Chapter 4 - Ecosystems and Communities Hw How does the greenhouse effect maintain the biosphere’s temperature range? And, how has it effected Earth’s 3 main climate zones? Describe ecological succession and how biotic and abiotic factors influence an ecosystem. What interactions occur within communities? Period 1: Lab – Thurs. Oct 16th Quiz – Mon. Oct. 20th Test – Wed. Oct. 22nd Period 7: Lab – Fri. Oct. 17th Quiz – Tues. Oct. 21st Test – Thurs. Oct. 23rd Period 4: Lab – Thurs. Oct 16th Quiz – Mon. Oct. 20th Test – Wed. Oct. 22nd

The Role Of Climate 4-1 Climate? Greenhouse Effect?

Latitude Three Main Climate Zones

What Shapes an Ecosystem: 4-2

Planet Biosphere Ecology is the study of…. Part of the Earth in which life exists Ecology is the study of…. Interactions of organisms with one another And with their physical environment

Ecosystems Ecosystem consist… Community Physical features (abiotic factors) Living Organisms (biotic factors) Community Organisms living together in an ecosystem

Abiotic vs. Biotic Factors

Ecological Succession process through which an existing community is gradually replaced by another community relatively stable collection of plants and animals that results from ecological succession

Biomes: 4-3 A Biome …. Most land biomes Major land biomes … is an environment that has a characteristic climax community. Most land biomes are named for their climax community, or the dominant type of plant life Major land biomes … tundra, taiga, temperate deciduous forest, grassland, tropical rain forest, and desert.

Biomes of the World

Desert – >25cm of rainfall per year Sahara in Africa - the world's largest desert rain almost never falls and the wind is hot and dry. almost nothing grows the landscape looks as barren as the surface of the moon.

Seasonal Deserts some rainfall Rapidly growing plants grow, flower, fruit, and become dormant until the next rainfall

Southwestern U.S. and Mexico rainfall is more even sagebrush, cacti, and only a few types of trees survive home to many species of lizards, insects, scorpions, snakes, and birds.

Cold Deserts mountains and plateaus high altitudes cause a decrease in temperature brief rainy season that permits the growth of grasses and shrubs

Tundra Northern North America, Asia, and Europe northernmost land biome. nearly treeless covered by mosses, lichens, and grasses. Many animals migrate during the summer to feed on the plants that grow there. Caribou and reindeer are two examples. In turn, wolves, foxes, and hordes of mosquitoes feed on these animals. many birds spend summer here, then fly south in early autumn.

Tundra The most characteristic feature is permafrost, layer of permanently frozen subsoil. summer -the ground thaws to a depth of a few centimeters becomes soggy and wet; winter it freezes again. This cycle rips and crushes plant roots, keeping the plants small and stunted.

Taiga South of the tundra great coniferous, or cone-bearing, forests of fir, pine, and spruce. North America and Asia, with a narrow band reaching into Norway and Sweden (in Europe). rises to the higher elevations of many mountain ranges in the United States, including the Rocky and Appalachian mountains. The taiga also extends along the coasts of Washington, Oregon, and northern California, where it is home to the giant redwoods - some of the tallest trees in the world. Redwoods can reach heights of more than 60 meters.

Taiga winters are cold, summers are mild allow many animals and plants to reproduce. Many rivers, ponds, lakes, and bogs provide homes for small birds and mammals either hibernate or move to warmer regions during the long, cold winters. Typical inhabitants black bears, grizzlies, wolves, moose, elk, and dozens of smaller animals such as voles, wolverines, and grouse.

Temperate Deciduous Forests eastern coast of the United States, the southern coast of Canada, most of Europe, and parts of Japan, China, and Australia forests of oak, maple, beech, and birch trees that are deciduous, or shed their leaves in autumn. rainfall is sufficient year round, cold winters halt plant growth for several months. striking seasonal changes..

Temperate Deciduous Forests a great number of animals once inhabited these forests hunted to near extinction. careful protection and hunting regulations, deer, moose, gray foxes, and several other species are beginning to reappear. An enormous variety of birds spend their summers in this biome, and chipmunks, raccoons, opossums, and squirrels make it their permanent home.

Temperate Deciduous Forests organic matter and nutrients are stored in a layer of decaying leaves and twigs called humus (HYOO-muhs). these forests make good farmland. encouraged human activities greatly altered the biome. For example, forest land in New England was cleared of trees and used for farming. Fortunately, much of the original deciduous forest has since recovered.

Grasslands found in the interior portions of many continents grasslands are vast areas covered with grasses and small leafy plants. rainfall (25 to 75 centimeters per year), most of it falls in one season. include the plains and prairies of North America, the steppes of Russia, the veld of South Africa, and the pampas of Argentina.

Grasslands hot summers and cold winters. tropical grasslands - little seasonal change in temperature. wet to very dry. groves of trees, are called savannas. do not undergo ecological succession because of the grazing of large animals and periodic fires. Serengeti grasslands of Africa, impala, gazelles, wildebeests, and elephants graze.

Grasslands Wheat, corn, and other grains are heavily farmed in the rich soils of temperate grasslands can support farming for many years.

Tropical Rain Forests temperature stays warm rain falls year round receive 200 to 400 centimeters of rainfall each year. constant at about 25°C covers large areas of South America, Southeast Asia, Africa, and Central America.

Tropical Rain Forests home to more species of plants and animals than can be found in all the rest of the land biomes combined! trees grow to a height of 70 meters, and their tops form a dense covering called a canopy. Animal life in the rain forests is rich and varied. Colorful insects and birds are particularly abundant. Reptiles, small mammals, and amphibians are common inhabitants of this biome.

Tropical Rain Forests Many of the animals and plants that inhabit the rain forests produce chemicals that may be useful in fighting some types of diseases. rain forests are being destroyed by the rapid growth of the human population. If the destruction continues at its present rate, almost all of the tropical rain forests will disappear by the end of this century! Along with the rain forests will go thousands of plant and animal species found only in this fascinating biome.

Order of Presentation Tropical Rain Forest Tropical Dry Forest Tropical Savanna Desert Temperate Grassland Temperate Woodland & Shrub Temperate Forest Northwestern Coniferous Forest Boreal Forest Tundra