A biome is defined as a community of micro-organisms, plants and animals with a considerably vast geographical extent and is typically characterized by uniform climatic conditions. The diversity in the plant and animal life across the world is quite vast. North America alone has more than a 150 identified eco-regions. Overall, there are 15 terrestrial and 12 aquatic biomes in the world, all of which are further categorized into several sub regions. Coming back to the biomes of North America, there are six major biomes, the details of which are given below.

Major Biomes of North America:

Spanning over an area of 9,540,000 square miles, the continent of North America comprises of approximately, 4.8 percent of the total surface area of the planet. With such a vast expanse, a great deal of diversity is observed in this region. North America is broadly categorized into six major biomes, which include the Tundra biome, the Coniferous forest biome, the Prairie biome, the Deciduous forest biome, the Desert biome and the Tropical Rain Forest biome.

Tundra Biome
The Tundra biome is typically characterized by harsh climatic conditions, lack of evergreen vegetation and permafrost (frozen soil). Even though, the climatic conditions are unsuitable for human habitation, several plants and animals have adapted themselves to the harsh climate prevailing in this region. The plant species found in the Tundra biome include various species of shrubs, mosses, grasses and lichens, while the animal species found here include polar bear, Arctic fox, snowy owl, Tundra swan etc.

Coniferous Forest Biome
The Coniferous forest biome is a North American biome typically characterized by a wide variety of coniferous trees, such as pine, fir, spruce etc. The average temperatures in this region in winter are as low as 14°F, while the average rainfall in this region ranges between 14-29.5 inches. A wide range of herbivores animals inhabit this region. These animals tend to feed on the leaves of the coniferous trees that grow here in abundance. In the cold season, these animals resort to migration or hibernation to protect themselves from cold.

Prairie Biome
Also known as the North American prairie, this biome is predominantly characterized by a wide variety of herbaceous plants and grasses. Spanning over an area of 1.4 million square miles, these grasslands experience annual precipitation of 12.6 to 21.7 inches. The plant species native to this region include Big Bluestem grass, Blue Grama grass, Buffalo grass etc., while the animal species found in this grassland biome include the Prairie dogs, bobcats, coyotes, the American bald eagle, badger etc. Found in abundance at one point of time, the bison finds itself on the verge of extinction owing to large scale hunting.

Deciduous Forest Biome
The deciduous forest biome is found in the eastern region of North America. On an average, this region experiences annual rainfall ranging between 30 to 60 inches, while the average annual temperature here is around 50°F. The plant species native to the deciduous biome include the American beech, White birch, White oak etc., while the animals native to this region include the American black bears, coyotes, the American bald eagles etc.

Desert Biome
Yet another of those harsh biomes of the world, the desert biome in the North American continent comprises of deserts such as the Sonoran Desert of southern Arizona and the Mojave Desert of California. The plant species native to this region includes a range of drought resistant species such as the saguaro and the Joshua tree. The animals that have adapted themselves to the harsh climate here include the bobcat, armadillo lizard, the Sonoran Pronghorn antelope, the Sonoran toad etc.

Tropical Rain Forest Biome
The tropical rainforest biome in central America is by far the richest biome in context of biodiversity. The average rainfall in this region easily crosses the 200 inch mark every year. The temperature in this region spans between 65°F to 90°F. These forests are typically characterized by a wide variety of broadleaf evergreen trees. Owing to the dense vegetation here, sunlight seldom reaches the ground, and hence, it is very difficult for short vegetation to survive here. One can also witness a wide range of epiphytes in this region. The animal species native to the central American rainforest include several mammals, insects, reptiles and bird species. One of the most magnificent animal found in this region is the jaguar - a large spotted feline.

This was brief information about the six major terrestrial biomes of North America. Going through this information will give you a brief idea of how diverse our planet is. However, there are several other biomes of the world, some of which are much more harsh, while some are much more rich in terms of biodiversity.