1. LIVING IN THE ENVIRONMENT 17 TH MILLER/SPOOLMAN Chapter 7 Climate and Biodiversity

2. 7-2 How Does Climate Affect the Nature and Locations of Biomes? Concept 7-2 Differences in average annual precipitation and temperature lead to the formation of tropical, temperate, and cold deserts, grasslands, and forests, and largely determine their locations.

3. Climate Helps Determine Where Organisms Can Live Major biomes: large land regions with certain types of climate and dominant plant life Not uniform Mosaic of patches-due to irregular dispersal of resources and human interference Latitude and elevation Annual precipitation/Temperature – define the type in terms of tropical (hot), temperate (moderate), and polar (cold) deserts, grasslands, and forests.

4. Fig. 7-7, p. 153 The Earth’s Major Biomes

5. Figure 3, Supplement 8 North America Biomes

6. Fig. 7-8, p. 153 Elevation Mountain ice and snow Tundra (herbs, lichens, mosses) Coniferous Forest Deciduous Forest Latitude (south to north) Tropical Forest Deciduous Forest Coniferous Forest Tundra (herbs, lichens, mosses) Polar ice and snow

7. Fig. 7-9, p. 154 Cold Arctic tundra Cold desert Evergreen coniferous forest Temperate desert Temperate deciduous forest Temperate grassland Chaparral Hot Wet Tropical rain forest Dry Tropical desert Tropical grassland (savanna)

8. Figure 6, Supplement 8 Global Plant Biodiversity

9. Fig. 7-7, p. 153 Tropic of Cancer High mountains Equator Polar ice Arctic tundra (cold grassland) Temperate grassland Tropic of Capricorn Tropical grassland (savanna) Chaparral Coniferous forest Temperate deciduous forest Temperate rain forest Tropical rain forest Tropical dry forest Desert

10. There Are Three Major Types of Deserts 1.Tropical deserts-hot and dry most of the year (Sahara and Namib of Africa) very little precipitation 2.Temperate deserts-High temp in summer and low in winter. Slightly more precipitation (California and Mexico) 3.Cold deserts-Winters are cold, Summers hot. Little precip. Gobi in Mongolia. Fragile ecosystem Slow plant growth Low species diversity Slow nutrient recycling Lack of water

11. Fig. 7-10, p. 155 Climate Graphs of Three Types of Deserts

12. Figure 1, Supplement 6 Temperate Desert Ecosystem in North America

13. Science Focus: Staying Alive in the Desert Beat the heat/every drop of water counts Plant adaptations Succulents (no leaves, fleshy tissue protected by waxy coating, stomata opens at night to take in CO 2 ) Deep tap roots (for groundwater) or shallow spread roots to collect water quickly when it rains Animal strategies and adaptations Physiology and anatomy…camels store water in their fat and never sweat. Kangaroo rats never drink…they get all their water needs by breaking down fats in the seeds they eat. Insects/reptiles have thick outer coverings minimizing water loss/evaporation in addition to their wastes being dry including dried concentrate of urine. Spiders/insects get their water from the dew on the food they eat. Behavior

14. Fig. 7-A, p. 156 Wildflowers Bloom after Rain in Arizona

15. There Are Three Major Types of Grasslands (1) Grasslands—mostly in the interior of continents—in areas too moist for deserts, but to dry for forests -suffer drought, and major grazing by herbivores 1.Tropical-savanna Plant Adaptation: Acacia tree-thorns keep herbivores away Animal Adaptation: grazers and migratory = willing to find the food/water as it is available 2.Temperate-prairie Hot dry summers/cold winters. Grasses die in the winter = good compost making the soil very fertile Plant Adaptation: grasses have adapted to keep root systems intact despite summer fires = which help prevent tree growth further sustaining the grassland ecosystem 3.Cold (arctic tundra) Permafrost = prevents snow from melting and soaking into the ground = marshy wetlands = perfect environment for mosquitoes and insects = tremendous food source for migratory birds Animal Adaptations: thick coats and living underground. Able to migrate to find food/water

