Ecosystems and Biomes

Lesson 1 Cycles in EcosystemWater cycle- continuous movement of water

between Earth’s surface and the air, changing from liquid to gas to liquid

Evaporation- is the changing of a liquid into a gascondensation-changing of a gas into a liquidPrecipitation- is any form of water that falls from

the atmosphere and reaches the ground, such as rain,

sleet, snow, or hailRunoff- precipitation that flows across the land’s

surface and is not absorbed will flow into rivers, lakes, and streams

Water Cycle

Lesson 1 ContinuedCarbon cycle-the continuous exchange of carbon

among livings thingsNitrogen cycle- the continuous trapping of nitrogen

gas into compounds into soil and its return to the air

Lesson 2 Changes in EcosystemsExtinct species-when the last member of a

species diesEndangered species- when a species is in danger

of becoming extinctThreatened species-species with low numbers

that could become endangered

Quagga: half zebra, half horse (extinct since 1883)

Thylacine: the Tasmanian Tiger

(extinct since 1936) Tyrannosaurus Rex

(extinct 65 million years ago)EXTINCTSPECIES

ENDANGERED SPECIES

THREATENEDSPECIES

Continued Lesson 2Pioneer community- along with microorganisms,

the pioneer species make up this community. The first living community in an otherwise lifeless area ( for example-lichens and mosses)

Climax community- is the final stage of succession (trees)

Primary Succession- a community where few, if any, living things exist, or where earlier communities were wiped out

Pioneer communityIntermediateCommunity

Climax Community

Lesson 2 continued…

Secondary succession- is the beginning of a new community where a community had already existed

Desert

TundraTaiga

Tropical Rain Forest

Grasslands Deciduous Forest

Lesson 3: 6 major land biomes

Biome- is one of Earth’s major land ecosystems with its own characteristic animals, plants, soil, and climate

Lesson 3: Biomes continued…

Desert- a sandy, rocky biome, with little precipitation and little plant life, the main characteristic of a desert is lack of water

*Desert animals: kangaroos rats, lizards, and other reptiles

Tundra- a large treeless biome where the ground is frozen all year

*Tundra animals: caribou, polar bears, musk ox, arctic hares, and foxes

lizardArctic hare

Lesson 3 continued…Taiga- a cool forest biome of conifers

found in the northern regions*taiga animals: snowshoe rabbit and wolverines

Grassland-a biome where grasses, not trees, are the main plant life, prairies are one kind of grassland. The African grassland is called the savanna.

*grassland animals: insects, toads, worms, mice, and prairie dogs

Wolverine Prairie dogs

Lesson 3 Continued…Rain forest- a hot, humid biome near the

equator, with heavy rainfall and a wide variety of life

• Rainforest animals- insects, frogs, monkeys, bats, snakes

• Deciduous Forest- a forest biome with four distinct seasons and deciduous tress

• Deciduous animals- birds, squirrels, rabbits, raccoons, skunks, owls

Monkey

squirrel

Lesson 4: Water Ecosystems

Organisms in the water are divided into three main categories; plankton, nekton, and benthos

nekton-an organisms that live in the water, nekton is the second group which includes the larger, active swimmers in a body of water. Fish, turtles, and whales are nekton.

Lesson 4 continued…bathyal zone: home to large consumers like

sharks and squid abyssal zone: dark and cold because the sunlight

is completely blocked

Lesson 4 continuedOcean Ecosystem Zones:intertidal zone: shallowest part of the

ocean ecosystemneritic zone: zone after intertidal-algae

and kelp grow here

Lesson 4 continued…

estuary- the boundary where the fresh water feeds into the salt water