Biome

Biomes, also called ecosystems, are areas with specific height, light levels, vegetation, and types of blocks. There are 6 biomes currently in Pocket Edition: Desert, Tundra, Forest, Plains, Ocean, and Extreme Hills.

In Update 0.9.0, more biomes will be added. (Mesa, Taiga, Mushroom Island, Ice Plains, Deep Oceans, most 1.7.2 PC biomes.)

Desert, Beach, and Oasis
A desert is a infertile biome consisting mostly of sand, sandstone (on layer 3 and 4), and sand dunes. Sugarcane can be found also in the desert biome if next to an ocean or a river biome.

Block Types
In the desert, mostly you will see, sand and sandstone on layers 3 and 4.

Height
The height of the desert is mostly sea level, but occasionally small hills form.

Vegetation
Plants such as cacti, and sugarcane (if near water, rare) can be found in the desert. Dead bushes will spawn naturally in update 0.9.0.

Other notable features
Water is occasionally found nearby deserts. A beach is a biome like the desert but found near ocean biome. Cactus may occasionaly spawn in here.

An oasis are mostly part of the desert biome with small patches of sand and a water source. Due to the heat, crops and trees take longer to grow.

Block Types
Dirt, usually with snow on the top. Water sources have ice on the top.

Height
Tends to be quite mountainous. Rarely totally flat.

Vegetation
Spruce trees can only be found in this biome. Grass blocks are located underneath the snow. The coldness of the biome makes it difficult for other plants to grow.

Block Types
Mainly dirt and grass, with the somewhat rare patch of gravel.

Height
Rather close to sea level, but bumpy.

Vegetation
Oak and Birch trees, with sugar cane occasionally spawning near water. Mushrooms sometimes spawn underneath trees, where the light level is low enough.

Other notable features
Not safe to travel at night, because trees are very dense and can obstruct vision, but allow plenty of room for monsters to spawn. Creepers are especially a problem in this biome. It is probably the most common of all the current biomes.

Clearing
A small to medium sized area devoid of trees.

Block Types
Mostly Dirt and Grass, Gravel forms (Rarely) in patches.

Height
Mostly Flat, but small to medium sized hills tend to form.

Vegetation
Mushrooms and Flowers, the area is rather barren of trees.

Other Notable Features
Very flat and grassy, making it the most suitable location to build large structures, but rarely far from a forest.

Block Types
Oceans are extremely large areas of water, sometimes extending for one hundred blocks in all directions, and can be as much as 40 blocks deep. The bottom consists of either dirt, sand, or gravel, and clay can sometimes be found near the shore.

Height
Sea level and can extend from 15-25 blocks deep, though can be up to 40 blocks deep

Other notable features
If you can create a solid surface to build on, it is the absolute flattest biome in the game.

Lake
Smaller bodies of water, usually up to about 5-10 blocks deep.

Block Types
Dirt, stone, and grass. Veins of Coal and rarely iron can be seen on the sides of the mountains.

Height
Extremely hilly, mountains rise very high and are incredibly steep.

Vegetation
There is very little vegetation due to the lack of available space. Trees can sometimes spawn, and mushrooms spawn underneath overhangs.

Other notable features
This is the most unusual biome, overhangs tend to form and extend for quite a ways. Another common oddity is "Floating Islands", Where part of the terrain is suspended midair, with no apparent connection to any cliff or the ground. These are hard to access, but, if it is big enough, are among the most interesting places to build your home. The darkness of the overhangs can cause occasional Hostile Mob spawning.

Hills
Smaller mountains which are very common in most biomes.

Cold Beach/ Seaside Tundra
A rare occurance in which snow caps sand on a beach, but the water near does not freeze, and some sand may be left bare with Cactus on it.

Block Types
Usally snow, sand and water. Occasionally gravel.

Height
Sea-level, occasionally a large hill may rise near it.

Vegatation
Cacti, very rarely sugarcane.

