Transcript Ecology and The Biosphere

Ecology
and The
Biosphere
Abiotic vs. Biotic
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Abiotic
(nonliving)
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temperature
light
water
nutrients
wind
disturbance
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Biotic (living)
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other individuals
of the same
species
individuals of
different species
(predators, prey,
parasites)
Biogeographic Realms
Climate
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The prevailing weather conditions
at a location which includes:
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temperature
water
light
wind
Global Climate Patterns
Solar Radiation and Latitude
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At Equinox
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sunlight hits equator directly
low angle of light as you move
toward poles
Solar Radiation and Latitude
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At Solstice
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June (Northern Hemisphere tilts
toward sun)
December (Northern Hemisphere
tilts away from sun)
Global Climate Patterns
Global Climate
Patterns
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solar radiation at
equator
air circulation
 tropics
 global
 wind patterns
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Local Effects on Climate
Local and Seasonal
Effects on Climate
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Mountains (Rain shadow)
Bodies of Water
Ocean Currents
Aquatic Biomes
Vertical Stratification Of Aquatic
Biomes
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Photic Zone
Aphotic Zone
Benthic Zone
Vertical Stratification Of Aquatic
Biomes
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Thermocline
Freshwater
Biomes
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Eutrophic lakes
Oligotrophic lakes
Mesotrophic lakes
Freshwater Biomes
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Rivers and streams
Freshwater
Biomes
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Wetlands
Estuary
Marine Biomes
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Intertidal
zones
Marine Biomes
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Coral reefs
Marine Biomes
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Oceanic
pelagic
Marine Biomes
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Benthos
Terrestrial Biomes
Terrestrial Biomes
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Tropical Forests
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Thorn
Deciduous
Rain forests
Savannas
Grasslands
Deserts
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Chaparral
Coastal Sage
Scrub
Temperate
Deciduous Forests
Taiga
Tundra
Tropical Rain Forest
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The tropical rain forest is a forest of
tall trees
An average of 50 to 260 inches (125
to 660 cm.) of rain falls yearly.
The temperature in a rain forest
rarely gets higher than 93 °F (34
°C) or drops below 68 °F (20 °C);
Tropical Rain Forest
Tropical Rain Forest
Tropical Rain Forest
Savannahs
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A savanna is a rolling grassland scattered
with shrubs and isolated trees
Not enough rain falls on a savanna to
support forests.
Savannas have warm temperature year
round and two very different seasons
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long dry season (winter) – 4 inches of rain
very wet season (summer). In the summer
there is lots of rain.
Savannahs
Savannahs
Grasslands
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Grassland biomes are large, rolling
terrains of grasses, flowers and herbs.
Latitude, soil and local climates for the
most part determine what kinds of plants
grow
Grasslands are a region where the average
annual precipitation is great enough to
support grasses, and in some areas a few
trees.
The precipitation is so erratic that drought
and fire prevent large forests from
growing.
Grasslands
Grasslands
Deserts
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Less than 10 inches of
rain a year
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Hot Deserts
Cold Deserts
Deserts
Deserts
Chaparral
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Chaparral is characterized
as being very hot and dry.
Temperature
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the winter is very mild and
is usually about 10 °C.
the summer. It is so hot and
dry at 40 °C that fires and
droughts are very common.
Coastal Sage Scrub
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Coastal sage scrub is
characterized as being
very hot and dry.
Temperature
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the winter is very mild and
is usually about 10 °C.
the summer. It is so hot and
dry at 40 °C that fires and
droughts are very common.
Chaparral
Coastal Sage Scrub
Temperate
Deciduous Forest
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Deciduous forests can be
found in the eastern half
of North America
The average annual
temperature in a
deciduous forest is 50° F.
The average rainfall is 30
to 60 inches a year.
Temperate
Deciduous Forest
Temperate
Deciduous Forest
Taiga
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The taiga is the biome of the
needleleaf forest.
Taiga is the Russian word for
forest and is the largest biome
in the world.
The winters in the taiga are
very cold with only snowfall.
The summers are warm, rainy,
and humid.
A lot of coniferous trees grow
in the taiga.
The taiga is also known as the
boreal forest.
Taiga
Taiga
Tundra
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Tundra means a barren land.
The ground is permanently
frozen 10 inches to 3 feet (25 to
100 cm) down so that trees can't
grow there.
rocky ground can only support
low growing plants like mosses,
heaths, and lichen.
In the winter it is cold and dark
and in the summer, when the
snow and the top layer of
permafrost melt, it is very
soggy
Tundra
Organismal Ecology
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Regulators and Conformers
Principle of allocation
Short Term Responses
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Physiological Responses
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Acclimation
Morphological Responses
Behavioral Responses
Acclimation
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A shift in
an
organism’s
tolerance
to fit a
changing
environment
Trophic
Levels
Food
Web
Primary Productivity
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The amount of light energy that
is converted into chemical
energy
Often expressed as biomass
Pyramid of Net Productivity
Secondary Productivity
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The rate at which an ecosystem
converts the chemical energy of
the food they eat into their own
biomass
10% rule
Nutrient Cycling
Biodiversity Crisis
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Extinction Rates are increasing
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Toxins (biological magnification)
Greenhouse effect / Ozone depletion
Overpopulation
Major threats to Biodiversity
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Habitat Destruction
Overexploitation
Introduction of exotics
Disruption of food chains
Geographic
Distribution
of
Biodiversity
Biodiversity Hotspots
Conservation
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Endangered Species
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Threatened Species
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in danger of becoming extinct
likely to become endangered in the
near future
Genetic Diversity
Habitat Fragmentation
Source vs. Sink Populations
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Source
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reproduction exceeds mortality
Sink
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mortality exceeds reproduction
Population Viability Analysis
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Predicts whether a species will
persist in an environment
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minimum viable population
effective population size
Landscape Management
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Edges
Corridors
Protect landscapes not
individual species
Sustainable development
Landscape Management