1. Biomes and Biodiversity

2. Analogy Match the following to the correct description One Teacher
species
population
community
ecosystem
All Teachers
Teachers and Students
George West

3. Look through the vocabulary cards on your desk.
Take some time to sort through and match them.

4. habitat
The place in which an animal lives

5. species
All organisms of the same kind that adapted to a particular set of resources (called a niche) in the environment.

6. population
Made up from all of the organisms in an ecosystem that belong to the same species.

7. ecosystem
A smaller part of the biosphere consisting of the organisms and non-living features that interact in an area.

8. biome
Large geographic areas with similar temperatures and rainfall amounts.
Plants and animals that live in one cannot always adapt and live in another.
Example: water is a limiting factor in a desert
Example: tundra, desert, rain forest.

9. Desert Scrub
Desert
Taiga
Grasslands
Tundra
Deciduous Forest
Chaparral
Savanna
Rainforest
Alpine

10. biotic Organisms living or that had once lived in the environment.
Examples: mouse, clover, dead tree, shrubs, hawk

11. abiotic Non-living factors in the environment.
Examples: light, temp, water, wind, soil and terrain

12. biodiversity The variety of organisms in an ecosystem
The more species in an area, the higher the biodiversity and the healthier the ecosystem

14. Factors that Affect Biodiversity
Area
Climate
Diversity of niches
Human activity

15. Area A large area will have more biodiversity than a small area
There will be more types of trees on 100 acres than there will be on 1 acre

16. Climate
In general, the number of species increases from the poles to the equator
tropical rainforests in South America and Africa have the most diversity
The North and South Poles have the least diversity

17. Niche Diversity
A niche is a particular area in an ecosystem where an organism lives
The more niches an area has, the more biodiversity (coral reefs are 1% of the Earth but have 20% of all species).

18. Human Activity People can either help or hurt an ecosystem
Protecting an area can increase biodiversity
Deforestation, pollution and over hunting can decrease biodiversity

19. Value of Biodiversity
Protecting biodiversity is important to keep the planet healthy
The more diverse an ecosystem is, the healthier and more stable it is.
Two main factors that need protection are:
keystone species
gene pool diversity

20. Keystone Species
A species that influences the survival of many other species in an ecosystem
If a keystone species disappears, the entire ecosystem may change
Disrupts equilibrium
Example: earthworms are important in grassland ecosystems. The more earthworms, the healthier the soil, the better the grass grows

21. Which are will have the most fertile soil?
35.3g
47.8g
52.8g
22.3g
Which are will have the most fertile soil?

22. Gene Pool Diversity the number of diverse traits in a species
The more traits in a species, the better chance they have of adapting
Species that lack a diverse gene pool are less able to adapt to changes in their environment.

23. Not Protecting Biodiversity
The biggest threat to biodiversity is loss of natural habitat
If we don’t protect biodiversity species can become
endangered
extinct

24. Endangered Species
Species whose numbers are so low they are in danger of becoming extinct

25. Extinction of Species
Extinction is the disappearance of all members of a species from Earth
In the last few centuries, the number of species becoming extinct is increasing

26. Causes of Extinction natural catastrophes earthquake volcano tsunami
hurricane
flood
drought
human activities
habitat destruction
poaching
pollution
exotic Species as
pets

27. Protecting Biodiversity
Captive Breeding
The mating of animals in zoos or wildlife parks to increase the population

28. Protecting Biodiversity
Laws and Treaties
Laws can protect an entire species
The Endangered Species Act
It is illegal to sell endangered species or products made from endangered species
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species
List of 700 species that cannot be
traded for profit

29. Protecting Biodiversity
Habitat Preservation
The most effective way to preserve biodiversity is to protect entire habitats
National and State Parks
Game Reserves

30. No Diversity
Diversity

31. Biodiversity Demo How many different “species” do we have?
What would happen if a disease went through this population and killed all of the yellow squares?
Sit down if you have a yellow square

32. Biodiversity Demo How many different “species” do we have?
What would happen if a drought went through this population and killed all of the red squares?
Sit down if you have a red square

33. Biodiversity Demo What was different with the second demonstration?
How did biodiversity help this population?
Would the death of part of a population effect the food chain?

34. sustainability
The capacity to endure. In ecology, the word describes how biological systems remain diverse and productive over time.

35. sustainability example
Two farmers try to out-produce each other by using different planting techniques.
Field 1 grew more until a virus killed all of crop 2. How would this virus effect the farmers?
The farmer with field 1 will lose half his crop but the farmer with field 2 will only lose 1/16.

36. sustainability example
How are the farmer’s fields similar to how biodiversity allows an ecosystem to be stable?
Field 2, which has more biodiversity, is more stable and can handle the virus easier.

37. Ecosystems and Biodiversity
North American Prairie

38. Location – middle of the US
Description – flat, grassy plains, small trees and bushes
Soil type – deep and fertile
Precipitation – inches per year
Temperature range – summer can be as hot as 38◦C (100 ◦F), winter can be as cold as -4◦C (-40 ◦F)
Climate – hot summers and cold snowy winters

39. Biodiversity 7000 species of plant an animal
Plant species – tall grass, mixed grass, short grass, some trees, flowering plants
Animal species – pronghorn, mule deer, elk, black bears, coyote, fox, badger, ferrets, rabbits, owls, eagles, hawks, grouse, ducks, song birds, insects, snakes, spiders, bison

40. Adaptations Plant species – Animal species –
deep roots on the grass help them reach water.
Animal species –
hooves on the bison help protect their feet

41. Interactions biotic– abiotic– large food web with lots of animals.
Bison distribute seed in their waste
Deep grass roots hold the soil
abiotic–
wildfire is needed to renew the soil
Amount of rain determines grass height

42. How does the North American Prairie support different organisms.
How does biodiversity contribute to the sustainability of an ecosystem?

43. Biomes of the World Rainforest Desert Grassland Deciduous Forest
Boreal Forest
Tundra
Mountains
Ice
Freshwater
Marine