erica lab 1

Published January 2018 Ecosystems
www.BioInteractive.org Page 1 of 3

Apps
Student Worksheet

BiomeViewer:
Biodiversity and Human Impacts

 You can use BiomeViewer online or download an iPad version from the App Store.
 Click and hold the globe to spin it and explore different parts of the world.
 Click and release a spot on the globe to drop a pin there to see a summary of the characteristics of the

biome for that location.
 You can also search for locations by name, latitude/longitude, or zip code.
 In the biome summary panel, click on “More” to see a longer description, photos, a larger climate graph, and

wildlife data.
 Click on “Compare” to view details on two biomes side by side.
 On the biomes legend, use the arrows at the top to see different layers including anthromes, temperature,

precipitation, and terrain.
 Click the gear icon to toggle gridlines and political boundaries on and off.
 Click on the globe icon to switch between a spherical view and a flat projection of Earth.

BIODIVERSITY AND LATITUDE
1. Drop the pin on any point in one of the biomes listed in Table 1 below and record the following:

Biome name: ____________________________

Latitude and longitude: __________________________

Range of temperatures: Minimum __________________ Maximum __________________

Range of rainfall: Minimum __________________ Maximum __________________

Total number of species (richness): _________________

2. Share the data you collected with your classmates and complete Table 1 as others share their data. Pick just
one representative location for each biome.

Table 1. Characteristics of some representative biomes.

Biome Latitude Species Richness

Tundra

Boreal Forest

Temperate Deciduous Forest

Desert

Tropical Rain Forest

Alpine

OVERVIEW
This worksheet is designed to familiarize you with the many features found in BiomeViewer.

TIPS FOR USING THE APP

BiomeViewer: Biodiversity and Human Impacts

Published January 2018 Ecosystems
www.BioInteractive.org Page 2 of 3

Apps
Student Worksheet

3. Based on the completed table, do an “I see, I think, I wonder” activity by completing Table 2.

Table 2. Questions about patterns in biomes.
I see

What patterns do you observe?
I think

What can you infer from the
patterns?

I wonder

What else would you like to
explore?

4. Change the view to a flat map and turn on the gridlines. Click on the Sahara Desert near the Tropic of
Cancer. Click “compare” and select the tropical rain forest biome in Southeast Asia at about the same
latitude. Then, answer the following questions:

a. How do rainfall and temperature patterns differ between the biomes?

b. List the species richness for each biome.

Sahara Desert: ______________ SE Asia Tropical Forest: _____________

c. Think about the difference or similarity in species richness between these two biomes. What could
account for this difference or similarity?

BiomeViewer: Biodiversity and Human Impacts

Published January 2018 Ecosystems
www.BioInteractive.org Page 3 of 3

Apps
Student Worksheet

HUMAN IMPACTS ON BIODIVERSITY
5. Go back to your original biome from question 1. Make sure you are still in flat map view. Change to the

Anthrome layer and select the year 2000.

a. Select the point in your biome with the highest level of human disturbance. List the Anthromes at this
location for each of these years:

1700: _________________________

1800: _________________________

1900: _________________________

2000: _________________________

b. Briefly summarize how humans have impacted the environment at this location over time.

c. At this location, record the following:

Anthrome (year 2000): _______________________

Species Richness: ________________

# Species NOT listed as “Least Concern”: ___________

d. Now select the point in your biome with the lowest level of human disturbance. Ideally, it should be a
wilderness area, but as close as possible to the last location. Record the following:

Anthrome: _______________________

Species Richness: ________________

# Species NOT listed as “Least Concern”: ___________

e. Summarize the differences in species richness and IUCN status of species between the two locations.
Make a claim for how human disturbance could have impacted biodiversity in your biome. Support your
claim with evidence.

1. Biome name:
2. Latitude and longitude:
3. Range of temperatures Minimum:
4. Range of rainfall Minimum:
5. Total number of species richness:
6. LatitudeTundra:
7. Species RichnessTundra:
8. LatitudeBoreal Forest:
9. Species RichnessBoreal Forest:
10. LatitudeTemperate Deciduous Forest:
11. Species RichnessTemperate Deciduous Forest:
12. LatitudeDesert:
13. Species RichnessDesert:
14. LatitudeTropical Rain Forest:
15. Species RichnessTropical Rain Forest:
16. LatitudeAlpine:
17. Species RichnessAlpine:
18. temperature Maximum:
19. Rainfall Maximum:
20. I see observation:
21. I think inference:
22. I wonder what else:
23. question 4b Sahara Desert species richness:
24. species richness SE Asia Tropical Forest:
25. question 4c:
26. question 5a: 1700:
27. question 5a: 1800:
28. question 5a: 1900:
29. question 5a: 2000:
30. question 4a:
31. question 5c: number of Species NOT listed as Least Concern:
32. question 5c: Species Richness:
33. question 5c: Anthrome year 2000:
34. question 5d: anthrome:
35. 5d: Species Richness:
36. 4d: number of Species NOT listed as Least Concern:
37. question 5b:
38. question 5e: