1. 15.3 KEY CONCEPT Biomes are land-based, global communities of organisms.

2. Earth has six major biomes. Rainforest Grassland (tropical and temperate) Desert Temperate Forest (deciduous and rain) Taiga Tundra There are a variety of ecosystems in each biome. The biomes are characterized by abiotic factors The same biomes in different areas of earth have similar plant and animal species. Ex: tropical rainforest (Brazil and Madagascar)

3. Tropical rain forest biomes produce lush forests. –warm temperature –abundant precipitation all year The tropical rain forest can be found in three major geographical areas around the world. - Central America in the Amazon river basin. - Africa - Zaire basin, with a small area in West Africa; also eastern Madagascar. - Indo-Malaysia - west coast of India, Assam, Southeast Asia, New Guinea and Queensland, Australia. Source: World Meteorological Organization

4. –Temperate grasslands are dry and warm during the summer; most precipitation falls as snow. Grassland biomes are where the primary plant life is grass. –Tropical grasslands are warm through the year, with definite dry and rainy seasons. Rapid City, South Dakota

5. Desert biomes are characterized by a very arid climate. –very low amount of precipitation –four types: hot, semi- arid, coastal, and cold Tucson, Arizona Source: National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration

6. –Deciduous trees are the dominant plant species. –The temperate rain forests have a long wet season and relatively dry summer. Temperate forest biomes include deciduous forests and rain forests. –Temperate deciduous forests have hot summers and cold winters. –Ferns and moss cover the forest floor.

7. The taiga biome is located in cooler northern climates. –boreal forest –long winters and short summers –small amount of precipitation Source: Environment Canada Banff, Canada

8. The tundra biome is found in the far northern latitudes with long winters. –winter lasts 10 months –limited precipitation –permafrost Barrow, Alaska Source: National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration

9. Polar ice caps and mountains are not considered biomes. Polar ice caps have no soil, therefore no plant community. The climate and organisms found on mountains change as the elevation changes.

10. Marine Ecosystems A. Ocean Zones 1. Intertidal zone: Area of beach that you walk on. 2. Neritic Zone: Coral Reefs and Kelp Forests. A few cm – 200 meters deep; intertidal zone out to continental shelf 3. Bathyal Zone: 200 – 2000 meters; turbid murky water due to silt; includes mostly burrowing animals. 4. Abyssal Zone: Below 2000 meters, complete darkness, deep sea vents and chemosynthetic organisms.

11. Estuaries and Freshwater Ecosystems Estuary: A partially enclosed body of water formed where a river flows into an ocean. Ex: San Francisco and Chesapeake Bays, Everglades. Includes harbors, sounds, and inlets. Mixture of freshwater and salt water. High level of nutrients, life thrives here. Lots of biodiversity

12. Freshwater Ecosystems River, streams, lakes, ponds, wetlands (bogs, swamps, marshes): all originate from watersheds. Watershed: a region of land that drains into a river, river system, or another body of water.

13. 16.1 KEY CONCEPT As the human population grows, the demand for Earth’s resources increases.

14. Earth’s human population continues to grow. Earth’s human carrying capacity is unknown. J or S? Technology has helped to increase Earth’s carrying capacity. –gas-powered farm equipment –medical advancements

15. The growing human population exerts pressure on Earth’s natural resources. Nonrenewable resources are used faster than they form. –Coal –Oil –Natural Gas 77 million barrels per day are used (2006) Our dependency on these resources is depleting them.

16. Renewable resources cannot be used up or can replenish themselves over time. –wind –water –sunlight

17. Effective management of Earth’s resources will help meet the needs of the future. Earth’s resources must be used responsibly. Careless use of resources makes them unavailable to future generations. Easter Island is an example of irresponsible resource use.

18. An ecological footprint is the amount of land needed to support a person. The land must produce and maintain enough –food and water –shelter –energy –Waste Several factors affect the size of the ecological footprint. –amount and efficiency of resource use –amount and toxicity of waste produced

19. Ecological Footprint 9.7 hectares = 24 football fields Hectare = 10,000 square meters

20. 16.2 KEY CONCEPT Fossil fuel emissions affect the biosphere.

21. Pollutants accumulate in the air. Pollution is any undesirable factor added to the air, water, or soil. Smog is one type of air pollution. –sunlight interacts with pollutants in the air –pollutants produced by fossil fuel emissions –made of particulates and ground-level ozone –Smog can be harmful to human health.

22. Acid rain is caused by fossil fuel emissions. –produced when pollutants in the water cycle cause rain pH to drop –can lower the pH of a lake or stream –can harm trees

23. Air pollution is changing Earth’s biosphere. The levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide rise and fall over time. High levels of carbon dioxide are typical of Earth’s warmer periods.

24. The greenhouse effect slows the release of energy from Earth’s atmosphere. –sunlight penetrates Earth’s atmosphere –energy is absorbed and reradiated as heat –greenhouse gases absorb longer wavelengths –Greenhouse gas molecules rerelease infrared radiation methane ( CH 4 ) water (H 2 O ) carbon dioxide (CO 2 )

25. Global warming refers to the trend of increasing global temperatures. North Pole

26. 16.4 KEY CONCEPT The impact of a growing human population threatens biodiversity.

27. Preserving biodiversity is important to the future of the biosphere. The loss of biodiversity has long-term effects. –loss of medical and technological advances –extinction of species –loss of ecosystem stability

28. Loss of habitat eliminates species. Habitat fragmentation prevents an organism from accessing its entire home range. –occurs when a barrier forms within the habitat –often caused by human development –Habitat corridors are a solution to the problem. –allow species to move between different areas of habitat

29. Introduced species can disrupt stable relationships in an ecosystem. An introduced species is one that is brought to an ecosystem by humans. –accidental –purposeful Invasive species can have an environmental and economic impact. Invasive species often push out native species.

30. 16.5 KEY CONCEPT Conservation methods can help protect and restore ecosystems.

31. Sustainable development manages resources for present and future generations. Sustainable development meets needs without hurting future generations. –resources meet current needs –resources will still be available for future use

32. Conservation practices focus on a few species but benefit entire ecosystems. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was created in 1970. The EPA develops policies and regulations to protect the environment. Legislation helps to protect the environment and endangered species. –Clean Air Act –Clean Water Act –Endangered Species Act The National Park Service helps manage public lands.

33. There are several ways that people can help protect the environment. –control population growth –develop sustainable technology and practices –protect and maintain ecosystems