks and high height, as well as climbing plants. The biodiversity they house is the richest and most surprising, but in turn, the most vulnerable and threatened of all terrestrial biomes.

Here you can discover more information about the flora and fauna of the rainforest.

The taiga, or Boreal forestpresents a Subarctic and Wet Climatewith temperatures that reach -40 ºC. We can find this bioma in the mountainous areas of the northern hemisphere, both in Europe and in Asia and North America. The predominant vegetation is formed by the tree species of the coniferous family, with pointed leaves and covered with resins, such as fir trees and pines.

Learn more about this bioma here what Taiga is: definition and characteristics.

We finished talking about the different types of terrestrial biomes commented on the tundra. The characteristic climate of the terrestrial bioma of the tundra is of type Tempered Arcticwith temperatures that range between -15 ºC and 5 ° C. We can find this terrestrial bioma both in the Arctic (in the commonly known as “polar desert”), as well as in Antarctica and much of the Argentine-Chilena Patagonia, located in the southern cone of the American continent.

Learn more about this bioma with this video and this other post about Tundra: characteristics, flora and fauna.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ki3t2nmtioy

If you want to read more articles similar to Types of terrestrial biomeswe recommend that you enter our category of ecosystems.