biomas

Biomes, or biomas in Portuguese and Spanish, are large ecological areas on the earth’s surface characterized by distinct climates, vegetation, and animal communities. They encompass both terrestrial and aquatic environments and are shaped by long-term patterns of temperature, precipitation, and seasonality, as well as soils and topography. While local habitats vary, biomes represent broad, relatively uniform systems that can span continents.

Common terrestrial biomes include tropical rainforests with high rainfall and biodiversity; tropical and temperate savannas; deserts with low and erratic precipitation; temperate grasslands; temperate deciduous forests; boreal forests (taiga); and tundras with short growing seasons. In addition, Mediterranean and shrubland regions, and high-mountain and polar zones, illustrate further variation. Aquatic biomes are grouped into freshwater (lakes, rivers, wetlands) and marine (oceans, coral reefs, estuaries), each with characteristic salinity, nutrients, and life forms.

Biomes are dynamic and connected; energy from sunlight drives photosynthesis, and productivity depends on climate and nutrient availability. Biodiversity, carbon storage, water cycles, and resilience to disturbance vary across biomes. Humans affect biomes through climate change, deforestation, overexploitation, and pollution, making biome-scale studies important for conservation planning, climate research, and sustainable land use. The term biome was popularized in the early 20th century by ecologist C. Hart Merriam and remains a foundational concept in ecology and geography.