Ecological Organization Biology EOCT Review

Organization of the Earth’s Biosphere Biosphere: the thin region of Earth that supports all life. Includes all of Earth’s organisms and the environments in which they live. Ecology: the science that studies the interactions among organisms and between organisms and their environments Biome: a group of eco-systems that have similar climates and similar types of plant life Organism: any living thing Ecosystem: consists of all the communities in an area and the nonliving parts of the environment Community: all the populations that inhabit the same area at the same time Population: all of the organisms of a species that living in area at the same time

Biotic Factors Living things in the environment

Abiotic Factors Non living things in an environment Air Soil Light Climate Water

Terrestrial Biomes: Tundra Annual temperatures: -40C to 10C; annual precipitation (mostly snow) less than 25 cm; upper layer of frozen soil called permafrost Vegetation: nearly treeless; grasses, sedges, lichen, mosses, low shrubs Animals: arctic hare, polar bear, lemming, snowy owl, caribou

Terrestrial Biomes: Tropical Rain Forest Annual temperatures: 20C to 30C; annual precipitation greater than 200 cm; nutrient-poor soil Vegetation: broad-leafed evergreen trees, ferns, orchids Animals: monkeys, flying squirrels, parrots, jaguars

Terrestrial Biomes: Desert Annual temperatures: -30C to 40C in cool deserts; 20C to 50C in hot deserts; annual precipitation less than 25 cm Vegetation: mesquite and other brush, cacti, small plants Animals: jackrabbits, coyotes, snakes, lizards, camels, hawks

Terrestrial Biomes: Grassland Annual temperatures: -40C to 35C in temperate grasslands; 10C to 35C in tropical grasslands; annual precipitation 20 cm to 100 cm Vegetation: grasses, clover, herbs, sunflowers Animals: wolves, antelopes, elephants, prairie dogs, snakes

Terrestrial Biomes: Taiga Annual temperatures: -30C to 20C; annual precipitation 30 cm to 50cm; acidic soil that thaws completely in summer Vegetation: coniferous trees, ferns, mosses, lichen Animals: snowshoe hare, timber wolf, weasel, bears, moose

Terrestrial Biomes: Temperate Deciduous Forest Annual temperatures: -10C to 35C; annual precipitation 75 to 125 cm Vegetation: broadleaf trees, birch, oak, wildflowers, vines, mosses Animals: white-tailed deer, rabbits, squirrels, raccoon, jays, owls

Aquatic Biomes: Freshwater Flowing-water: rivers, streams, creeks, and brooks Have plants, algae, insects, fish ducks, phytoplankton, and zooplankton Are adapted to seasonal changes in water level and rate of flow and temperature changes Standing-water: lakes and ponds Water flows into and out of these ecosystems and then circulates-causes changes in temperature Have phytoplankton, zooplankton, algae, plants, insects, fish, amphibians, and wading birds

Aquatic Biomes: Marine Defined by salt water; include open ocean, rocky intertidal zones, and estuaries Organisms adapt to the depth of the ocean they live in (pressure) as well as the amount of sunlight they receive Estuaries are areas where freshwater meets the salty water of the sea