Chapter 22

1. Chapter 22 Ecosystems & The Biosphere

2. Energy In an Ecosystem- Begins with the sunto trophic levels: 1. Solar Energy to Autotrophs 2. Then to organisms that feed on autotrophs Remember: Food chains & webs -always begin with autotrophs

3. What is a Biome? • Major ecosystems that occur over wide areas of land. • Has specific kinds of plants & animals. • Usually named for dominant plant life.

4. Factors that determine biomes: B. Climate- the average weather in an area over a long period of time • Determine Climate by: • 1. Temperature • 2. Precipitation

5. Questions: for groups of 2 What are the climate factors in our area? What is the predominate type of plant? What is the name of this biome? Describe organism adaptations ( plant and animal) in our ecosystem. Where else in the world would you expect to find similar ecosystems?

6. C. Climatogram • A graph that shows average monthly values for 2 climate factors • Shows both the temperature and precipitation for the year in a given location. • Temperature- • In celsius- on the right side- • Make a LINE GRAPH • Precipitation- • In cm- on left side • Make a HISTOGRAM (type of bar graph = bars connect)

8. Making a climatogram:

10. 8 Major Terrestrial Biomes • Tundra • Taiga (Coniferous Forest) • Temperate Deciduous Forest • Tropical Rain Forest • Temperate Grassland • Savanna • Chaparral • Desert

11. What causes the major differences between forest and grassland biomes? AMOUNT OF PRECIPITATION! • Forests: >30 inches of rain per year • Grassland: 10-30 inches of rain per year • Desert: <10 inches of rain per year • Species diversity decreases as the amount of precipitation received decreases. (There are more different kinds of living things in forests where it rains a lot & less different kinds of living things in grasslands where it rains less & least diversity in deserts where there is very little rain.)

12. 1. Tundra • Found in the most northern climates, North of Arctic circle • Biome without trees • Grasses & tough shrubs grow in frozen soil

13. Tundra Climate • 2nd Driest places on earth- northern regions of Alaska, Canada and Russia. • Precipitation: • Very dry, few inches rain per year • Temperature: • Very cold, average -10F

14. Permafrost • Is frozen soil. • During winter, permafrost is the surface of the tundra. –temperatures- 60 degrees F! • In summer, the Sun is out almost 24 hours a day, so the tundra starts to warm up. • The permafrost melts at the surface, and plant life grows. The permafrost only disappears for a few inches below the surface. • There isn't enough soil for trees to grow, so only small plants are found in the tundra.

15. Plant & Animal Adaptations • Tundra is too cold for many animals or plants to survive. Much of the ground frozen year round. • Summer season is short. Reproduction = fast. • Many animals hibernateto survive the cold winter. • Bears, reindeer, moose, and birds and other migratory animals live in the tundra

16. 2. Taiga or Coniferous Forest • Located far from the equator -below arctic circle -Limited to Northern Hemisphere • Coniferous- “cone-bearing”- evergreen trees

17. Climate • Precipitation: • most falls as snow- • 12 to 33 inches a year. • Temperature: very cold winters-20 degrees dropping to -65 degrees Fahrenheit in some areas • Short growing season- 2-5 months • Long dark winters up to 10 months long • Winter Covering of snow protects the trees, from cold & dehydrating winds.

18. Plant adaptations • Cone shaped-tall and narrow, so snow will slide off the branches without breaking them. • Tough green needles last for more than one year. • Needles resist frost and wind damage and conserve water while making food through photosynthesis. • Don’t drop leaves-ready to go to work as soon as the weather is warm enough.

19. Animal Adaptations • Insectsabound in the summer -winter over as eggs or grubs in the trees. • Thick fur on year round residents such as- Moose, Bear, Hare and Wolves. • Camouflage- hares, fox, lynx, wolves • Migration- birds leave when insects become scarce. • Hibernation & Burrowing underground- to escape cold.

