Aquatic Biome
The aquatic biome is the largest of all biomes on the planet, covering about 75% of its surface, providing the majority of the oxygen we breathe. It is divided into two sections: freshwater and marine (Aquatic Biome, 2020). Salt concentrations are poor in freshwater areas such as lakes and rivers and higher in marine areas like estuaries and the ocean. Oceans are divided into four zones: Intertidal, Pelagic, Benthic, and Abyssal.
Animals living in the aquatic biome learned to adapt to their nature. For example, many species manage to live in the deepest parts of the ocean, which are too dark to support photosynthesis. Coral reefs are home to thousands of different fish species. River and stream mouths have more sediment and less oxygen, resulting in species like carp and catfish that need less oxygen to survive. The soils, the pattern and pace of water flow, and the local environment all affect freshwater ecosystems.
In the last 30 years, the world has lost 50 percent of its coral. If the others disappear, the results would be catastrophic. Without reefs, billions of marine creatures would perish, millions of people would lose their primary source of food, and economies would suffer.
Deserts Biome
Around one-fifth of the Earth’s surface is covered by the desert biome. Depending on the form of the desert, this biome has a layer of soil that can be sandy, gravelly, or stony (Desert Biome, 2020). Several features can be used to distinguish desert biomes. Deserts are divided into four categories: hot and dry, semiarid, coastal, and cold (Desert Biome, 2020).
Cacti in the Americas can consume and store water, allowing them to endure prolonged droughts. Animals have evolved to extract water from the food they consume and to retain what little water they do have.
If cacti are removed from the desert biome birds that nest on them will no longer have a habitat, so they will migrate to other areas with a more suitable ecosystem. The number of birds in this ecosystem will be decreased as a result of this. Consequently, since a predator has been eliminated from the environment, the animals that were fed by the birds would have the opportunity to multiply in numbers.
Forest Biome
Forests now occupy about one-third of the world’s land surface and can be found in a variety of terrestrial environments around the world. Temperate forests, tropical forests, and boreal forests are the three main types of forests. The forest biome plays a significant role in global carbon dioxide absorption and oxygen production;
Because of the four distinct seasons at these latitudes, temperate forests experience a wide range of temperatures during the year, which has adapted the flora and fauna of the area. Tropical rainforests, with their mild climate (temperatures ranging from 20 to 31°C), are the epitome of biodiversity. Since temperatures in boreal forests are usually below zero, the animals that live there have adapted to be accustomed to such conditions.
A cascading extinction cycle could occur if bonobos were to vanish from all of their habitats. Not only would the trees perish, but many of the other animals that depend on them for food or shelter would also perish. It’s referred to as “empty forest syndrome.”(Platt, 2015)
Grasslands Biome
Grasslands are described as areas where grasses predominate over large shrubs or trees. There are two types of grasslands in the grasslands biome: temperate grasslands and tropical grasslands. They are often found between temperate forests and deserts at high latitudes and subtropical latitudes.
Low rainfall, wildfires, and livestock grazing are three factors that keep grasslands alive. Grassland habitats are often maintained by periodic fires. Grasses have evolved to recover quickly after a burn. Its animals are often fire-ready, fleeing or burrowing underground to escape the flames. Large animals, such as African elephants, can trample the ground, preventing trees from growing.
Prairie dogs’ extinction would result from a predator-prey mismatch, which would result in the extinction of threatened specialist predators. Since prairie dogs make up such a large part of the fauna, there will almost certainly be more competition among predators for the limited food sources.
Tundra Biome
Frost-molded landscapes, extremely low temperatures, little precipitation, poor nutrients, and short growing seasons are all features of the tundra. This biome has a short growing season, followed by harsh conditions that require unique adaptations for plants and animals to survive. Tundra grows in two types of climates: cold and dry. Arctic tundra can be found on high-latitude landmasses, while Alpine tundra can be found at extremely high elevations atop mountains, where temperatures drop below zero at night.
Tiny shrubs, grasses, mosses, sedges, and lichens make up the tundra’s patchy, low-to-ground vegetation, which is ideally suited to withstand tundra conditions. Animals in the tundra are also accustomed to harsh environments, and they take advantage of the brief growing season’s temporary explosion of plant and insect life.
In several respects, the arctic fox is an important part of the arctic food system. Many species would overpopulate if the arctic fox went extinct, and they would struggle to find enough food. Another risk is that the arctic fox’s predators would be unable to find food, allowing the animal to become vulnerable or extinct.
Forest Sustainability Threats
A number of destructive agents have long endangered forests. As a result of human activities and global climate change, natural disasters are becoming more frequent, intense, and time, making forest habitats much more vulnerable to destruction.
- Climate change is one of the most pressing issues confronting humanity today. Although forests may aid in the fight against climate change, they are also extremely vulnerable to changing weather patterns.
- Deforestation has the potential to have a significant negative effect on forest biodiversity. It is responsible for the loss of 13 million hectares of land per year, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) (2020). While it will take 1000 years for some tropical forests to re-establish their biodiversity, others have already been irreversibly affected.
- Natural disasters are combining with climate change to accelerate the degrading of forests. Many trees would be unable to recover as temperatures rise, favoring more extreme wildfires. In addition to fires, floods and hurricane-force winds have become more common, causing forest destruction.
References
Aquatic Biome. (2020). National Geographic Society. Web.
Desert Biome. (2020). National Geographic Society. Web.
FAO. (2020). Global Forest Resources Assessment 2020. FAO. Web.
Platt, J. R. (2015). If Apes Go Extinct, So Could Entire Forests. Scientific American Blog Network. Web.