HONORS BIOLOGY Chapters 3-5

1. HONORS BIOLOGY Chapters 3-5 Emphasis on Chapter (3) Followed by Chapter (5) Min…Information – Chapter (4)

2. Communities and BiomesChapter 3 • Limiting factors: Conditions that restrict the existence, population size, reproductive success, or distribution of organisms. Ex. Food availability, predators, and temperature. • Limits of tolerance: The range of factors under which an organism functions and survives. • Tolerance: the ability of an organism to withstand changes in abiotic and biotic factors • Optimum: The greatest numbers of organisms are found within the “optimum” range of environmental conditions for a particular population. • Optimal Conditions: any condition that falls midway between an organism’s limits of tolerance

3. SuccessionThe replacement of one community by another as environmental conditions change, Two types of succession: • Primary:The colonization of new sites by communities of organisms. • Secondary: Sequence of changes that takes place AFTER a community is disrupted by natural disasters or human actions.

4. Primary Succession • Colonization of new sites • The first organisms to appear in an area undergoing succession are known as “pioneerspecies” ex.“lichen” • Climax community: Stable, mature community or ecosystem that undergoes little or no succession. It is a stable result of succession. • Climax Communities are characterized by complex food webs, many different species of organisms, and little or no succession

5. Secondary Succession • Possible causes: Fires, natural disasters, and human intervention • 2ndary succession occurs in areas where life had been previously contained. • Ex. An uncut lawn becomes a meadow and eventually a forest. • Ex. Yellowstone National Park has forest fires.

6. BiomesA large group of ecosystems characterized by the same type of climax community Two major types Terrestrial (land) and Aquatic (water)

7. Biomes • Do the foldable found on page 70 • Do a second foldable ( like pg 70) only this one should contain their precipitation and temperature graphs. • Complete pg 89 (Standardized Test Practice) Part 1 and question 21 from part 2

8. Aquatic: Water biomes a. Marine: salt water (ocean) 1. Photic :Shallow water, The region of the ocean shallow enough for sunlight to penetrate zone. 2. Plankton: Microscopic organisms that float in the sunlit regions of the ocean. High productivity 3. Aphotic:deep water, A region of marine water that never receives sunlight.

9. Estuary: A body of water near the coast that is partly surrounded by land and contains both fresh and salt water. Saltmarsh ecosystems are usually associated with estuaries. Intertidal:The portion of the shoreline that is affected by the changing tides. Size depend on the slope of the land and the height of the tide,

10. b. Freshwater:rivers, streams, and ponds and most lakes. Concentric bands of different plant species • Abiotic limiting factors - watertemperature and light

11. Terrestrial BiomesTemperature and Precipitation • Terrestrial (land) • Two major abiotic factors: Temperature and Precipitation • Closer to the equator: more rain and warm temp. 6 major Terrestrial Biomes

12. Tundra • Tundra: • One of the two biomes that circle the pole. • One of two biomes that has a thin layer of nutrient-poor topsoil and can support only shallow-root plants. • Temperature: Major limiting factor of the tundra • Treeless, long summer days, short period of winter. • Characterized by the “permafrost” – a layer of soil that remains frozen throughout the year • Mosquitoes are the most common animal

13. Taiga • Taiga biome (Northern Coniferous Forest) • Great northern coniferous forest are part of the Taiga • Abundance of trees. Fir, spruce, hemlock • Usually no permafrost • Absence of permafrost and the presence of coniferous trees as the climax dominant plants are the major characterizations of the Taiga • Encircles the north pole • Canada and most of northern Europe • Warmer and wetter than the tundra

14. Desert • Desert: • Arid (dry) region characterized by little or no plant life. • Driest biome on Earth • Atacama Desert in Chile, is the world’s driest place. • Plants have developed special adaptations. Such as “ Cacti” which are succulent plants with thorns. • Plants grow to maturity quickly • Less rainfall supports scattered plant life and large areas of bare ground.

15. Grassland • Grassland: (Prairies) • Bread basket of the world • Herd animals / grazing animals • Large communities covered by grasses and small plants. • Very few Trees • Occupies more area than any other terrestrial biome • Higher biological diversity than deserts.

16. Temperate Forest • Temperate Forest • Dominated by deciduous trees

17. Tropical Rain Forest • Tropical Rain Forest • Most rainfall • Decomposition occurs too quickly for humus to form. • Home to more species of organisms than any other place on Earth. Have more biodiversity than any other terrestrial biome. • Ex. National park in Costa Rica has more species of butterflies than all of North America • Warm temperature, Wet weather, Lush plant growth • Richest ecosystem

18. Chapter 4 &5Population Bio. Biological Diversity and Conservation • Chapter 4: • Carrying Capacity: The number of organisms of one species that an environment can support. • Instead of growing explosively, population growth tends to level off because the population reaches the “carrying capacity” of a particular environment

19. Chapter 5 • Biological Diversity: Variety of life in an area. • The amount of biologival diversity in an area is called “biodiversity” • The number of species in an area is a measure of “biodiversity” • Mexico has more biodiversity than the U.S. because it is “warmer" or closer to the equator • Major threat ( biggest) to biodiversity : “Habitat Loss”

20. Biodiversity Cont. • 6 % of the world’s land is designated as a natural park or protected area for wild life. • “Canada” has the fewest species of mammals on Earth • A conservation biologist’s main concern is protecting “biodiversity”. • “Conservation biologist” work with local people to find ways to protect wildlife • “Conservation biology” is a branch of biology that focuses on the preservation of biodiversity

21. Biodiversity Threats • “Habitat loss”: total removal of a habitat The number one major threat to biodiversity. • “Habitat degradation” Damage by pollution (water/air) Pesticide “DDT” damaged the eggs of the American Bald Eagle and the Brown Pelican, The use of CFC’s can destroy the “ozone” layer of the upper atmosphere. • “Habitat fragmentation” Separations of habitats When roads cut across natural areas Human development often creates small isolated patches of wildlife areas.

22. Biodiversity Threats cont. • “Exotic species" introduction of a non native species A species that is brought to a place where it never lived is considered an “Exotic” species. (no natural predator) May eventually crowd out the native species and take over the niches and eventually replace the native species. Ex. “Kudzu”, zebra mussels in the Great Lakes, brown tree snake in Guam All examples of problems caused by “exotic” species.

23. Conservation of Biodiversity • “Conservation Biologist”: work with local people to find ways to protect wildlife habitats. • Main concern is to protect “biodiversity” • Main concern of conservation biology is to “protect species from extinction” • “Reintroduction” programs seek to establish species in areas where they once lived.

24. General Information • “Passenger pigeon” is an extinct species • General sequence is as follows: • Threatened – Endangered – Extinct • Animal least affected by habitat fragmentation would be one that could fly. ex. Hawk • Reintroduction programs involve the capture of endangered species. • Acid precipitation is caused by the burning of fossil fuels.