What is Biome?
In [[ecology]], a '''biome''' is a major regional group of distinctive [[plant]] and [[animal]] [[community|communities]] best adapted to the region's physical [[natural environment]], [[latitude]], [[elevation]], and [[topography|terrain]]. A biome is made up of [[ecoregion]]s or settlements at stable steady state and all associated transitional, disturbed, or degraded, [[vegetation]], [[fauna]] and [[soil]]s, but can often be identified by the [[climax vegetation]] type. The [[biodiversity]] characteristic of each biome, especially the diversity of fauna and subdominant [[plant]] forms, is a function of [[abiotic]] factors and the [[biomass]] productivity of the dominant [[vegetation]]. Terrestrial biomes with higher [[net primary productivity]], [[Ecohydrology|moisture availability]], and [[temperature]]. A fundamental classification of biomes is into: # Terrestrial (land) biomes and # Aquatic (water) biomes. Biomes are often given local names. For example, a temperate grassland or shrubland biome is known commonly as ''[[steppe]]'' in central [[Asia]], ''[[savanna]]'' or ''[[field]]'' in southern [[Africa]], ''[[prairie]]'' in [[North America]], ''[[pampa]]'' in [[South America]] and ''[[outback]]'' or ''[[scrubland|scrub]]'' in [[Australia]]. Sometimes an entire biome may be targeted for protection, especially under an individual nation's ''Biodiversity Action Plan''. ==Terrestrial biomes== Climate is a major factor determining the distribution of terrestrial biomes. Among the important climatic factors are: * [[latitude]]: [[arctic]], [[boreal]], [[temperate]], [[subtropical]], [[tropical]]. * [[humidity]]: [[humid]], semi-humid, semi-arid, and [[arid]]. ** seasonal variation: rainfall may be distributed evenly throughout the year, or be marked by seasonal variations. ** dry summer, wet winter: most regions of the earth receive most of their rainfall during the summer months; Mediterranean climate regions receive their rainfall during the winter months. * [[elevation]]: increasing elevation causes a d