Rainforest Habitat

Climate: Warm and Animals: Jaguars,

humid all year round Plant Life: Dense and diverse vegetation, sloths, toucans,
with high rainfall (at including towering trees, vines, ferns, and monkeys, frogs, and
least 2000 mm annually). orchids. Features multiple layers: emergent, countless insects.
Temperatures usually canopy, understory, and forest floor. Rainforests are home
range from 20°C to 30°C, to more than 50% of
with no distinct seasons. the Earth’s species.

Rainforests are often called

“the lungs of the Earth”,
making them essential
Key Features: Found near the equator in regions like for sustaining life and
the Amazon, Congo, and Southeast Asia. Known for combating climate change.
incredible biodiversity, nutrient-poor soil, and critical
roles in oxygen production and climate regulation.
 Desert Habitat
Animals: Camels,
lizards, scorpions,
snakes, and desert foxes.

Climate: Hot and

dry, with cold
nights; low rainfall.

Key Features: Adaptations

for water storage,
burrowing animals, and
extreme temperatures.

Plant Life: Cacti, succulents, and thorny bushes.

 Ocean Habitat

Climate: Varies by depth and

location, generally stable Animals: Whales, sharks,
underwater. Surface waters Plant Life: Microscopic phytoplankton dolphins, sea turtles,
in tropical areas are warm, forms the base of the food chain, along octopuses, jellyfish, fish,
while polar regions and deep with seaweed, kelp, and seagrasses. Coral and invertebrates like
waters are cold. Oceans reefs host diverse marine plant species. crabs and sea stars.
regulate global temperatures. Biodiversity is richest near
coral reefs and coasts.

The ocean habitat is vital for life

on Earth, producing most of the
planet’s oxygen and regulating
Key Features: Covers 70% of Earth, divided into zones the climate, while hosting an
(sunlit, twilight, and deep ocean), with unique ecosystems incredible diversity of life!
like coral reefs, open ocean, and deep-sea trenches. Salty
water supports specialised marine organisms.
 Savanna Habitat

Climate: Hot summers and

cold winters, with moderate
rainfall, with distinct wet
and dry seasons. Found Plant Life: Primarily Animals: Bison, antelope,
in temperate regions (e.g., grasses with very few or no prairie dogs, foxes,
North America, Eurasia, trees and scattered shrubs. hawks, lions, elephants,
Australia and South Africa). zebras, hyenas, vultures
and grasshoppers.

Examples include North

American prairies, Eurasian
Key Features: Supports large herbivores and predators. steppes, and South African veld.
Rich, fertile soil ideal for agriculture with open spaces, and
grazing animals; also experiences fires to prevent overgrowth.
 Arctic Tundra Habitat

Climate: Cold with

long, harsh winters
and short, cool
summers; minimal Plant Life: Mosses, lichens, Animals: Arctic
precipitation, mostly grasses, and small shrubs; foxes, caribou,
as snow. Found no trees due to permafrost. snowy owls, musk
in the northern oxen, and lemmings;
hemisphere, just some migratory
below the Arctic birds in summer.
Circle (e.g., Alaska,
Canada, Siberia).

Key Features: Permafrost (frozen ground); seasonal animal

migrations; biodiversity is limited but unique with limited
vegetation, and animals with thick fur for insulation.
 Wetland Habitat

Climate: Varies
depending on
location, but Plant Life: Characterised
wetlands typically by water-loving plants like Animals: Frogs,
have high humidity reeds, cattails, water lilies, alligators, otters,
and abundant and mangroves. herons, and fish.
rainfall. Found in Wetlands are
temperate, tropical, important for
and polar regions. breeding and
the migration of
many animals.

Key Features: Transition between land and

water, filters water, and prevents flooding.
 Boreal Forest (Taiga) Habitat

Climate: Cold winters

with heavy snowfall, Plant Life: Evergreen trees Animals: Moose, bears,
mild summers; like spruce, fir, and pine wolves, lynx, and migratory
moderate rainfall dominate; mosses and lichens birds. Many animals hibernate
throughout the year. grow on the forest floor. or migrate during winter.

This coniferous forest, often

called the “taiga”, is the world’s
largest terrestrial biome and
plays a crucial role in absorbing
Key Features: Found in northern regions like carbon dioxide, making it vital
Canada, Russia, and Scandinavia with nutrient- for the planet’s health.
poor, acidic soil, and trees adapted with needle-
like leaves to retain water and survive cold.
 Polar Habitat

Climate: Extreme cold

all year round; long,
dark winters and Plant Life: Almost no vegetation Animals: Polar bears (Arctic),
short, cool summers; in Antarctica; Arctic polar penguins (Antarctica), seals,
minimal precipitation regions have mosses and lichens. walruses, and whales. Many rely
(polar deserts). Found on ice and oceans for survival.
at the Earth’s poles:
Arctic (north) and
Antarctica (south).

Key Features: Ice-covered landscapes, harsh

winds, and animals with thick blubber or
fur for insulation. Melting ice due to climate
change poses a major threat to these habitats.
 Alpine Habitat

Climate: Cold Plant Life: Low-growing plants Animals: Mountain goats,

and windy, with adapted to harsh conditions, such snow leopards, marmots,
temperatures dropping as mosses, lichens, grasses, and yaks, and birds like
as altitude increases; small flowering plants. Few trees eagles and condors. Many
thin air and short grow due to the cold and rocky soil. animals have thick fur and
growing seasons. strong limbs for climbing.
Snow is common at
higher elevations.

The alpine habitat is a

unique ecosystem shaped
by elevation rather than
Key Features: Found in high-altitude regions latitude, making it similar in
like mountain ranges; extreme temperature climate to tundra habitats
changes between day and night; animals but with distinct adaptations!
and plants adapted to survive with less
oxygen and scarce resources.
 Temperate Forest Habitat

Climate: Four distinct Animals: Deer,

seasons – spring, summer, Plant Life: Deciduous trees (oak, maple, beech) foxes, bears, rabbits,
autumn, and winter. that shed their leaves in autumn, and some squirrels, and a
Moderate rainfall throughout evergreen trees (pine, fir). Includes shrubs, variety of birds like
the year (750-1,500 mm ferns, and wildflowers in the understory. woodpeckers and
annually), with warm owls. Many animals
summers and cold winters. hibernate or
migrate in winter.

Temperate forests are well-

known for their colourful
foliage in autumn and are
vital for supporting diverse
Key Features: Found in regions like North America, Europe, ecosystems and human needs!
and East Asia. Fertile soil due to decayed leaf litter, makes
these forests rich in plant and animal diversity.