How Does Latitude Determine the Characteristics of a Biome?
Latitude determines climate conditions. Differences in climatic variables, including temperature and precipitation, are underlying factors that define different biomes.
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Definition
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A biome is a region that is characterized by specific climate conditions and thereby distinct flora and fauna. There are five main biomes: arctic, boreal, temperate, tropical and desert.
Arctic
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The arctic (or tundra) biome (60 degrees N) has the shortest growing season of all biomes (usually less than 30 days). Due to the short growing season, once plant life dies, it accumulates as large masses of carbon.
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Boreal
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The boreal biome (between 45 and 57 degrees N) has a growing season between 30 and 120 days and is low in plant diversity. The unusually cold winters favor evergreen trees.
Temperate
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Temperate biomes (between 35 and 48 degrees N in North America, 45 and 60 degrees N in Europe and Asia) can be very productive during the growing season, but unlike tropical biomes, growth is usually limited by durations of cold weather. Large hardwood trees dominate the climax community of most temperate biomes.
Tropical
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The tropical biome (located around the equator) is the largest of all the forested biomes. The air temperature does not fluctuate as much as in other biomes due to its location along the equator. Annual rainfall can vary between 1,500 and 4,000 millimeters (59 and 157 inches).
Desert
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The desert biome (between 25 and 40 degrees N and S) is the hottest and driest of all biomes. Desert biomes usually receive less than 50 millimeters (two inches) of rain per year and are therefore dominated by plants that thrive in arid, high heat conditions, such as C4 grasses and CAM plants (which include many succulents like cacti).
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