What is a biome?

A large community of plants and animals that occupies a distinct region. Terrestrial biomes are typically defined by their climate and dominant vegetation. They include grassland, tundra, desert, rainforest, and deciduous and taiga.

rainforest

Grasslands

Tundra

Desert

temperate deciduous forest

Taiga

Temperate Deciduous Forest

Located on all continents in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. Tennessee is located in the Temperate Deciduous Forest.

Temperate - is a region with mild temperatures (but some relate it to have seasons)

Decidous - shedding of leaves

Average Percipitation

Following rainforests, temperate deciduous forests are the second-rainiest biome. The average yearly precipitation is 30 - 60 inches. This precipitation falls throughout the year, but in the winter it falls as snow.

Average Temperature

The average temperature in temperate deciduous forests is 50°F. Summers are mild, and average about 70°F, while winter temperatures are often well below freezing.

Plants

Birch Trees

Magnolia

Oak

Lady Fern

Guelder Rose

Bald Eagle

Black bear

Animals

Chimpmunk

Coyote

White Tail-deer

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Using Google Drawing

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The taiga climate is for the most part dominated by cold arctic air. Exceptionally cold winds bring bitterly cold air from the Arctic Circle: the temperatures fall even more on clear nights when there is no cloud cover.

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The taiga biome is the largest terrestrial biome and extends across Europe, North America, and Asia. It is located right below the tundra biome. The taiga biomeis also known as coniferous forest or boreal forest. 

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TAIGA

The Taiga, known by many names including; he Conferous Forest, because of the large amount of conifer trees.

The Taiga is also known as the boreal forest named after Boreas, the Greek god of the North wind.

Winter, with it's freezing cold temperatures, lasts for six to seven months. Summer is a rainy, hot and short season in the taiga. Fall is the shortest season for taiga. Spring brings flowers, the frozen ponds melt, and the animals come out from hibernation.

The lowest and highest temperatures that occur for taiga are the following:
Winter's temperature range is -65°F to 30° F.
Summer's temperature range is 30° F to 70° F.

The yearly temperature range, as you can see, is -65° F to 70°F . For half of the year, the average temperature is below freezing.

The taiga climate has an average annual rainfall of 12 - 33 inches. Most of it falls in the summer as rain.

White Spruce

Plants

Jack Pine

White Fir

Balsam Fir

Black Spruce

Grizzly Bear

Animals

River Otters

Wolverine

Lynx

Beaver

Coniferous Trees

How does the coniferous trees adapt to the climate?

Conical shape - so as to be stable in strong winds
Downward sloping branches - so snow slides off easily
Needle Leaves - reduces water loss by transpiration
Evergreen - No need to renew leaves for the short growing season
Straight Trunk - Attempts to get as much light as possible for photosynthesis
Thick Bark - Gives protection from the cold
Cones - Protect the seeds from the very cold winters
Shallow roots - Soils are thin, the subsoil is frozen for much of the year and discourages root growth