Biome Biodiversity

There is a great variety in the biodiversity of Earth's biomes. The number and types of species in each of Earth's biomes differs greatly due to the variation in environmental conditions present in each biome. You've already learned how abiotic factors such as climate, geography, soil, and sunlight availability have influenced the biotic components of biomes. Therefore, these abiotic factors also influence the biodiversity of each biome. For example, the forest biomes are high in biodiversity because these biomes can support a large number of individuals of many different of species. In contrast, the desert and tundra biomes have little biodiversity because there are not many species that can survive in the abiotic conditions present in these two biomes. In the desert, animals must be able to adapt to the low water conditions present, and in the tundra plants must adapt to the permafrost and cold temperatures.

You've also learned about how energy flows through an ecosystem via food chains and the complex interactions in the food web. When an animal eats an organism, the energy stored in the biomass of the consumed organism is transferred up the food chain. Remember, another way of looking at biodiversity is by analyzing the complex relationships that exist between the species living there. In a high biodiversity biome there are more relationships and more biomass, meaning there is a larger food web and more energy available. In a low biodiversity biome there are fewer relationships and less energy available.

The next few videos will describe the differences in biodiversity between the rainforest, desert, and tundra biomes.

Source: http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/exhibits/biomes/index.php (fair use)