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Biomes are often named for their predominant vegetation, and all have certain characteristics such as microorganisms, fungi, and animals which have adapted to their particular environment. As well, biomes also grade into one another, and do not usually have sharp boundaries. In fact, if the area of intergradation is large enough, it may itself be recognized as a separate biome. In biomes of the same type, but located in different areas, the species found there may vary. For example, in the coniferous forests of North America, red spruce is common in the east, but is not found in other areas. There, black spruce and white spruce are abundant. Also, plants of different families are found in African and North American deserts, but the plants do resemble one another superficially. This similarity can arise due to convergent evolution, “the independant development of similarity between species as a result of their having similar ecological roles and selection pressures. Several communities may be represented in patches within a biome. For example, snowfall may break branches and small trees and cause openings in a coniferous forest, allowing deciduous species to grow. Check out the individual terrestrial biomes linked to the upper right! |
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