Describe the climate and organisms of the polar regions, including threats to polar carnivores; and describe the climate and organisms of the tundra, including plant characteristics.
Provide the climate characteristics of taiga boreal coniferous forests; distinguish between angiosperm and gymnosperm trees, providing characteristics and examples of each; and identify different types of conifers, including pine, fir, spruce, cedar, and sequoia.
Compare and contrast deciduous, coniferous, mixed, and rainforest temperate ecosystems; explain the ecosystem role of features of complex old growth forests, including snags and nurse logs; and describe fern plants including their structures and ecological roles.
Describe the location, climate, and biodiversity characteristics of a tropical rainforest; explain how tropical rainforest soils can be relatively nutrient-poor while the ecosystem has high productivity and biodiversity; and define what an epiphyte is, explain why they have this strategy, and provide examples.