Oklahoma City Community College Biosphere BIO 2215 Oklahoma City Community College Dennis Anderson

Bioshpere Outer layer of earth Capable of supporting life Includes the physical environment

Why Life on Earth Water Steady supply of energy from the sun Suitable temperature range Major and minor elements available Gaseous atmosphere Gravity strong enough to hold atmosphere

Biosphere Atmosphere Lithosphere Hydrosphere Gaseous component Rocky component Hydrosphere Water component

Atmosphere Nitrogen 79% Oxygen 21% Carbon Dioxide .03% Water vapor Ozone layer Reflects harmful ultraviolet light

Plants and Algae Produce Oxygen

Greenhouse Effect

Carbon dioxide concentration 360 0.8 0.6 340 carbon dioxide concentration 0.4 0.2 Carbon dioxide concentration (parts per million) 320 Temperature change (degrees Celsius) –0.2 300 temperature Title: Global warming. Caption: Atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration is increasing, and global temperature appears to be as well. It is difficult to be certain that the CO2 increase is driving the increase in temperature because, over long periods of time, there are great natural fluctuations in global temperature. Most experts have now concluded, however, that rising levels of greenhouse gases such as CO2 are making the world warmer. –0.4 –0.6 280 1850 1875 1900 1925 1950 1975 2000 Year

Global Warming

Carbon Dioxide Generators

Lithosphere Source of minerals for living organisms Continents float

Hydrosphere Water essential for life Solvent to dissolve chemicals Needed for chemical reactions Resists temp changes Low viscosity

Ice Floats Allows life to exist in water under the ice

Biome Major biotic area with characteristic Climate Plant life Animal life Grassland Biome

Grassland Biome 10 to 40 inches of rainfall Grasses Few trees Not enough water

Figure: FG30-30 Title: Temperate grassland. Caption: A white-tailed deer fawn stands among the grass and flowers in a tall-grass prairie in Missouri. Tall-grass is one kind of growth found in the biome known as temperate grassland.

Bison

Antelope

Coyote

Prairie Dog

Deciduous Forest Biome 30-50 inches of rain Oak Maple Beech

Figure: FG30-29 Title: Temperate deciduous forest. Caption: Plenty of water and seasonally warm temperatures lead to abundant plant and animal life in the biome known as temperate deciduous forest. This forest is in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee.

White-tailed Deer

Chipmunk

Red Fox

Raccoon

Coniferous Forest Biome Less than 40 inches of rain Spruce Pine Fir

Moose

Elk

Wolf

Tundra Biome Less than 10 inches of rain Cold Thin soil Permafrost 18 inches-300 feet down Thin soil Short growing season Grasses Shrubs Lichens

Figure: FG30-27 Title: Tundra. Caption: Grizzly bears forage for fall berries in Alaska in the shrub-and-grass biome known as the tundra.

Caribou

Polar Bear

Grizzly Bear

Snowy Owl

Wolverine

Desert Biome Less than 8 inches of rainfall Hot days and cold nights Cactus shrubs

Figure: FG30-31 Title: Desert. Caption: When water gets sparse, life does too. Shown is a desert biome in Monument Valley, Arizona.

Rain Shadow

White-Tailed Deer

Cougar

Black Bear

Coyote

Lizard

Snakes

Roadrunner

Rain Forest Biome 80-100 inches of rainfall Constant temperature Tall trees 1700 beetle species found on one tree Millions of species!

Figure: FG30-32 Title: Tropical rain forest. Caption: Abundant rain and warm weather mean abundant growth and a great diversity in life-forms in the biome known as the tropical rain forest. Shown is a lowland rain forest on the Segama River in Borneo.

Monkey

Macaw

Toucan

Frog

Jaguar

Aquatic Environments Ocean Freshwater

Eutrophication

Eutrophication Experiment Control Nitrogen and phosphorous added

Algal Bloom

Fish Kill

The End Figure: FG30-38a Title: Inland wetlands. Caption: a. A bird’s nest in a prairie wetland in the United States.