biome

American  

[bahy-ohm] / ˈbaɪ oʊm /

noun

Ecology.

1. a complex biotic community characterized by distinctive plant and animal species and maintained under the climatic conditions of the region, especially such a community that has developed to climax.

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biome British  

/ ˈbaɪˌəʊm /

noun

1. a major ecological community, extending over a large area and usually characterized by a dominant vegetation See formation

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biome Scientific  

/ bī′ōm′ /

1. A large community of plants and animals that occupies a distinct region. Terrestrial biomes, typically defined by their climate and dominant vegetation, include grassland, tundra, desert, tropical rainforest, and deciduous and coniferous forests. There are two basic aquatic biomes, freshwater and marine, which are sometimes further broken down into categories such as lakes and rivers or pelagic, benthic, and intertidal zones.

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Etymology

Origin of biome

First recorded in 1915–20; bi- ² + -ome, indicating a mass or part of something ( -oma )

Example Sentences

Studies show that if 20 to 25 percent of the Amazon is deforested, the biome would no longer be able to sustain itself.

From Salon

In part because of the loss of bison and other megafauna, intact grassland biomes are now among the most endangered in the world, and the numbers of many species that depend on them have collapsed.

From New York Times

"However, the earth's biome needs viruses for its survival."

From Salon

Reuters first reported on Tuesday the surging destruction of the biome, citing sources.

From Reuters

Some say the biome that rises from the fires will be a degraded, open-canopy forest.

From Washington Post

Related Words

• ecosystem
• habitat