Communities and BiomesCommunities and Biomes

BiologyBiologyMr. SolisMr. Solis

Life In A CommunityLife In A Community

• A community is alive, and each A community is alive, and each population or factor in it contributes population or factor in it contributes something important to the life of the something important to the life of the community.community.

• Various combinations of abiotic and Various combinations of abiotic and biotic factors interact in different biotic factors interact in different places around the world.places around the world.

BiomesBiomes

• A biome is large A biome is large group of group of ecosystems that ecosystems that share the same share the same type of climax type of climax community.community.

Characteristics of Aquatic Characteristics of Aquatic BiomesBiomes• Marine Biomes- Marine Biomes- Ocean based biomes Ocean based biomes that is divided into that is divided into two areas.two areas.

• Photic zones- Portion Photic zones- Portion of earth that is of earth that is shallow enough to shallow enough to allow sunlight to allow sunlight to penetrate. These penetrate. These consist of coastal consist of coastal ecosystems.ecosystems.

Examples are bays, Examples are bays, rocky shores, sandy rocky shores, sandy beaches, mudflats, beaches, mudflats, and estuaries, and and estuaries, and coral reefs.coral reefs.

Aquatic BiomesAquatic Biomes

• Aphotic Zones- Aphotic Zones- Includes the Includes the deepest and least deepest and least explored areas of explored areas of the ocean.the ocean.

Aquatic BiomesAquatic Biomes

• Estuaries- a coastal Estuaries- a coastal body of water, partially body of water, partially surrounded by land, in surrounded by land, in which freshwater and which freshwater and saltwater mix.saltwater mix.

• These areas are thick in These areas are thick in grasses which trap lots grasses which trap lots of food and become fish of food and become fish nurseries. nurseries. – Example: The ArroyoExample: The Arroyo

The Effects of TidesThe Effects of Tides

• Intertidal Zones- Intertidal Zones- The portion of The portion of the shoreline that the shoreline that lies between the lies between the high and low high and low tides. These tides. These areas have high areas have high levels of sunlight, levels of sunlight, nutrients, and nutrients, and oxygen.oxygen.

Freshwater BiomesFreshwater Biomes• Ponds- lots of plant Ponds- lots of plant

life due to its life due to its shallow water which shallow water which allows plenty of allows plenty of sunlight t penetrate sunlight t penetrate to the bottom of the to the bottom of the pond.pond.

• Lakes- Lots of plant Lakes- Lots of plant life along the edge life along the edge of the lake. This is of the lake. This is due to shallow due to shallow water and plenty of water and plenty of sunlight.sunlight.

• Rivers and Streams- Rivers and Streams- Contains lots of Contains lots of nutrients because nutrients because of run offs, but very of run offs, but very difficult for plant life difficult for plant life to grow due to its to grow due to its constant flow.constant flow.

Terrestrial BiomesTerrestrial Biomes

• These Land Biomes These Land Biomes are based onare based on– LatitudeLatitude– ClimateClimate

• RainfallRainfall

• TemperatureTemperature

TundraTundra

• A treeless land with long A treeless land with long summer days and short summer days and short periods of winter periods of winter sunlight.sunlight.

• ConditionsConditions– Never rises above freezingNever rises above freezing– Permanently frozen layerPermanently frozen layer– Topsoil so thin it can’t Topsoil so thin it can’t

support lifesupport life• LifeLife

– Grasses, short shrubs and Grasses, short shrubs and cushion plantscushion plants

– Small mammalSmall mammal– Caribou, Musk oxen, Caribou, Musk oxen,

reindeerreindeer

TaigaTaiga

• A continuous belt of A continuous belt of coniferous forest. coniferous forest.

• ConditionsConditions– Are somewhat warmer Are somewhat warmer

and wetterand wetter– Long severe winter and Long severe winter and

short mild summersshort mild summers• LifeLife

– Abundance of trees Abundance of trees ( more food and shelter ( more food and shelter for life)for life)

– Lynx, snowshoe hare, Lynx, snowshoe hare, caribou, moose and caribou, moose and migratory birds.migratory birds.

DesertDesert

• The driest biome, a The driest biome, a region with sparse to region with sparse to nonexistent plant life.nonexistent plant life.

• ConditionsConditions– Less than 25 cm of rainLess than 25 cm of rain– Hot during day cold during Hot during day cold during

night.night.• LifeLife

– Drought resistant trees, Drought resistant trees, shrubs and grassshrubs and grass

– Annual plants that Annual plants that germinate during sporadic germinate during sporadic rainfalls.rainfalls.

– Nocturnal animalsNocturnal animals– Hawks, coyotes and owls.Hawks, coyotes and owls.

GrasslandsGrasslands

• Large communities covered Large communities covered with rich soil, grasses and with rich soil, grasses and similar plants.similar plants.

• ConditionsConditions– 25-75 cm of precipitation25-75 cm of precipitation– Experience dry seasonsExperience dry seasons– Summers hot and winter Summers hot and winter

coldcold

• LifeLife– GrassesGrasses– Some trees found near Some trees found near

streams.streams.– Grazing animalsGrazing animals– Prairie dogs, foxes, insects, Prairie dogs, foxes, insects,

birds, reptiles.birds, reptiles.

Temperate ForestTemperate Forest

• Are dominated by broad Are dominated by broad leaved hardwood trees leaved hardwood trees that lose their foliage that lose their foliage annually.annually.

• ConditionsConditions– 75-150 cm precipitation 75-150 cm precipitation

per yearper year– Temperate weatherTemperate weather

• LifeLife– Deciduous treesDeciduous trees– Bears, rabbits, migratory Bears, rabbits, migratory

birds.birds.

Rain ForestsRain Forests• Have warm Have warm

temperatures, wet temperatures, wet weather, and lush weather, and lush plant growth. Located plant growth. Located near the Equator.near the Equator.

• ConditionsConditions– Average temp: 25Average temp: 25ºCºC– Average rainfall: 400 Average rainfall: 400

cm per yearcm per year

• LifeLife– Diverse Group of Diverse Group of

species due to an species due to an abundance of abundance of habitats.habitats.

– Three major storiesThree major storiesCanopy- tree topsCanopy- tree topsUnderstory- below Understory- below

canopy and above canopy and above groundground

Ground- forest floorGround- forest floor