Transcript Presentation

Chapter 6
Biomes
Bellringer
Chapter 6; Section 1 Objectives
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Describe how plants determine the
name of a biome.
Explain how temperature and
precipitation determine which plants
grow in an area.
Explain how latitude and altitude
affect which plants grow in an area.
I. What is a Biome?
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Earth is covered by many types of
ecosystems – ecologists group them
into larger areas called Biomes.
Biome – a large region characterized
by a specific type of climate and
certain types of plants and animal
communities
• -each biome is made up of many
individual ecosystems
A. Biomes and Vegetation
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Biomes are described by their
vegetation because plants that grow
in an area determine the other
organisms that can live there
Plants have particular characteristics
or specialized structures called
adaptations that allow the plants to
survive in that biome
• -these adaptations include size, shape,
color
Plants help define biomes
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-Plants in the tundra are short
because they can’t obtain enough
water to grow larger, and they have
a short summer growing season
-Desert plants do not have leaves,
instead they have specialized
structures to conserve and retain
water
B. Biomes and Climate
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Biomes are determined by plant life,
but the climate determines the
plants
Climate – the weather conditions
such as temperature, precipitation,
humidity, and winds in an area over
a long period of time
World Terrestrial Biomes
Biomes and Climate
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-Temperature and Precipitation are
important factors that determine a
region’s climate
Most organisms are adapted to live
within a particular range of
temperatures and will not survive at
temperatures too far above or below
their range
Precipitation limits organisms that
are found in a biome
Temperature and Precipitation
Climate
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-all organisms need water and the larger
the organism, the more water it needs
-biomes with little rainfall cannot support
large tree communities
The higher the temperature and
precipitation, the taller and denser the
vegetation is
Climate varies with latitude and altitude
Latitude and Altitude
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Latitude – the distance north or south of
the equator – measured in degrees
Altitude – the height of an object above
sea level
Climate gets colder as latitude and altitude
increase
Between 30-60deg north latitude and 3060 deg south latitude is where most of the
food in the world is grown.
Latitude and Altitude
Now, can you:
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Describe how plants determine the
name of a biome.
Explain how temperature and
precipitation determine which plants
grow in an area.
Explain how latitude and altitude
affect which plants grow in an area.
Bellringer
Forest Biomes
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What is a characteristic of a tropical
rain forest?
A plant or animal found there?
An adaptation of that plant or
animal?
What is a characteristic of temperate
deciduous forest?
A plant or animal and its adaptation?
Chapter 6; Section 2 Objectives
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List three characteristics of tropical
rain forests.
Describe both a forest plant and
animal and its specific adaptation
Synthesize how present day forest
organisms may have adapted and
undergone natural selection and
evolution in order to survive
Recommend actions to minimize
affectation of human activity on
forest biomes.
The Titan Arum
(Corpse) Flower
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The largest,
smelliest flower
in the world
originates in
the tropical rain
forest.
Why might it
have adapted
to stink?
II. Forest Biomes
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A. Tropical Rain Forests
The forest biomes are the most
widespread and the most diverse
Tropical Rain Forests are located
in a belt around the earth near the
equator
-help regulate the world climate and
play important roles in the nitrogen,
oxygen, and carbon cycles
Tropical Rain Forests
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always humid and warm and get
200-450cm (15 ft) of rain a year
-get strong sunlight year round, and
maintain a relatively constant
temperature
-climate is ideal for a wide variety of
plants and animals
-have more species of plants than
any other biome
Tropical Rain Forests
Tropical Rain Forests
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The soil of the tropical rain forest is
nutrient-poor, most nutrients are
located within the plants themselves
rapid decay of plants and animals
with the help of decomposers returns
nutrients to the soil, but there are so
many plants, those nutrients are
rapidly absorbed from the soil
Soil In The Tropical Rain Forest
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-nutrients are removed from soil so
efficiently that runoff from rain forests is
often as pure as distilled water
-when tropical forests are cleared for
crops, the lack of nutrients will support
crop for only a few seasons
-many trees form above-ground roots
called buttresses or braces that grow
sideways from the trees to help provide
extra support to the tree in the thin soil
4 Main Layers of the Rain Forest
Plants grow in different layers in
the tropical rain forest
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Emergent layer – the top layer
consisting of the tallest trees
-these trees emerge out of the
canopy into direct sunlight
-animals such as eagles, bats,
monkeys, and snakes live here
Layers
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Canopy – the primary layer – the
tall trees form a dense layer that
absorbs 95% of the sunlight
-can be split into an upper canopy
and a lower canopy
-the lower canopy receives even
less sunlight than the upper canopy
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-plants like epiphytes – use
the entire surface of a tree as a
place to live – they grow on tall
trees for support and grow
high in the canopy where their
leaves can reach the sunlight
-they also absorb the water and
nutrients that run down the
tree after it rains
-ex. Orchids 
-most animals live in the
canopy because of the
abundance of flowers and fruits
• Here are some tropical rainforest
fruits
Kiwi – New Zealand epiphyte
Mango - Philippines – wet
Starfruit - Sri Lanka evergreen understory tree
Layers
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-Understory – receives very little
sunlight and so trees and shrubs
adapted to shade grow here
-most plants do not grow more
than 3.5m tall
-have large, flat leaves to capture
the small amount of sunlight
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Biome with the greatest amount of species
diversity
-most animals are specialists that use
specific resources in particular ways to
avoid competition with other animals
-they have amazing adaptations for
capturing prey or to escape predators
Tropical forests once covered about 20%
of Earth’s surface
-today they only cover about 7%
Human’s Affect the Tropical Rain
Forest
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every minute of every day 100 acres
of tropical forest is cleared for
logging operations, agriculture, or oil
exploration
-habitat destruction occurs when
land inhabited by an organism
depends on is destroyed, the
organism is at risk for disappearing
Important to our future?
