Vegetation belts

The major biomes and vegetation patterns of the world

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Try each question. If you're stuck, leave it and come back. The answer key is on the last page.

1
Which vegetation belt is hot, wet and home to a huge variety of plants and animals? A) Tropical rainforest B) Tundra C) Desert D) Taiga
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2
Complete the sentence. The cold, treeless vegetation belt near the poles is called the ___.
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3
True or false? Rainforests are only found in the Amazon. A) True B) False
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4
True or false? Tundra is a vegetation belt with little growth because it is very cold. A) True B) False
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5
What is the savanna? A) Tropical grassland with scattered trees, found in Africa B) Cold treeless plains near the Arctic C) Dry desert with no vegetation D) A type of rainforest in South America
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6
Match each vegetation belt to its main features. Match each item on the left to one on the right. Left: Tropical rainforest, Desert, Tundra, Taiga Right: Hot, wet, dense trees and high biodiversity, Very dry, sparse plants like cactus, Cold, no trees, mosses and lichens, Cold conifer forests, mainly evergreen trees
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7
Which vegetation belt is also called the boreal forest? A) Taiga B) Tundra C) Savanna D) Temperate forest
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8
Complete the sentence. Plants in deserts often have spines or waxy skins to reduce ___ of water.
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9
Why does the taiga have conifer trees with needle-like leaves? A) Needles lose less water and shed snow easily in cold weather B) Needles grow more quickly than broad leaves C) Needles taste better to animals D) Needles do not need any sunlight
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10
Order these vegetation belts from the equator towards the poles. Put these in order: Tundra, Tropical rainforest, Temperate deciduous forest, Taiga
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Answer key

Vegetation belts · for parents and teachers

1
Tropical rainforest
Tropical rainforests grow near the equator where it is hot and very wet. They are home to more plant and animal species than any other biome.
2
tundra
Tundra is found near the Arctic and on high mountains. It is too cold for trees, so the vegetation is mainly mosses, lichens and small shrubs.
3
False
Rainforests grow near the equator across several continents. Major rainforests include the Amazon (South America), the Congo (Africa), and forests across Southeast Asia.
4
True
True. Tundra has only mosses, lichens and very small plants because it is so cold.
5
Tropical grassland with scattered trees, found in Africa
The savanna is a tropical grassland with scattered trees, found mostly in Africa. It has distinct wet and dry seasons and is famous for big animals.
6
Tropical rainforest → Hot, wet, dense trees and high biodiversity; Desert → Very dry, sparse plants like cactus; Tundra → Cold, no trees, mosses and lichens; Taiga → Cold conifer forests, mainly evergreen trees
Plant life depends on climate. Rainforests get lots of rain and warmth, deserts are dry, tundra is too cold for trees, and taiga has tough evergreen trees in cool areas.
7
Taiga
The taiga, or boreal forest, is the largest land biome. It stretches across northern Russia, Canada and Scandinavia and is dominated by conifer trees.
8
loss
Desert plants are adapted to lose as little water as possible. Spines (instead of leaves), waxy skins, and deep roots all help them survive long dry periods.
9
Needles lose less water and shed snow easily in cold weather
Conifers have needle-shaped leaves with waxy coatings to reduce water loss, and their cone shape lets snow slide off, helping them survive cold taiga winters.
10
Tropical rainforest, Temperate deciduous forest, Taiga, Tundra
Vegetation belts follow climate. From the equator polewards: tropical rainforest, then temperate forests, then taiga (conifer forests), and tundra near the poles.