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Why do animals live where they do? |
| What is an animal home? | What do all living things need to survive? |
| Forest and Woodland Habitat | Desert Habitat | Grassland Habitat |
| Arctic Tundra | Water Habitat | Human Habitat |
| Food Chains | Camouflage | Adaptation |
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All living things have adapted to live in their environment |
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Forest
Habitat A type of habitat that covers a large area where many trees, plants, and animals live. Forest plants provide shade and protection for many different types of animals. |
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Woodlands Explorer Chaparral |
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Forests in cool, rainy areas. They can be found in the eastern half of North America, and the middle of Europe. The word "deciduous" means exactly what the leaves on these trees do: change colour in autumn, fall off in the winter, and grow back again in the spring. This adaptation helps trees in the forest survive winter. Why do deciduous trees lose their leaves? In the winter, less water is available for trees to take in through their roots, because much of the water in the ground is frozen. Since trees lose water through their leaves, losing leaves is a way for a tree to conserve water. What does trees losing leaves mean to animals? Animals will have less cover to hide themselves from predators. How do animals survive in this habitat? Animals living in this habitat must adjust to cold winters and hot summers by hibernating, migrating, or keeping active all winter. The trees provide shelter for them. Animal use the trees for food and a water sources. Most of the animals are camouflaged to look like the ground. Examples of animals living in this habitat
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Coniferous
Forests (Taiga) The northern coniferous forests are called taiga (Russian for swamp forest) or boreal forests. The taiga is the largest type of habitat (biome) in the world. Winters are very cold. Summers are warm because the taiga is near the top of the world. Lots of conifers (evergreen trees with needles) grow here. How do animals survive in this habitat? The taiga has fewer animal species than the tropical or temperate deciduous forests. Many of the animals do not live in the taiga the entire year. Snow, cold, and a scarcity of food make life very difficult, especially in the winter. Some taiga animals and birds migrate south, in the winter, where it is warmer, others go into hibernation, while others simply cope with the environment. Only a few amphibians and reptiles can survive the cold winter. How have trees adapted to survive the many fires? The taiga is prone to wildfires. Many trees have adapted to this by growing thick bark, which can protect a tree from a mild fire. Examples of animals living in this habitat
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Taiga Biological Station - |
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Tropical rain forests occur in regions near the equator. The climate is always warm (between 20° and 25° C) with plenty of rainfall (at least 190 cm/year). While some animals live on the ground, most rain forest animals live in the trees. Many of these animals spend their entire life in the forest canopy. Insects are so abundant in tropical rain forests that the majority have not yet been identified. |
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| Quick Fact: There are cold deserts as well as hot deserts. Cold deserts are in places like Antarctica and Greenland. |
Desert Habitat Desert covers more than one-third of the world's land and are very hot and dry or cold. Deserts are characterized by dry conditions (usually less than 10 inches per year; 25 cm) and a wide temperature range. The dry air leads to wide daily temperature fluctuations from freezing at night to over 120 degrees during the day. |
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| A Desert is defined as a region that has less than 254 mm (10 inches) of annual rainfall or precipitation. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Hot and Dry Deserts Cold Desserts Animals Cold Deserts have animals like Antelope, Ground Squirrels, Jack Rabbits, and Kangaroo Rats. |
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World's Largest Deserts
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Desert Desert Deserts Desert Life Deserts
of the World |
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The Water Habitat (Freshwater and Marine)
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| Quick Fact: Ecosystems vary in size. They can be as small as a puddle or as large as the Earth itself. |
| Pond Habitat |
Pond Explorer Ponds |
| Marine Habitat |
| Under the Sea Find out about the animals which live under the sea. |
| Quick Fact: Grasslands are found on every continent except Antarctica. |
Grassland Habitat What are Grasslands? They are big open spaces of grass. Where are Grasslands found? They are found on either side of two desert belts that circle the earth in the Americas, Africa, Asia, and Australia. How much of the earth is grassland? About one quarter of the earth's land is in the grasslands. What are the two different types of Grassland?
What animals live in Grasslands? Grasslands lack the trees and heavy bush to hide many creatures. Because of the open landscape and the widely spaced trees, grasslands are home to large herds of grazing mammals such as the zebra and bison.
A typical food chain in a grassland: grass (producer) |
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| Quick Fact: Grasslands receive about 10 to 30 inches of rain per year. If they received more rain, the grasslands would become a forest. If they received less, they would become a desert. Grasslands are often located between deserts and forests. | ||||
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| Quick Fact: Throughout the world, grasslands are known by many different names. In North America they are known as "prairie", in Asia "steppe", in South America the "pampas" and in South Africa a "veldt". |
The
Artic (Tundra) Habitat
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| Quick Fact: There are two types of tundras, Arctic tundras and alpine tundras. |
Tundra (Artic) Habitat Where is the Tundra Habitat? The tundra habitat is at the top of the world, near the North Pole. How much of the earth is Tundra? About one fifth of the earth's land is Tundra What is the ground like? The ground is permanently frozen 10 inches to 3 feet (25 to 100 cm) down so that trees can't grow there How do plants grow on the solid ground? The bare and sometimes rocky ground can only support low growing plants like mosses, heaths, and lichen. During the brief summers, the top section of the soil may thaw out allowing plants and microorganisms to grow and reproduce. However, these plants and microorganisms become dormant during the cold winter months. Is there another type of Tundra other than artic tundra? Yes, it is called alpine tundra and is found on the tops of tall, cold mountains. How do animals survive in this habitat? Animals are adapted to handle cold winters and to breed and raise young quickly in the very short and cool summers. Find out more.... What living things are found in the Tundra? Herbivorous mammals: lemmings, voles, caribou, arctic hares and squirrels Carnivorous mammals: arctic foxes, wolves, and polar bears Migratory birds: ravens, snow buntings, falcons, loons, ravens, sandpipers, terns, snow birds, and various species of gulls Insects: mosquitoes, flies, moths, grasshoppers, blackflies and arctic bumble bees Fish: cod, flatfish, salmon, and trout |
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| Quick Fact: Camouflage is used to help animals attack their prey as well as defend themselves from predators. |
Camouflage Camouflage
is important for animal survival. Animals
which use colour to blend in with their habitat so that they're
almost invisible. Animals
which use a combination of colour, shape and behavior to help them
appear like something in their habitat. Animals
which have special markings that help to disguise their shapes. |
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Quick Fact: Biomes are regions in the world with similar climate (weather, temperature) and vegetation (plants). Terrestrial Biomes: tundra,
grassland, desert, taiga, temperate forest, tropical forest. |
Human Habitat Find out about houses Questions
to think about Ideal
Habitat for humans Can you think of an ideal place for us and say why you think it is good? Food Water Air Shelter Space Draw
a map of part of your garden? |
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