Biogeography Arizona Geography GCU 221
Game Plan: 1.Ecosystems 2.Adaptations and Niches 3.Ecotones 4.Major Ecosystems of Arizona
1. Ecosystem Variety of interrelated organisms (food web) Environment Adaptations A system formed by the interaction of a community of organisms with their physical environment.
1. Ecosystem
1.Sun – powered by nuclear energy 2.Plants – powered by the sun 3.Herbivores – powered by plants 4.Omnivores – powered by plants and animals 5.Carnivores – powered by animals 6.Climax Species – powered by big animals 7.Decomposers – powered by dead things Arizona Activity…
1. Columbian Exchange: Ecosystem in Flux
1. Different Environments: more urban
1. Different Environments: warmer planet
1. Adaptations and Niches
1. Biodiversity: good or bad Medea or Gaia
1. Medea: Blue Fin Tuna
1. Gaia: Platypus
2. Ecotones Boundaries between ecosystems High biodiversity
3. Arizona Major Ecosystems Tundra: San Francisco Peaks Spruce Fir: White Mountains Ponderosa Pine and Gamble Oak: Mogollon Rim Pinyon – Juniper: Sedona Grassland: Sunset Point Cottonwood and Willow: Verde River Sonora Desert: Superstition Mountains Colorado Desert: Yuma
Major Ecosystems of Arizona
1. San Francisco Peaks - Tundra
2. White Mountains Spruce Fir
3. Mogollon Rim Ponderosa Forest / Gamble Oak
4. Sedona Pinyon Pine / Juniper Cochineal
5. Sunset Point Savannah Grasslands
6. Verde River Willow Cottonwood
6. Willow Cottonwood replaced by Tamarisk
7. Superstition Mountains Sonora Desert
8. Yuma Colorado Desert
Major Ecosystems of Arizona
Things to know: What is an Ecosystem? What is the Columbian Exchange What does it mean to be Gaian? What does it mean to be Medean? What is an Ecotone and why are they important? Basic understanding of the 8 major ecosystems of the Arizona (which is hotter or colder, where plant and animal species are common, like Cottonwood or Antelope) Help: Ask Dr. Douglass