Types of terrestrial biomes

We begin by clarifying the definition of a biome. The term biome, from the Greek “bios” (life), refers to the set of ecosystems found in a specific biographical area . These ecosystems share the same climate, as well as 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 landscapes , biomes express the ecological conditions of a certain place (region, continent and even on a planetary level), where the climate and soil determine these conditions and make the development of plant and animal communities possible. characteristics of each biome.

The Biogeography is the science that deals with the study and description of terrestrial biomes, thus establishing the most representative of these characteristics. Among the main characteristics of terrestrial biomes we find:

• Temperature.
• Precipitation.
• Other physical factors, such as latitude and altitude.
• Plant structure (trees, shrubs and / or herbs).
• Types of leaves that plants present (wide leaves or, on the contrary, acicular and needle-shaped). 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 leaf of the plants also indicates the ability of the plant to capture both carbon dioxide and moisture from the atmosphere.
• Spatial distribution of plants, giving rise to biomes with a closed or open spacing.
• The terrestrial biomes follow ecological succession patterns and present climax vegetation, that is, the plant communities that coexist present a state of almost equilibrium.

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 are going to comment on the different types of terrestrial biomes .

Within the terrestrial biomes of forests , we can find:

• Mediterranean scrub forests: with warm and semi-humid climates, whose rainfall is concentrated during the winter months. Here you can get to know the Mediterranean Forest better , its characteristics, flora and fauna .
• Temperate coniferous forests and lush vegetation: its climate is temperate-cold and humid.
• Dry and subtropical coniferous or hardwood forests: with a very marked tropical and semi-humid climate.
• Tropical humid forests with lush vegetation: its climate is tropical humid. In this other post you will find information about tropical forests, their characteristics, flora and fauna .

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

Other types or examples of terrestrial biomes are deserts. The deserts of the world are characterized by having an arid, temperate or even tropical climate, depending on the region in which they are located. The scarcity of water and the presence of irregular rains are present in all deserts.

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

Learn all about the Desert, its characteristics, flora and fauna here.

The steppe biome is characterized by low rainfall and dry climates with extreme temperatures, whose thermal range between the summer and winter seasons is very marked.

The steppes are large extensions of plain in which herbaceous vegetation predominates, specifically with low-lying grasses that constitute scrub. The bushes are plants adapted to the dry climate characteristic of this terrestrial biome, they present different adaptations to the scarcity of water.

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

• Meadows in mountainous areas: alpine or mountain climate.
• Meadows of temperate regions: temperate-semi-arid climate.
• Meadows with tropical scrub: tropical-subtropical climate.

If you want to know more about this type of terrestrial biome, here we show you the Prairie Animals .

A temperate and semi-arid climate characterizes the savanna biome 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 made up of trees and shrubs , is very sparsely distributed. Both plant and fauna diversity have their growth and reproductive periods associated with the climatic changes suffered by the savannas.

Find out more about this terrestrial biome with AgroCorrn in this other article on What animals live in the African savannah .

The different tropical forests located both in South America, as well as in Asia, Africa and Oceania, are characterized by presenting very hot and humid climates , with abundant rains during all seasons.

The vegetation that inhabits the terrestrial tropical forest biome is mainly arboreal, with species of robust trunks and high height, as well as climbing plants. Their biodiversity is the richest and most surprising, but at the same time, 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 forest , has a sub-arctic and humid climate , with temperatures reaching -40 ºC. We can find this biome in the mountainous areas of the northern hemisphere, both in Europe, as well as in Asia and North America.

The predominant vegetation is formed by the arboreal species of the coniferous family, with pointed leaves and covered with resins, such as firs and pines. Learn more about this biome here What is taiga: definition and characteristics .

We finished talking about the different types of terrestrial biomes commented on the tundra. The characteristic climate of the terrestrial biome of the tundra is temperate arctic , with temperatures ranging between -15 ºC and 5 ºC. We can find this terrestrial biome both in the Arctic (in what is commonly known as the “polar desert”), as well as in Antarctica and a good part of the Argentine-Chilean Patagonia, located in the Southern Cone of the American continent.

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

If you want to read more articles similar to Types of terrestrial biomes , we recommend that you enter our Ecosystems category .