Climate and Terrestrial Biodiversity Chapter 7

Core Case Study: Connections between Wind, Climate, and Biomes  Wind Indirect form of solar energy  Circulates Heat Moisture Plant nutrients Soil particles Long-lived air pollutants

Dust Blown from West Africa to the Amazonian Rain Forests

7-1 What Factors Influence Climate?  Concept 7-1 An area's climate is determined mostly by solar radiation, the earth’s rotation, global patterns of air and water movement, gases in the atmosphere, and the earth’s surface features.

The Earth Has Many Different Climates (1)  Weather  Climate  Air circulation in lower atmosphere due to Uneven heating of the earth’s surface by the sun Rotation of the earth on its axis Properties of air, water, and land

The Earth Has Many Different Climates (2)  Currents Prevailing winds Earth’s rotation Redistribution of heat from the sun  Link between air circulation, ocean currents, and biomes

Natural Capital: Generalized Map of the Earth’s Current Climate Zones

Global Air Circulation

Energy Transfer by Convection in the Atmosphere

Connected Deep and Shallow Ocean Currents

Global Air Circulation, Ocean Currents, and Biomes

Greenhouse Gases Warm the Lower Atmosphere  Greenhouse gases H 2 O CO 2 CH 4 N 2 O  Greenhouse effect  Human-enhanced global warming

Flow of Energy to and from the Earth

The Earth’s Surface Features Affect Local Climates  Heat absorption by land and water  Effect of Mountains Rain shadow effect Cities Microclimates

Rain Shadow Effect

7-2 How Does Climate Affect the Nature and Locations of Biomes?  Concept 7-2 Differences in average annual precipitation and temperature lead to the formation of tropical, temperate, and cold deserts, grasslands, and forests, and largely determine their locations.

Climate Affects Where Organisms Can Live  Major biomes  Latitude and elevation  Annual precipitation  Temperature

The Earth’s Major Biomes

Generalized Effects of Elevation and Latitude on Climate and Biomes

Natural Capital: Average Precipitation and Average Temperature as Limiting Factors

Science Focus: Staying Alive in the Desert  Plant adaptations  Animal strategies and adaptations

There Are Three Major Types of Deserts  Tropical deserts  Temperate deserts  Cold deserts  Fragile ecosystem Slow plant growth Low species diversity Slow nutrient recycling Lack of water

Climate Graphs of Three Types of Deserts

There Are Three Major Types of Grasslands (1)  Tropical  Temperate  Cold (arctic tundra)

There Are Three Major Types of Grasslands (2)  Tropical Savanna Grazing animals Browsing animals  Temperate Tall-grass prairies Short-grass prairies

There Are Three Major Types of Grasslands (3)  Arctic tundra: fragile biome  Adaptations of plants and animals  Permafrost  Alpine tundra

Climate Graphs of Tropical, Temperate, and Cold Grasslands

Monoculture Crop Replacing Biologically Diverse Temperate Grassland

Temperate Shrubland: Nice Climate, Risky Place to Live  Chaparral  Near the sea: nice climate  Prone to fires in the dry season

Chaparral Vegetation in Utah, U.S.

There Are Three Major Types of Forests (1)  Tropical  Temperate  Cold Northern coniferous and boreal

There Are Three Major Types of Forests (2)  Tropical rain forests Temperature and moisture Stratification of specialized plant and animal niches Little wind: significance Rapid recycling of scarce soil nutrients Impact of human activities

There Are Three Major Types of Forests (3)  Temperate deciduous forests Temperature and moisture Broad-leaf trees Slow rate of decomposition: significance Impact of human activities

There Are Three Major Types of Forests (4)  Evergreen coniferous forests: boreal and taigas Temperature and moisture Few species of cone: bearing trees Slow decomposition: significance  Coastal coniferous forest  Temperate rain forests

Climate Graphs of Tropical, Temperate, and Cold Forests

Some Components and Interactions in a Tropical Rain Forest Ecosystem

Stratification of Specialized Plant and Animal Niches in a Tropical Rain Forest

Temperate Rain Forest in Washington State, U.S.

