Biomes and Productivity Explain the distribution, structure and relative productivity of tropical rainforests, deserts, tundra and any other biome Napas Micki Amaris Taise Maya Skye Andrew Erica Emma Pari Raquelle

The Earth’s Energy Budget BBC animation INSOLATION

Insolation  The amount of solar radiation reaching a given area BBC animation Why would insolation vary Over time in a given year? In different parts of the world?

Insolation  Plants at the equator receive more than enough solar energy all year around.  What stops them from growing as big as jack’s beanstalk?

Limiting Factor  an environmental factor that limits the growth or activities of an organism OR that restricts the size of a population OR its geographical range

Limiting Factor

Do rainforests have high or low productivity?

Why do rainforest have LOW net primary productivity? Individual task options  Review productivity definition  Describe how limiting factors would impact productivity  Review equation for net and and gross primary productivity and explain the variables  Using the equation, deduce which factors would result in a) high primary productivity and b) low primary productivity  Explain why rainforests have LOW NPP (per Kg of biomass)

NPP in a rainforest  Average NPP for tropical rainforests is very high compared to other biomes

NPP in a rainforest  NPP per kg is low  NPP = GPP – R  NPP = How much photosynthesis fixes carbon MINUS how much ‘breathing’ is going on  In a rainforest there is a lot of BOTH so NPP per Kilo is quite low  But there are a LOT of kilos so overall NPP is high