Biomes
Biomes are climatically and geographically defined as similar climatic conditions on the Earth, such as
communities of plants, animals, and soil organisms, and are often referred to as ecosystems.
Biomes are climatically and geographically defined as similar climatic conditions on the Earth, such as communities of plants, animals, and soil organisms, and are often referred to as ecosystems.
Some parts of the earth have more or less the same kind of abiotic and biotic factors spread over a large area, creating a typical ecosystem over that area. Such major ecosystems are termed as biomes. Biomes are defined by factors such as plant structures (such as trees, shrubs, and grasses), leaf types (such as broadleaf and needle leaf), plant spacing (forest, woodland, savanna), and climate.
A fundamental classification of biomes is:
- Aquatic biomes (including freshwater biomes and marine biomes)
- Terrestrial (land) biomes
The biome concept organizes large-scale ecological variation. Terrestrial biomes are distinguished primarily by their predominant vegetation, and are mainly determined by temperature and rainfall. Differences in temperature or precipitation determine the types of plants that grow in a given area. Generally speaking, height, density, and species diversity decreases from warm, wet climates to cool, dry climates.