Concepts of Environmental Science
Environmental Systems: Biomes, Marine Environment, and Freshwater Ecosystems
We live in a wonderful planet. When you go to the tropics, you see forests with large canopies,
vines, swarming insects, and peculiar flowers. When you go to the desert, maybe the place is too
dry for you, but it is not a problem for cacti and lizards. When you go to temperate countries, you
see the leaves change color and shed as the season changes. The Earth is composed of several
kinds of environment and each has a unique composition of biotic and abiotic factors. Thus, in
this lesson, we will discuss the different kinds of habitats of terrestrial and aquatic organisms and
appreciate their significance to the diversity of life.
Biomes
A biome is a large, relatively distinct terrestrial region that has similar climate, soil, plants, and
animals regardless of where it occurs. The kind of biome is very dependent on temperature and
precipitation it experiences. Thus, similar biomes are often found in places of the same latitude.
Kinds of Biomes
1. Tropical rainforest – temperatures are warm to hot with abundant rainfall all year
round; the soil is thin, acidic, and nutrient poor because of rapid decomposition and
recycling of nutrients; living organisms present include evergreen flowering plants,
epiphyte communities, insects, reptiles, amphibians, birds, canopy-dwelling mammals
2. Savanna – tropical grasslands; have rainy season but rains are less dependable; living
organisms present include grasses, sparse tree populations with fire-adapted features,
herds of herbivores (antelopes, giraffes, zebras, elephants) and large predators (lions,
hyenas)
3. Desert – low precipitation; the low water vapor leads to daily temperature extremes of
hot and cold; living organisms present include cacti, yuccas, Joshua trees, sagebrushes,
desert animals, insects, reptiles, estivating animals
4. Temperate grasslands – occur in midlatitude areas with enough rain; often converted to
farmlands because of rich organic soils; living organisms present include a mix of grasses
and herbaceous flowering plants, prairies, bison, wolves, coyotes, prairie dogs, falcons,
insects
5. Temperate forests – can be deciduous (leaf-shedding) or evergreen temperate forests;
mid-latitude forests experiencing four seasons; supplies wood for lumber and pulp; living
Environmental Systems: Biomes, Marine Environment, and Freshwater Ecosystems
We live in a wonderful planet. When you go to the tropics, you see forests with large canopies,
vines, swarming insects, and peculiar flowers. When you go to the desert, maybe the place is too
dry for you, but it is not a problem for cacti and lizards. When you go to temperate countries, you
see the leaves change color and shed as the season changes. The Earth is composed of several
kinds of environment and each has a unique composition of biotic and abiotic factors. Thus, in
this lesson, we will discuss the different kinds of habitats of terrestrial and aquatic organisms and
appreciate their significance to the diversity of life.
Biomes
A biome is a large, relatively distinct terrestrial region that has similar climate, soil, plants, and
animals regardless of where it occurs. The kind of biome is very dependent on temperature and
precipitation it experiences. Thus, similar biomes are often found in places of the same latitude.
Kinds of Biomes
1. Tropical rainforest – temperatures are warm to hot with abundant rainfall all year
round; the soil is thin, acidic, and nutrient poor because of rapid decomposition and
recycling of nutrients; living organisms present include evergreen flowering plants,
epiphyte communities, insects, reptiles, amphibians, birds, canopy-dwelling mammals
2. Savanna – tropical grasslands; have rainy season but rains are less dependable; living
organisms present include grasses, sparse tree populations with fire-adapted features,
herds of herbivores (antelopes, giraffes, zebras, elephants) and large predators (lions,
hyenas)
3. Desert – low precipitation; the low water vapor leads to daily temperature extremes of
hot and cold; living organisms present include cacti, yuccas, Joshua trees, sagebrushes,
desert animals, insects, reptiles, estivating animals
4. Temperate grasslands – occur in midlatitude areas with enough rain; often converted to
farmlands because of rich organic soils; living organisms present include a mix of grasses
and herbaceous flowering plants, prairies, bison, wolves, coyotes, prairie dogs, falcons,
insects
5. Temperate forests – can be deciduous (leaf-shedding) or evergreen temperate forests;
mid-latitude forests experiencing four seasons; supplies wood for lumber and pulp; living
