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Ecosystems

Ecosystems. Types and Human Impacts. Ecosystems. Biomes and their Distribution Biome - a terrestrial region with characteristic types of natural, undisturbed plant communities adapted to the climate of an area. Ecosystems. Biomes and their Distribution

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Ecosystems

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  1. Ecosystems Types and Human Impacts

  2. Ecosystems • Biomes and their Distribution • Biome - a terrestrial region with characteristic types of natural, undisturbed plant communities adapted to the climate of an area

  3. Ecosystems • Biomes and their Distribution • Climate - condition of the atmosphere over a long period of time in a geographic locale

  4. Ecosystems • Biomes and their Distribution • Climatic Factors • Temperature (MAT) • Precipitation (MAP) • The limiting factor in determining the type and distribution of biome(s)

  5. Effects of Earth’s Tilted Axis

  6. Global Air Circulation

  7. Convective Heat Transfer in Atmosphere

  8. Global Air Circulation and Biomes Hadley Cells

  9. Ecosystems • Desert Biomes • Desert - an area where evaporation exceeds precipitation and in which MAP < 10 inches

  10. MAT and MAP in the Desert Biome

  11. Ecosystems • Desert Biomes • Types • Tropical Desert • Southern Sahara • High year-round temperatures • Little variation in MAT and MAP

  12. Ecosystems • Desert Biomes • Types • Temperate Desert • Mojave • High daytime summer temperatures • Cold daytime winter temperatures • Higher MAP than tropical deserts

  13. Ecosystems • Desert Biomes • Types • Polar Desert • Gobi • Cold winters; warm summers • Low MAP

  14. Ecosystems • Desert Biomes • Survival Strategies • Plants • Needle-type leaves with wax coatings (creosote) • Deep tap roots (mesquite) • Fleshy stems and shallow root systems (cacti) • Store biomass in seeds during dry periods

  15. Ecosystems • Desert Biomes • Human Impacts • Livestock overgrazing • Off-road activities • Rapid urban growth • Irrigation - salinization • Groundwater depletion

  16. Ecosystems • Grassland Biomes • Grassland - areas where MAP is sufficient to support grasses and small plants, but not enough to support large stands of trees

  17. MAT and MAP in the Grassland Biome

  18. Ecosystems • Grassland Biomes • Types • Tropical Grasslands • High MAT • Low-moderate MAP • Prolonged dry season

  19. Ecosystems • Grassland Biomes • Types • Tropical Grasslands • Savanna • Deciduous shrubs and small trees • Two prolonged dry spells • Grazers (e.g. Wildebeests) • Browsers (e.g. Giraffes)

  20. Ecosystems • Grassland Biomes • Types • Temperate Grasslands • Cold winters • Hot, dry summers • Drought and fire • Deep, nutrient-rich soils • Thick, intertwined root systems • Agricultural breadbasket

  21. Ecosystems • Grassland Biomes • Types • Temperate Grasslands • North America -tall-grass, short-grass prairies • South America - pampas • Africa- veldt • Europe/Asia - steppe

  22. Ecosystems • Grassland Biomes • Types • Polar Grasslands (Tundra) • Low MAT and MAP • Most precipitation falls as snow • Long, dark winters • Permafrost • Spongy mat of grasses, mosses, shrubs • Most plant growth occurs in 6-8 week summer • Bogs and marshes form when permafrost melts

  23. Ecosystems • Grassland Biomes • Human Impacts • Conversion to agricultural land • Releases CO2 • Soil erosion • Overgrazing and soil compaction • Oil exploration in tundra

  24. Ecosystems • Forest Biomes • Forest - areas where MAP is sufficient to support growth of various species of tress and smaller forms of vegetation

  25. MAT and MAP in the Forest Biome

  26. Ecosystems • Forest Biomes • Types • Tropical Rain Forests • High MAP and MAT • Evergreen broadleafs • Leaves have large surface areas to maximize photosynthesis

  27. Ecosystems • Forest Biomes • Types • Tropical Rain Forests • Soil nutrient level is limiting factor • High biodiversity • Stratification of plant and animal niches to minimize interspecific competition

