Teacher Information! Necessary materials: ppt guide PowerPoint Guide Presentation (ppt.) Teacher Information! Necessary materials: ppt guide PowerPoint Guide **all relevant terms are bolded.

Ecosystems and Biomes Introduction to Natural Resources Modified from “Rangeland Ecosystems of Idaho”, created by Jennifer Peterson; in cooperation with Idaho Rangeland Resources Commission and the University of Idaho - Rangeland Ecology & Management Department Available online at: http://www.cnr.uidaho.edu/what-is-range/Curriculum/index.htm Introduction to Natural Resources There are 36 slides in this presentation

Objectives Define ecosystem Discuss factors that create different ecosystems, biomes, and ecoregions There are 36 slides in this presentation

What is an “Ecosystem?” “a community of plants, animals, and microorganisms that are linked by energy and nutrient flows and that interact with each other and with the physical environment ” -National Geographic Magazine Ask students to identify some ecosystems. The following slide provides pictures of examples. There are 36 slides in this presentation

Examples of Ecosystems Rainforest Desert Grassland Coral Reef These different ecosystems are each representative of a different biome. (Defined on next slide.) Rotting Log There are 36 slides in this presentation

What is a Biome? A very large ecosystem that occupies a distinct region. Terrestrial biomes include: Grassland Tundra Desert Tropical rainforest Deciduous forest Coniferous forests Biomes can vary depending on the classification being followed. For example, see the biomes identified on the next slide. Terrestrial ecosystems are determined mostly by precipitation and climate. There are 36 slides in this presentation

Biomes There are two basic aquatic biomes: Freshwater Marine The Arctic and Antarctic are also biomes. There are 36 slides in this presentation

Ask students what might cause this distribution of different biomes Ask students what might cause this distribution of different biomes. (Precipitation and temperature  this is demonstrated on the next slide.) There are 36 slides in this presentation

What creates different biomes? Precipitation Temperature Also … Soils Topography Soils: for example, temperate deserts have rocky soils. Temperate grasslands have deep, rich soils and consequently most temperate grasslands have been converted to croplands. Tropical rainforests have shallow, poor soil. How can topography influence biomes?  Topography can influence how precipitation is received (rain shadow effect) and how soil is formed. Robert Whittaker’s classification of biomes, based on annual precipitation, temperature There are 36 slides in this presentation

What creates different biomes? Precipitation Temperature Also … Soils Topography These are Forests Most terrestrial biomes can be broadly divided into two categories  rangelands and forests. However, barren deserts are not considered rangelands or forests. These are RANGELANDS Robert Whittaker’s classification of biomes, based on annual precipitation, temperature There are 36 slides in this presentation

Ask students to identify the locations of some biomes based on this precipitation map. Forests generally require much greater precipitation than do rangelands. Where are most of the rangelands and most of the forests probably found in the U.S.? There are 36 slides in this presentation

Can students identify biomes of Idaho? (Identified on next slide.) There are 36 slides in this presentation

Idaho Vegetation Types Coniferous Forest and Mountain Meadows Sagebrush Grasslands Salt Desert Shrublands Pacific Bunchgrass Juniper Woodlands Idaho Vegetation Types Called “Ecoregions” An ecoregion is a “subset” of a biome. An ecoregion has a “geographically distinct assemblage of species, natural communities, and environmental conditions.” (World Wildlife Fund) The World Wildlife Fund had identified 825 terrestrial ecoregions! (And 450 freshwater and 229 marine ecoregions) Source: http://www.worldwildlife.org/science/ecoregions/item1847.html There are 36 slides in this presentation

Vegetation vs Precipitation Coniferous Forest and Mountain Meadows Sagebrush Grasslands Salt Desert Shrublands Pacific Bunchgrass Juniper Woodlands Note how these ecoregions closely follow the precipitation pattern that Idaho receives. There are 36 slides in this presentation

Soils of Idaho Andisols (Mountain Soils) Alifisols Histosols (Forest Soils) Entisols Mollisols (Grassland Soils) Aridisols (Desert Soils) Rock Outcrop Soils and topography (next slide) also relate to the ecoregions of Idaho. There are 36 slides in this presentation

Topography of Idaho There are 36 slides in this presentation

Can you… Define ecosystem Discuss factors that create different ecosystems, biomes, and ecoregions There are 36 slides in this presentation