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about 50 million native peoples live in tropical
rain forest and they are also threatened by
habitat destruction
-plants and animals are also threatened by
trading – plant species found only in tropical
forests are valuable and marketable to
industries
-animals are threatened by exotic-pet trading
B. Temperate Forests
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Temperate rain forests – occur in
North America, Australia, and New
Zealand
-have large amounts of precipitation,
high humidity, and moderate
temperatures
Temperate Forests
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-Pacific Northwest is North America’s
only temperate rain forests – it has
moderate temperatures because of
the nearby Pacific waters keep
temperatures mild and the Olympic
mountains supply large amounts of
rainfall
Temperate Deciduous Forests
Monkey On My Back
I will tape a card depicting a forest animal or
plant on your back.
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Do not look at the card or ask anyone what it is.
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You must CALMLY ask yes or no questions to
your friends to figure out 5 facts about your
organism.
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1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
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Kingdom: Anamalia, Plantae, Protista, Fungi…
Specific Adaptation(s): large eyes, camouflage…
Its NICHE (job) in the forest ecosystem
If it is a producer of consumer
It’s forest Biome: Tropical Rainforest, Temperate
Deciduous or both!
Write your answers on your dry erase card and
bring them to me when you’ve finished. The 1st
5 correct cards get a prize.
Did you learn it?
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List three characteristics of tropical
rain forests.
Describe both a forest plant and
animal and its specific adaptation
Synthesize how present day forest
organisms may have adapted and
undergone natural selection and
evolution in order to survive
Recommend actions to minimize
affectation of human activity on
forest biomes.
C. Temperate Deciduous Forests
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Temperature deciduous forests –
trees drop their leaves each fall
-once dominated vast regions
including parts of North America,
Europe, and Asia
-located between 30-50 deg north
latitude
Temperature deciduous forests
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range of temperatures can be extreme,
and the growing season lasts only 4-6
months
-temperatures vary due to a change in
seasons
-receive 75-125cm (4 ft) of precipitation
annually
-the rain and snow help decompose dead
organic matter such as fallen leaves which
contributes to the rich, deep soils
Temperature deciduous forests
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Plants of the deciduous forests grow in
layers too
-tall trees such as maple, oak, and birch
dominate the forest canopy
-small trees and shrubs cover the
understory
-the forest floor gets more light than in a
tropical forest, so the forest floor is
covered with more plants like ferns, herbs,
and mosses
Plants
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temperate deciduous forest plants
are adapted to survive seasonal
changes
-in the fall trees shed their leaves
-seeds, bulbs, etc. become
dormant in the winter
in the spring, as temperatures rise,
trees grow new leaves, seeds
germinate, etc
Animals
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animals of the deciduous forest are
adapted to use the forest plants for
food and shelter
-squirrels eat the nuts and seeds
and fruits in the treetops
-bears feast on the leaves and
berries of the forest plants
Animals
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many birds are migratory
because they cannot survive
the harsh winters, so they
fly south for the winter
-animals that do not
migrate reduce their activity
in the winter so they don’t
need as much food for
energy, like how bears
hibernate
D. Taiga
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Taiga – northern coniferous forest
that stretches in a broad band across
the Northern Hemisphere just below
the Arctic Circle
-Winters are long – 6-10 months and
have average temperatures below
freezing
-The forest floor is dark and often
has little vegetation
Plants of the Taiga
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-Trees seem like straight dead
shafts of bark and wood until
you look up and see their
green tops
-Growing season may be as
short as 50 days
-plant growth is abundant
during the summer months
because of nearly constant
daylight and larger amounts of
precipitation
Plants of the Taiga
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-conifer – a tree that has seeds that
develop in cones
-most confers don’t shed their needleshaped leaves which help them survive
harsh winters
-their narrow shape and waxy-coating
help retain water for when the moisture in
the ground is frozen
-the tree’s pointed shape helps it shed
snow to the ground so the tree does not
become weighed down
Conifers
Plants of the Taiga
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Conifer needles make the soil acidic
when they are shed and many plants
can’t grow in acidic soil which is one
reason the forest floor of the taiga
has few plants
Soil forms slowly in the taiga
because the climate and acidity
slows decomposition
Taiga
Animals of the Taiga
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The taiga has many lakes
and swamps that in the
summer attract birds that
feed on insects.
