Name ___________________________________________ Date _____________________ Period__________
Biome Map Coloring and Analysis
Color the World map according to the clues listed below. If you get stuck, you may use your device
and/or agenda for a reference. Place a check mark in the box once you have completed that step.
1. The TUNDRA is a treeless biome with a layer of permanently frozen soil below the surface called
permafrost. The tundra extends in a band below the polar ice caps across northern N. America, Europe,
and Siberia in Asia. Color the tundra GREY.
2. The CONIFEROUS FOREST, also known as the taiga or boreal forest, has short summers and cold/harsh
winters. This is where you find cone bearing plants such as pines and firs. The coniferous forest is south of
the tundra in a broad band of dense evergreen forest extending N. America, Europe and Asia. Color the
coniferous forest DARK GREEN.
3. The TEMPERATE DECIDUOUS FOREST is composed of mostly broad-leaved, deciduous trees that shed
their leaves in autumn. This biome has well defined seasons and covers much of southeastern Canada, the
eastern United States, most of Europe, and parts of Asia and Australia. Color the temperate forest LIGHT
GREEN.
4. Open WOODLAND/SHRUBLAND communities are found in areas with less rainfall than temperate
forests. The summers are hot and dry, while the winters are cool and wet. Areas dominated by shrubs are
called the chapparal (California). The woodland biome occurs in areas surrounding the Mediterranean Sea,
on the western coasts of N. and S. America, and in South Africa and Australia. Color the shrubland ORANGE.
5. Biomes that are characterized by fertile soils that are able to support a thick cover of grasses are called
GRASSLANDS and SAVANNAS. Drought, grazing animals, and fires keep grasslands from becoming forests.
Temperate grasslands are found in N. America, S. America Asia, Africa, and Australia. Color the grasslands
and savannas YELLOW.
6. A DESERT is any area in which the annual rate of evaporation exceeds the rate of precipitation. Deserts
exist on every continent except Europe and have varying temperatures, but typically have warm days and
cold nights. Color the desert BROWN.
7. Warm temperatures and large amounts of rainfall throughout the year characterize the TROPICAL RAIN
FOREST biome, the most biodiverse of all terrestrial biomes. Tropical rain forests are found along the
equator in much of Central and South America, southern Asia, western Africa, and northeastern Australia.
Color the tropical rain forests PURPLE.
8. Many ecologists omit MOUNTAINS from the list of terrestrial biomes because they do not fit the
definition of a single biome. Mountain climate characteristics and plant and animal life vary depending on
elevation, allowing many communities to exist on a single mountain. Mountains are found throughout the
world. Color the mountains PINK.
9. POLAR REGIONS are also not considered true biomes because they are ice masses and not true land
areas with soil. Polar regions are cold all year and border the tundra at high latitudes. In the northern polar
region lies the ice-covered Arctic Ocean and Greenland. Antarctica is the continent that lies in the sourthern
polar region. Color the polar region WHITE.
10. Less than 3% of the water on the earth is FRESHWATER. The major freshwater ecosystems include
ponds, lakes, streams, rivers and wetlands. Color large/major freshwater ecosystems DARK BLUE.
11. Over 97% of the water on the earth is found in MARINE (Saltwater) ecosystems. Color the oceans of the
earth LIGHT BLUE.
Biome Analysis – Use Chapter 3 in your book if you need help.
12. Describe the three major categories used to classify biomes.
13. Identify and describe the soil found in the tundra.
14. List examples of plants found in the coniferous forest (also known as the
boreal forest or the taiga).
15. Define the term deciduous.
16. Compare and contrast the characteristics and biotic/abiotic factors of the temperate grassland vs. the desert.
17. What is meant by the following statement: the tropical rain forest is the most biodiverse of terrestrial biomes?
18. Use Figure 3.17 on page 72 in your book to help you describe the relationship between altitude and latitude.
19. What are the three major terrestrial biomes which make up the United States?
20. In which biome do YOU live? Mark your location with an X on the map.
21. You are traveling from Los Angeles to Washington DC. Identify the biomes you would pass through, in order.
22. Draw a pie graph (or two! – page 74) which illustrates the fresh vs. marine water content of the entire world.
World Biome Map