Excellent and Exciting Ecology l Chapter 52 ~ An Introduction to Ecology and the Biosphere I am the Lorax. I speak for the trees. I speak for the trees, for the trees have no tongues.

Vocabulary l Ecology: the study of interactions between organisms and their environments

l How organisms structure, physiology, and behavior meet the challenges of the environment l What affects population size and why it changes l Interactions between species

l Energy flow and chemical cycling between organisms and the environment l Connected ecosystems l Regional changes in energy and materials influences other places

Species Distribution How species interact with their environment determines where they live (distribution)

Interactions Between Organisms and Environment l Biotic – living components of the environment (other species) l Predation l Parasitism l Competition l Disease

Interactions Between Organisms and Environment l Abiotic: non-living components l Temperature l Light l Water l Nutrients l Salinity l Rocks/Soil l Climate (macro/micro)

Global Climate l Climate is the prevailing weather in an area l Temperature and Water are major factors determining climate

Ocean currents influence climate along coasts

Intensity and angle of sunlight affect climate

Air Circulation and Wind Patterns affect climate

Mountains affect sunlight, temperature and rainfall

Biomes l Major terrestrial or aquatic life zones l Characterized by vegetation type and physical environment

Aquatic Biomes

Aquatic biomes Vertical stratification: l Photic zone~ photosynthetic light l Aphotic zone~ little light l Benthic zone ~ substrate at bottom of aquatic biomes l Benthos~ community of organisms in benthic zone l Detritus~ dead organic matter; food for benthic organisms l Thermocline~ narrow stratum of rapid temperature change

Standing bodies of water (lakes) l Lake classification : oligotrophic~ deep, nutrient poor eutrophic~ shallow, high nutrient content, murky water

Wetlands l Habitat inundated by water at least some of the time l Plants adapted to water saturated soil

Moving bodies of water (streams and rivers) l Nutrient content depends on overhanging vegetation, usually HIGH OXYGEN content because of turbulence

Estuary l Transition area between a river and sea l Seawater enters during rising tide and returns to sea when tide falls

Intertidal Zone l Periodically submerged and exposed by tides l Happens twice daily on marine shores l Variation in temp, salinity and air exposure

Ocean Pelagic l Open blue water, mixed by wind driven ocean currents l 70% of Earth’s surface

Coral Reefs l Formed from Calcium carbonate skeletons of corals l Found mainly in Tropical areas l Need high oxygen levels

Marine Benthic Zone l Seafloor below the surface waters of the coastal zone and the pelagic zone l Most receive no sunlight l Water temperature declines with depth l Chemoautotrophic prokaryotes are producers in deep sea hydrothermal vents

Terrestrial Biomes

Tropical Forest l Found near equator l Rainfall constant ( cm annually) Air Temperature high year-round (25-29 ˚ C) l Vertical layering with canopy

Desert 30 ˚ North and south latitude l Precipitation low and variable (less than 30 cm per year l Temp varies by season and daily (not always hot in the desert) l Adaptations include water conservation/storage

Savanna l Found near equator l Rainfall averages cm per year l Dry season can be 8-9 months l Temp warm year round l Scattered trees, many grasses l (Think Lion King )

Chaparral l Mid-latitude coastal regions l Seasonal Precipitation l Rainy winters, long dry summers l Shrubs, small trees l Adaptations to drought and fire

Temperate Grassland l Seasonal precipitation l Dry winters, wet summers l Periodic drought is common l Cold winters, hot summers l Grasses l Large grazing mammals (bison)

Coniferous Forest (Taiga) l Northern North America and Eurasia l Cold, long winters, hot summers l Cone bearing trees l Migratory birds, moose, brown bears

Temperate Broadleaf Forest l Mid-latitudes in Northern hemisphere l cm of rain annually l Cold winters, hot humid summers l Closed canopy l Deciduous trees (lose leaves in winter)

Tundra l Arctic regions l High winds, low temperatures l cm of precipitation l Long, cold winters, short summers with low temperatures l Permafrost – permanently frozen layer of soil