20. 3. Temperate Broadleaf Deciduous Forest (TBDF) -Especially in eastern North America-most intact area. -Known for the turning of the colors of its leaves in fall. -Deciduous -means shedding of leaves -30-50 latitudes

21. TBDF Climate: • Precipitation- 20 to 60 inches of is distributed evenly throughout the year. • Temperature- Variations- 95 degrees F in summer to well below freezing in winter. • Seasons.Approximately 6 month growing season. -Non-growing season is due to temperature-induced drought during the cold winters.

22. TBDF -Mostly intact in North America • Almost all are second growth, but they preserve the world's greatest diversity of TBDF flora/fauna. • Especially Appalachian Plateau • In Europe, Most cleared for agriculture, with remnants surviving only in some royal hunting preserves. • In Asia • -China -intensive agriculture cleared this region of natural vegetation for at least 4,000 years. • -Japan has a largely artificial forest, but in the mountains of -Korea the forest is more or less intact and fall foliage is reminiscent of New England's.

23.     T. Sibona. F.A.O 4. The Tropical Rain Forest • Occurs near the equator • No seasons • Tropical day and night are of equal length.

24. Most species of any biome • Everything grows fast, including disease germs & parasites that breed at an alarming rate. • Thin, poor soil conditions- you might think it would be lush- but most of the nutrients are absorbed by roots or washed away by rain

25. Tropical rain forests has several distinct layers of foliage, each with its own vegetation and wildlife. 5. Emergent Layer 4. Upper Canopy 3. Lower Canopy 2. Under Story 1. Rain Forest Floor

26. Tropical Rain Forest used to cover about 20% of Earth’s surface. • Today it is about 6% -more is lost daily. • Thousands of species may be lost. Threats: 1. Logging- for lumber 2. Burning -to clear for farming, residences

27. Why save the rain forest? • Tropical rainforests produce 40% of Earth's oxygen. • About 1/4 of all the medicines we use come from rainforest plants. • Curare comes from a tropical vine, and is used as an anesthetic and to relax muscles during surgery. • Quinine, from the cinchona tree, is used to treat malaria. • A person with lymphocytic leukemia has a 99% chance that the disease will go into remission because of the rosy periwinkle. • More than 1,400 varieties of tropical plants are thought to be potential cures for cancer.

28. 5. Temperate Grasslands(also called prairies, steppes & pampas) • Grassland biomes can be found in the middle latitudes, in the interiors of continents. • Rich fertile soil

29. Temperate Grasslands: North America- Praire • Tall-grass Prairie. Settlers found 12 foot high grass on their journey west when they crossed the Mississippi River • Short Grass Prairie. Near the Rocky Mountains, the grass became shorter. There was less rain in the summer and the winters got colder. South America, -Pampas. Southern hemisphere gets more precipitation than the northern, & grass tends to be the tall-grass variety. Europe-Steppes -Ukraine to Siberia. This is a very cold and dry climate -no nearby ocean to get moisture. Winds from the arctic aren't blocked by any mountains either.

30. 6. Tropical Savannah 3 distinct seasons=Cool-dry, hot-dry, warm-wet -Prevent the establishment of those species of trees associated with the climax community in humid, subtropical climates.

31. Tropical Savannah Climate The average annual precipitation is great enough to support grasses, and in some areas a few trees. The precipitation is so erratic that drought and fire prevent large forests from growing. Precipitation:annual Between 30 and 50 inches. Temperature: Average - 64°F

32. Plant Adaptations *Large underground root systems -Obtain water when it rains, survive dry season -Frequent fires suppress trees, maintain grasses Must regrow quickly from roots after fire * Water conserving coarse grasses have vertical leaves. * Thorns or sharp leaves Shrubs and trees have to protect from herbivores.

33. Animal Adaptations Greatest collection of Grazing animals (over 40 different species) of ungulates (hoofed mammals) • Migratory- follow food Large herbivores (zebras, giraffes) Avoid competition by eating vegetation at only specific level- giraffes, rhinos, gazelles Give birth during rainy season Carnivores- “Lion King” Burrowing animals- “Timon”

34. Threats to Savannahs • Introduction of non-indigenous species • like pigs & water buffalo –tramp down areas near water. Hard hooves cause considerable environmental degradation around wetlands where they congregate to wallow. Their trails become deeply eroded, sometimes allowing saltwater to invade freshwater habitats. Plants have been destroyed, young trees of many species eaten away and waterholes fouled. • Weeds introduced to increase the grazing potential of wetlands.

