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Introduction to Ecology Part III What is a biome? Are distinguished by the presence of characteristic plants and animals Commonly identified by their dominant plant life Biomes are distributed over the Earth based on climate (temperature and precipitation) and latitude 8 major categories of Major Biomes Tundra Tropical forest Temperate forest Taiga Temperate grasslands Savanna Chaparral Desert Tundra: o Description: Cold and largely treeless biome that forms a continuous belt across northern North America, Europe, and Asia o Largest northernmost biome (covers 1/5 of the world’s surface) o Temperature: -26 0C to 12 0C o Precipitation: Less than 25 cm/ year o Soil: Moist, thin topsoil over permafrost; low in nutrients; slightly acidic Soil above permafrost remains frozen for all but 8 weeks a year o Vegetation: Mosses, lichens, grasses, and dwarf woody plants o Animals: Caribou, musk oxen, snowy owls, arctic foxes, lemmings, and snowshoe hares 2 Tropical forest o Near the equator (between 23.5ON and 23.5OS) o Includes parts of Asia, Africa, S. America, and Central America o Have two seasons (tropical rain and tropical dry forests) o Temperature: 6OC to 14OC o **Most productive biome** o Precipitation: 200-400 cm/year o Soil: Moist, moderately thick topsoil, moderate nutrients o Vegetation: Broad-leaved evergreen trees and shrubs Mostly made of trees 50-60 meters tall stretching its canopy shading the forest floor Creating a virtual plant free floor Small plants live on the branches called epiphytes (mosses, orchids, and bromeliads) o Highest species richness 300 different species of trees per hectare more than 1 million species of tree beetles Contains ½ of the world’s species o Animals: Monkeys, snakes, lizards, parrots, insects, etc. 3 Temperate forest o Occur in N. America, western and central Europe, and Northeastern Asia o Has distinct seasons and moderate climate o Temperature: 6 OC to 28 OC o Precipitation: 75 – 125 cm/ yearly o Soil: Moderately thick topsoil, moderate nutrient levels o Vegetation Broad-leaved deciduous trees (maple, oaks, beech, willow, and birch) Shrubs (ferns, herbs, and mosses) Evergreen coniferous trees (evergreens, spruce, other pines) o Animals: Bears, wolves, white-tailed deer, foxes, raccoons, and squirrels Taiga o Is south of the tundra and north of the temperate regions o Span across N. Europe, Asia, and North America just below the arctic circle o Temperature: Long winters, short summers -10OC to 14OC o Precipitation: 35 – 75 cm/year o Soil Low nutrients, highly acidic o Vegetation Coniferous evergreen trees (spruces, firs, and pines) o Animals Moose, bears, wolves, lynxes, and hares 4 Temperate grasslands o Covers large areas of N. America, Asia, Europe, Australia, and S. America o Forms interior of the continents o Temperature: 0OC to 25OC o Precipitation: 25 – 75 cm/year o Soil: Deep layer of topsoil; very rich in nutrients o Vegetation: Very few trees Dense, tall grasses in most areas Short grasses in drier areas Mainly farming and grazing areas o Animals Bison, Buffalo, and horses Savanna o Parts of Africa, W. India, N. Australia and some S. America o Located in tropical and subtropical areas near equator and between tropical forest and desert biome o Temperature: 16OC – 34OC o Precipitation: 75 – 150 cm/ year o Soil: Dry, thin topsoil, Porous and low in nutrients o Vegetation Tall grasses with horizontal roots Scattered trees Often leaves that are sharp and thorny o Animals Elephants, black/white rhinos, giraffes, and zebras 5 Chaparral o Primarily located on coastal areas with Mediterranean climates o California (“Hollywood” sign) o Temperature: 10OC to 18OC o Precipitation: Less than 25 cm/year (9.9 inches) Warm dry summers, and mild wet winters o Soil: Rocky, thin topsoil Low in nutrients o Vegetation Evergreen shrubs, and small trees Chamise, scrub oaks, olive trees, herbs (sage and bay) Leaves small and leathery with lots of oils o Animals Quail, lizards, chipmunks, and mule deer Desert o Temperature: 7OC to 38OC o Precipitation: Less than 25 cm/year (9.9 inches) o Soil Dry, often sandy, low in nutrients o Vegetation Little to no vegetation Succulent plants and scattered grasses Cactus – can drop water levels below 50-75% (fatal for other plants) o Animals: Reptiles - (Gila monster), rattle snakes Amphibians – spadefoot toad burrow underground Elf owl, (burrow into cactus), desert insects and spiders (nocturnal) 6 Aquatic Ecosystems: Ecosystem of Fresh and Salt water Major oceans: o Average of 2.3 – 6.8 miles deep o Atlantic and Pacific Oceans Estuaries: o Where fresh water from a river mixes with salt water from the ocean o Estuaries include Chesapeake Bay (Is the largest estuary in the U.S.), bays, mud flats, mangrove swamps, and salt marshes Rivers and streams: o Originate from snow melt (starting as streams) o Cold and full of oxygen that run toward a mouth to become wider and deeper forming a river o Example: Mississippi river Freshwater wetlands: o Areas of land that are covered with freshwater for at least part of each year o Swamps – dominated by woody plants (trees, and shrubs) o Marshes – nonwoody plants (cattails) o Most important wetland in the world is the Florida Everglades 7 Part III Question review questions 1. List at least one animal that lives in each of the eight major biomes 2. Compare the level of biodiversity in a tropical rain forest with that in a temperate deciduous forest 3. Why do so few trees grow in the tundra? 4. Where in the world could you travel to see savanna? Chaparral? 5. Describe three adaptations of desert organisms for water conservation 6. For deciduous trees, compare the benefits and possible disadvantages of shedding leaves in the fall 7. Discuss the differences between tundra and taiga 8. What could happen to fast moving organisms that live in a fast-moving river if a dam were built on the river? 9. Describe some reasons why freshwater wetlands considered to be economically and environmentally important?