1. Climate and Terrestrial Biodiversity
Chapter 7 pgs
Climate and Terrestrial Biodiversity

2. Chapter Overview Questions
What are the major types of desert biomes?
What are the major types of grassland biomes?
What are the major types of forest and mountain biomes?
How have human activities affected the world’s desert, grassland, forest, and mountain biomes?

3. Tropical Rain Forest
Filling such niches enables species to avoid or minimize competition and coexist
Figure 5-21

4. Emergent layer Harpy eagle Toco toucan Canopy Height (meters)
Understory
Woolly
opossum
Figure 5.21
Natural capital: stratification of specialized plant and animal niches in a tropical rain forest. Filling such specialized niches enables species to avoid or minimize competition for resources and results in the coexistence of a great variety of species.
Shrub
layer
Brazilian
tapir
Ground
layer
Black-crowned
antipitta
Fig. 5-21, p. 118

5. Temperate Deciduous Forest
Most of the trees survive winter by dropping their leaves, which decay and produce a nutrient-rich soil.
Figure 5-22

6. Primary to secondary consumer Secondary to higher-level consumer
Broad-winged
hawk
Hairy
Woodpecker
Gray
Squirrel
White oak
White-footed
mouse
Metallic
wood-boring
beetle and
Larvae
White-tailed
deer
Mountain
Winterberry
Shagbark hickory
Figure 5.22
Natural capital: some components and interactions in a temperate deciduous forest ecosystem. When these organisms die, decomposers break down their organic matter into minerals that plants use. Colored arrows indicate transfers of matter and energy between producers, primary consumers (herbivores), secondary or higher-level consumers (carnivores), and decomposers. Organisms are not drawn to scale.
May beetle
Racer
Long-tailed
weasel
Fungi
Bacteria
Wood frog
Producer
to primary
consumer
Primary
to secondary
consumer
Secondary to
higher-level
consumer
All producers and
consumers to
decomposers
Fig. 5-22, p. 120

7. Evergreen Coniferous Forests
Consist mostly of cone-bearing evergreen trees that keep their needles year-round to help the trees survive long and cold winters.
Figure 5-23

8. Primary to secondary consumer Secondary to higher-level consumer
Blue jay
Great
horned
owl
Marten
Balsam fir
Moose
White
Spruce
Wolf
Bebb
willow
Pine sawyer
beetle
and larvae
Snowshoe
hare
Figure 5.23
Natural capital: some components and interactions in an evergreen coniferous (boreal or taiga) forest ecosystem. When these organisms die, decomposers break down their organic matter into minerals that plants use. Colored arrows indicate transfers of matter and energy between producers, primary consumers (herbivores), secondary or higher-level consumers (carnivores), and decomposers. Organisms are not drawn to scale.
Fungi
Starflower
Bunchberry
Bacteria
Producer
to primary
consumer
Primary
to secondary
consumer
Secondary to
higher-level
consumer
All producers and
consumers to
decomposers
Fig. 5-23, p. 121

9. Temperate Rain Forests
Coastal areas support huge cone-bearing evergreen trees such as redwoods and Douglas fir in a cool moist environment.
Figure 5-24

10. MOUNTAIN BIOMES High-elevation islands of biodiversity
Often have snow-covered peaks that reflect solar radiation and gradually release water to lower-elevation streams and ecosystems.
Figure 5-25

11. HUMAN IMPACTS ON TERRESTRIAL BIOMES
Human activities have damaged or disturbed more than half of the world’s terrestrial ecosystems.
Humans have had a number of specific harmful effects on the world’s deserts, grasslands, forests, and mountains.

12. Natural Capital Degradation
Desert
Large desert cities
Soil destruction by off-road
vehicles
Soil salinization from irrigation
Figure 5.26
Natural capital degradation: major human impacts on the world’s deserts. QUESTION: What are three direct and three indirect harmful effects of your lifestyle on deserts?
Depletion of groundwater
Land disturbance and
pollution from mineral
extraction
Fig. 5-26, p. 123

13. Natural Capital Degradation
Grasslands
Conversion to cropland
Release of CO2 to atmosphere
from grassland burning
Overgrazing by livestock
Figure 5.27
Natural capital degradation: major human impacts on the world’s grasslands. Some 70% of Brazil’s tropical savanna—once the size of the Amazon—has been cleared and converted to the world’s biggest grain growing area. QUESTION: What are three direct and three indirect harmful effects of your lifestyle on grasslands?
Oil production and off-road vehicles in arctic tundra
Fig. 5-27, p. 123

14. Natural Capital Degradation
Forests
Clearing for agriculture, livestock
grazing, timber, and urban
development
Conversion of diverse forests to tree
plantations
Damage from off-road vehicles
Figure 5.28
Natural capital degradation: major human impacts on the world’s forests. QUESTION: What are three direct and three indirect effects of your lifestyle on forests?
Pollution of forest streams
Fig. 5-28, p. 124

15. Natural Capital Degradation
Mountains
Agriculture
Timber extraction
Mineral extraction
Hydroelectric dams and
reservoirs
Increasing tourism
Urban air pollution
Figure 5.29
Natural capital degradation: major human impacts on the world’s mountains. QUESTION: What are three direct and three indirect harmful effects of your lifestyle on mountains?
Increased ultraviolet radiation
from ozone depletion
Soil damage from off-road
vehicles
Fig. 5-29, p. 124