1. Chapter 4
Ecosystems and Biomes

2. Lesson 1 Cycles in Ecosystem
Water cycle- continuous movement of water between Earth’s surface and the air, changing from liquid to gas to liquid
Evaporation- is the changing of a liquid into a gas
condensation-changing of a gas into a liquid
Precipitation- is any form of water that falls from the atmosphere and reaches the ground, such as rain,
sleet, snow, or hail
Runoff- precipitation that flows across the land’s surface and is not absorbed will flow into rivers, lakes, and streams

3. Water Cycle

4. Lesson 1 Continued
Carbon cycle-the continuous exchange of carbon among livings things Nitrogen cycle- the continuous trapping of nitrogen gas into compounds into soil and its return to the air

5. Lesson 2 Changes in Ecosystems
Extinct species-when the last member of a species dies
Endangered species- when a species is in danger of becoming extinct
Threatened species-species with low numbers that could become endangered
Quagga: half zebra, half horse
(extinct since 1883)
Thylacine: the Tasmanian Tiger
(extinct since 1936)
Tyrannosaurus Rex
(extinct 65 million years ago)
EXTINCT
SPECIES

6. ENDANGERED
SPECIES
THREATENED
SPECIES

7. Continued Lesson 2
Pioneer community- along with microorganisms, the pioneer species make up this community. The first living community in an otherwise lifeless area ( for example-lichens and mosses)
Climax community- is the final stage of succession (trees)
Primary Succession- a community where few, if any, living things exist, or where earlier communities were wiped out
Pioneer community
Intermediate
Community
Climax Community

8. Lesson 2 continued…
Secondary succession- is the beginning of a new community where a community had already existed

9. Lesson 3: 6 major land biomes
Desert
Tundra
Taiga
Tropical Rain Forest
Deciduous Forest
Grasslands
Biome- is one of Earth’s major land ecosystems with its own characteristic animals, plants, soil, and climate

10. Global Biomes

11. Lesson 3: Biomes continued…
Desert- a sandy, rocky biome, with little precipitation and little plant life, the main characteristic of a desert is lack of water
*Desert animals: kangaroos rats, lizards, and other reptiles
Tundra- a large treeless biome where the ground is frozen all year
*Tundra animals: caribou, polar bears, musk ox, arctic hares, and foxes
Arctic hare
lizard

12. Taiga- a cool forest biome of conifers found in the northern regions
Lesson 3 continued…
Taiga- a cool forest biome of conifers found in the northern regions
*taiga animals: snowshoe rabbit and wolverines
Grassland-a biome where grasses, not trees, are the main plant life, prairies are one kind of grassland. The African grassland is called the savanna.
*grassland animals: insects, toads, worms, mice, and prairie dogs
Wolverine
Prairie dogs

13. Lesson 3 Continued…
Rain forest- a hot, humid biome near the equator, with heavy rainfall and a wide variety of life
Rainforest animals- insects, frogs, monkeys, bats, snakes
Deciduous Forest- a forest biome with four distinct seasons and deciduous tress
Deciduous animals- birds, squirrels, rabbits, raccoons, skunks, owls
squirrel
Monkey

14. Lesson 4: Water Ecosystems
Organisms in the water are divided into three main categories; plankton, nekton, and benthos
nekton-an organisms that live in the water, nekton is the second group which includes the larger, active swimmers in a body of water. Fish, turtles, and whales are nekton.

15. Lesson 4 continued…
bathyal zone: home to large consumers like sharks and squid
abyssal zone: dark and cold because the sunlight is completely blocked

16. Lesson 4 continued Ocean Ecosystem Zones:
intertidal zone: shallowest part of the ocean ecosystem
neritic zone: zone after intertidal-algae and kelp grow here

17. Lesson 4 continued…
estuary- the boundary where the fresh water feeds into the salt water