1. Sustaining Earth’s Ecosystem
Ecology - The study of Living things and their Environment

2. “biosphere” - the area on and near Earth’s surface where living things exist.

3. Biotic vs. Abiotic… Biotic : living things Abiotic : non-living things
E.g. plants, animals, bacteria, micro-organisms,
fungi….
Abiotic : non-living things
E.g. precipitation, air, temperature, rocks, soil, sunlight….

4. WITHIN ECOSYSTEMS ARE HABITATS IN WHICH AN ORGANISM LIVES
Organism can reproduce with one another is called species SEVERAL ORGANISMS MAKE UP POPULATIONS VARIOUS POPULATIONS MAKE UP A COMMUNITY ALL COMMUNITIES MAKE UP AN ECOSYSTEM include interaction between its physical environment (ABIOTIC) MANY DIFFERENT ECOSYTEMS MAKE UP A BIOME
Ecological Hierarchy
WITHIN ECOSYSTEMS ARE HABITATS IN WHICH AN ORGANISM LIVES

5. The role an organism has within an ecosystem in order to survive grow, reproduce is called its Niche

6. Which one is BC, and which one is New Zealand?
Fiordland National Park
New Zealand
Pacific Rim National Park, Tofino, BC.
If biotic and abiotic conditions are the same, similar biomes can exist far apart.

7. Examples of Biomes Examples of terrestrial (land-based) biomes
Boreal forest
Desert
Grassland
Permanent ice
Temperate deciduous forest
Temperate rainforest
Tropical rainforest
Tundra.

8. What do you notice about each biome (location)?

9. Precipitation (rainfall, snow, mist, fog)
Biomes are classified based on abiotic factors, biotic factors and their interactions
(Abiotic)
Temperature
Precipitation (rainfall, snow, mist, fog)
Latitude, Elevation, and Ocean currents.
(Biotic)
Biomes can also be classified by the types of plants that grow there

10. Which Biome is associated with the following:
1. The region has an average annual precipitation of about 175 cm and an average annual temperature of 5°C.
2. The region ranges in temperature between 0°C and 20°C and receives about 100 cm of rain.
3. The region has low average annual precipitation and an average annual temperature that ranges between 18°C and 8°C.
4. The region has high average annual precipitation and an average annual temperature of 15°C.

11. Climatographs
A climatograph shows the average temperature and precipitation for a location over a period of 30 years or more.
Biomes are often defined using information in climatographs.

12. Latitude - is the distance north and south from the equator
Latitude - is the distance north and south from the equator. Latitude influences both temperature & precipitation.

13. Elevation: height above sea level - affects temperature, the higher the elevation, the colder it is (permanent ice)

14. Ocean Currents – carry warmth and moisture to coastal areas

15. Biomes and Adaptations
Why is a cactus in the desert or a caribou on the tundra.
Many of these characteristic factors have special adaptations for that biome.
An adaptation is a characteristic that allows an organism to better survive and reproduce.

16. 3 Types of Adaptations
Structural adaptation – a physical feature that helps an organism survive Example: Arctic fox has adapted it’s coat color to suit it’s environment with white fur in the winter to blend in, and brown fur in the summer .
Physiological adaptation – a physical or chemical event inside the body of an organism that allows it to survive Example: A wolf maintains a constant body temperature.
Behavioural adaptation – a behaviour that helps an organism to survive Example: Bats are nocturnal so that they sleep during the day and then come out at night when the temperature is more comfortable