Transcript Ecology

Ecology
Biomes
M. Saadatian
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1
Tundra Biome
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There are two different types of Tundra
Biomes:
The Arctic/Polar Tundra: Found
near the north and south polar
regions.
A young biome that was created in
Pleistocene Eocene.
The Alpine Tundra: Found on
mountainsides and high-elevation
plateaus
Both types of tundra are not restricted
to any specific region or zone
In alpine biomes angiosperm plants is
more than other.
Arctic tundra biomes is more wide
than alpine tundra.
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Specific Traits of the Polar Tundra
• Found in the Northern Hemisphere
• Makes up 5.5% of the earth’s total surface
• Lies north of 70 degrees North latitude – some tundra is
found on islands as far north as 55 degrees South
• Is very dry and gets up to 4-20 inches of precipitation each
year, but mostly in the from of snow. Much of it is compared
to a desert because it gets less than 10 inches of rain a year.
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Specific Traits of the Alpine Tundra
• Absolutely no trees can grow here because of the elevation
being so high.
• The growing season is only about 180 days
• Is usually found at an altitude of 10,000 feet or higher.
• Some tundra can even be found near the equator if the
mountains are high enough (kilimanjaro)
• There are only warm blooded animals in the alpine tundra
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Tundra Climate
The Tundra has freezing winter temperatures and
cool, short summers. In terms of precipitation,
drought-like conditions are the usual. There is a
layer of frozen soil called permafrost which is frozen
all year round. Summer temperatures remain below
10 degrees Celsius and in the winter temperatures
can drop below -56 degrees Celsius.
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General Latitude
The tundra stretches between the latitude
known as the tree line, which is the farthest
extent to which trees can grow, and the
latitude where snow and ice cover becomes
permanent, preventing plant growth.
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Flora
The Polar tundra is characterized by low shrubs,
sedges, reindeer mosses, liverworts, grasses,
lichen, arctic willow, and caribou moss.
The Alpine tundra is characterized by tussock
grasses, dwarf trees, small-leafed shrubs, and
heaths.
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Fauna
• The fauna in the Polar Tundra consists of lemmings,
voles, caribou, arctic hares, squirrels, arctic foxes,
wolves, polar bears, ravens, caribou, snow buntings,
falcons, loons, sandpipers, tems, snow birds, and
various species of gulls, mosquitoes, flies, moths,
grasshoppers, black flies, and arctic bumble bees,
cod, flatfish, salmon, and trout.
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Fauna
• The fauna in the Alpine Tundra consists of
pikas, marmots, mountain goats, sheep, elk,
grouse like birds, springtails, beetles,
grasshoppers, and butterflies.
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Main Species
Caribou
Caribou Moss
Lichen
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Main Species
Arctic Hare
Arctic Fox
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Flora Adaptations
• Adapted their life cycles to be completed in a single
summer season.
• Some grow very low to the ground to protect from frost
damage.
• Some grow horizontally and send up many branches to
keep away from drying winds and still absorb as much
sunlight as possible.
• They group together to resist cold temperatures and be
protected form the snow.
• Many of them develop thick, leathery or waxy leaves
that prevent moisture loss.
• Some grow hairs along the stems, leaves, and flowers
to hold heat and protect against the wind.
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Fauna Adaptations
• The most common adaption is a thick layer of fur or
feathers to hold the heat close to their bodies.
• Some of the animals fur turns white during the winter
to hide in the snow and protect them from predators.
• Many large animals have compact body shapes that
help them retain more heat than if their bodies were
long and thin.
• Many animals avoid the cold by migrating and some
animals build up a layer of fat over the summer, which
provide energy and food while also keeping them warm
during the harsh winters.
• Some may burrow into the snow to avoid harsh, frigid
tempertures and winds.
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Map of Tundra Distribution
Arctic/Polar Tundra Map
Alpine Tundra Map
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Food Web
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Taiga Biome
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General Climate
• The taiga is a wet subarctic forest that begins where the Tundra
ends. The taiga climate is dominated by cold arctic air. Because of
earth's tilt, the taiga is turned away from the sun in the winter.
Therefore, less of the sun's radiation reaches the ground to warm
it up.
• Winters are long, cold and dark with lots of snow that lasts for six
to seven months. Summer is a rainy, hot and short season in the
taiga; when the daylight can be up to 20 hours long. Fall is the
shortest season and spring brings flowers, the frozen ponds melt,
and
the animals come out from hibernation.
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General Climate
• The taiga climate has an average annual rainfall of 12 33 inches. The average precipitation for the summer is
between 10-20 inches. The average precipitation for the
winter is between 20-40 inches. The type of
precipitation that falls in the taiga climate are rain in
summer and
mostly snow in winter.
• Winter's LOW is -65°F.
Winter's HIGH is 30° F.
Summer's LOW is 30° F.
Summer's HIGH is 70° F.
• The latitude range is between 50°-60° North latitude.
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Flora
• There are two major types of taiga, closed forest,
consisting of many closely-spaced trees with mossy
ground cover, and lichen woodland, with trees that are
farther-spaced and lichen ground cover.
• The forests of the taiga are coniferous, dominated by
larch, spruce, fir, and pine. Evergreen species in the taiga
(spruce, fir, and pine) have a number of adaptations
specifically for survival in harsh taiga winters, though
larch, the most cold-tolerant of all trees, is deciduous.
Jack Pine have cones which only open to release their
seed after a fire, dispersing their seeds onto the newly
cleared ground.
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Fauna
• Some types of adaptations in the animals are
migration, heavier coats of fur, and some
change color, such as the snow-shoe rabbit.
Mice and moles live in tunnels under the snow.
Some animals that live in the taiga are bears,
badger, beavers, reindeer, foxes, wolverine and
squirrels. Many birds migrate to the taiga during
the spring because there are so many insects to
feed on after the snow melts.
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Where’s the Taiga Biome
located?
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Plants in the Taiga
• White Poplar
• Eastern Red Cedar
• Jack Pine
• White Spruce
• Black Spruce
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Animals in the Taiga
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Snowshoe Hare
River Otter
Gray Wolf
Bald Eagle
Red-Tailed Hawk
Great Gray Owl
Lake Whitefish
Northern Pike
Lake Trout
Round Whitefish
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Adaptations
Animal adaptations:
• Most animals migrate to warmer climates once the cold weather
climates set in.
• Some animals have adapted by hibernating when temperatures
drop.
• Other animals have adapted by producing a layer of insulating
feathers or fur to protect them from the cold.
Plant Adaptations:
• Evergreens use a wide variety of physical adaptations. Some of
these adaptations include their shape, leaf type, root system, and
color.
• Lichens and mosses, but most plants are coniferous trees like
Pine, White Spruce, Hemlock, and Douglas fir.
• There are not a lot of species of plants in the taiga because of the
harsh conditions.
• Cell content sugar is high to protect plants against freezing.
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Dominant Animals
• Lynx---Colored Fox---Great Grey Owl---Red-Tailed Hawk---Least
Weasel.
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100
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Avg. High (°F)
60
Avg. Low (°F)
40
Mean (°F)
20
Avg. Precip. (in.)
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Precipitation (in.)
Climatogram- Anderson Lake, Cook Inlet, Alaska
Months
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