Terrestrial biome

Terrestrial biome: Vertical stratification is an important feature of terrestrial biomes. The canopy of the tropical rain forest is the top layer, covering  the low-tree straturn, shrub under-storey, ground layer, litter layer, and a root layer. Stratification of vegetation provides many different habitats for animals. Hurricanes create openings for new species in tropical  and temperate forests. In northern coniferous forest, snowfall may break branches and small trees producing gaps that allow deciduous species to grow. In many  biomes, the dominant  plants depend on periodic disturbance e.g., natural wildfires are an integral component of savannas grasslands, chaparral and many coniferous forests. Human  activities have radically altered the natural patterns of periodic physical disturbances. Fires are controlled for the sake of agriculture  land. Human have altered much of the earth’s surface, replacing original biomes with urban or agricultural ones.  Year 2010, witnessed many weather events due to change in climate. These are as follows:

·         2010 as warmest year on the record

·         Heat waves in parts of Asia, Russia and Europe

·         Pakistan flood

·         EL Nino to Nina transition

·         Brazilian drought

·         Northeast Pacific hurricane

·         Minimum sea ice extent

·         China drought

The warming of the climate may lead to the creation of more extreme weather conditions:

(i)                  Hurricanes and drought frequencies may increase

(ii)                Increase in duration of dry heat or heavy rains

(iii)               The arctic ice begins to melt

(iv)              The Himalayan glaciers could retreat causing water shortage.