Download Factors that affect Climate

Chapter 4: Ecosystems and Communities
Objectives
Differentiate between weather and climate.
Describe how ecosystems recover from a disturbance.
Identify the factors that influence climate.
Compare succession after a natural disturbance with
Define niche.
succession after a human-caused disturbance.
Describe the role competition plays in shaping
Describe and compare the characteristics of the major
communities.
land biomes.
Identify the three types of symbiotic relationships in
Identify the areas that are not classified into a major
nature.
biome.
Climate
Weather and Climate ___________ involve variations in temperature, precipitation, and other environmental
factors.
Weather: _____-to_____ conditions of Earth’s atmosphere.
– Examples: Rainy, Sunny, Hurricane, Breezy, 76⁰
Climate: ________-after-________patterns of temperature and precipitation
– Examples: Hot and humid in the summer with an average of less than 5 inches of rain per
month
– _____________ conditions
Factors that affect Climate
Solar Energy trapped in the Biosphere, Latitude, Transport of heat by winds and ocean currents
Solar Energy trapped in the Biosphere
• When the sunlight hits the Earth, some of the Energy is
– ____________ back into space
– ____________ and converted into _______
• This heat will either be _________ to space or __________ in the biosphere.
• This balance between the heat that is absorbed and the heat that is lost determines Earth’s
average temperature!
• Carbon dioxide, methane and water vapor _________ heat….they are called
_____________________
• These gases cause the _______________ effect (trapping heat), without them the Earth
would be too cold for survival!
Latitude and Solar Energy
• The distribution of heat from the sun is different depending on where you are!
• ___________ of Heating creates Climate Zones
• ____________ – receives nearly __________ sun all year
• ____________ – receives different amounts of sun in different ____________
• ____________– sun is at a lower angle; during winter, days are very short and the sun is
very low in the sky
Heat Transport in the Biosphere
• Unequal distribution of heat creates wind and ocean currents…which transport heat and
moisture.
•
•
Warm air rises and cool air sinks, this constant movement creates __________ patterns.
The same is true for __________ currents…the movement of water can warm or cool the air
above the ocean, which affects weather patterns on landmasses.
Niches and Community Interactions
To fully understand why an organism lives where it does and how it fits into it surroundings, ecologists need to
know more than just location!
The Niche
• Organisms occupy different places because each species has a __________ of conditions in which it
can grow and reproduce.
• ____________ is the ability of an organism to survive and reproduce under a range of environmental
conditions.
– Organisms experience __________ when conditions are unfavorable.
– It must use more energy to maintain _____________, so it has less energy left for
growth and reproduction.
– Have limits…beyond them, they won’t survive!
– An organism’s tolerance determines its’ _____________.
Defining the Niche
A niche describes what an organism ___________ AND how it ______________ with biotic and
abiotic factors in the environment.
• An organism’s niche includes
– _____________: necessity of life
– _____________ factors: How it obtains food, what it eats, reproduction
– _____________ factors: Water available, temperature requirements
•
Factors that Shape Ecosystems: Community Interactions
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
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
Competition
Predation
Herbivory
Keystone Species
•
Symbiotic Relationships
– Mutualism
– Parasitism
– Commensalism
Competition
• Occurs when organisms attempt to use the same __________ __________ in the same place.
• Compete for: ___________________________________
• Can be between the same species or among different species
Competitive Exclusion Principle
– No two species can occupy exactly the ________ ________ in exactly the same habitat
at exactly the same time.
– Resource ____________
Predator-Prey Relationships
• An interaction in which one animal (the _______________) captures and feeds on another animal
(__________).
• Predators affect the ________ of prey populations in a community and determine the places prey
can _________ and __________.
Herbivory
• An interaction when one animal (the ____________) feeds on producers (__________).
• Herbivores can affect the size and distribution of plant populations in a community and determine the
places that certain plants can survive and grow.
Keystone Species
• Sometimes changes in the population of a single species can cause ____________ ____________ in
the structure of a community.
• Ex: Sea otters (Explain: ____________________________________________________)
Symbiotic Relationships
• Two organisms live in “___________ _____________” with one another.
• Three main symbiotic relationships
– Mutualism
– Parasitism
– Commensalism
Mutualism
– A close relationship between two species in which they _________ ___________.
• Bacteria (probiotics)/digestive system
• Acacia trees/species of ants
• ______________/____________
Parasitism
– Relationship when an organism (___________) lives on or inside another organism
(________).
– Usually harms/weakens the host.
• ____________
• Ticks
• ____________
• Leeches
Commensalism
– A relationship in which one species ______________ and the other is ____________
harmed nor helped.
