1. TEKS
(10)  Organisms and environments. The student knows that there is a relationship between organisms and the environment. The student is expected to:
7.10A  observe and describe how different environments, including microhabitats in schoolyards and biomes, support different varieties of organisms;
7.10B  describe how biodiversity contributes to the sustainability of an ecosystem; and
7.10C  observe, record, and describe the role of ecological succession such as in a microhabitat of a garden with weeds.

2. Biome Large area that has similar weather and organisms
Terrestrial (land): desert, tropical rainforest, grassland
Aquatic or Marine (water): freshwater, saltwater

3. Ecosystem
Consists of all the living and nonliving factors of the environment.

4. What is a biome and what abiotic factors characterize each biome?
Partner Discussion
What is a biome and what abiotic factors characterize each biome?
A biome is a large area that has similar weather and organisms. Abiotic factors include elevation, climate, temperature, and precipitation.

5. Abiotic nonliving things in an environment
Air
nonliving things in an environment
Examples: Light, soil, water, temperature, air, and elevation

6. Biotic
living or once living (dead) things in an environment; plants and animals.

7. Habitat
Where an organism lives, includes everything an organism needs to survive
Forest – habitat of a wolf

8. Microhabitat small habitat Flower garden Decaying tree / rotting log
bushes

9. Biological Diversity AKA… Biodiversity
Variety of organisms in an area
More Biodiversity = healthy or stable ecosystem, like Tropical Rainforest or ocean
Less Biodiversity = unstable or fragile ecosystem, like Tundra

10. Partner Discussion
How might the biodiversity of the populations in a habitat affect organism interdependency?
Biological interactions are the interactions between different organisms in an environment. In the natural world, no organism is cut off from its surroundings. Organisms are a part of their environment which is rich in living and non-living elements that interact with each other in some way.

11. Sustainability Stable ecosystem that can survive and thrive on its own
Variety of plants and animals (biodiversity)

12. Limiting Factor
Anything that restricts the number of individuals in a population to grow. (Food, Space, shelter, water)
Running out of space for nesting limits the birds from reproducing.

13. Tundra

14. Tundra Located near North Pole (Alaska) Extremely cold
Little precipitation, but limited drainage
Soil is frozen, called “Permafrost”
Low biotic diversity
Short season of growth and reproduction
Treeless
Plants: lichen, moss, grass, small shrubs
Animals: insects and migratory birds in summer, hawks, snow owls, mice, arctic hares, reindeer

15. Taiga (TI guh) Largest Biome South of the Tundra
Long cold, snowy winters and Short warm, rainy, humid summers
Plants: Coniferous forest (cone bearing)
Animals: Moose, lynx, shrews, bears, foxes

17. Deciduous Forest
Eastern U.S., Russia, Japan, New Zealand, Southeastern Australia
4 distinct seasons
Deciduous trees (have leaves that change color that they lose in the Fall)
Lots of decomposition on forest floor: insect diversity
Plants: Oak, maple, and hickory trees
Animals: Bald eagles, coyote, platypus, squirrel, deer

19. Tropical Rain Forest Near the equator
Warm temperatures and lots of precipitation
Temperature doesn’t vary much night and day
Little nutrients in soil because of competition of abundance of plant life
Very diverse plants and animals (Coconut trees)

21. Desert Driest Biome Rain quickly evaporates or drains away
Animals: Few large animals, kangaroo rat, scorpions (Most nocturnal and burrowing because extreme temperatures
Few plants: cacti, joshua tree
Sandy soil with little organic matter

23. Grasslands Located in mid and western U.S. and Africa
Thin soil and a season with little rain
Plants: grasses, small shrubs, few trees
Animals: kangaroo, zebra, wildebeest, lion

25. Freshwater The freshwater biome is made up of
rivers, streams, creeks, lakes and ponds
Plants include algae,water lilies, cattails and moss.
Animals: plankton, alligators, turtles and beavers.
Sunlight and Temperature varies according to
location. Little to no salt in the water.

26. Salt Water (Marine) Intertidal zone Ocean (Light & Dark zones),
Plants include coral reef, seaweed, algae, and sea grasses.
Animals include starfish, crab, sharks, whales,
fish, and sea otters
Water with a high concentration of salt.
Amount of sunlight and temperature varies according
to location.
Intertidal zone

27. Estuary
Transitional zone between freshwater (river) and saltwater (ocean)

28. Native Species
A species is specific group of plant or animal that can reproduce similar offspring.
Native Species are plants and animals that naturally lives in a particular area.
Invasive Species – (nonnative) introduced into an environment by people (alien)

29. Invasive Species
Invasive Species – These species are introduced into an environment by people
AKA – nonnative, nonindigenous, alien, exotic
No natural predators, so it often grows/spreads/reproduces quickly
When an invasive species takes over, native species die.
Examples: Zebra Mussels, Pest, Weeds

30. Ecological Succession

31. Ecological Succession
gradual replacement of populations in an area (how barren land changes into a forest if left alone)

32. Climax Communities Stable stage of ecological succession Equilibrium
Forest
Trees
Large animals

33. Primary Succession
Begins in a place without any soil. (After a volcanic eruption, or a glacier receding)
Pioneer Species (arrive first) – living things that do not need soil to survive, they can survive in extreme conditions and start the soil-building process. Examples - Lichens and Moss.

34. Primary Succession takes up to 1,000 years to reach a climax community
Trees &
Larger
Animals
Small
animals
Grass &
Shrubs
Barren
Land
Soil
Building
Process

35. Secondary Succession
Begins in a place that already has SOIL and was once the home of living organisms
Normally occurs after a wildfire, flood, deforestation, or construction.
Pioneer species are grasses and small shrubs.

36. Secondary Succession may take a century (100 years) to reach climax
Community
Trees &
Larger
Animals
Small
animals
Grass &
Shrubs
Barren
Land

37. Stages of Succession
Stability
Death
Maturity
Growth
Birth