Mountains Play Important Ecological Roles  Majority of the world’s forests  Habitats for endemic species  Help regulate the earth’s climate  Can affect sea levels  Major storehouses of water Role in hydrologic cycle

Mount Rainier National Park in Washington State, U.S.

7-3 How Have We Affected the Word’s Terrestrial Ecosystems?  Concept 7-3 In many areas, human activities are impairing ecological and economic services provided by the earth’s deserts, grasslands, forests, and mountains.

Humans Have Disturbed Most of the Earth’s Lands  Deserts  Grasslands  Forests  Mountains

Major Human Impacts on Terrestrial Ecosystems

Aquatic Biodiversity Chapter 8

Core Case Study: Why Should We Care about Coral Reefs? (1)  Biodiversity  Formation  Important ecological and economic services Moderate atmospheric temperatures Act as natural barriers protecting coasts from erosion Provide habitats Support fishing and tourism businesses Provide jobs and building materials Studied and enjoyed

Core Case Study: Why Should We Care about Coral Reefs? (2)  Degradation and decline Coastal development Pollution Overfishing Warmer ocean temperatures leading to coral bleaching Increasing ocean acidity

A Healthy Coral Reef in the Red Sea

8-1 What Is the General Nature of Aquatic Systems?  Concept 8-1A Saltwater and freshwater aquatic life zones cover almost three-fourths of the earth’s surface with oceans dominating the planet.  Concept 8-1B The key factors determining biodiversity in aquatic systems are temperature, dissolved oxygen content, availability of food and availability of light and nutrients necessary for photosynthesis.

Most of the Earth Is Covered with Water (1)  Saltwater: global ocean divided into 4 areas Atlantic Pacific Arctic Indian  Freshwater

Most of the Earth Is Covered with Water (2)  Aquatic life zones Saltwater: marine Oceans and estuaries Coastlands and shorelines Coral reefs Mangrove forests Freshwater Lakes Rivers and streams Inland wetlands

The Ocean Planet

Distribution of the World’s Major Saltwater and Freshwater Sources

Most Aquatic Species Live in Top, Middle, or Bottom Layers of Water (1)  Plankton Phytoplankton Zooplankton Ultraplankton  Nekton  Benthos  Decomposers

Most Aquatic Species Live in Top, Middle, or Bottom Layers of Water (2)  Key factors in the distribution of organisms Temperature Dissolved oxygen content Availability of food Availability of light and nutrients needed for photosynthesis in the euphotic, or photic, zone

8-2 Why Are Marine Aquatic Systems Important?  Concept 8-2 Saltwater ecosystems are irreplaceable reservoirs of biodiversity and provide major ecological and economic services.

Oceans Provide Important Ecological and Economic Resources  Reservoirs of diversity in three major life zones Coastal zone Usually high NPP Open sea Ocean bottom

Major Ecological and Economic Services Provided by Marine Systems

Natural Capital: Major Life Zones and Vertical Zones in an Ocean

Estuaries and Coastal Wetlands Are Highly Productive (1)  Estuaries and coastal wetlands River mouths Inlets Bays Sounds Salt marshes Mangrove forests  Seagrass Beds Support a variety of marine species Stabilize shorelines Reduce wave impact

Estuaries and Coastal Wetlands Are Highly Productive (2)  Important ecological and economic services Coastal aquatic systems maintain water quality by filtering Toxic pollutants Excess plant nutrients Sediments Absorb other pollutants Provide food, timber, fuelwood, and habitats Reduce storm damage and coast erosion

View of an Estuary from Space

Some Components and Interactions in a Salt Marsh Ecosystem in a Temperate Area

Mangrove Forest in Daintree National Park in Queensland, Australia

Rocky and Sandy Shores Host Different Types of Organisms  Intertidal zone Rocky shores Sandy shores: barrier beaches  Organism adaptations necessary to deal with daily salinity and moisture changes  Importance of sand dunes

Living between the Tides

Primary and Secondary Dunes

Coral Reefs Are Amazing Centers of Biodiversity  Marine equivalent of tropical rain forests  Habitats for one-fourth of all marine species

Natural Capital: Some Components and Interactions in a Coral Reef Ecosystem

The Open Sea and Ocean Floor Host a Variety of Species  Vertical zones of the open sea Euphotic zone Bathyal zone Abyssal zone: receives marine snow Deposit feeders Filter feeders Upwellings  Primary productivity and NPP

8-3 How Have Human Activities Affected Marine Ecosystems?  Concept 8-3 Human activities threaten aquatic biodiversity and disrupt ecological and economic services provided by saltwater systems.

