Chapter 3 Communities, Biomes, and Ecosystems

Community Ecology Interactions of populations in same area/time Can be exceedingly complex (all biotics) Oasis

What limits growth? Limiting factors – Any abiotic or biotic factor that restricts the numbers, reproduction, or distribution of organisms – Includes sunlight, climate, temp, water, nutrients, fire, soil chemistry, space, etc Range of Tolerance – Upper & lower limit of conditions (abiotic or biotic) an organism can tolerate (survive)

Tolerance Curved

Ecological Succession Ecosystem change when 1 community replaces another due to changing abiotic/biotic factors 2 types: – primary succession: bare rock, no soil – secondary succession: starts with soil present

Primary Succession Ex. Volcanic island Pioneer species like lichen, moss live on rock, die, create soil. Then grasses/shrubs/trees

Secondary Succession Ex: clear cut forest Faster than primary

Terrestrial Biomes Biome largely determines by Latitude and climate – Weather = atmospheric conditions at a specific place/time – Climate = average weather conditions during a year – Latitude = location north/south from equator Further from equator, get more “cold” time – Altitude has similar effect as latitude

Latitude

Climate Climate includes avg. precip and temp Both are critical to what biome exists Biomes classified by: – plants – temperature – precipitation

Land Biomes – Tropical Rain forest – Tropical Dry Forest – Tropical Savanna – Desert – Temperate Grassland – Temperate Woodland and Shrubland – Temperate Forest – Northern Coniferous Forest – Boreal Forest or Taiga – Tundra

Tropical rain forest Tropical dry forest Tropical savanna Temperate woodland and shrubland Desert Temperate grassland Boreal forest (Taiga) Northwestern coniferous forest Temperate forest Mountains and ice caps Tundra

Ten Major Biomes BiomePrecipitationTemperatureSoilDiversityTreesGrasses Tropical Rain Forest highhotpoorhighdensesparse Tropical Dry Forest variablemildrichmoderatemedium Tropical Savanna variablemildclaymoderatesparsedense Desertlowvariablepoormoderatesparse Temperate Grassland moderatesummer hotrichmoderateabsentdense Temperate woodland and Shrubland summer low, winter moderate summer hotpoorlowmedium Temperate Forest moderatesummer moderate, winter cold richhighdensesparse Northwestern Coniferous Forest highsummer mild, winter cold rocky, acidic lowdensesparse Boreal Forestmoderatesummer mild, winter cool poor, acidicmoderatedensesparse Tundralowsummer mild, winter cold poorlowabsentmedium

Communities, Biomes, and Ecosystems Tropical Savanna Hot, wet summers, cool dry winters Africa, S.A, and Australia Large grazing/hunting animals

Communities, Biomes, and Ecosystems Tropical Seasonal Forest Lots of precip, but seasonal Warm/hot Jungle like conditions, not as dense vegetation as rainforest, allows larger animals

Tropical Rain Forest Hot/wet/humid (typically 100+ in. rain) Most biodiverse biome, many colorful and unique animals/plants Located near equator Sunlight important (layered canopy)

Tundra Located near the poles Treeless biome covered by moss, lichens, and grasses Permafrost – a layer of permanently frozen subsoil

Boreal Forest (taiga) Long, cold, dry winters; short, moist summers Covered by coniferous (cone bearing) trees. Bears, wolves, moose, elk are some of the typical animals (may migrate)

Temperate Forest Abundant precipitation 4 distinct seasons (Hot summer/cold winter) Plants change with seasons (leaves change color, deciduous)

Communities, Biomes, and Ecosystems Temperate Woodland & Shrubland Generally warmer and less precip than temperate forest Summers are hot/dry; winters are cool/wet

Temperate Grasslands Wet and dry season Populated by “grazing” animals, rich soil Hot summers, cold winters, some fires Ex. Great Plains

