Biomes and Biodiversity

Analogy Match the following to the correct description One Teacher species population community ecosystem All Teachers Teachers and Students George West

Look through the vocabulary cards on your desk. Take some time to sort through and match them.

habitat The place in which an animal lives

species All organisms of the same kind that adapted to a particular set of resources (called a niche) in the environment.

population Made up from all of the organisms in an ecosystem that belong to the same species.

ecosystem A smaller part of the biosphere consisting of the organisms and non-living features that interact in an area.

biome Large geographic areas with similar temperatures and rainfall amounts. Plants and animals that live in one cannot always adapt and live in another. Example: water is a limiting factor in a desert Example: tundra, desert, rain forest.

Desert Scrub Desert Taiga Grasslands Tundra Deciduous Forest Chaparral Savanna Rainforest Alpine

biotic Organisms living or that had once lived in the environment. Examples: mouse, clover, dead tree, shrubs, hawk

abiotic Non-living factors in the environment. Examples: light, temp, water, wind, soil and terrain

biodiversity The variety of organisms in an ecosystem The more species in an area, the higher the biodiversity and the healthier the ecosystem

Factors that Affect Biodiversity Area Climate Diversity of niches Human activity

Area A large area will have more biodiversity than a small area There will be more types of trees on 100 acres than there will be on 1 acre

Climate In general, the number of species increases from the poles to the equator tropical rainforests in South America and Africa have the most diversity The North and South Poles have the least diversity

Niche Diversity A niche is a particular area in an ecosystem where an organism lives The more niches an area has, the more biodiversity (coral reefs are 1% of the Earth but have 20% of all species).

Human Activity People can either help or hurt an ecosystem Protecting an area can increase biodiversity Deforestation, pollution and over hunting can decrease biodiversity

Value of Biodiversity Protecting biodiversity is important to keep the planet healthy The more diverse an ecosystem is, the healthier and more stable it is. Two main factors that need protection are: keystone species gene pool diversity

Keystone Species A species that influences the survival of many other species in an ecosystem If a keystone species disappears, the entire ecosystem may change Disrupts equilibrium Example: earthworms are important in grassland ecosystems. The more earthworms, the healthier the soil, the better the grass grows

Which are will have the most fertile soil? 35.3g 47.8g 52.8g 22.3g Which are will have the most fertile soil?

Gene Pool Diversity the number of diverse traits in a species The more traits in a species, the better chance they have of adapting Species that lack a diverse gene pool are less able to adapt to changes in their environment.

Not Protecting Biodiversity The biggest threat to biodiversity is loss of natural habitat If we don’t protect biodiversity species can become endangered extinct

Endangered Species Species whose numbers are so low they are in danger of becoming extinct

Extinction of Species Extinction is the disappearance of all members of a species from Earth In the last few centuries, the number of species becoming extinct is increasing

Causes of Extinction natural catastrophes earthquake volcano tsunami hurricane flood drought human activities habitat destruction poaching pollution exotic Species as pets

Protecting Biodiversity Captive Breeding The mating of animals in zoos or wildlife parks to increase the population

Protecting Biodiversity Laws and Treaties Laws can protect an entire species The Endangered Species Act It is illegal to sell endangered species or products made from endangered species Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species List of 700 species that cannot be traded for profit

Protecting Biodiversity Habitat Preservation The most effective way to preserve biodiversity is to protect entire habitats National and State Parks Game Reserves

No Diversity Diversity

Biodiversity Demo How many different “species” do we have? What would happen if a disease went through this population and killed all of the yellow squares? Sit down if you have a yellow square

Biodiversity Demo How many different “species” do we have? What would happen if a drought went through this population and killed all of the red squares? Sit down if you have a red square

Biodiversity Demo What was different with the second demonstration? How did biodiversity help this population? Would the death of part of a population effect the food chain?

sustainability The capacity to endure. In ecology, the word describes how biological systems remain diverse and productive over time.

sustainability example Two farmers try to out-produce each other by using different planting techniques. Field 1 grew more until a virus killed all of crop 2. How would this virus effect the farmers? The farmer with field 1 will lose half his crop but the farmer with field 2 will only lose 1/16.

sustainability example How are the farmer’s fields similar to how biodiversity allows an ecosystem to be stable? Field 2, which has more biodiversity, is more stable and can handle the virus easier.

Ecosystems and Biodiversity North American Prairie

Location – middle of the US Description – flat, grassy plains, small trees and bushes Soil type – deep and fertile Precipitation – 10-30 inches per year Temperature range – summer can be as hot as 38◦C (100 ◦F), winter can be as cold as -4◦C (-40 ◦F) Climate – hot summers and cold snowy winters

Biodiversity 7000 species of plant an animal Plant species – tall grass, mixed grass, short grass, some trees, flowering plants Animal species – pronghorn, mule deer, elk, black bears, coyote, fox, badger, ferrets, rabbits, owls, eagles, hawks, grouse, ducks, song birds, insects, snakes, spiders, bison

Adaptations Plant species – Animal species – deep roots on the grass help them reach water. Animal species – hooves on the bison help protect their feet

Interactions biotic– abiotic– large food web with lots of animals. Bison distribute seed in their waste Deep grass roots hold the soil abiotic– wildfire is needed to renew the soil Amount of rain determines grass height

How does the North American Prairie support different organisms. How does biodiversity contribute to the sustainability of an ecosystem?

Biomes of the World Rainforest Desert Grassland Deciduous Forest Boreal Forest Tundra Mountains Ice Freshwater Marine