Activity #15: The Biosphere

EQ How do Earth’s biotic and abiotic factors interact to shape ecosystems and affect the survival of organisms over time?

Challenge Question Describe the biosphere.

Vocabulary Ecology Biosphere Ecosystem Biome Biotic Factors Abiotic Factors

The Biosphere All life on Earth and all the parts of the Earth where life exists Ecology is the study of the interactions of all of the organisms and their environments in the biosphere

Levels of Organization in the Biosphere 1.Organism- one individual of a certain species 2.Population- group of individuals of the same species living in the same area 3.Community- different populations living together in the same area 4.Ecosystem- all the organisms in a certain place together with their physical environment 5.Biome- a group of ecosystems with similar climates and typical organisms 6.The Biosphere- all living things from all biomes on the planet

Where is the biosphere located and what does it include? o The biosphere is everywhere on our planet where there is life. This can be far above the land where birds fly, deep into the oceans where sea creatures live, or even deep underground where extreme bacteria can inhabit vents and volcanoes. It includes all the living things and the abiotic features of the planet that they interact with and rely upon. o Because there is life nearly everywhere on Earth, the word biosphere is a very broad term and the Earth itself is essentially our biosphere.

Practice Task

Levels of Organization in the Biosphere Increasing Complexity __________________- ________________- Population-__________________- _____________________- Fill in each box with the correct level of organization in the biosphere (the size of the box indicates the broadness of each category). Include a word or two to help you remember what each grouping means.

Environment The conditions or factors surrounding an organism Consist of biotic and abiotic factors

Biotic Factors Any living part of the environment Includes animals, plants, fungi, bacteria, etc.

Abiotic Factors Any nonliving (physical) part of the environment Examples: sunlight, heat, precipitation, humidity, wind, water, soil, etc.

What are the Biotic and Abiotic Factors in this Environment?

Biotic and Abiotic Factors are Closely Linked The mucky shoreline, biotic, abiotic or both? Both! Abiotic- soil, water, sand, etc. Biotic- bacteria, fungi, small animals like worms, etc.

What Is a Biome? Large regions of land that are characterized by a specific type of climate and certain types of plant and animal communities. Made up of many individual ecosystems Vary according to their location from the equator (latitude)

Biomes of the World In which biome is Livingston, NJ located? “Temperate forest”, also called “temperate deciduous forest”

Temperate (Deciduous) Forrest Has both deciduous and coniferous trees Deciduous trees shed leave in autumn Cold winters, warm summers Soils are fertile Some animals hibernate in winter, others migrate to warmer climates, others camouflage in winter when trees are bare