Biomes Abound! Trivia Quiz

Answer: Tundra

Not only is the tundra the coldest biome, it is also the driest. Even with the long winters and short summers and with a growing season of only 60 days, there is a variety of plants found there. Calligergon giganteum, or Arctic moss, found in the Siberian tundra, grows in the bottom of lake beds and in other wet areas such as bogs.

It grows very slowly, and its shoots can live up to nine years! Lichens, the result of algae and fungus existing together, can survive on the tundra, even after being covered with ice for three years! Even though lichens have many plant-like characteristics, they are classified by the fungus species living with the algae.

Although bears have been observed while eating bearberries, their more likely prey is owls and other birds!

Answer: Rainforest

There are two different types of rainforest biomes; it can rain twice as much in a tropical rainforest as it does in a temperate rainforest. In addition, while it is warmer in a tropical rainforest, a temperate rainforest has two seasons - winter lasts longer and has more rainfall than summer.

Many of the plants found in both are of the same general type. Epiphytes live on the surface of trees on the branches and trunks in order to catch the sunlight; these include orchids in tropical rainforests and mosses and ferns in temperate ones.

Answer: Savannah

Found in Africa, Australia, India, and South America, there are many different types of grasses, such as star grass and lemon grass, that grow in the savannah. There are shrubs, too, but most of the plants in a savannah do not grow together. It is likely that they will be found spread apart in between bare patches ground. Trees that grow there, such as the acacia and baobab, are typically found near sources of water.

Answer: Taiga

There are not many different types of plants found in the taiga biome because the soil there is typically thin and rocky. Also called evergreens, the majority of the plants found there consists of conifer trees, like the fir or pine. Remember conifer trees have cones! It is tough for plants to survive in the taiga. Conifers have needles that do not have to be regrown every spring like leaves, and their thin needles make it possible to retain needed water. Deciduous trees such as oak or birch can also be found in some regions.

Answer: Freshwater Wetlands

Freshwater wetlands are found in places near rivers, ponds and lakes, where water has filled in ditches and low-lying areas. While the water in some wetlands may dry out in the summer, some wetlands are always, well, wet! These wetlands can be called many different names, such as swamps or bogs, and they may have different types of plants.

For example, duckweed will have long roots, but does not attach itself to the ground. Instead, it will gain the nutrients it needs from floating in the water. Cattails, on the other hand, are found along the edge or bank of wetlands and grow from the soil.

Answer: Temperate forest

The temperate forest biome has four distinct seasonal changes. Deciduous trees, like maple and oak, therefore, drop their leaves in the autumn and grow them back in the spring. During the summer months the sunlight caught by the leaves helps to make food for the tree through the process of photosynthesis.

A variety of other plants, such as ferns and wildflowers, as well as shrubs are also found in the temperate forest.

Answer: Coral Reef

Phytoplankton, also called plant plankton, is a very tiny marine algae that provides food for a variety of sea creatures, including whales, shrimp, and jellyfish. Many coral reefs also contain zooxanthellae, another type of microscopic algae that lives in their tissue, that provides glucose, glycerol, and amino acids, which are turned into food for the coral.

It is also the zooxanthellae that helps make the different colors of some coral. Other types of algae, as well as seagrasses, are also found in coral reefs.

Answer: Estuary

An estuary is an region where a fresh water stream or river empties into salt water. Because of the mixing of fresh and salt water, estuaries tend to be rather salty (depending on the location, tide, and weather conditions), and it is difficult for many plants to live in such an area.

Some plants, such as pickle weed, are able to draw in the salt water and actually deposit the salt in vacuoles, which are located in the plant's leaves. Native to California, the alkali heath plant somehow discharges the salt to the surface of its leaves, where small crystals may be seen.

Answer: Alpine

Alpine regions are located in mountain ranges such as the Andes (in South America) and the Rockies (in North America). With short summers, and long freezing winters, as well as high altitudes and poor soil, it is not surprising that few plants can survive in the Alpine biome. Found in the alpine regions of the United States, the bristlecone pine can live in these conditions for up to 4000 years! The wild potato, which is related to the one grown for food, is found in the Andes Mountains.

Answer: Desert

Did you know that Antarctica is the largest desert in the world? It's difficult to imagine, because we think of it being so cold there; some regions of the continent, however, receive less than two inches of precipitation in a year! Surprisingly, moss, lichens, and Antarctic hair grass, are among just some of the plants found there.

The Sahara is the largest hot desert in the world. There is a variety of trees and plants found there, such as the date palm, which has had many uses since ancient times, and the herb thyme, used in cooking. Are there any cacti in the Sahara Desert? No, cacti are only native to North American deserts.