Introduction to Biomes: The Diversity of Living World

The lecture note on World: Biomes is a journey through the most vibrant and diverse environments on our planet. The 'jungle' of biomes is vast and harbors a myriad of ecosystems ranging from the cold expanses of tundras to the lush tropical forests. Each biome is a world in itself, with its own flora, fauna, and distinct geographical features. Let's explore together the incredible biodiversity that shapes and gives life to our planet!

Relevance of the Theme

Understanding biomes is of paramount importance for the discipline of Geography, as they are the key to understanding the dynamics of life and human interactions with the environment. Biomes are the expression of the Earth's geographical, climatic, and biological diversity and are directly related to the distribution of the population, economy, and culture of different peoples. Furthermore, the study of biomes provides us with unique insights into the ecological and sustainability challenges we face as a species.

Contextualization

Within the Geography curriculum for the 1st year of high school, the study of biomes presents an inescapable connection with other topics such as climatology, geopolitics, and environmental conservation. This study will pave the way for a more comprehensive and in-depth understanding of concepts in future topics. The study of biomes contributes to the construction of a solid geographical knowledge, providing a fundamental understanding of the relationship between natural environments and human society.

Theoretical Development

Components

• Terrestrial Biomes: Six main terrestrial biomes are commonly recognized: tundra, taiga, temperate forest, tropical forest, savanna, and desert. Each of them is distinct, with its own characteristics, biological diversity, and global distribution.
  • Tundra: characterized by low temperatures, lack of trees, permafrost (permanently frozen) soil, and low vegetation.
  • Taiga: the world's largest continuous forest, mainly composed of conifers, with long cold winters and short mild summers.
  • Temperate Forest: has four distinct seasons and is dominated by broadleaf trees.
  • Tropical Forest: rich in biological diversity, with high temperatures and heavy rains throughout the year.
  • Savanna: characterized by high temperatures and distinct dry and rainy seasons.
  • Desert: features water scarcity, high temperatures, and little vegetation.
• Aquatic Biomes: Aquatic biomes include seas and oceans, estuaries, coral reefs, lakes, rivers, and wetlands. Each has its own biological, climatic, and geographical attributes.
  • Oceans: cover most of the Earth's surface, with incredible biodiversity and significant climatic influence.
  • Coral Reefs: rich and fragile ecosystems that harbor a huge variety of marine life.
  • Lakes and Rivers: freshwater, often with unique ecosystems highly dependent on the surrounding climate and geography.
  • Wetlands and Estuaries: nutrient-rich and provide habitat for a wide variety of species.

Key Terms

• Biome: a large geographical area of the planet defined by its climatic conditions and the communities of plants and animals that live there.
• Biological Diversity: the variety of life on the planet, including diversity within species, among species, and of ecosystems.
• Permafrost: soil that remains frozen for two or more consecutive years.

Examples and Cases

• The Amazon Rainforest biome: the world's largest tropical forest, known for its incredible biodiversity and critical role in regulating global climate.
• The Sahara Desert biome: the world's largest hot desert, with a unique diversity of life adapted to its extreme conditions.
• Life in the Arctic Ocean: an example of a marine biome dominated by ice and cold, yet still teeming with life adapted to these conditions.

Detailed Summary

Key Points

• Identification of Earth's major biomes: Understanding that each terrestrial biome has its own distinct and inherent characteristics, ranging from climatic conditions to the biodiversity it comprises.
• Exploration of aquatic biomes: Recognizing that aquatic biomes are as diverse and vital as terrestrial biomes, encompassing a range of habitats from oceans to rivers and lakes.
• Concept of permafrost and its relation to biomes: Understanding that permafrost, or permanently frozen soil, is a key condition in the tundra biome.
• The importance of biodiversity in the study of biomes: Understanding that life in each biome is deeply influenced by the present conditions, and therefore, biomes are fundamental for maintaining biodiversity on the planet.

Conclusions

• Interconnection between biomes and human life: We understand that biomes are not isolated entities but are interconnected with each other and with human life. Changes in one biome can have cascading effects, affecting other biomes and humanity as a whole.
• Awareness of the need to preserve biomes: Recognizing that as global biodiversity and climate challenges increase, the preservation of biomes becomes a crucial issue for human and planetary survival.
• Role of studying biomes in world Geography: The study of biomes enriches the understanding of the complexity and interdependence of natural systems, playing a fundamental role in the discipline of Geography.

Exercises

1. Identification of Biomes: Select a series of landscapes (e.g., from a book, magazine, or internet research) and, for each one, identify which biome it belongs to and justify the choice.
2. Biodiversity Analysis: Research and discuss the biodiversity of a specific biome, including the diversity of species and ecosystems present and the conservation challenges it faces.
3. Analyzing Human Influence: Choose a biome and research the alterations that humans have caused in it, both positive and negative, and discuss the implications of these changes for the biome and for ourselves.