To avoid the harsh winters,
birds migrate, while some
year round residents, such
as shrews, burrow
underground for better
insulation.
Taiga
Flycatcher
Animals of the Taiga
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Other animals, such as
snowshoe hares, have
adapted to avoid
predation by shedding
their brown summer fur
and growing white fur
that camouflages them
in the winter snow.
Bellringer
List (1) on your card & Keep to
yourself till I tell you!
Objectives
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Describe the difference between
tropical and temperate grasslands.
Describe the climate in a chaparral
biome.
Describe two desert animals and
the adaptations that help them
survive.
Describe one threat to the tundra
biome.
III. Grassland, Desert, and
Tundra Biomes
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In climates that have less rainfall,
forests biomes are replaced by
savanna, grassland, and chapparal
biomes.
As less rain falls, these biomes
change to desert and tundra biomes.
As precipitation decreases in an area,
so does the diversity of the species
that live there
Grassland, Desert, and Tundra
Biomes
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-while the number of species is often
smaller, the number of individuals of
each species present may be very
large
A. Savannas
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Savannas – located in tropical and
subtropical areas near the equator
and between tropical rain forest and
desert biomes
-parts of Africa, western India,
northern Australia, and some parts of
South America
-full of grasses, scattered trees, and
shrubs
Savannas
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-contain large varieties of grazing animals
and the predators that hunt them
-receive little precipitation throughout the
year with a wet season and a dry season
-many animals are only active during
the wet season
-grass fires sweep across the savanna
during the dry season and help restore
nutrients to the soil
Savannas
Plants of the savanna
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-plants must be able to survive long
periods without water – some trees
and grasses have large horizontal
root system by which they obtain
water during the dry season
-root systems enable plants to grow
quickly after a fire
Plants of the savanna
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-grasses have vertical leaves that
expose less of their surface area to
the hot sun to further conserve water
-some trees lose their leaves during
the dry season to conserve water
-trees and shrubs have thorns or
sharp leaves that keep hungry
herbivores away
Animals of the savanna
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-grazing herbivores adopt a
migratory way of life – they follow
the rains to areas of newly sprouted
grass
and watering holes – ex.
Elephants
Animals of the savanna
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predators follow and stalk the migratory
animals
-savanna animals give birth only during
the rainy season when food is most
abundant so the young are more likely to
survive
-competition is reduced because
herbivores graze plants at different
heights
-small gazelles graze on grasses, black
rhinos on shrubs, and giraffes on tree
leaves
B. Temperate Grasslands
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Temperate grasslands – a biome
dominated by grasses with very few
trees
-hot summers and cold winters
-moderate amount of rain compared
to forests – 50-88cm (2ft) per year
Temperate Grasslands
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they have the most fertile soil of any
biome –so many of these biomes have
been replaced with crops
-few natural grasslands remain
because they are replaced with farms and
grazing areas
-located on the interiors of continents
where too little rain falls for trees to grow
Temperate Grasslands
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include the prairies of North America,
steppes of Russia, and the pampas of
South America
-mountains play a crucial role in
maintaining grasslands because they
block rain clouds
-the dry climate makes the
grasslands susceptible to fires which
are common
Plants in the temperate grasslands
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prairie grasses and wildflower are
perennials – that survive year to
year
-root systems of prairie grasses
form dense layers that survive
drought and fire as well as hold the
soil in place
Animals of the temperate
grasslands
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-grazing animals such as antelope
and bison have large, flat back teeth
for chewing the coarse prairie grass
-other animals include badgers,
prairie dogs, and owls
-live in protected underground
burrows which shield them from fire
and weather and protect them from
predators
Threats to temperate grasslands
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-farming and overgrazing have
changed the grasslands
-grain crops cannot hold the soil in
place as well as native grasses and
so soil erosion eventually occurs
Threats to temperate grasslands
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-erosion is also caused by
overgrazing – when grasses are
constantly eaten an trampled the
grasses cannot regenerate or hold
the soil
-this constant use can change fruitful
grasslands into less productive
desert-like biomes
C. Chaparral
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Chaparral – a temperate woodland
biome that is dominated by broadleafed evergreen shrubs
-have fairly dry climates but receive
enough rainfall to support more
