Biomes of Planet Earth

1. Biomes of Planet Earth

2. An ecosystem is all the living and nonliving factors that affect an organism. (abiotic and biotic) • A biome is a major region that is characterized by its climate,soil type(s), and the dominant plants, animals, and other organisms that live there. A biome is made up of many individual ecosystems.

3. Ecotone • Boundary between two biomes

4. Alike but Different The species that live In each biome are different, but may look and act similar to species in other biomes. Because of similar niches in each biome. Kaibab Squirrel (north rim) Abert’s Squirrel (south rim)

5. Climate • Climate defines the boundaries of terrestrial biomes

6. Types of Biomes • Tundra • Desert • Grassland • Taiga • Temperate forest • Tropical rainforest • Polar ice • Freshwater • Marine

8. Is the temperature of each Biome: Hot, moderate, or cold? • Mountains - • Tundra - • Desert - • Chaparral - • Temperate Grassland - • Tropical savanna - • Taiga - • Temperate forest - • Tropical rainforest - • Polar ice -

9. Is the temperature of each Biome: Hot, moderate, or cold? • Mountains - Moderate • Tundra - Cold • Desert - Hot • Chaparral - Moderate • Temperate Grassland - Moderate • Tropical savanna - Hot • Taiga - Cold • Temperate forest - Moderate • Tropical rainforest - Hot • Polar ice - Cold

10. Latitude and Altitude Affect the Climate • Gets colder the higher up you go (altitude) • Gets colder the farther north/south of the equator you go (latitude) • Most of food on Earth is grown between 30-60 degrees north and south of the equator • -- Do we live in this latitude??--

11. Climatograms • A climatogram is a graph that shows average monthly values for two factors: temperature and precipitation. • Temperature is expressed in degrees Celsius and is plotted as a smooth curve. • Precipitation values are given in centimeters and are plotted as a histogram.

12. Population • All members of a species living in the same place at the same time. • Populations are described in terms of size, density (# of individuals/unit area or vol), or dispersion (relative distribution of its individuals within a given amount of space).

13. Growth Rate • Change in population size = births - deaths Also calculated as: change in population time

14. What Limits Population Growth? • Carrying Capacity • Resource Limits—consuming a natural resource at the same rate as which the ecosystem produces the resource • Competition within a population—social dominance, territory, mates, food, homes for their families

15. Population Growth Steady State Carrying Capacity Exponential Phase Lag Phase

16. Two Types--Population Regulation • Density Dependent—cause of death is rapidly increased due to limited resources, predation and disease resulting in densely populated groups. • Density Independent—a certain proportion of the population dies regardless of its density (weather, natural disasters)

17. Niche (pattern of use of its habitat) • Includes: • a species’ physical home • the environment factors necessary for the species to survive • All of the species’ interactions with other organisms.

18. Types of Interactions • Competition—organisms attempt to use the same limited resource. • Predation—organism that feeds on another • Parasitism—organism that lives in or on another • Mutualism—two species provides a benefit to the other • Commensalism—one species benefits but other is not harmed or helped by it

19. Relationships • Symbiosis—two organisms live in close association If carried on long enough the two species can co-evolve—flowers matching the feeding habits of insects and birds.

20. Desert Ecosystems Location: Depending on type of desert, you will find them in various locations.

21. DesertAbiotic factors • <10 in/yr of rain • Little to no topsoil due to high winds. • Minerals not deep in soil. • Too dry for decay http://www.cotf.edu/ete/modules/msese/earthsysflr/taiga.html While there are many types of deserts, they all share one characteristic: They are the driest places on Earth!

22. Joshua Treehttp://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/desert_plant_page.htm Barrel Cactus Desert Plant Adaptations: • Spines • Succulents • Thick, waxy cuticle • Shallow, broad roots Ocotollio

23. Bob Cat Desert Animal Adaptations: • Get water from food • Thick outer coat • Burrow during day • Large ears • Smaller animals = less surface area http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/desert_animal_page.htm Armadillo Lizard Javelina

24. http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/world_biomes.htm Threats to the Desert Residential development Off road recreational activities destroy habitat for plants and animals. Some plants are removed by collectors, endangering the population. Dry Desert Sonoran Desert

25. Tundra http://www.runet.edu/~swoodwar/CLASSES/GEOG235/biomes/tundra/tundra.html Location: Found north of the Arctic Circle

26. Tundra Abiotic Factors • <25 in/year • Temp rarely higher than 100C • Permafrost layer • Short growing season http://www.cotf.edu/ete/modules/msese/earthsysflr/taiga.html

27. Reindeer lichen Tundra Plant Adaptations • Growing close to the ground • Having shallow roots to absorb the limited water resources. • Trees grow less than 1 m high! cottongrass

28. Perennials Woody shrubs http://www.runet.edu/~swoodwar/CLASSES/GEOG235/biomes/tundra/tundra.html Heaths Examples of Tundra Plants

29. snowy owl Many visitors, migration Few predators Little Competition Small ears Insulation, thick coat Arctic fox Tundra Animal Adaptations Grizzly Bear

30. Threats to the Tundra One of the most fragile biomes on the planet Tufted Saxifrage Polar Bear Oil drilling is proposed in Alaska and other areas! The tundra is slow to recover from damage.