Ecosystem & the Biosphere

Honors Biology

Earth’s Major Biomes

Tundra

Did you know that the Arctic Tundra is the world's youngest biome? It was formed 10,000 years ago. Located at latitudes 55° to 70° North, the tundra is a vast and treeless land which covers about 20% of the Earth's surface, circumnavigating the North pole.

Tundra

A cold & largely treeless biomes Forms a continuous belt across northern

North America, Europe & Asia Largest & northernmost biome Covers 1/5 of the worlds land surface

Tundra Climate It is cold through all months of the year Summer is a brief period of milder climates

when the sun shines almost 24 hours a day. (6-10 weeks)

It has been called "the land of the midnight sun".

It never gets any warmer than 45 or 50° F. Winter temperatures don't reach above 20° F and average -20° to -30°F.

Unusually cold and dry climate Precipitation totals 6-10 inches of rain/year,

which includes melted snow

Permafrost

Permafrost is a permanently frozen layer of soil under the surface, characterizes the tundra

Even the surface soil above the permafrost remains frozen for all but 8 weeks of the year

Melting permafrost

Plants on the Tundra

Trees do not usually grow because the winters are long & extremely cold

Permafrost prevents their roots from penetrating far into the soil

Colorful wildflowers bloom from the end of June to the end of July. There are many flowering plants like purple saxifrage,mountain havens, wild crocus, arctic poppies, buttercups, cinquefoil, moss companion, campanulas, arctic azaleas and arctic lupine

Animals on the TundraArtic Fox

THE ARCTIC HARE lives farther north than any other hare

Caribou

Polar Bear

Polar Fox

Snowy Owl

Forest Biomes

Forest biomes are divided into three main types:

1. Tropical

2. Temperate

3. Boreal (or Taiga)

Tropical Forest

Did you know that the tropical rain forest is a forest of tall trees in a region of year-round warmth. Rainforests now cover less than 6% of Earth's land surface. Scientists estimate that more than half of all the world's plant and animal species live in tropical rain forests. Tropical rainforests produce 40% of Earth's oxygen.

Tropical forest

Occurs near the equator known as the tropics

Includes parts of Asia, Africa, S. America, & Cent. America

Stable temperature and abundant rainfall make tropical forest the most productive biome type

Tropical forest have 2 seasons One wet and one dry Tropical rain forest are characterize by long wet

seasons and tall trees and plants that grow year-round

Tropical dry forest have long dry seasons during which trees lose their leaves– Temperate Rain Forest: are found on the Olympic peninsula in

Washington state and in other places throughout the world, such as South America, New Zealand, and Australia

Plants in the Rain Forest Competition for light is intense and small

plants live on the branches of tall trees called epiphytes. (mosses, orchids, bromeliads)

Most plants are trees, & some have evolved to grow as tall as 50 to 60 m

Treetops for a continuous layer called the canopy which shades the forest floor

Epiphytes (EP-uh-FIETS)

Animals of the Rain Forest

animal life is very diverse Vertebrates ie: kinds of monkeys, snakes,

lizards & birds Insects species are particularly diverse

ie: there is more than 1 million species of tree-dwelling beetles

Probably contain about ½ of the worlds species

Animals of the Rainforest

Chimpanzee

King Cobra

tucan

Rain Forest: Canopy

The canopy layer, 25-45 meters high, is a living roof

The tree tops are exposed to rain, sunlight, and strong winds

Animals found: monkeys, & scarlet macaws

Rain Forest: Understory In the understory, the air

is still, humid, and dark. Vines grow from the soil to the canopy

The limbs of the trees are hung with a thick layer of epiphytes, plants that get most of their moisture from the air

Animals/Plants found: leaf cutter ants, insects, bats, ferns, & dwarf palm

Rain Forest: Ground The ground layer is a

moist forest floor. Leaves and other organic

materials decay quickly Roots spread throughout

the top 18 inches of soil There is great competition

for nutrients Animals found: rodents,

cats, ants, termites, worms, bacteria, fungi…

Tropical Rain Forest Climate

The average temperature is about 250C and receive at least 200 cm of rain annually

Rain forests belong to the tropical wet climate group

One reason for the large number of niches in rain forests is vertical layering

Importance of the Rain Forest Some rain forest plants are

important sources of medicine Hardwood trees provide a

source of income for people Agricultural land is not

common in rain forests because do not have a large amount of organic matter because leaf matter which disappears so quickly.

