Biome Description Biome Name This biome is characterized by long, cold winters. Plants living in this biome are adapted to the short summer growing season. Decomposition in this biome is slow, because of these low temperatures, high soil acidity, and a deep layer of needles from evergreen trees.
In this biome, very little plant litter builds up on the ground because of the hordes of decomposers living here. Under these uniformly warm and humid conditions, the nutrients that are released by decomposers allow for quick uptake by producers, resulting in lush vegetation.
Although the average annual precipitation in this biome is quite high, rain falls only during certain times of the year. Grasses and widely scattered clumps of trees are the predominant vegetation, and they are well adapted to surviving alternating cycles of dry heat and heavy rains.
Drought-resistant perennial grasses are the dominant vegetation in this biome, as there is sparse annual precipitation. Periodic natural fires, grazing, and drought typically eliminate most seedlings (which adds to the rich organic composition of the soil). Today, much of this land is devoted to farming, with annual crops such as corn and wheat replacing the natural perennial grasses.