Human Activities Are Disrupting and Degrading Marine Systems  Major threats to marine systems Coastal development Overfishing Runoff of nonpoint source pollution Point source pollution Habitat destruction Introduction of invasive species Climate change from human activities Pollution of coastal wetlands and estuaries

Case Study: The Chesapeake Bay—an Estuary in Trouble (1)  Largest estuary in the US; polluted since 1960  Population increased  Point and nonpoint sources raised pollution  Phosphate and nitrate levels too high

Case Study: The Chesapeake Bay—an Estuary in Trouble (2)  Overfishing  1983: Chesapeake Bay Program Update on recovery of the Bay Should we introduce an Asian oyster?

Chesapeake Bay

8-4 Why Are Freshwater Ecosystems Important?  Concept 8-4 Freshwater ecosystems provide major ecological and economic services and are irreplaceable reservoirs of biodiversity.

Water Stands in Some Freshwater Systems and Flows in Others (1)  Standing (lentic) bodies of freshwater Lakes Ponds Inland wetlands  Flowing (lotic) systems of freshwater Streams Rivers

Water Stands in Some Freshwater Systems and Flows in Others (2)  Formation of lakes  Four zones based on depth and distance from shore Littoral zone Limnetic zone Profundal zone Benthic zone

Major Ecological and Economic Services Provided by Freshwater Systems

Distinct Zones of Life in a Fairly Deep Temperate Zone Lake

Some Lakes Have More Nutrients Than Others  Oligotrophic lakes Low levels of nutrients and low NPP  Eutrophic lakes High levels of nutrients and high NPP  Mesotrophic lakes  Cultural eutrophication leads to hypereutrophic lakes

The Effect of Nutrient Enrichment on a Lake

Freshwater Streams and Rivers Carry Water from the Mountains to the Oceans  Surface water  Runoff  Watershed, drainage basin  Three aquatic life zones Source zone Transition zone Floodplain zone

Three Zones in the Downhill Flow of Water

Case Study: Dams, Deltas, Wetlands, Hurricanes, and New Orleans  Coastal deltas, mangrove forests, and coastal wetlands: natural protection against storms  Dams and levees reduce sediments in deltas: significance?  New Orleans, Louisiana, and Hurricane Katrina: August 29, 2005  Global warming, sea rise, and New Orleans

New Orleans, Louisiana, (U.S.) and Hurricane Katrina

Projection of New Orleans if the Sea Level Rises 0.9 Meter

Freshwater Inland Wetlands Are Vital Sponges (1)  Marshes  Swamps  Prairie potholes  Floodplains  Arctic tundra in summer

Freshwater Inland Wetlands Are Vital Sponges (2)  Provide free ecological and economic services Filter and degrade toxic wastes Reduce flooding and erosion Help to replenish streams and recharge groundwater aquifers Biodiversity Food and timber Recreation areas

8-5 How Have Human Activities Affected Freshwater Ecosystems?  Concept 8-5 Human activities threaten biodiversity and disrupt ecological and economic services provided by freshwater lakes, rivers, and wetlands.

Human Activities Are Disrupting and Degrading Freshwater Systems  Impact of dams and canals on rivers  Impact of flood control levees and dikes along rivers  Impact of pollutants from cities and farms on rivers  Impact of drained wetlands

Case Study: Inland Wetland Losses in the United States  Loss of wetlands has led to Increased flood and drought damage  Lost due to Growing crops Mining Forestry Oil and gas extraction Building highways Urban development