Objectives:1) Explain and illustrate how living systems interact with the biotic & abiotic factors within an environment 2) Explain and illustrate how matter is cycled within an ecosystem 3) Explain and illustrate how energy is transformed and eventually exits an ecosystem

Chapter 34  The Biosphere I. Overview: Discovering Ecology A. Ecology is the scientific study of the interactions between organisms and the environment 1. These interactions determine the distribution of organisms and their abundance 2. Modern ecology includes observation and experimentation B. The rediscovery of the nearly extinct harlequin toad in Costa Rica raises many ecological questions 1. What environmental factors limit their geographic distribution? 2. What factors (food, pathogens) affect population size?

1. Levels of organization b. Ecosystem Ecology 1. All the biotic and abiotic things found in a particular place a. Example- Pond 1. What things would be found in a pond ecosystem? a. Plants, bacteria, fish, rocks, O 2, etc a. The biosphere 1. The broadest, most inclusive level 2. Consists of the upper most atmosphere to the deepest parts of the ocean 3. All living things are found in the biosphere a. Not distributed evenly II. The Scope of Ecological Research when studying organism interactions A. Ecologists work at levels ranging from individual organisms to the planet 2. Emphasizes energy flow and chemical cycling among the various biotic and abiotic components

c. Community Ecology 1. All the interacting biotic factors in an area 2. Example- Pond a. What things would be found in a pond community? 1. Fish, plants, bacteria, etc. 3. Deals with the whole array of interacting species in a community d. Populations 1. All the members of a species that live in one place 2. Example- Pond a. What things would be found in a pond population? 1. All the trout 3. focuses on factors affecting population size over time

e. Organisms 1. A single member of a species (i.e.- 1 trout) III. Physical & chemical factors influence life in the biosphere A. Life thrives in a variety of habitats 1. To thrive organisms must be adapted for the abiotic factors present in their particular habitat B. Energy source 1. Light the major energy source that powers most ecosystems 2. By what process is this energy source utilized

Global warming C. Examples: Yellowstone Ecology B. Disturbances in Ecosystem 1. Consequences to interconnectedness a. disturbance/change in one portion of ecosystem will have affects on other portions of an ecosystem VI. A key theme in ecology A. Interactions 1. Always remember that no organism is isolated a. All biotic and abiotic factors are interconnected within an ecosystem 2. Ecologists look at not only the interactions within the ecological levels of organization but also between levels C. Temperature 1. Must be within homeostatic range of organism D. Water 1. All life requires E. Nutrients

VII. Terrestial Ecosystems A. Terrestrial ecosystems 1. The different terrestrial ecosystems that occur on land across the planet are called biomes a. Biomes are major biological communities that occur over wide areas of land

B. 7 major biomes 1. Tropical Rain Forest

d. Vegetation 1. Mostly tall trees a. Due to the lack of light on the forest floor very few plants inhabit this area b. Vines, palm trees, leafy trees 2. Epiphytes a. Plants that live on the branches of trees 3. Orchids, ferns, mosses, lichens a. Location 1. Near the equator in Asia, Africa,South America, and Central America b. Climate 1. Warm and moist  F c. Yearly precipitation in

2. Temperate Deciduous Forests

a. Location 1. Eastern US, Europe, parts of Asia & the southern hemisphere b. Climate 1. Warm summers & cool to cold winters  F c. Yearly precipitation in d. Vegetation 1. Deciduous trees a. Trees that loose their leaves all at once in the fall b. Oak, hickory, elm, willow, cottonwood 2. Shrubs and a variety of plants and herbs

3. Savannas

a. Location 1. Africa, South America, Australia b. Climate 1. Hot, alternating wet and dry seasons  F c. Yearly precipitation in 2. More rainfall than deserts but less than rain forests d. Vegetation 1. Grasses and trees

4. Coniferous Forests/Taiga

a. Location 1. Northern Europe, Asia, North America b. Climate 1. Cool, short summers and cold, long winters  F c. Yearly precipitation in d. Vegetation 1. Coniferous trees a. Needle-leafed evergreens such as pine trees 2. Shrubs, grasses, flowers, a variety of plants

5. Temperate Grasslands/Prairies

a. Location 1. Usually located in the interior of a continent a. In the U.S.  the Midwest b. Climate 1. Dry, hot summers & cold winters  F c. Yearly precipitation in d. Vegetation 1. Mainly grasses and crops

6. Tundra

a. Location 1. Northernmost parts of North America & Europe b. Climate 1. Cold, long winters & cool, short summers, with little precipitation  F c. Yearly precipitation 1. <10 in d. Vegetation 1. Grasses, sedges, dwarf willows, & mosses

7. Desert

a. Location 1. North Africa, central Australia, southwestern North America, eastern Asia b. Climate 1. very dry, often hot  F c. Yearly precipitation a. < 9 in d. Vegetation 1. Succulent plants, mainly cactus a. Succulent= high levels of H20 w/in the plant

I. The Water Cycle A. Movement/Recycling of water throughout an ecosystem B. 3 important processes in the water cycle 1. Evaporation 2. Transpiration a. Evaporation of water by a plant 3. Precipitation