Once rain forest soil is exposed and farmed, it becomes hard, almost brick-like, and nutrient-poor in a matter of a few years.

Temperate Forest

The deciduous forest has four distinct seasons, spring, summer, autumn, and winter. In the autumn the leaves change color. During the winter months the trees lose their leaves.

Temperate Deciduous Forest

Occur in N. America, W. & Cent Europe, & NE Asia

Characterized by distinct seasons and a moderate climate

Can be characterized by the type of tree that is most common 1. Coniferous Trees: bear seeds in cones2. Deciduous Trees: shed their leaves each year

Temperate Forest Climate

The average annual temperature in a deciduous forest is 50° F. The average rainfall is 30 to 60 inches a year.

Temperate Forest Animals Animals hibernate in the winter and living

off the land in the other three seasons. animals adapt to the land by trying the

plants in the forest to see if they are good to eat for a good supply of food.

trees provide shelter Animal use the trees for food and a water

sources. Most of the animals are camouflaged to

look like the ground.

Temperate Forest Animals

Bald Eagle

American Black Bear

White Tail Deer

Temperate Forest Plants

The plants have adapted to the forests by leaning toward the sun. Soaking up the nutrients in the ground is also a way of adaptation.

Temperate Forest Plants

American Beech

Pecan

Lady Fern

Taiga or Boreal Forest

Taiga is the Russian word for forest and is the largest biome in the world

Taiga/Boreal Forest

Just south of the tundra lies another biome that circles the north pole

Also called the boreal or northern coniferous forest

Somewhat warmer and wetter than tundra, but still harsh with long severe winters and short mild summers

The topsoil, which develops slowly from decaying coniferous needles, is acidic and poor in minerals

Taiga Animals

Snowshoe Rabbit

American BlackBear

Wolverine

Taiga Plants

Balsam Fir

Eastern Red Cedar

Douglas Fir

Taiga Climate

The average temperature is below freezing for six months out of the year.

The winter temperature range is -54 to -1° C (-65 to 30° F).

The winters, as you can see, are really cold, with lots of snow

The summer gets as low as -7° C (20° F). The high in summer can be 21° C (70° F).

Grasslands

•Grasslands are dominated by a variety of grasses•Grasslands are known by different names in different parts of the world

•Prairies: North America•Steppes: Asia•Pampas: South America•Veldts: South Africa

1. Temperate Grassland

Temperate grasslands

Usually formed in the interior of continents at about the same latitude as temperate deciduous forest

Rainfall patterns make these areas too dry to support trees

Have rich fertile soil

Temperate grasslands

Once covered a large portion of the US and supported huge herds of herbivores like bison

Temperate Grassland Animals & Plants

The American Bison

2. Savanna

Savanna

Savanna is a grassland community with scattered individual trees. This Biome covers areas of central South America, central and southern Africa and parts of Australia.

The climate generally shows 3 distinct seasons: cool and dry, hot and dry, warm and wet, in that order.

Soils are generally porous with a thin humus layer; and water drainage is rapid.

Large herbivores (zebras, giraffes) and burrowing animals are commonly most active in the rainy season and many are nocturnal.

3. Chaparral

Chaparral

Chaparral (scrubland) are regions of dense, spiny shrubs with tough evergreen leaves found along coasts where cool ocean currents circulate offshore to make mild, rainy winters and long, hot dry summers

Occur in Mediterranean and coastlines of California, Chile, SW Africa, and S. W. Australia.

This type of habitat is maintained by periodic fires

Chaparral Plants & Animals

Many shrubs have root systems and seeds that are adapted for fire; root crowns may be fire resistant and resprout quickly, others have seeds that only germinate after a fire. Other plants are colonial and use asexual reproduction.

