O biome, according to the IBGE, can be defined as the set of plant and animal life present in an environment that has conditions (climate, relief, geological characteristics) similar and that historically was influenced by the same process of formation.
It is common to see the adoption of the biome concept as being synonymous with ecosystem. However, unlike the ecosystem, which takes into account the interactions between its elements, the Biome classification essentially encompasses the characteristics of the vegetation, fauna and environment in which they are located. inserted.
As the classification in biome takes into account the characteristics of life forms and the environment, a biome, for the most part, occupies large tracts of geographic space and includes diverse ecosystems. An example of this is the Atlantic forest, the rainforest of Brazil, which occupies a large tract of land along the coast of the country, from Piauí to Rio large region of the South, and brings together several ecosystems, such as the Araucaria Forest, the high altitude fields, the restingas and the mangroves.
There are currently different classifications of biomes. Most of them classify them into: aquatic biomes and Terrestrial Biomes. Aquatic biomes are formed by the various ecosystems located in rivers, seas and oceans and are subdivided into: marine biome, formed by ecosystems adapted to salt water, and the freshwater biome, constituted by ecosystems located in hydrographic basins in the interior of the continent, in rivers and lakes. Terrestrial Biomes, on the other hand, originally correspond to about 30% of the biosphere and are classified according to the characteristics of the environment (climate, relief, types of soil), fauna and, mainly, the type of vegetation.
Tundra: It is located in the extreme north and south of the Earth, being widely found in northern Canada, Europe and Asia and in the thawed parts of Antarctica. As it is located in the polar zones, it has the lowest temperatures on the planet, little rainfall and long days and nights, depending on the season studied (in winter, the nights are longer; and in summer, the day has a longer duration). As most of the time the soil is covered with ice, vegetation is scarce, mainly composed of mosses and lichens, which sprout in summer and practically disappear in winter. The fauna is composed of animals adapted to the cold, such as polar bears (in the Arctic), penguins (in Antarctica) or animals that migrate to this region attracted by its sparse vegetation in summer.
taiga: It is located in high latitudes, south of the Tundra areas, and occurs in most of the Canadian territory, in northern Europe and Russia. The vegetation is little diversified, being mainly composed of conifers, which have leaves in the shape of needles (acicular) covered with a wax that conserves moisture and heat, thus preventing freezing in the Winter. The fauna is composed of several species of insects, birds, reindeer, moose, deer, bears, foxes and bats.
temperate forest: Originates in temperate zones, mainly in North America, Europe and some countries in Asia. Due to the existence of four very defined seasons of the year, the vegetation is abundant and diverse, having species of different sizes, thick bark and broad leaves that fall during the autumn and sprout in the spring. The fauna is very diverse, with the presence of large mammals: such as bears and mountain lions and herbivorous animals such as deer, rabbits, mice, moles, insects, snails, etc.
Equatorial Forest: Located in tropical areas very close to the equator, with a very humid and hot climate and little thermal amplitude. The vegetation is dense (with large, medium and small trees), broadleaved (with leaves broad and large), perennial (leaves do not fall in autumn) and, in many cases, adapted to humidity (hydrophilic). It has one of the greatest biodiversity of animals, plants and insects in the world.
Tropical forest: Located in areas with a tropical climate, especially close to the coast, it has characteristics similar to those of the equatorial forest. It receives a lot of moisture and has dense vegetation, with various extracts (different sizes) and a lot of biodiversity. The example of a Brazilian tropical forest is the Atlantic Forest, which has been practically completely devastated by human activity.
Savannas: They are located between tropical forest areas and regions with arid or semi-arid climates, in tropical zones, with a predominance of a wet season (summer) and a dry season (winter). Due to the alternation between dry and wet seasons, the vegetation in the savannas is constituted, mainly by shrubs and trees of medium and small size with deep roots, thick leaves and gnarled trunks. The fauna of the savannas is very diverse, with the presence of several species of large mammals, herbivores, insects and birds.
Fields: Very common in areas with a subtropical climate and reliefs where plains predominate. They are widely found in the United States, in southern Brazil and in some regions of Asia. Due to the irregularity of rainfall, this biome has few, if any, herbaceous species and arboreal, consisting mainly of grasses and other plants that adapt to this type of climate. The fauna of this region is not so diverse. In North American fields, species of antelopes, bison, rodents, many insects, hawks and owls are found. In Brazil, the pampas are home to several animals, such as herons, ducks, deer, otters and capybaras.
Deserts: They are located in areas with an arid or desert climate, low humidity and irregular rainfall, sandy soils and sparse vegetation, which is adapted to low humidity (xerophylls). The fauna of this region is also adapted to low humidity, with a predominance of reptile species (lizards, snakes, etc.), insects, camels (present in Asia, Africa and Oceania) and others. The main deserts in the world are: the Sahara Desert, the Kalahari Desert, the Gobi Desert and the great Australian desert.
With the alteration caused by the development of human activities, most biomes on planet Earth are threatened with extinction. The partial destruction of biomes can compromise the ecological balance of the ecosystems that make them up, causing the destruction of habitat and the extinction of animals and plants. Thus, it is essential that human beings seek to promote a sustainable development of their activities so as not to compromise the existence of several species of plants and animals that inhabit the different biomes of the world and that are essential for the development of human life in the planet.
By Thamires Olimpia
Graduated in Geography