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The Earth's biomes comprise the biosphere and are described by the study of ecology. The concept of the biome embraces the idea of community, of interaction among plant and animal populations, and soil. A biome (which is also called a biotic area) may be defined as a major region of distinctive plant and animal communities well adapted to the physical environment of its distribution area.

Major biomes can be defined thanks to the global distribution pattern. It is frequent that local names are given to a biome when related to a specific continent. For example, temperate grassland biome is locally known as steppe, pampa or veld depending on the continent. It is also defined by regional climate, in particular temperature and precipitations. Other aspects are soil characteristics, as well as other physical parameters which might influence the quality of the environment: it might be related to substrate condition (due to periodic flooding for example) or altitude. The biome is naturally defined by the type of vegetation found, vertical stratification, vegetation adaptation, or fauna.

1 Latitude zonation

This planetary distribution of large biomes might appear to be a simplification, but it is a meaningful scientific response an obvious climatic reality. It is common knowledge that biodiversity increases with latitude, moving away from the poles towards the equator, whether in terms of plant or animal species.

Animal and vegetative biomes' characteristics are related to their latitude and climate. Biomes are also identified according to the climax vegetation type; In fact, a biome is not only composed of the climax vegetation, but also of all the associated, subclimax, or degraded flora, fauna and soils.

Two types of biomes may be defined: 1. Terrestrial (also called continental) biomes and 2. Aquatic biomes.

The most widely used definition of biomes is related to latitude (or temperature zoning) and humidity :

1.1 Arctic or Subarctic area

• humid type : Tundra

1.2 Subarctic and Boreal area

• humid type: taiga or boreal forest

1.3 Temperate cold

• humid type : Temperate broadleaf and mixed forests, Temperate coniferous forests

1.4 Temperate warm or sub-tropical

• humid: subtropical moist broadleaf forestTropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests also known as tropical rain forests are a tropical and subtropical biome. Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests are found in a belt around the equator and in the humid subtropics, and are charact
• semi-humid: Subtropical dry broadleaf forestsTropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests is a biome located at tropical and subtropical latitudes. Tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests ecoregions Afrotropic ecozone Cape Verde Islands dry forests ( Cape Verde) Madagascar dry deciduous for, Subtropical coniferous forestsTropical and subtropical coniferous forests are a biome located at tropical and subtropical latitudes. See also; See also forest, Trees of the world Tropical and subtropical coniferous forests ecoregions Indomalaya ecozone Himalayan subtropical pine fores
• semi-arid: Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and shrubMediterranean Forests, Woodlands, and Shrub is a temperate biome, characterized by hot-dry summers and mild and rainy winters. Nearly all of the rainfall occurs in the winter and spring rainy season. Mediterranean Forests, Woodlands, and Shrub ecoregions, Temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublandsTemperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands is a group of biomes in which the climate is temperate to semi-arid. water: semi arid (wet season, dry season in summer) temperature: warm to hot season (often with a cold to freezing season in winter) soil:
• Arid: Temperate deserts and xeric shrublandsDeserts and xeric shrublands is a biome in which the climate is very dry, either hot or cold It is characterized by water : almost none temperature : hot or cold soil : very limited plants : very sparse ( succulents) animal : very sparse ( insect, reptile