plants than a desert
Chaparral
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located in the middle latitudes about
30deg north and south of the
equator
-in primarily coastal areas that have
Mediterranean climates – warm, dry
summers and mild, wet winters
Plants of the Chaparral
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-most chapparal plants are low-lying,
evergreen shrubs and small trees
that grow in dense patches
-chamise, Manzanita, scrub oak,
olive trees and herbs such as sage
and bay
Plants of the Chaparral
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-have small, leathery leaves that retain
water
-leaves contain oils that promote burning
which is an advantage because natural
fires destroy trees that
might compete with chapparal
plants for light and space
-so well-adapted to fire that they can
resprout from small bits of surviving tissue
Animals of the chapparal
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-a common adaptation is
camouflage, shape or coloring that
allows the animal to blend into its
environment
-quail, lizards, chipmunks, and mule
deer
Threats to the chapparal
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-human development is greatest
threat
-because the get a lot of sun, are
near oceans, and have a mild climate
year-round, humans tend to develop
land for commercial and
residential use
D. Deserts
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Deserts – areas that receive less
than 25cm (less than 1ft) of
precipitation a year and have little or
no vegetation
-have extreme temperatures
Deserts
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-hot deserts like Arizona’s Sonoran
Desert or Africa’s Sahara are closer
to the equator than cold
deserts like the Gobi Desert in China
and Great Basin of the western US
-deserts are often located in areas
near mountains because mountains
can block the passage of moisture
filled clouds
Plants of the desert
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-all have adaptations for obtaining
and conserving water
Plants of the desert
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-succulents – such as cactuses –
have thick, fleshy stems and leaves
that store water
-leaves have waxy coating to
prevent water loss
-sharp spines to keep thirsty
animals from devouring the plant’s
juicy flesh
-roots that spread out just under
the surface of the soil to absorb as
much rain as possible
Plants of the desert
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-some plants drop seeds that stay
dormant in the soil until the next
rainfall, the now plants quickly
germinate, grow, and bloom before
the soil becomes dry again
Animals of the desert
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-reptiles like Gila monsters and
rattlesnakes have thick, scaly skin
that prevents water loss
-amphibians, like the spadefoot toad
survive the summers by estivating
–burying themselves in the ground
sleeping though the dry season
Animals of the desert
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some animals like the elf owl nest in
cactuses to avoid predators
-desert insects and spiders are
covered with body armor that helps
retain water
-most desert animals are nocturnal
E. Tundra
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Tundra – biome that is dominated
by grasses, lichens, and herbs
located primarily north of the Arctic
Circle
-summers are short so only the top
few centimeters of soil thaw
Tundra
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-underneath the topsoil is a layer of
soil called permafrost –
permanently frozen soil
-the tundra becomes dotted with
bogs and swamps when the top layer
thaws
-in the summer these areas are
ideal breeding grounds for huge
number of insects and birds
Vegetation of the tundra
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-mosses and lichens which can grow
without soil can cover vast areas of
rocks in the tundra
-soil is thin so plants have wide
shallow roots to help anchor them in
the icy winds
-flowering plants like campion and
gentian are short – growing close to
the ground keeps the plants out of
Vegetation of the tundra
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the wind and absorb heat from the
sunlit soil
woody plants and perennials such as
willow and juniper have evolved
dwarf forms and grow flat or along
the ground
Animals of the tundra
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-millions of migratory birds fly to the
tundra to breed in the summer
-food is abundant in the form of
plants, mollusks, worms, and
especially insects
-caribou migrate throughout the
tundra in search of food and water
Animals of the tundra
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-hunters like wolves roam the tundra
and prey on caribou, deer, moose,
and smaller animals like lemmings,
mice and rabbits
-rodents burrow underground during
the winter, many lose their brown fur
for white, and are extremely well
insulated
Threats to the tundra
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-one of the most fragile biomes on
the planet
-food chains are simple and so they
are easily disrupted
-because conditions are extreme, the
land is easily damaged and slow to
recover
Threats to the tundra
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-until recently, these areas were
undisturbed by humans, but oil has
been located in some tundra regions
-oil exploration, extraction, and
transport has disrupted the habitats
of the plants and animals
-pollution caused by spills or leaks
and other toxic materials may also
poison the food and water sources
Graphic Organizer