Temperate zone biomes, or life zones, range from cold to hot and wet to dry. These biomes all experience seasonal extremes. Towering temperate rainforests, treeless grasslands, and colorful deciduous frests illustrate the great diversity of temperate zone biomes. All temperate biomes cycle through seasons. In prairies, one kind of North American grassland, sultry summer days contrast sharply with bitter cold January nights. Moist, mild winters balance long, hot summers in California's chaparral, a type of Mediterranean scrub. Across much of the temperate zone, frequent wildfires dramatically shape the vegetation. Where mountains border the coast, as in the Pacific Northwest, temperate zone rainfall can rival that of a tropical rainforest.

Click on the image to learn more about prairies.