• _____________/________________
• Bird’s nesting/Tree
Ecological Succession
Ecosystems change over time, especially after ____________________, as some species die out and new
species move in.
Ecological succession is a series of ________________ ________________ that occur in a community over
time.
 Two types: Primary and Secondary
Primary Succession
– Succession that begins in an area with _______remnants of an older community.
• Ex: _________________________
– First species to colonize barren areas are called ____________ species
• _______________ (mutualistic relationship between a fungus and an alga).
• Lichen fix ______________ into useful forms, break down _____________, and add
organic material to form __________.
Secondary Succession
– When a disturbance affects the community ____________ completely destroying it, secondary
succession will occur.
• Much ______________ since the soil is still present
• Examples: ________________, hurricanes, logging, farming, and mowing grass.
Why does Succession Occur
– Every organism ______________ the environment in which it lives
• As one species alters the environment, it may make it easier for other species to compete
for resources and survive.
• Over time, more and more species can find suitable niches and survive.
– Will ecosystems reach the original climax community after a disturbance?
• Healthy ecosystems will generally return to a climax community after a ____________
disturbance.
• ____________-caused disturbances may prevent the ecosystem from recuperating
• Ex: Clearing/Farming of tropical rain forest, changes climate
Biomes
•
•
•
Groups of ecosystems with similar ______________
Often described in terms of ____________ factors like plants/animals and ____________ factors like
climate and soil type.
Organisms in each biome can be characterized by _____________ that enable them to live and reproduce
successfully in the environment.
Land Areas that do not fit into a Biome
Polar Ice Caps and Mountain Ranges are not easily defined in terms of a typical community of plants
and animals.
• _________________Ranges
•
As you go up or down a mountain, you may experience many different biomes.
• Polar _________________
• Very few producers (some algae and lichen)
• Marine mammals, insects, and mites
Aquatic Ecosystems
Aquatic organisms are also affected by a variety of ___________________ factors
Water Depth
• Strong influence due to amount of ______________ that can penetrate the water
• Photic Zone
Sunlit region near the surface of the water where ________________ can
occur
• Phytoplankton
Aphotic Zone
• Below the photic zone, where photosynthesis ______________ occur
•
•
These zones vary depending on the body of water…sometimes, the water is shallow enough that
photosynthesis can occur at all depths.
Temperature, Currents, and Nutrients
• Aquatic habitats are warmer near the equator and colder near the poles.
• Temperature also varies with _____________.
• Currents can affect temperature of the water because they can carry water that is
significantly warmer or cooler than normal.
• The amount of oxygen, nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus available can determine the
type of organisms that live in aquatic ecosystems.
Types of Water Ecosystems
Freshwater Ecosystems
• 3% of the Earth’s water is freshwater…but it plays an important role in providing land organisms
with drinking water, food, and transportation!
• Three main categories of freshwater ecosystems:
– Rivers and streams
– Lakes and ponds
– Freshwater wetlands
–
–
Rivers/Streams
Originate from _________________ water sources in mountains or hills.
Plant life can change depending on the ______________ of the water and the amount of
_______________.
Lakes/Ponds
– Primary Producers: __________________
– Water flows in and out and circulates from top to bottom during most seasons.
o Circulation distributes heat, oxygen and nutrients.
o Allows for a great ______________ of different organisms.
Freshwater Wetlands
– A wetland is an ecosystem in which water either covers the soil or is present at or near the
surface for at least part of the year.
– ________________-rich and highly productive
– Environmental functions
o ____________ water by filtering pollutants
o Prevent __________________ by absorbing large amounts of water and slowly
releasing it
o Bogs, marshes, and swamps
Estuaries (mix of freshwater and saltwater)
– A special kind of ______________, formed where a river meets the sea.
– Mixture of freshwater and saltwater
– Serve as spawning and nursery grounds for many ecologically and commercially important fish and
shellfish species.
Marine Ecosystems (saltwater)
Ocean is divided into 3 zones based on _________ and ___________ from the shore.
–
–
Intertidal zone
Organisms are submerged during high tide and exposed to sunlight and air at low tide.
Have to withstand extreme changes in _______________ and strong ________________.
Coastal Ocean
– Low-tide to the continental shelf
– Sun can penetrate water, high in ________________ (run-off from land)
– Highly productive (kelp forests and coral reefs)
Open Ocean
– Continental shelf and outward
– 90% of world’s oceans
– ___________ zone: supports phytoplankton
– ___________ zone: high-pressure, frigid temps, darkness
• _______________________