16. Fig. 7-11, p. 157 Climate Graphs of Tropical, Temperate, and Cold Grasslands

17. There Are Three Major Types of Grasslands (2) Tropical Savanna Grazing animals Browsing animals Temperate Cold winters and hot and dry summers Tall-grass prairies Short-grass prairies Often converted to farmland

18. Figure 2, Supplement 6 Temperate Tall-Grass Prairie Ecosystem in North America

19. There Are Three Major Types of Grasslands (3) Arctic tundra: fragile biome Plants close to ground to conserve heat Most growth in short summer Animals have thick fur Permafrost Underground soil that stays frozen Alpine tundra: above tree line in mountains

20. Fig. 7-12, p. 158 Monoculture Crop Replacing Biologically Diverse Temperate Grassland

21. Temperate Shrubland: Nice Climate, Risky Place to Live Chaparral Near the sea: nice climate Prone to fires in the dry season

22. There Are Three Major Types of Forests (1) 1.Tropical 2.Temperate 3.Cold Northern coniferous and boreal

23. Fig. 7-13, p. 160 Climate Graphs of Tropical, Temperate, and Cold Forests

24. There Are Three Major Types of Forests (2) Tropical rain forests Temperature and moisture = high and constant Stratification of specialized plant and animal niches Little wind: significance Rapid recycling of scarce soil nutrients = nutrients are quickly drawn back up into the trees…leaving a poor soil behind. Impact of human activities= more than half have been destroyed for farming (though it is poor soil) and cattle raising = reducing the earth’s biodiversity and accelerating global warming

25. Fig. 7-14, p. 161 Tropical Rain Forest Ecosystem

26. Fig. 7-15, p. 162 Niche Stratification in a Tropical Rain Forest

27. There Are Three Major Types of Forests (3) Temperate deciduous forests Temperature and moisture Broad-leaf trees Slow rate of decomposition: significance = nutrient rich soil Impact of human activities—disturbed more than any other. However, secondary succession could restore this biome in 100 years or so.

28. Figure 4, Supplement 6 Temperate Deciduous Forest Ecosystem in North America

29. There Are Three Major Types of Forests (4) Evergreen coniferous forests: boreal and taigas Temperature and moisture Few species of cone: bearing trees Slow decomposition: significance—settles on the ground increasing acidity preventing most other plants from growing Coastal coniferous forest Temperate rain forests

30. Figure 5, Supplement 6 Evergreen Coniferous Forest Ecosystem in North America

31. Fig. 7-16, p. 163 Temperate Rain Forest in Washington State

32. Mountains Play Important Ecological Roles Majority of the world’s forests Islands of biodiversity Habitats for endemic species Help regulate the earth’s climate Major storehouses of water Role in hydrologic cycle

33. Fig. 7-17, p. 163 Mount Rainier National Park in Washington State

34. 7-3 How Have We Affected the Word’s Terrestrial Ecosystems? Concept 7-3 In many areas, human activities are impairing ecological and economic services provided by the earth’s deserts, grasslands, forests, and mountains.

35. Humans Have Disturbed Most of the Earth’s Lands Deserts Grasslands Forests Mountains

36. Agriculture Timber extraction Hydroelectric dams and reservoirs Mineral extraction Increasing tourism Urban air pollution Increased ultraviolet radiation from ozone depletion Soil damage from off-road vehicles Forests Clearing for agriculture, livestock grazing, timber, and urban development Conversion of diverse forests to tree plantations Damage from off- road vehicles Pollution of forest streams Large desert cities Soil destruction by off-road vehicles Deserts Soil salinization from irrigation Depletion of groundwater Land disturbance and pollution from mineral extraction Grasslands Conversion to cropland Release of CO 2 to atmosphere from burning grassland Overgrazing by livestock Oil production and off-road vehicles in arctic tundra Stepped Art NATURAL CAPITAL DEGRADATION Major Human Impacts on Terrestrial Ecosystems Fig. 7-18, p. 165