Biomes of Planet Earth

• An ecosystem is all the living and nonliving factors that affect an organism. (abiotic and biotic)

• A biome is a major region that is characterized by its climate,soil type(s), and the dominant plants, animals, and other organisms that live there. A biome is made up of many individual ecosystems.

Ecotone

• Boundary between two biomes

Alike but Different

The species that live In each biome are different, but may look and act similar to species in other biomes. Because of similar niches in each biome.

Kaibab Squirrel (north rim) Abert’s Squirrel (south rim)

Climate

• Climate defines the boundaries of terrestrial biomes

Types of Biomes• Tundra• Desert• Grassland• Taiga• Temperate forest• Tropical rainforest• Polar ice• Freshwater• Marine

Is the temperature of each Biome: Hot, moderate, or cold?

• Mountains -• Tundra -• Desert -• Chaparral -• Temperate Grassland -• Tropical savanna -• Taiga -• Temperate forest -• Tropical rainforest -• Polar ice -

Is the temperature of each Biome: Hot, moderate, or cold?

• Mountains - Moderate• Tundra - Cold• Desert - Hot• Chaparral - Moderate• Temperate Grassland - Moderate• Tropical savanna - Hot• Taiga - Cold• Temperate forest - Moderate• Tropical rainforest - Hot• Polar ice - Cold

Latitude and Altitude Affect the Climate

• Gets colder the higher up you go (altitude)• Gets colder the farther north/south of the

equator you go (latitude)• Most of food on Earth is grown between 30-

60 degrees north and south of the equator• -- Do we live in this latitude??--

Climatograms• A climatogram is a graph that shows average monthly values for two factors: temperature and precipitation.

• Temperature is expressed in degrees Celsius and is plotted as a smooth curve.

• Precipitation values are given in centimeters and are plotted as a histogram.

Population

• All members of a species living in the same place at the same time.

• Populations are described in terms of size, density (# of individuals/unit area or vol), or dispersion (relative distribution of its individuals within a given amount of space).

Growth Rate

• Change in population size = births - deaths

Also calculated as: change in population

time

What Limits Population Growth?

• Carrying Capacity• Resource Limits—consuming a natural

resource at the same rate as which the ecosystem produces the resource

• Competition within a population—social dominance, territory, mates, food, homes for their families

Population Growth

Lag Phase

Exponential Phase

Steady StateCarrying Capacity

Two Types--Population Regulation

• Density Dependent—cause of death is rapidly increased due to limited resources, predation and disease resulting in densely populated groups.

• Density Independent—a certain proportion of the population dies regardless of its density (weather, natural disasters)

Niche (pattern of use of its habitat)

• Includes:• a species’ physical home• the environment factors necessary for the

species to survive• All of the species’ interactions with other

organisms.

Types of Interactions

• Competition—organisms attempt to use the same limited resource.

• Predation—organism that feeds on another

• Parasitism—organism that lives in or on another

• Mutualism—two species provides a benefit to the other

• Commensalism—one species benefits but other is not harmed or helped by it

Relationships

• Symbiosis—two organisms live in close association

If carried on long enough the two species can co-evolve—flowers matching the feeding habits of insects and birds.

Desert Ecosystems

Location: Depending on type of desert, you will find them in various locations.

Desert Abiotic factors

<10 in/yr of rain

Little to no topsoil due to high winds.

Minerals not deep in soil.

Too dry for decay

http://www.cotf.edu/ete/modules/msese/earthsysflr/taiga.html

While there are many types of deserts, they all share one characteristic: They are the driest places on Earth!

Joshua Tree http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/desert_plant_page.htm

Desert Plant Adaptations:

Spines Succulents Thick, waxy cuticle Shallow, broad roots

Barrel Cactus

Ocotollio

Desert Animal Adaptations: Get water from food Thick outer coat Burrow during day Large ears Smaller animals =

less surface area

http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/desert_animal_page.htm

Javelina

Bob Cat

Armadillo Lizard

Threats to the DesertResidential development

Off road recreational activities destroy habitat for plants and animals.

Some plants are removed by collectors, endangering the population.

Sonoran Desert

Dry Desert

http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/world_biomes.htm

http://www.runet.edu/~swoodwar/CLASSES/GEOG235/biomes/tundra/tundra.html

Tundra

Location: Found north of the Arctic Circle

Tundra Abiotic Factors <25 in/year Temp rarely higher than 100C Permafrost layer Short growing season

http://www.cotf.edu/ete/modules/msese/earthsysflr/taiga.html

Tundra Plant AdaptationsGrowing close to the ground

Having shallow roots to absorb the limited water resources.

Trees grow less than 1 m high!

cottongrass

Reindeer lichen

Perennials

Woody shrubs

http://www.runet.edu/~swoodwar/CLASSES/GEOG235/biomes/tundra/tundra.html

Heaths

Examples of Tundra Plants

Many visitors, migrationFew predatorsLittle Competition

Small earsInsulation, thick

coat

Arctic foxsnowy owl

Grizzly Bear

Tundra Animal Adaptations

Threats to the TundraOne of the most

fragile biomes on the planet

The tundra is slow to recover from damage.

Oil drilling is proposed in Alaska and other areas!

Tufted SaxifragePolar Bear