Chapter Fifteen: The Biosphere

Section One: Life in the Earth System Biosphere: part of the Earth where life exists Biota: the collection of living things that live in the biosphere Hydrosphere: all of Earth’s water, ice, and water vapor Atmosphere: the air blanketing Earth’s solid and liquid surface Geosphere: features of the Earth’s surface

Section Two: Climate Climate: the long-term pattern of weather conditions in a region Affected by temperature, sunlight, water, and wind Microclimate: the climate of a small specific place within a larger area Earth has three major climate zones Polar Temperate Tropical

Section Two: Climate What determines climate? Sunlight Seasons are determined by the tilt of the earth Air and Water Movement Heating causes movement of air and water Landmasses Are they near the ocean, mountains, lakes or rivers

Section Two: Climate Animal Adaptations Some animals have adaptations that allow them to live in specific climates Ex: Water holding frogs

Section Three: Biomes The Earth has six major biomes Tropical Grassland Desert Temperate Taiga Tundra

Section Three: Biomes Tropical Biomes Tropical Rain Forest Warm temps with lots of precipitation Canopy: the uppermost branches of the trees

Section Three: Biomes Grassland An area where the primary plant life is grass Tropical grassland (savannas) Temperate grassland

Section Three: Biomes Desert Receive less than 10 inches of precipitation a year Hot Semiarid Coastal Cold

Section Three: Biomes Temperate Forest Temperate deciduous Deciduous: trees have adapted to winter temperature by losing their leaves and going dormant in winter Temperate rain forest Coniferous: trees retain their needles all year

Section Three: Biomes Taiga Biome with long and cold winters Also called boreal forest

Section Three: Biomes Tundra North of the taiga where winters last up to 10 months of the year

Section Three: Biomes Minor Biomes Chapparal: hot dry summers and cool moist winters Mediterranean shrubland

Section Four: Marine Ecosystems Ocean Zones Intertidal: the strip of land between high and low tides Neritic: from the intertidal to the edge of the continental shelf Bathyal: from the neritic to the base of the continental shelf Abyssal: below 2000 meters and is completely dark

Section Four: Marine Ecosystems

Section Four: Marine Ecosystems Neritic Zone Where most of the biomass in the ocean is located Plankton: tiny free-floating organisms Zooplankton: animal plankton Phytoplankton: photosynthetic plankton Carryout the bulk of photosynthesis on Earth

Section Four: Marine Ecosystems Coastal Waters Coral Reefs: found in the tropical climate zone where corals serve as the foundation Kelp forests: found in cold nutrient rich waters where kelp serves as the foundation

Section Five: Estuaries and Freshwater Ecosystems Estuary: partially enclosed body of water formed where a river flows into the ocean Where freshwater mixes with saltwater Highly productive ecosystems Thriving detritivore communities Plankton primary food source for most animals Provide refuge for many species and breeding ground Threats Habitat destruction by human land developments

Section Five Estuaries and Freshwater Ecosystems

Section Five: Estuaries and Freshwater Ecosystems Includes rivers, streams, wetlands, ponds, and lakes Watershed: region of land that drains into a river, river system, or other body of water Freshwater organism adaptations Trout are adapted to swim against fast moving currents Some organisms have suckers or hooks to attach themselves to things in fast water currents

Section Five: Estuaries and Freshwater Ecosystems Ponds and Lakes Littoral zone: between the high and low water marks along the shoreline Snails, water lilies, dragonflys Limnetic zone: open water located further from shore Plankton and fish Benthic zone: lake or pond bottom Decomposers