Albia Dugger Miami Dade College Cecie Starr Christine Evers Lisa Starr Chapter 43 The Biosphere (Sections )

43.5 Deserts Deserts receive less than 10 centimeters (4 inches) of rain per year Most are located at about 30° north and south latitude, or in rain shadows desert Biome with little rain and low humidity; plants that have water-storing and conserving adaptations predominate

Desert Locations

43.7 Dry Shrublands and Woodlands Rains occur seasonally in dry shrublands, and lightning- sparked fires sometimes sweep through shrublands during the dry season Dry shrublands in California are known as chaparral chaparral Biome of dry shrubland in regions with hot, dry summers and cool, rainy winters

Locations of Dry Shrublands

Adaptations to Chaparral Foliage of many chaparral shrubs has oils that deter herbivores and also make the plant highly flammable Chaparral plants are adapted to occasional fires: Some grow back from root crowns after a fire Some have seeds that germinate only after they are exposed to heat or smoke

California Chaparral

In California, where homes are often built near chaparral, fires frequently cause property damage

Tropical Rain Forests Tropical rain forests form between latitudes 10° north and south in Africa, East Indies, Asia, South and Central America 130 to 200 centimeters (50 to 80 inches) of rain falls throughout the year tropical rain forest Highly productive and most species-rich biome in which year-round rains and warmth support continuous growth of evergreen broadleaf trees

Locations of Tropical Rain Forest

Tropical Rain Forests (cont.) Tropical rain forest is the most productive, structurally complex, and species-rich biome Photosynthesis occurs year-round; but trees often form a closed canopy that blocks light from the forest floor Deforestation is an ongoing threat to tropical rain forests in developing countries with fast-growing human populations

Tropical Rain Forests (cont.) Decomposition and mineral cycling happen fast in the warm, moist environment Soils are highly weathered, heavily leached, and are very poor nutrient reservoirs

Fig b, p. 735 A–E horizons: Continually leached; iron, aluminum left behind impart red color to acidic soil O horizon: Sparse litter B horizon: Clays with silicates, other residues of weathering Tropical Rain Forests (cont.)

A Tropical Rain Forest

43.12 Coastal Ecosystems Near the coasts of continents and islands, concentrations of nutrients support highly productive aquatic ecosystems An enclosed coastal region where seawater mixes with fresh water from rivers and streams is called an estuary estuary A highly productive ecosystem where nutrient-rich water from a river mixes with seawater

Estuaries Estuaries are marine nurseries; many larval and juvenile invertebrates and fishes live in them Detrital food chains predominate Primary producers include algae and other phytoplankton, along with plants that tolerate submergence at high tide

Estuary: South Carolina Salt Marsh