The Importance of Biomes

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The importance of Biomes

Biomes are the living spaces of life. They describe communities located across different regions across the world, looking at the interactions between climatic factors, living organisms, and substrates found in the environment. Generally, a biome refers to a community of similar organisms that are found in a particular climate zone. There are six biomes of earth found in three climate zones. The three climate zones are called tropical, temperate, and polar climate zones; and the six biomes of earth are deserts, grasslands, temperate deciduous forests, rainforests, taiga, and tundras. [lecture]

Biomes are generally differentiated on the basis of the temperature and precipitation that each region receives. Some of these biomes are known for their harsh climates, such as the tundra and the taiga, while others are known for their beautiful greenery and biodiversity, like the rainforest. While each biome is diverse and important in its own respect, together they actually define our Earth and sustain all the life found on it. Deserts are just as important to this planet as are, and it is with all the biomes of Earth together that life is sustained.

Each biome alone for our planet, and together they actually define our Earth and all its variety. Some people may hate the desert, but even the desert plays an important role in maintaining Earth and all the life in it.

Lets go ahead and take a look at what each of Earth’s biomes has to offer.

Equatorial and tropical climate zones

We begin our exploration in the equatorial and tropical climate zones. Imagine you are in a spot about 20 degrees north or south of the equator, where daily temperatures variations is greater than monthly temperature variation; env...

... middle of paper ...

...an you do

Take time out to learn about what activities are harming the region and biome you live in. You can organize a day where schools across your county and surrounding area have a “biome-awareness day,” looking at all the diversity that surrounds you and understanding how they are interrelated and connected. Be aware of the air and land pollution that exists around you, and maybe start looking for the biodiversity that surrounds you at the park, in your backyard, in school, or even when you’re driving. Life is everywhere around us, and it all exists in a balance: we just have to open our eyes to see it.

[1] Laura Dane, UC Berkeley, Environmental science 15: Biomes.
[2] Ibid
[3] http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/glossary/gloss5/biome/forests.html
[4] http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/glossary/gloss5/biome/grassland.html
[5] http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/savanna.htm

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