Def. Ecosystems characterized by the presence of specific plants and animals, climate and soil conditions.

1. Tundra- northernmost
   1. Dry and cold
   2. Permafrost
   3. Vegetation-lichens low shrubs
2. Northern Coniferous forest-Boreal forest, Cold climate forest
   1. Cold with little moisture as cold rain,
   2. Some permafrost, shallow soil
   3. Evergreen conifers-fir and spruce
3. Temperate Deciduous forest-Eastern US
   1. Warm- 120-250 day growing season
   2. Hardwoods-oak, maple, beech, and some conifers-pine
4. Grasslands
   1. 25% of land surface
   2. multiple species of grasses
   3. Today’s farmland
5. Desert
   1. Hot, Dry
   2. Three types
      1. Cold-northern, sagebrush, pinyon pine,
      2. Warm-mojave- creosote bush, sage, Joshua trees
      3. Hot-Sonoran Desert, Death valley-cactus, Yucca, annual flowering plants
6. Rocky Mountain biome
   1. created by altitude, instead of latitude
   2. Alpine tundra, to mountain forests of pine, and fir
7. Chaparral
   1. cool winter, moist summer
   2. coastal so. Cal.
   3. Oak woodland
8. Savanna
   1. Tropical grassland
   2. Rain with long dry periods
   3. Grasses, and scattered trees shrubs
   4. Poor soil
9. Tropical Rain Forest
   1. High precipitation, no dry season
   2. Poor soil with little organic matter
   3. Heavy evergreen tree canopy
   4. High species diversity