Biomes on Earth are closely correlated to the types of climate within each one. Think about the images you saw in the previous section; each one has specific climatic factors that make each location unique.

In this section, you will examine ways in which climate affects the distribution of biomes. In other words, climate and its factors directly impact where biomes are located on Earth. On the map below, click on each of the climate zones to learn more.

Activity

Using what you have learned about biomes and climate, complete the following chart. Read each description below and place it in the correct category on the chart. Some of the answers have been filled in for you. Note: some categories may have more than one answer.

Click on the images below for a reminder about each of the biomes.

Interactive popup. Assistance may be required. Desert biomes are the hottest and driest of all the biomes because they receive very little rainfall.

Interactive popup. Assistance may be required. Tundra biomes' temperatures are so cold that there is a layer of permanently frozen ground below the surface, called permafrost, which is a defining characteristic of the tundra biome.

Interactive popup. Assistance may be required. Grassland biomes are found on every continent except Antarctica.

Interactive popup. Assistance may be required. The majority of common houseplants come from the rainforest biome.

Lesson Summary

The world has many biomes with characteristics and distribution of each closely correlated to its climate. The information you’ve acquired in this lesson will help you as you progress through subsequent lessons in this course.