Initial Publication Date: January 13, 2021

Elaborate: Altered Biomes

At this point, students should have a grasp of the delicate and under-appreciated relationship between soils and biomes. To extend the lesson and to allow for further student exploration, educators may choose amongst the following options to complete with their class.

GIS Investigations

  • Complete GIS activity Altered Biomes. This activity relates the alteration of grassland extent to changes in prairie chicken population. Shows consequences of human impacts on ecosystem. It is written for AP Environmental Science. Altered Biomes
    Student worksheets can be downloaded from this google drive: Google Drive with student worksheets 
    Note: Educators who are new to ArcGIS online may access short tutorial here: Getting to Know GeoInquiries
  • Follow-up Storymap here: The Bird of the West (sage grouse) The Bird of the West
  • Complete a different GIS Activity which returns to the relationship of biomes to soil and agriculture. This lesson is written for Advanced Human Geography. Agricultural Patterns
  • Students who are interested in more details may want to investigate the Dominant soil orders of the United States map.

Human Impacts on Biomes and Soil

  • Ask students to connect changing climate to changes in the ecosystem. How will these changes impact soils? Sample Drought's Impact on the Environment
  • Show images of forest fires and ask, "how do large fires affect soils?" Sample image: Fires and Soils 
    The following is one of many pages on the fires in Australia. Australia Burning
  • Students may return to the Biome Viewer interactive and switch to the Anthrome viewer in order to investigate the relationships between human disturbances and changes in biomes. Biome Viewer
  • Students may also enjoy looking at soil properties at Casoil Resources and comparing the location of certain properties with the Biome Viewer. Soil color at different depths is especially interesting.