Chapter 4 – Ecosystems and Communities

4-1 The Role of Climate In the atmosphere, temperature, precipitation, and other environmental factors combine to produce weather and climate. - weather is the day-to-day conditions - climate is the average year-to-year conditions in a region

The Greenhouse Effect - Carbon dioxide, methane, water vapor, and a few other atmospheric gases trap heat energy and maintain Earth’s temperature range. - greenhouse effect is the natural situation in which heat is retained by the layers of greenhouse gases

Latitude- Earth is a sphere tilted on its axis and receives sunlight at different angles throughout the year -Three main climate zones: polar, temperate, and tropical Heat is transferred around Earth by winds and ocean currents

4-2 What Shapes an Ecosystem? Ecosystems are influenced by a biological and physical factors. - biotic factors = biological influences - abiotic factors = physical, nonliving factors - habitat = the area in which an organism lives; biotic and abiotic factors; an organism’s address

Niche Niche = full range of physical and biological conditions and interactions; organism’s occupation

Community interactions - competition – struggle for resources: water, nutrients, light, food, space - predation – predator catches and feeds off of prey

- symbiosis – “living together” - mutualism = both species benefit; flowers and insects; ants and aphids

- commensalism = one member benefits and other is neither benefited or harmed; barnacles and whales; orchids and tree

- parasitism = parasite lives on or in a host which generally weakens the host; tapeworms and mammals; fleas, ticks and mites and mammals;

Ecological succession – predictable changes over time - primary succession – occurs on new surfaces - secondary succession – occurs after natural events like fires - aquatic succession – 1. whale dies… scavengers 2. nutrients decompose and support marine worms 3. oil in bones eaten by bacteria

Succession

Major Land Biomes

Tropical Rain Forest – tall trees from canopy over the understory; hot and wet year-round; nutrient-poor soil Boa constrictor Black Jaguar Sloth Jaguar Orchids Toucan Tapir

Tropical Dry Forest – deciduous trees; generally warm, alternating dry and wet seasons; rich soil Toucan Elephants Spot billed pelican Monitor lizard Bromeliads Tiger

Tropical Savanna – cover grasses and shrubs that are fire-resistant; warm temps; seasonal rainfall Giraffe Storks Aardvark Hyena Lion

Desert – less than 25 cm per year; hot & cold temps; mineral-rich soil Kangaroo rat – less than 25 cm per year; hot & cold temps; mineral-rich soil Roadrunner Mule deer Mountain lion Desert big horned sheep Golden eagle Creosote bush

Temperate Grassland Pronghorn antelope – warm to hot summer, cold winter; moderate precipitation; fertile soil Polecat Coyotes Black-tailed prairie dog Bison sunflowers Blazing stars Badgers

Temperate Woodland and Shrubland Squirrel – hot, dry summers; cool, moist winter, nutrient-poor soil, periodic fires Fox Black-tailed deer California quail Warbler

Temperate Forest Raccoon – mix of coniferous and deciduous trees; cold winters, warm summers; year-long precipitation; fertile soil Skunk Turkey Bobcat Black bear

Northwestern Coniferous Forest Douglas Fir beaver – abundant precipitation; coniferous trees; mild temperatures Elk Redwoods Barred owl

Boreal Forest – also known as taiga; long, cold winters; high humidity Spruce Boreal Forest Snowshoe hare – also known as taiga; long, cold winters; high humidity Moose Timber wolves Lynx

Tundra – permafrost is the layer of permanently frozen subsoil, strong winds; long, cold winters and short, soggy summers Artic willow Snowy owl Artic fox Bearberry Caribou Polar bear

Biomes Movie Part 1

Biomes Movie Part 2