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Biomes (Current Biomes (Dry (Grasslands # (No mountains., Rich soil,…

- - - - Contains layer known as "permafrost". Permanent hard layer of frost.
      - Contains even more grasses and sedges than alpine tundra.
      - Nothing is taller than 20cm.
    - - Also known as "taiga".
      - Almost exclusively coniferous, this type of tree seems specially adapted to the climate.
      - Shrubs are not abundant, but can present themselves.
  - - - No mountains.
      - Rich soil, sufficient rainfall for easily grown crops.
      - Due to civilizing these regions for farming, initiatives are in action to return portions of grasslands back to a natural state.
    - - Rainfall is less than 25cm a year.
      - Soils are rocky and thin.
      - Creosote bush are the most common plants.
    - - Small plant life like grasses, sedges, and herbs survive here.
      - Cold most of the year.
      - Located above the highest point at which trees survive on a mountain.
  - - - Long-living conifers populate this zone.
      - Area around Washington and Oregon.
      - Stability of the forest allows for healthy growth of plants and animals that live there.
    - - Contains a fair mix of trees, higher altitudes are conifer mixes.
      - Soil is shallow and rocky.
      - Occur at bases or "mid-heights" of the Rockies.
    - - Northeastern forests have streams that flow all year.
      - Tall broadleaf trees dominate these forests.
      - Cold winters, warm summers
  - - - Typical rainfall is over 200cm a year.
      - Humidity is a constant due to consistent rainfall and equatorial position.
      - Dominant trees are angiosperms, with plenty of other life to squeeze in under the canopy.
    - - Savannas are common in Africa, Brazil, Venezuela, and Australia.
      - Termites are extremely common and graze these lands. No cattle. Termites. "Termite Steak".... Doesn't have the same ring to it.
      - Thorn-scrub is common here.
- - - - Water evaporates in vast amounts at tropical zones
      - Torrential rainfall is caused due to this evaporation and the water cycle.
      - Water is very dependent on air pressure, "deciding" when it rains.
    - - Size of landmass determines weather it receives.
      - Large, mountainous islands force air to rise as it moves across them. Rain is common.
      - Continents
        
        Continents are like islands, on a much larger scale
        
        Flat continents receive a wide net of rain. Mountainous continents receive dense amounts of rain in small areas. "Rain shadows" may form.
  - - - Air circulation drives water in the Pacific and Atlantic in 4 circular currents.
      - Northern Hemisphere currents rotate clockwise. Southern Hemisphere is counter-clockwise.
      - These currents distribute heat from the equator to the poles.
      - Equatorial currents
        
        The Pacific and Atlantic currents are on a large cycle.
        
        A large body of water moves to the equator, picks up energy and heat, moves north and loses it, then heads south again to repeat the process.
  - - - Other regions would be much cooler.
      - Equator would be far more warm.
      - Overall result is major "temperature gradient".
    - - Always 23.5 degrees.
      - Summer solstice: North pole points as directly to the sun as possible.
      - Winter Solstice: North pole points as away from the sun as possible.
      - Autumn and spring are intermediates between the extremes of summer and winter.
- - - - Without Antarctica, sea levels would be much higher.
      - Without South America, water would easily mix between the Atlantic and Pacific
      - If North America didn't have the Rockies, the western side of the continent would have much more rain. Arizona would be more than a glorified desert. # #
  - - - All life was still aquatic.
      - Ural Mountains were formed.
      - Gondwanaland
        
        Composed of South America, Africa, India, Australia, and Antarctica.
    - - Life began to move on to land.
      - North America collided with Eurasia.
      - Gondwanaland moved north and collided into Laurasia.
      - Pangaea was ultimately formed by the landmasses colliding.
        
        Contained an extremely diverse climate.
        
        It was in this new supercontinent that plant life really flourished.
    - - "Triassic Period"
      - Climate worldwide seems to have warmed.
      - In the Jurassic Period, Pangaea began to split up and formed the Tethys Sea.
      - Antarctica and the glorified British prison known as Australia began to split. Antarctican authorities cited "criminal activity" and "ridiculous taxes".
      - Massive extinctions occurred in India due to drastic climate change.