35. 7. Chaparral • Dominated by dense spiny shrubs & clumps of coniferous trees. • Mild, rainy winters & hot, dry summers • Middle latitudes (about 30 degrees N/S of equator) • Mediterranean Sea & Southern California

36. 8. Desert Biomes • Occur in 2 belts 15-35° N & S latitude • Result primarily from worldwide circulation of air masses (dry over deserts) • ~25% of world’s land mass

37. Plant Adaptations • Water conservation is key • Roots • spread out shallow to absorb rain quickly • May produce toxins against other plants growing nearby • Sore water in underground bulbs • Succulent & Cacti Leaves- • thick, fleshy with waxy coating • Spines, thorns protect • Plants survive dry periods as seeds, but germinate, grow, and reproduce after rainfall

38. Animal Adaptations • Hibernate(cold) –sleep through cold season • Estivate(hot)- bury themselves in ground & sleep through dry season (Dormancy during dry period) • Nocturnal (night) • Kidney adaptations- no need to drink Examples: • spadefoot toad emerges to reproduce in pools formed after rain • Come out only at night - spiders, scorpions, rodents, predators • Kangaroo rate with super kidneys gets all water from seeds

39. II. Aquatic Biomes A. B. Marine Ecosystems 1. Estuaries 2. Coral Reefs 3. Oceans B. Freshwater Ecosystems 1. Lakes & Ponds 2. Wetlands a. Marshes b. Swamps 3. Rivers C. Polar Ecosystems 1. The Arctic 2. The Antarctic

40. Aquatic Ecosystems • How is water distributed on the Earth? • 70% Earth surface is covered by OCEANS • Almost all of the Earth’s surface water is contained in ocean ecosystems

41. Aquatic biomes determined by: 1. Salinity of the water • Freshwater • Marine • Estuary 2. Depth, flow,& temperature of the water • flowing-water ecosystems • standing-water ecosystems.

42. B. Marine Ecosystems 1. Estuaries • Coral Reefs • Oceans

43. Estuaries • Occurs where freshwater rivers & streams empty into the sea. • Bays, Mud flats, Salt Marshes • Plenty of light, minerals for life. • But life must adapt to changes: • Salinity • Temperature • Water levels

44. Coral Reefs • “the bread basket of the sea” • Both estuaries & coral reefs have a lot of biodiversity & biomass • The deep ocean zones have very little life.

45. Oceans • Divde into: • Photic Zone • layer light penetrates, photosynthesis occurs • Phytoplankton. • Aphotic Zone- no sunlight, cold, dark • Also: Intertidal, Neritic, Oceanic zones

46. A. Freshwater Ecosystems 1. Lakes & Ponds 2. Wetlands a. Marshes b. Swamps 3. Rivers

47. Freshwater Ecosystems • Lakes & Ponds Types: • Eutrophic- Rich in organic materials-MURKY • Oligotrophic- Little organic matter- CLEAR • Rivers & Streams Classified by Slope, which determines: - how fast water moves - oxygen content - what organisms can live there

48. Florida Everglades • Until the late 1800s, a vast expanse of interconnected wetlands covered about 8.9 million acres and extended from the lakes and marshes of Orange County to Florida Bay. • 4 million acres called the "River of Grass”.

49. Wastelands? • During late 1880s, began to drain S. Florida. • Draining considered necessary for safety &commerce • Flows to the Everglades have been reduced by 70%!

50. Ecosystem Devastation • Timing of flows and water levels has been disrupted. • Extreme low water levels cause muck fires. • Extreme high water levels cause loss of animal life and flooding of tree islands • About 95% of the wading bird population has been lost - 68 plant & animal species are now threatened or endangered.