What is a biome?
Q: What is a biome?
A: A biome is a major regional group of distinctive plant and animal communities that are best adapted to the physical natural environment, latitude, elevation, and terrain of the region.
Q: How is a biome made up?
A: A biome is made up of ecoregions or settlements at stable steady state and all associated transitional, disturbed, or degraded vegetation, fauna and soils.
Q: What determines the biodiversity of each biome?
A: The biodiversity characteristic of each biome is determined by abiotic factors such as net primary productivity, moisture availability, and temperature as well as the biomass productivity of the dominant vegetation.
Q: Are there two main types of biomes?
A: Yes, there are two main types of biomes - terrestrial (land) biomes and aquatic (water) biomes.
Q: Are biomes given local names in different parts of the world?
A: Yes, biomes are often given local names depending on where they are located in the world. For example, a temperate grassland or shrubland biome may be known as steppe in Central Asia or savanna or field in Southern Africa.
Q: Is it possible for an entire biome to be targeted for protection?
A: Yes, it is possible for an entire biome to be targeted for protection under an individual nation's Biodiversity Action Plan.
