Science 10
1.1
BIOMES
Learning Targets:
I can:
 Define the terms biosphere, biome, biotic and abiotic
 Identify the 5 factors that determine biome types
 Interpret climatographs
 Explain and give examples of the 3 types of adaptations
Biosphere
The Biosphere is a thin layer of __________, __________ and __________ at the
Earth’s surface where all living things are found
Biomes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIy0ZlyPPDg&list=PLISBHwlJXpn2bmLjfiSh
KcIHpBPcov24O&index=5
The biosphere is divided into 8 different terrestrial biomes and other aquatic
biomes
 Biomes are areas that have similar ____________________ (look the same)
Biomes are classified based on their ______________ (living) and _____________
(non-living) factors
Biotic Factors include:_________________________________________________
Abiotic Factors include:________________________________________________
Biomes can be broken down into _______________, which are further subdivided
into _______________
Biomes are designated based on the
dominant biome for an area
For example, they May have a small
desert area occur in a boreal forest
biome (ex: Osoyoos is classified as a
desert and occurs in BC’s boreal
forest biome)
Factors That Influence Biomes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZouWWVyz9v8
1. Temperature and Precipitation
The two most important factors in a biome because:
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
2. Latitude
Distance north or south from the equator (0° latitude)
Between the Tropics of Cancer (23.5° N) and Capricorn (23.5°S), sunlight hits the
Earth more directly.
 They get warmer temperatures and equal day and night length
 Warmer temperatures means that water evaporates more rapidly, rises
more quickly in the atmosphere to fall as rain (get more precipitation)
 As you move past the tropics, sunlight hits the Earth at increasing angles
Latitude affects:
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
3. Elevation
Height above sea level
Moving 1000ft up is equivalent to 100 miles away from the equator in terms of
latitude
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
4. Ocean Currents
Ocean currents are like “rivers in the ocean” world that move large masses of
Can affect:
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
Climatographs
A Biome’s Climate is the _______________ pattern of weather patterns that
occur in an area over a period of years
A Climatograph is a graph of the average monthly _______________ and
_______________ for an area
 _______________ is shown as bars
 _______________ is shown as a line
Data is usually gathered over long periods of time
Climatographs allows for quick comparisons between regions within a biome or
between different biomes
 Similar biomes in different parts of the world will have similar
Average Temperature (°C)
Average Precipitation (mm)
climatographs
Adaptations:
Month
In order for species to survive in such different climates they must ____________
to their surroundings
3 types of adaptations:
1. Structural
 Physical feature of an organism with specific function
i.e. cone shape of pine trees – weight of snow
2. Physiological
 Physical or chemical event occurring in the body of an organism
i.e.
Wolf maintaining constant internal temp
Cacti photosynthesis requires less water
3. Behavioural
 What an organism does to survive
i.e.
Burrowing owl hisses like rattlesnake, piles dung outside nest
Adaptation
Type of adaptation
Hawk claws designed to catch small
rodents
Slow movement of sloth requires
little energy
Cat hisses when it is frightened
Camouflaged skin
Ants working together as a colony
Homework:
Check Your Understanding (p. 33) #1-5, 11-14
Activity 1-1C: Analyzing Climatographs (p.30) (Part 1&2 only)