Browsers such as deer, fruit-eating birds, rodents, snakes and lizards are common

Desert

Are areas that receive an average of less than 25 cm of rainfall/year

Desert Climate

Areas: large parts of N. Africa, Cent. Australia, SW N.A., E. Asia

Temperatures may fall to as much as 54 F at night b/c the dry air is poor insulators (heat builds during the day, but escapes at night)

Cold Deserts

Contrary to popular belief, not all deserts are hot. The Great Basin (W. U.S.) and the Gobi ( E. Asia)

are hot in the summer and cold in the winter

Gobi Desert

Vegetation

Leaves have a waxy covering that reduces evaporation

Plants have only few stomata and may only open at night

Cactus is common type

Desert Plants

Has expandable body that can store water & leaves that have evolved into sharp spines that protect from herbivores

1 Saguaro can hold 1,000 kg of water

Found in Arizona, California, & Mexico

Saguaro Cactus

Desert Animals

Must conserve water Spend much of the day

avoiding the heat by burrowing into the ground

Kit foxes, some lizards, snakes are only active at night

Banded Gila Monster

Thorny Devil

Ocean Zones

Cover 70% the Earth’s surface w/ average depth of 3.7 km (2.3 mi)

Deepest part are about 11 km (6.8 mi) Water contains about 3% salt Light availability is an important factor

Light availability Aphotic Zone: sunlight cannot penetrate &

photosynthesis cannot occur Photic Zone: the part of the ocean that receives

sunlight. The depth varies

Oceanic Zone Neritic Intertidal Zone

Pelagic Zone

Benthic ZoneThermal Vent

Aphotic Zone

Photic Zone

Continental Shelf

3 Zones relative to the oceans edges

1. Intertidal zone: the area of shoreline that is twice daily covered by water during high tide & exposed to air during g low tide

Organisms adapted to periodic exposure due to tides

Organisms must be able to withstand the force of crashing waves

Animals of the Intertidal Zone

3 Zones relative to the oceans edges

2. Neritic Zone: extends from the intertidal zone over the continental shelf and to relatively shallow water depths of 180 m.

Most productive zone in the ocean supporting more species than any other zone

Water is shallow enough for photosynthesis to occur

Upwelling (currents) carry nutrients from the ocean bottom & mix them with nutrients from runoff

These waters are rich in plankton which are consumed by larger animals

Numerous fish, sea turtles & other animals are found here

Coral reefs form in tropical areas (very productive & rich in species

Are built by coral animals over a long time period

External skeleton of calcium carbonate. As the animals grow & die, the skeletons accumulate to form the base of the reef

Reef is home to many specie of fish, mollusk, & other animals

3 Zones relative to the oceans edges

3. Oceanic Zone: the deep water of the ocean sea

Photic areas, nutrients levels are too low to support as much life

½ photosynthesis on Earth takes place in the oceanic zone

Division of Neritic & Oceanic Zones

The open ocean is known as the pelagic zone

The ocean bottom is known as the benthic zone

Estuaries Occur where freshwater & saltwater meet and

serves as a nursery ground for species Are more productive b/c they have shallow,

nutrient-laden waters

Freshwater Zone

Temperature variations within a lake are an abiotic factor that limits the kinds of organisms that can survive in deep lakes such as light

Wetlands: places where Land and water meet

Swamp: have trees

Marsh: no trees, but water flows

Bogs: get their waterFrom rain & does not flow

Lakes & Ponds divided into 2 categories:

1. Eutrophic Lakes are rich on organic matter & vegetation so waters are murky

As the number of plants & algae in a lake grows, the number of bacteria feeding on decaying organisms also grows

These bacteria use the oxygen dissolved in the lake’s water killing the organisms that need oxygen to survive

Lakes naturally become Eutrophic over a long period of time

Eutrophic Lakes

Lakes & Ponds divided into 2 categories

2. Oligotrophic Lakes: contain little organic matter the water is much clear & the bottom is usually sandy or rocky

Rivers & Streams

A river or stream is a body of freshwater that flows down a gradient or slope towards its mouth

Rivers & Streams of Escambia Co.

http://wildflowers.jdcc.edu/Rivers%20and%20Streams.html