From Chapter 19 we considered how climate (temprature and precipitation) controls plant communities.
Study Figure 19.8 - temperature/precipitation vs. plant communities
Study Figure 19.9 - elevation vs. plant communities
We very briefly surveyed the vegetation of some of the major terrestrial biomes associated with the major climate belts.
| biome | characteristic vegetation | climate |
| rain forest | lush, broadleaf, evergreen forests | hot/wet equatorial tropical rain forest climate |
| savanna | grassland with isolated patches of trees and shrubs; grasses turn golden brown in long dry season | transitional between hot/wet rainforest and arid desert |
| desert | cacti and other drought-tollerant plants much bare ground |
arid desert climates |
| midlatitude grassland | tallgrass prairie in more humid east |
transitional between arid desert and humid midlatitude forests |
| midlatitude broadleaf forest | evergreen and deciduous broadleaf trees, also mixed with evergreen needleleaf trees | hot to warm summer and cool to cold winter climates; humid stubtropical, humid continental, marine west coast |
| needleleaf forest (boreal forest) | evergreen needleleaf trees: pine, spruce, fir, larch | cool summer, very cold winter; subarctic climates |
| tundra | low growing plants without deep roots because of permafrost even at height of short summer | short, cold summer, very cold winter; tundra climate with permafrost |