Other notable features
An odd mix of biomes, and usually not very large. Sometimes a Desert will be present. There is almost always a Tundra Biome near this Mixed Biome, but sometimes there is simply snow on a beach. It should be noted that Cold Beaches should not have Ice instead of Water, because if it does it is a Tundra/Taiga.

Mushroom Island
The Mushroom island is a biome coming to Minecraft PE in 0.9.0. The island consists of Huge Mushrooms, Mycelium, and Mooshrooms. It can be mountainous or relatively flat depending on the generator.

Block Types
Mycelium is a naturally growing dirt-like block allowing Mushrooms to grow. Huge Mushrooms are also scattered around the island.

Height
Usually around sea level with the occasional hills or mountains.

Vegetation
Huge and normal mushrooms grow throughout the island.

Other Notable Features
The island is the only home to the mooshroom. It also has no hostile mobs spawning anywhere on or around the island. It also has huge mushrooms.

Jungle
Jungles are thick areas with lots of jungle/redwood trees. Many vines grow in the trees. Ocelots can be found here. The jungle will appear in Update 0.9.0.

Block Types
Dirt and Grass can be found on the floors of the jungle. Jungle wood is everywhere. Jungle leaves as well.

Height
Very tall trees and sometimes quite mountainous. However due to a height lag limit, it will be shrunken to fit.

Vegetation
The grass has a greenish tint to it. Plants may grow here, but sunlight may barely hit them. Cocoa Beans grow on the trees.

Other Notable Features
This is the only terrain where ocelots spawn (Note: Not in 0.9.0 however). Spiders may spawn in larger quantities due to high amount of leaves. Cocoa also grows from some of the wood.

Savanna Biome
The savanna biomes is a relatively flat yet warm biome. On occasions it can be bumpy. Sometimes villages may spawn due to the flatness. Some passive mobs spawn here as well. Acacia wood is found here. It will be added in 0.9.0

Block Types
Acacia Trees are found here. Grass and dirt are the floors.

Height
Savannas are relatively flat but occasionally low hills are found.

Vegetation
The grass has a yellowish tint to it. Acacia Trees are found. Tall grass may grow but similar to the grass, it has a yellowish tint.

Deep Ocean
The deep ocean biome is a variety of the Ocean Biome except the water goes down much much lower. Small islands can be scattered around. Sometimes the ocean connects to cave systems down below. In some cases, strongholds can be found in the water due to the world generation. Squids may spawn here. (Not in Update 0.9.0). This biome will appear in Update 0.9.0. Those who fall to the very bottom of the ocean may not rise to the surface without losing health, giving an example of how deep it can be.

Height
The deep ocean is sea level but it goes down below sea level, in some cases even y=10 or lower.

Swamp
The swamp biome is a biome with lots of water with trees growing in the water sometimes. The biome will appear in Update 0.9.0. Witches and witch huts spawn in the PC.

Height
The swamp is normally sea level but on occasions it can be hilly.

Block Types
Dirt and Grass are the floors. Oak trees with vines grow.

Vegetation
The grass has a darker green tint to it. Vines grow on the trees. The leaved and vines also have a dark tint to it. Oak trees will grow here.

Mesa
The Mesa Biome is a mountainous biome which has red sand. This is the only biome where red sand is found. No natural trees are found here. Plants also grow much more difficult due to the heat of the biome.

Blocks
Red sand is found. Sometimes dirt or normal sand can be found.

Height
Mesa biomes tend to be hilly or have mountains. Rarely, a mesa biome will be somewhat flat.

Vegetation
Only cactus may grow. Other plants are artificial.

Roofed Forest
A variation of the forest biome. The trees grow quite large with the leaves often blocking the sun. Due to this, it gets dark enough for mobs to spawn. Dark Oak trees are sometimes/rarely found here.

Block Types
Grass grows here. Oak is the most common tree with occasional birch and Dark Oak.

Height
Roofed Forests are very tall. There are some hills or mountains. Due to lag limit, it will be shrunken for Pocket Edition.

Vegetation
The grass is a normal green. Trees grow, but plants may grow slower on the ground due to the low light levels. Given enough space, Huge mushrooms can grow.