1. Teacher Information! Necessary materials: ppt guide PowerPoint Guide
Presentation (ppt.)
Teacher Information!
Necessary materials: ppt guide
PowerPoint Guide
**all relevant terms are bolded.

2. Ecosystems and Biomes Introduction to Natural Resources
Modified from “Rangeland Ecosystems of Idaho”, created by Jennifer Peterson; in cooperation with
Idaho Rangeland Resources Commission and the
University of Idaho - Rangeland Ecology & Management Department
Available online at:
Introduction to Natural Resources
There are 36 slides in this presentation

3. Objectives Define ecosystem
Discuss factors that create different ecosystems, biomes, and ecoregions
There are 36 slides in this presentation

4. What is an “Ecosystem?”
“a community of plants, animals, and microorganisms that are linked by energy and nutrient flows and that interact with each other and with the physical environment ”
-National Geographic Magazine
Ask students to identify some ecosystems. The following slide provides pictures of examples.
There are 36 slides in this presentation

5. Examples of Ecosystems
Rainforest
Desert
Grassland
Coral Reef
These different ecosystems are each representative of a different biome. (Defined on next slide.)
Rotting Log
There are 36 slides in this presentation

6. What is a Biome?
A very large ecosystem that occupies a distinct region.
Terrestrial biomes include:
Grassland
Tundra
Desert
Tropical rainforest
Deciduous forest
Coniferous forests
Biomes can vary depending on the classification being followed. For example, see the biomes identified on the next slide. Terrestrial ecosystems are determined mostly by precipitation and climate.
There are 36 slides in this presentation

7. Biomes There are two basic aquatic biomes:
Freshwater
Marine
The Arctic and Antarctic are also biomes.
There are 36 slides in this presentation

8. Ask students what might cause this distribution of different biomes
Ask students what might cause this distribution of different biomes. (Precipitation and temperature  this is demonstrated on the next slide.)
There are 36 slides in this presentation

9. What creates different biomes?
Precipitation
Temperature
Also …
Soils
Topography
Soils: for example, temperate deserts have rocky soils. Temperate grasslands have deep, rich soils and consequently most temperate grasslands have been converted to croplands. Tropical rainforests have shallow, poor soil.
How can topography influence biomes?  Topography can influence how precipitation is received (rain shadow effect) and how soil is formed.
Robert Whittaker’s classification of biomes, based on annual precipitation, temperature
There are 36 slides in this presentation

10. What creates different biomes?
Precipitation
Temperature
Also …
Soils
Topography
These are Forests
Most terrestrial biomes can be broadly divided into two categories  rangelands and forests. However, barren deserts are not considered rangelands or forests.
These are RANGELANDS
Robert Whittaker’s classification of biomes, based on annual precipitation, temperature
There are 36 slides in this presentation

11. Ask students to identify the locations of some biomes based on this precipitation map. Forests generally require much greater precipitation than do rangelands. Where are most of the rangelands and most of the forests probably found in the U.S.?
There are 36 slides in this presentation

12. Can students identify biomes of Idaho? (Identified on next slide.)
There are 36 slides in this presentation

13. Idaho Vegetation Types
Coniferous Forest and Mountain Meadows
Sagebrush Grasslands
Salt Desert
Shrublands
Pacific Bunchgrass
Juniper Woodlands
Idaho Vegetation Types
Called “Ecoregions”
An ecoregion is a “subset” of a biome. An ecoregion has a “geographically distinct assemblage of species, natural communities, and environmental conditions.” (World Wildlife Fund)
The World Wildlife Fund had identified 825 terrestrial ecoregions! (And 450 freshwater and 229 marine ecoregions)
Source:
There are 36 slides in this presentation

14. Vegetation vs Precipitation
Coniferous Forest and Mountain Meadows
Sagebrush Grasslands
Salt Desert
Shrublands
Pacific Bunchgrass
Juniper Woodlands
Note how these ecoregions closely follow the precipitation pattern that Idaho receives.
There are 36 slides in this presentation

15. Soils of Idaho Andisols (Mountain Soils) Alifisols
Histosols (Forest Soils)
Entisols
Mollisols (Grassland Soils)
Aridisols (Desert Soils)
Rock Outcrop
Soils and topography (next slide) also relate to the ecoregions of Idaho.
There are 36 slides in this presentation

16. Topography of Idaho
There are 36 slides in this presentation

17. Can you… Define ecosystem
Discuss factors that create different ecosystems, biomes, and ecoregions
There are 36 slides in this presentation