  28. Ecosystems • Forest Biomes • Types • Temperate Deciduous Forests • Long, warm summers • Cold winters • Abundant precipitation that is evenly distributed • Broadleaf deciduous trees • Oak • Maple • Hickory

  29. Ecosystems • Forest Biomes • Types • Temperate Deciduous Forests • Drop leaves in fall to survive winter temperatures • Thick litter layer on forest floor

  30. Ecosystems • Forest Biomes • Types • Polar Evergreen Coniferous Forests (Taigas) • Long, cold, dry winters • Little sunlight • Short summers

  31. Ecosystems • Forest Biomes • Types • Evergreen Coniferous Forests (Taigas) • Spruce, Pine, Hemlock • Needle-shaped leaves with waxy coatings to withstand intense winter cold and drought • Low plant diversity

  32. Ecosystems • Grassland Biomes • Human Impacts • Clearing for agriculture, urban growth, export logging, grazing • Soil erosion • Plant nutrient depletion • Water pollution • Loss of biodiversity

  33. Ecosystems • Grassland Biomes • Human Impacts • Clearing of temperature deciduous forests for timber, agriculture, urban development • > 99% original stands have been cleared

  34. Ecosystems • Aquatic Ecosystems • Classified based on salinity • Freshwater • Marine

  35. Ecosystems • Aquatic Life Zones • Benefits of living in aquatic environments • Buoyancy provides physical support • Limited temperature fluctuations • Abundant nutrients

  36. Ecosystems • Aquatic Life Zones • Marine Ecosystems • Open Ocean • Coastal Zone

  37. Ecosystems • Aquatic Life Zones • Marine Ecosystems • Open Ocean • Regulates Earth’s climate • Distribution of heat in currents • Evaporation - Hydrologic Cycle • Reservoir for CO2 • Habitat for > 250,000 species of plants and animals

  38. Ecosystems • Aquatic Life Zones • Marine Ecosystems • Coastal Zone • Warm, nutrient-rich waters • Contains > 90% of marine species • High NPP

  39. Ecosystems • Aquatic Life Zones • Marine Ecosystems • Coastal Zone • Estuary - partially-enclosed area where seawater mixes with fresh water (brackish water) • Coastal Wetlands • Habitat for waterfowl • Remove toxic chemicals, sediment, nutrients • Absorb and store floodwaters

  40. Ecosystems • Aquatic Life Zones • Marine Ecosystems • Coastal Zone • Mangrove swamps • Found along warm, tropical coasts • Salt-tolerant mangrove trees • Protect shoreline from erosion

  41. Ecosystems • Aquatic Life Zones • Marine Ecosystems • Coastal Zone • Rocky Shorelines (Pacific Northwest, USA) • Sandy Shorelines (Gulf Coast) • Barrier Islands(Atlantic Coast; Gulf Coast) • Thin offshore islands parallel to shoreline • Protect mainland from erosion • Atlantic City, Miami Beach

  42. Ecosystems • Aquatic Life Zones • Marine Ecosystems • Coastal Zone • Coral Reefs • “Rainforests” of the ocean • Polyps - soft-bodied organisms that secrete a protective shell of calcium carbonate • Mutualistic relationship between photosynthetic algae and polyps

  43. Ecosystems • Aquatic Life Zones • Marine Ecosystems • Human Impacts • Open Ocean • Dumping • Oil drilling

  44. Ecosystems • Aquatic Life Zones • Marine Ecosystems • Human Impacts • Coastal Zones • Development • Dredging and filling of wetlands • Discharge of raw sewage and heavy metals in estuaries

  45. Ecosystems • Aquatic Life Zones • Marine Ecosystems • Human Impacts • Coastal Zones • Cutting of mangroves for timber • Coral reef destruction

  46. Ecosystems • Aquatic Life Zones • Freshwater Ecosystems • Lake - large, natural body of standing fresh water • Origins • Glaciers (Lake Michigan) • Depressions in lithosphere • Volcanic activity (Crater Lake, Oregon) • Dams (every lake in Texas!)

  47. Ecosystems • Aquatic Life Zones • Freshwater Ecosystems • Lakes • Classified based on nutrient content and NPP • Oligotrophic • Eutrophic

  48. Temperate Zone Lakes

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