Download Unit 2 Community Ecology Ecosystems and the Biosphere

Unit 2 Species Interactions,
Succession and Biomes
Chp 4
A community has many interacting
species. These interactions are
called symbioses.
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Predator-prey ( + , -)
Mimicry (copycat)
Plant-herbivore (form of predation)
Parasitism (Ecto and Endo parasites)
Competition
Mutualism ( + , +)
Commensalism ( +, 0 )
Succession
• Fires, Floods, Landslides, Hurricanes, and
Volcanic eruptions can cause ecological
succession
• Over time the life changes in stages.
• Primary succession= area that has NOT
supported life(bare rock or sand dune).
• Secondary succession= replacement of
species over time following a disruption.
• Pioneer species are the first to develop.
Climax Community
• A stable end point of succession is called
a Climax Community.
• This remains constant for long periods of
time.
Terrestrial Ecosystems
BIOMES= are very large terrestrial
ecosystems that contain a number of
smaller but related ecosystems within
them.
There are seven major biomes
characterized by significant plant and
animal life, climate, rainfall,etc.
Biomes
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TUNDRA
Cold and treeless
Largest and northernmost biome
Permafrost=permanently frozen layer of
soil.
Little rain, short growing season
Grasses,mosses,caribou,snowy owls,
arctic foxes, and snowshoe hares
Taiga
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Forest, cone-bearing trees, firs, hemlocks
Long and cold winters
Short summers
Low-nutrient soil
Moose, Bears, Wolves, most hibrenate 6-8
months of the year.
Temperate Deciduous Forest
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Tress that lose their leaves in the fall
Even precipitation through the seasons
Birch, Elm, Oak, and Willow trees
Deer, Fox, Raccoon, Squirrell
Temperate Grassland
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Little rainfall
Rich fertile soil
Large herds of grazing animals
Much of the area is used for growing crops
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Deserts
• Less than 9.9inches of rain per year
• Hot days and cold nights
• Animals and plants have adaptations to
conserve water
• Cacti, Lizards, Snakes
Savannas
• Tropical or subtropical grasslands with
scattered trees and shrubs
• Support many herbivores=zebras, giraffes,
gazelles
• Periods of drought alternate with periods
of rain
Tropical Rain Forest
• Very tall trees
• Abundant rainfall
• Canopy is high tree tops that shade the
forest floor
• Epiphytes live on these tall tress (but not
parasites)
• Contain the most species, most diverse