1. Terrestrial Flora and Fauna
Chapter 11
Terrestrial Flora and Fauna

2. Terrestrial Flora and Fauna
Natural Distributions
Terrestrial Flora
Terrestrial Fauna
Major Biomes
Human Modification of Natural Distribution Patterns

3. Natural Distributions
Natural distribution is determined by four conditions:
Evolutionary Development
Migration/Dispersal
Reproductive Success
Extinction

4. Evolutionary Development
Darwin’s theory of natural selection – survival of the fittest
Originate – modify
Location of origin

5. Migration/Dispersal Organisms have always moved around
Active Migration: animals and humans possess mechanism for motion i.e., legs, wings, fins, etc.
Passive Migration: plants by wind, water and animal dispersion
Ex: Cattle Egrets

6. Migration/Dispersal Ex: Coconut Palm
Dispersal occurred because coconuts can float in ocean for long periods of time
Wash up on beaches and colonize
Also, human transport

7. Reproductive Success Problems: Predation, climatic change, food supply
Benefits:
Climate change can favor one species over another i.e., cod (warming waters), mosquitoes (lots of moisture, humidity)

8. Extinction Evolution is a continuing process We were not always here
There have always been die-offs of plant and animal species
Ex: Neanderthals and dinosaurs
Extinction means a complete world wide die-off of a species – gone forever
Extinctions have happened many times

9. Terrestrial Flora Environmental Adaptations Competition
Floristic Terminology
Spatial Groupings of Plants
Terrestrial Flora is important for three reasons:
Visibility
Indicator
Influence on human settlement & activity

10. Environmental Adaptations
Tolerance Limits:
Govern survival, distribution, dispersal
Two adaptations to environmental stress:
Xerophytic
Hygrophytic

11. Xerophytes Structurally adapted to withstand very dry conditions
Four general types:
Modified roots
Modified stems
Modified leaves
Adaptive reproductive cycle

12. Hygrophytes Suited to wet terrestrial environment
Two type distinctions:
Hydrophytes: more or less permanently immersed i.e. water lilies
Hygrophytes: moisture loving plants – require frequent and lots of water

13. Critical Role of Competition
Plants are just as competitive as humans
Plant cover is always subject to change: slow and orderly – trends with climate change abrupt and chaotic - wildfire
They draw their energy from the same place – the soil and the sun

14. Vertical Zonation Due to effect of elevation on temperature
Think of it as counterpart to latitudinal change

15. Local Variations Caused by local environmental conditions
Two examples are:
Sunlight - adret slope
Lack of sunlight – ubac slope

16. Terrestrial Fauna (animals)
More fauna (animals) than flora (plants)
Fauna is less prominent than flora in the landscape
Fauna tends to avoid attention – flora is evident to the eye wherever it is
Definition fauna: all animal life in a region

17. Environmental Adaptations
The color and/or patterns of animal fur adapt to local conditions, thus providing protection from predators.

18. Human Modification of Natural Distribution Patterns
Humans exert extraordinary influence on the environment – the distribution of plants and animals
Not only the magnitude of change, but the speed
Three types of influence on biotic distribution are:
Removing Organisms
Modifying Habitat
Introducing Species to New Habitats