Ecosystems and Communities Ch. 4 Biology Mrs. Biggs

Essential Question How do abiotic and biotic factors influence an ecosystem?

Why cranberries won’t grow in Texas, and bananas in Michigan? Bananas and cranberries require a specific set of environmental conditions in order to grow.

Weather vs. Climate Weather is the day to day conditions Climate is the average yearly conditions. The energy of sunlight drives Earth’s weather and helps determine climate. Temperature and precipitation with environmental factors produce weather and climate.

What factors affect climate? Climate is affected by Trapping of heat by the atmosphere The latitude Transport of heat by wind and ocean currents Amount of precipitation The shape and elevation of the landmasses.

The Greenhouse Gases and their function. CO2, CH4, H2O vapor, and a few other atmospheric gases trap heat energy and maintain Earth’s temperature range. Without these gases the Earth would be 30oC colder. (that’s about 86oF)

http://www. epa. gov/climatestudents/basics/today/greenhouse-effect http://www.epa.gov/climatestudents/basics/today/greenhouse-effect.html

How does latitude affect climate? Because the Earth is a sphere, solar radiation strikes the different parts of the Earth at an angle. The earth has three main climate zones because of the differences in latitude and the angle of heating.

The Polar Zone Sun’s ray strike the Earth at a very low angle. Between 66.5o and 90o north and south

Temperate Zones Lie between the polar and tropic zones Affected by the changing angle of the sun over the year. These zones have seasons. Climate ranges from hot to cold.

Tropical Zone Near the equator receives almost direct sunlight Between 23.5o north and 23.5o south

Heat Transport Why do winds form and what causes them and ocean currents to move? The unequal heating of the Earth’s surface drives wind and ocean currents. Warm air tends to rise and cool air tends to sink. The same process takes place in the ocean

Heat Transport Land masses also affect wind and ocean currents. Mountains have rain shadow. Clouds drop water on one side of the mountain

Biotic Factors Biological influences on an ecosystem. Include for example Bullfrog Insects the bullfrog eats Plants it eats as a tadpole The heron that eat the bullfrog.

Abiotic Factors Physical and nonliving factors that affect an ecosystem. Include Temperature Nutrient Availability Wind and precipitation Availability of water

Niche vs. habitat Habitat is where the organism lives. Niche is how it lives, what it eats, who eats it. How and when it reproduces, the physical conditions it needs to survive.

How do resources affect competition? A resource is a necessity of life. Organisms must compete for resources. This means there will be a winner (the survivor) and a loser.

Predation Predator hunts and eats the prey.

Symbiosis Two species living closely together. Three types of symbiosis Commensalism Parasitism Mutualism