Biome

The world’s forests are home to a staggering number of plants and animals. Forests also perform many important ecological functions, including the production of much of the oxygen we breathe. On this page you’ll find out about the forest biome and the world’s forests… The Forest Biome: Page Index • • • • • • • • • • • • Explore Other Biomes On These Pages: • • What is a biome? What are the different types of biomes? Find out on this page: What is the Forest Biome? The forest biome encompasses any habitat on land that is dominated by trees, and the characteristic communities of plants, animals, and other organisms that inhabit these regions. The three major types of forest are temperate, tropical, and boreal forest. Each occurs at a different latitude (distance from the Equator) and hence has a different climate and supports a different range of species. Today, forests cover around 4.06 billion hectares, or 31% of Earth’s total land surface. Why Are Forests Important? Forests are vitally important for life on Earth. They are among the most biodiverse of all land habitats and are home to around 80% of all land species. Tropical rainforests alone are home to an estimated 50% of all species on Earth. The forest biome also plays an important role in oxygen production, carbon reduction and storage, flood prevention and climate regulation. From a human perspective, forests provide us with food and many of the raw materials we use in building, medicine and in many other industries...

A biome is a large region of Earth that has a certain climate and certain types of living things. Major biomes include The plants and animals of each biome have traits that help them to survive in their particular biome. Plants and animals that live within smaller areas of a biome also depend on each other for survival. These smaller areas are called • The same safe and trusted content for explorers of all ages. • Accessible across all of today's devices: phones, tablets, and desktops. • Improved homework resources designed to support a variety of curriculum subjects and standards. • A new, third level of content, designed specially to meet the advanced needs of the sophisticated scholar. • And so much more! Choose a language from the menu above to view a computer-translated version of this page. Please note: Text within images is not translated, some features may not work properly after translation, and the translation may not accurately convey the intended meaning. Britannica does not review the converted text. After translating an article, all tools except font up/font down will be disabled. To re-enable the tools or to convert back to English, click "view original" on the Google Translate toolbar.

Gaby is a professional Outdoor Educator, Climbing & Polar Guide, and Wilderness Medicine Instructor. Expert in Backpacking, Skiing, Climbing, Mountaineering, Sailing, and Wilderness Medicine. AMGA Climbing Wall Instructor Course Provider. Master's degree in Outdoor Education from The University of Edinburgh. Experienced in leading Arctic & Antarctic expeditions. Freelance writer, coffee enthusiast, and French existentialism reader. Bachelor's degree in Philosophy & Environmental Studies from Hamilton College. She enjoys helping others gain the knowledge and experience they need to get out and adventure in the mountains. View Table of Contents • What is a Biome? • 26 Spectacular Types of Biomes of the World • 1. Terrestrial Biomes • 1.1 Deserts and Xeric Shrublands • 1.2 Tropical and Subtropical Moist Broadleaf Forests • 1.3 Tropical and Subtropical Dry Broadleaf Forests • 1.4 Tropical and Subtropical Coniferous Forests • 1.5 Temperate Broadleaf and Mixed Forests • 1.6 Temperate Coniferous Forests • 1.7 Boreal Forests and Taiga • 1.8 Tropical and Subtropical Grasslands, Savannas, and Shrublands • 1.9 Temperate Grasslands, Savannas, and Shrublands • 1.10 Flooded Grasslands and Savannas • 1.11 Montane Grasslands and Shrublands • 1.12 Tundra • 1.13 Mediterranean Forests, Woodlands, and Scrub • 1.14 Mangroves • 2. Freshwater Biomes • 2.1 Large Rivers • 2.2 Large River Headwaters • 2.3 Large River Deltas • 2.4 Small Rivers • 2.5 Large Lakes • 2.6 Small Lake Ecosystems • 2.7 Xeri...

For most of the year, the tundra biome is a cold, frozen landscape. This biome has a short growing season, followed by harsh conditions that the plants and animals in the region need special adaptations to survive. Tundra form in two distinct cold and dry regions. Arctic tundra are found on high-latitude landmasses, above the Arctic Circle—in Alaska, Canada, Russia, Greenland, Iceland, and Scandinavia, for example—or on far southern regions, like Antarctica. Alpine tundra are located at very high elevations atop mountains, where overnight temperatures fall below freezing. Tundra regions typically get less than 25 centimeters (10 inches) of precipitation annually, which means these areas are also considered deserts. They have long, cold winters with high winds and average temperatures below freezing for six to ten months of the year. On average, only six to ten weeks of the year have sufficiently warm temperatures and long days for plant growth. The soil in the Arctic is largely permafrost or soil that remains frozen year-round, leaving only a thin surface layer of thawed soil in summer for plant roots to grow in. Tundra soil is also scarce in many of the nutrients that plants need to grow. These conditions lead to one of the tundra biome’s most distinct features: They are largely treeless. (The word “tundra” derives from the Finnish word tunturia, meaning barren or treeless hill.) Instead, the tundra has patchy, low-to-ground vegetation consisting of small shrubs, grasses,...