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Biomes are areas of the planet with similar climates, landscapes, animals and plants. What lives in each biome depends on:

• how warm or cold it is
• how dry or wet it is
• how fertile the soil is

The animals in a biome depend on plants for food.

The plants in a biome can also depend on the animals to spread pollen and seeds so new plants can grow. So both plants and animals rely on each other to stay alive.

1. Rainforests

Tropical rainforests are hot and wet all year round.

They are home to half of all the different types of plants and animals on the planet.

2. Deserts

Deserts are dry all year round.

Only a few plants might grow, such as small shrubs or cacti, because the soil is shallow and rocky. Animals come out at dusk when it is cooler.

3. Savannah

The savannah is hot all year round with a long, dry season.

Grasses and shrubs grow here. It is home to lots of different types of animals such as elephants, zebras and wildebeest.

4. Woodlands

Woodlands are habitats where the main plants found are trees, but mosses, ferns and lichen can also be found.

The climate is warm and mild, with more rain falling in the winter than in the summer.

5. Grasslands

Grasslands are areas of land that are vast and open. Grasses are the main plants.

The largest grasslands are found in East Africa. Zebras, giraffes, elephants and rhinos all live in grasslands.

6. Tundra

The tundra is the coldest of all the biomes. There is very little rain or snow and the temperatures are freezing. Winters are long and summers are short. Part of the soil is frozen all year round, although the top part defrosts in summer and plants such as mosses can grow.