1. Biology Discussion Notes
Tuesday 10/7/2014

2. Goal for the Day Understand what ecology is.
Be able to describe and list examples of abiotic & biotic factors.
Be able to define climate
Be able to describe different biomes in terms of their climates

3. Question of the Day
What do baby animals need to grow and survive?

4. Question of the Day What do baby animals need to grow and survive?
Are these biotic or abiotic factors? EXPLAIN!

5. Major Biomes
Climate: The prevailing weather conditions in a given area.
Climate determines what organisms can live in that area.
Temperature and moisture are important determining characteristics.
Are temp & moisture biotic or abiotic?

6. Biological Communities
Biome: Major Biological Communities that occur over a large area of land.
Cross out communities and write ecosystems
This is an example of an artificial (or simulated) biome!

7. Terrestrial Biomes: Rainforests
Tropical Rain Forest:
Avg. 180 inches of rain per year.
Contains at least half of all species on earth.
Ex. Brazil

9. Terrestrial Biomes: Rainforests
Reasons for rainforest deforestation:
Farming: Tribes are going thought their own agricultural revolution…but the soil of the rainforest is very infertile!
Timber industry--don’t buy mahogany!
Oil--yes, they’re looking for oil in the rainforest too…

10. Terrestrial Biomes: Savannas
a. Dry grasslands Ex. Africa
b. Low average precipitation (35-60 inches)
Prolonged annual dry seasons

11. Terrestrial Biomes: Taiga
a. Cold, wet climate
b. Coniferous forests
Ex. Canada

12. Terrestrial Biomes: Tundra
a. 1/5 of the earth’s land surface
b. ex. Northern Alaska
c. annual precipitation very low (10 in)
Characterized by permafrost: Permanently frozen ground.

13. Terrestrial Biomes: Desert
a. Very low precipitation (10 in)
b. Sparse vegetation
c. Found in interior of continent
Growing every year!

14. Terrestrial Biomes: Temperate Grasslands
a. Ex. SOUTH DAKOTA!! You live in one!
b. Moderate precipitation
c. Deep, fertile soil
Hot summers, cold winters

15. Terrestrial Biomes: Temperate Deciduous Forests
a. Mild climate, plentiful rain ( in)
b. Warm summers, cold winters
Hardwood trees (oak, hickory, etc)
Ex. New England…

16. Terrestrial Biomes: Temperate Evergreen Forests
a. Evergreen forests
b. Drier
Ex. Black Hills

17. Biomes & Plants Practice
Complete the front side of the sheet reviewing what you already know about plants.
List each biome and its climate in terms of _____________ & ___________.
What type of factors are these? (Biotic or Abiotic?)
With a partner go through each biome and rank how likely non-vascular plants would be on a scale of 1-8 based on these factors ALONE.

18. Biomes & Plants Practice
When you finish – go back to your notes and list as many different types of plants as you can think of that are found in each biome.

20. Defining Biomes
Climate is one of the major defining factors of a biome.
What two major characteristics define a particular climate?
What type of factors are these? (Biotic or Abiotic?)

21. Species of the Day Resurrection Plant - Selaginella lepidophylla
Predict whether this plant is dead or dormant. If you think this plant is dormant predict how long it would take for this plant to begin to be active again.

22. Species of the Day Resurrection Plant - Selaginella lepidophylla
This plant belongs to the Lycophyta and has the oldest known lineage of any VASCULAR plant. Being as this plant represents one of the most primitive vascular plants, do you think this plant has seeds or not? Explain your answer 

23. Species of the Day Resurrection Plant - Selaginella lepidophylla
What Biome do you think this plant is most adapted for. EXPLAIN YOUR ANSWER!