Chapter 6 Biomes

Warm up #1 What is the study of how living things interact with one another and their environment? A.Biology B.Ecology

Connections in the Biosphere The biosphere is the part of Earth in which living things are found. Living things depend on and are connected to each other through resources they share. Ecology is the study of how living things interact with each other and their environment. Ecologist is a scientist that studies the interactions of living things.

Organization of the Biosphere I. An organism’s environment is anything that can effect the organism. a. Includes both living and nonliving parts.

II. A population is a group of individuals that belong to the same species and live in the same area. III. A community is a group of populations that interact with each other in a particular area. A. Communities depend on the nonliving environment to meet many of their needs- water, shelter, and minerals, etc.

IV. An ecosystem is a community of organisms living together along with the nonliving parts of the environment. V. Earth’s biosphere is made up of many ecosystems.

Warm up #2 Which statement best describes a population? A. Dogs, cats, and people living in the same house. B. A group of individuals of the same species living in the same area

Meeting the Needs of Organisms Abiotic Factors: are nonliving parts of an ecosystem. A. Water, sunlight, temperature, soil, and air are important abiotic factors that organisms depend on.

Biotic Factors: are the living organisms in an ecosystem. A. Many biotic factors are too tiny to be seen. B. Includes billions of bacteria that can be found in the soil, microscopic mites that live on your skin, algae that fill the ocean, and protists that live in the digestive system of cattle.

Adaptations 1. Biotic and abiotic factors shape the communities that live in an ecosystem. 2. All organisms in a particular ecosystem have adaptations that help them survive there. 3. An adaptation is a characteristic that helps an organism live and reproduce in a particular environment. 4. In order for organisms to live in harsh environments, very low temperatures, and long, dark days, organisms develop adaptations.

Warm #3 Three important abiotic factors within an ecosystem are: A. Air, soil, and grass. B. Water, sunlight, and air.

Warm up #4 What is the biosphere? The upper layer of soil where all plants grow. The part of Earth in which living things are found.

What are Earth’s Biomes? Climate and Biomes 1. A biome is a large of ecosystems with similar climates and organisms. 2. Grouping ecosystems into biomes helps ecologists describe the world. 3. Each biome consists of different parts of the world with similar climates. 4. The two main characteristics used to describe biomes are the average yearly temperature and the amount of precipitation.

Characteristics of Biomes Important factors that influence biome communities include temperature, precipitation, and soil type.

Tropical Rain Forest Contains more species than any other biome. Warm, wet areas The soil is nutrient-poor, because most of the nutrients are contained in the plants.

Deciduous Forest Have cold winters-some animal species hibernate during winter months; many bird species migrate to warmer climates for the winter. The most common plants of the deciduous forests are deciduous trees-those that shed their leaves each year and then grow new ones. Include oak, maple, beech, and hickory As the forest trees lose their leaves each year, they fall to the ground and decay. As a result, the soil is nutrient-rich.

Warm up #5 Where would you find a layer of permanently frozen soil just below the surface? A. In the desert B. In the tundra

Taiga Have long, cold winters. Nutrient-poor soils. Also called the boreal forest or coniferous forest. The thick fur of caribou, elk, moose, and deer is an adaptation in the Taiga Biome to help keep them warm.

Grassland Does not receive enough rain to support many large trees. Nutrient-rich soil that supports tall grasses and agricultural crops (wheat, corn, soybeans). Bison, zebras, rhinoceros, giraffes, coyote, prairie dogs, grasshoppers, etc.

Tundra Beneath the surface, the soil of the tundra remains frozen all year. The cold temperatures, high winds, and short growing season limit plant growth. An important feature of the tundra is its permafrost-a layer of permanently frozen soil just beneath the surface. Foxes, hares, caribou are common animals.

Desert Are extremely dry Not all of the desert is considered hot. Many deserts are quite cool, especially at night. Desert plants include cacti and other plants that have short growth cycles.

What do deciduous trees do each year? A. grow extra leaves when rain is scarce. B. Shed their leaves and then grow new ones.

Which of the following statements about biomes is correct? Earth is divided into three major biomes. Each biome consists of different parts of the world with similar climates.