Deserts Very dry (<10in.), varying temp Both plants and animals must be able to retain moisture (nocturnal, waterproof) Birds, lizards, snakes, insects are typical Cactus and sagebrush sparsely cover the area

Freshwater biomes Rivers, streams, and lakes Only ~2.5% of water on Earth is freshwater

Rivers Fast moving: – prevent accumulation of organic materials/sediment – Lower biodiversity Slow moving: – More organic buildup, lots of insect larvae – Greater biodiversity

Lakes and Ponds Temp varies seasonally Aids nutrient distribution

Lakes and Ponds II 3 Zones: – Littoral = close to shore, plants/algae – Limnetic = open water, light, plankton – Profundal = deep, cold, darker, less Oxygen

Transitional Ecosystems Estuaries are the boundaries between freshwater and saltwater – Since it is a mix of the two, a variety of organisms can be supported Wetlands are lands saturated with water and with aquatic life – Swamps, bogs…

Marine Biomes Includes all of the ocean Divided into 5 subcategories – Intertidal zone – Photic zone – Aphotic zone – Abyssal zone – Benthic zone

Communities, Biomes, and Ecosystems Marine Ecosystems Intertidal zone: narrow band where ocean meets land, transitive communities/conditions Photic zone: shallow enough sunlight penetrates, plankton exist Aphotic zone: area below photic zone, sunlight is unable to penetrate Benthic zone: area along the ocean floor, consists of sand, silt, and dead organisms. Abyssal zone: deepest region of the ocean

Communities, Biomes, and Ecosystems Communities and Biomes

FQ 1 1.A 2.B 3.C 4.D A. a biome B. a community C. an ecosystem D. an environment Communities, Biomes, and Ecosystems Chapter Formative Questions What is a group of interacting populations that occupy the same area at the same time?

FQ 2 1.A 2.B 3.C 4.D A. It is outside the range of tolerance. B. It is the optimum zone for survival. C. Organisms are unable to survive in this zone. D. There are fewer organisms in this zone. Communities, Biomes, and Ecosystems Chapter Formative Questions Which is true of the zone of physiological stress?

FQ 3 1.A 2.B 3.C 4.D A. Environmental factors affect the survival of organisms. B. One biological community replaces another in the ecosystem. C. Organisms adapt to new biotic and abiotic factors. D. Pioneer species move in and replace existing species. Communities, Biomes, and Ecosystems Chapter Formative Questions What occurs in the process of ecological succession?

FQ 4 1.A 2.B 3.C 4.D A. by their average weather conditions B. by their latitudes and climates C. by the type of animal communities within them D. by the type of plant communities within them Communities, Biomes, and Ecosystems Chapter Formative Questions By what characteristics are biomes primarily classified?

FQ 5 1.A 2.B 3.C 4.D A. taiga B. tundra C. arctic grassland D. polar regions Communities, Biomes, and Ecosystems Chapter Formative Questions Which biome contains short grasses, caribou, polar bears, and has a layer of permafrost below the surface of the soil?

FQ 6 1.A 2.B 3.C 4.D A. boreal shrubland B. moderate meadowland C. temperate grassland D. tropical savanna Communities, Biomes, and Ecosystems Chapter Formative Questions Which biome is called a steppe in Asia, a prairie in North America, and a rangeland in Australia?

FQ 7 1.A 2.B 3.C 4.D A. desert B. tundra C. woodland D. tropical rainforest Communities, Biomes, and Ecosystems Chapter Formative Questions Which is the most diverse of all biomes?

FQ 8 1.A 2.B 3.C 4.D A. They have swifter currents. B. They exist near urban areas. C. They exist at higher latitudes. D. They contain less organic matter. Communities, Biomes, and Ecosystems Chapter Formative Questions Why do oligotrophic lakes contain fewer plant and animal species than eutrophic lakes?

FQ 9 1.A 2.B 3.C 4.D A. littoral zone B. limnetic zone C. profundal zone D. benthic zone Communities, Biomes, and Ecosystems Chapter Formative Questions Which region of the lake has the highest biodiversity?

