[MUSIC] JOAN CARTAN-HANSEN, HOST: Scientists divide up the world into biomes.

Biomes are large, natural areas that have their own climate, landscape, vegetation, and types of animals.

There is the tropical rain forest biome.

This biome is hot and humid and has lots of wildlife.

Next is the temperate or deciduous forest biome.

The trees in this biome lose their leaves in the fall.

Then there is the desert biome.

These areas have very little rainfall.

Then there's the boreal forests.

These are conifer tree areas found mostly in the north.

The dry scrubland biomes have short bushes or wild shrubs.

And the grasslands biome is also known as savanna, steppe or prairie.

Then there are lakes and rivers biomes and mountain biomes.

There's tundra biomes that lie near the poles.

And finally, there's the polar biome.

As you would expect, it's cold and dry.

But some animals and plants can still survive here.

Biomes help us understand how plants and animals live in relationship with their environment.

For more information about the Earth, check out the Science Trek website.

You'll find it at Science Trek.org