FQ 10 1.A 2.B 3.C 4.D A. estuary B. salt marsh C. swamp D. wetland Communities, Biomes, and Ecosystems Chapter Formative Questions Which is the most diverse ecosystem?

FQ 11 1.A 2.B 3.C 4.D Communities, Biomes, and Ecosystems Chapter Formative Questions A. the accumulation of nutrient-rich sediments and detritus B. the mixture of waters with different salt concentrations C. the variety of species adapted to live in slow currents D. the wide variety of waterfowl that nest and feed What makes an estuary such a unique ecosystem?

CDQ 1 1.A 2.B 3.C 4.D A. primary succession B. secondary succession C. climax community D. end succession Communities, Biomes, and Ecosystems Chapter 3 Chapter Diagnostic Questions Mosses and lichens are the first organisms to appear during which ecological stage of an ecosystem?

CDQ 2 1.A 2.B 3.C 4.D A. tundra B. tropical savanna C. tropical seasonal forest D. tropical rainforest Communities, Biomes, and Ecosystems Chapter 3 Chapter Diagnostic Questions Which biome is the most diverse?

CDQ 3 1.A 2.B 3.C 4.D A. in groundwater B. in streams C. in glaciers D. in wetlands Communities, Biomes, and Ecosystems Chapter 3 Chapter Diagnostic Questions Where is most of Earth’s freshwater supply contained?

CAQ 1 1.A 2.B 3.C 4.D Communities, Biomes, and Ecosystems Chapter 3 A. dominated by plankton B. deepest area of the lake C. very little light penetrates D. lower in oxygen Chapter Assessment Questions Look at the figure. Which is not true of the profundal zone?

Based on the information in the graph, what can be inferred about carbon dioxide in the atmosphere? Communities, Biomes, and Ecosystems Chapter 3 Chapter Assessment Questions CAQ 2

Answer: The measured increase of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) in the atmosphere is mainly due to the burning of fossil fuels. As carbon dioxide levels have increased, the average global temperature has increased. Communities, Biomes, and Ecosystems Chapter 3 Chapter Assessment Questions CAQ 3

Use the figure below to infer which abiotic factor might limit the survival of steelhead trout. Communities, Biomes, and Ecosystems Answer: Temperature Chapter 3 Chapter Assessment Questions CAQ 4

STP 1 1.A 2.B 3.C 4.D Communities, Biomes, and Ecosystems Chapter 3 A. precipitation B. soil type C. sunlight D. temperature Standardized Test Practice What is the most critical limiting factor for a polar bear?

STP 2 1.A 2.B Communities, Biomes, and Ecosystems Chapter 3 Standardized Test Practice The mature community in this diagram is a true climax community. A. true B. false

STP 3 1.A 2.B 3.C 4.D Communities, Biomes, and Ecosystems Chapter 3 Standardized Test Practice Average precipitation: 38–100 cm per year Temperature range: 10°C–40°C Abiotic factors: summers are very hot and dry; winters are cool and wet A. desert B. boreal forest C. temperate woodland D. tropical seasonal forest For which biome was this data collected?

STP 4 1.A 2.B 3.C 4.D Communities, Biomes, and Ecosystems Chapter 3 Standardized Test Practice A. tundra B. arctic desert C. coniferous forest D. temperate grassland What type of community is likely to exist near the top of a mountain?

STP 5 1.A 2.B 3.C 4.D Communities, Biomes, and Ecosystems Chapter 3 Standardized Test Practice A. bottom dwellers B. crustaceans C. insects D. plankton What type of organisms enables fish to live in the limnetic zone?

STP 6 1.A 2.B 3.C 4.D Communities, Biomes, and Ecosystems Chapter 3 Standardized Test Practice Average temperature (°C) Average precipitation (cm) A B C D What is the approximate average temperature and annual precipitation in the boreal forest biome?