Download human disturbance - Sewanhaka Central High School District

Chapter 5
TERRESTRIAL
BIOMES
1
Outline
•
•
•
•
Terrestrial Biomes
 Tundra
 Coniferous, Deciduous and Rain Forest
 Grassland, Savanna, Chaparral
 Desert
Marine Ecosystems
 Coasts, Open Ocean
Freshwater Ecosystems
 Lakes, Rivers, Wetlands
Human Disturbance
2
TERRESTRIAL BIOMES
•
•
BIOME – an area sharing similar climate,
topographic and soil conditions, and thus the
same general type of biological communities
TEMPERATURE and PRECIPITATION are
among the most important abiotic factors
determining biome distribution.
 Many temperature-controlled biomes occur in
latitudinal bands.
 Vegetation is also affected by altitude.
3
BIOMES
4
•
Temperature and precipitation also change with
altitude. As you go UP a mountain, it gets
cooler and wetter. VERTICAL ZONATION is a
term applied to vegetation zones defined by
altitude.
5
6
7
TUNDRA
8
TUNDRA
•
LATITUDE/ALTITUDE:
ARCTIC - High Latitudes 600N/S
ALPINE - High Altitudes (mountaintops)
•
AVERAGE RAINFALL: <10cm/year
•
SEASONAL VARIATIONS: below freezing most
of the year, midsummer growth. -20 - 100C
•
SOIL CHARACTERISTICS: poor in nutrients,
slow decomposition, **PERMAFROST
9
TUNDRA
•


•




DOMINANT PLANT SPECIES & ADAPTATIONS:
TREELESS, Lichens, mosses, grasses, sedges,
Herbaceous plants, small low growing to
conserve heat, 2-3 month growing season
ALPINE plants have deep pigmentation and
leathery leaves to protect against UV radiation
DOMINANT ANIMAL SPECIES & ADAPTATIONS
Seasonal insects, migratory birds, migratory
herbivores (caribou, sheep)
Predators (fox, wolves, bear, owl)
Many rodents (hare, mice, voles) burrows
Color change for seasons (white – brown)
10
TUNDRA
•



•



HUMAN DISTURBANCE:
Global climate change – affecting permafrost
and seasonal growing time
Oil & gas drilling – pipelines, roads, vehicles
Air pollution gathers in high latitude areas
OTHER:
Low productivity - short growing season
Arctic – 24 hr daylight in summer
PERMAFROST – soil is ALWAYS frozen, inhibits
large roots/large plant growth
11
CONIFEROUS / BOREAL FOREST / TAIGA
12
TEMPERATE
RAINFOREST
REDWOODS OF
CALIFORNIA
13
CONIFEROUS / BOREAL FOREST / TAIGA
•
•
LATITUDE/ALTITUDE:
ARCTIC (Boreal) - High Latitudes 500-600N
Northern Hemi. ONLY!
ALPINE - High Altitudes (Below tundra)
AVERAGE RAINFALL: 50-250cm/year – varies
greatly depending on region
•
SEASONAL VARIATIONS: mostly cold,
very short growing season. -5 - 150C
•
SOIL CHARACTERISTICS: poor, acidic, slow
decomposition, frozen most of year
14
CONIFEROUS / BOREAL FOREST / TAIGA
•



•



DOMINANT PLANT SPECIES & ADAPTATIONS:
LOW diversity, Cone bearing, Pines, evergreens
(hemlock, spruce, cedar, fir) California Redwoods
Cold & drought tolerant, Needles are leaves –
thin and waxy to reduce water loss
May contain some deciduous trees (birch, aspen)
DOMINANT ANIMAL SPECIES & ADAPTATIONS
Migratory songbirds, owls, woodpeckers
Moose, deer, wolves, lynx, bear – thick coats,
hibernate, herbivores feed on moss & lichen in
winter months
Small rodents store food, burrow under snow
15
CONIFEROUS / BOREAL FOREST / TAIGA
•



•



HUMAN DISTURBANCE:
Deforestation – most wood in NA
Spotted Owl controversy in Redwoods
Mining, dams
OTHER:
Temperate Rainforest – Redwoods of west
coast – high rainfall
Some conifers require fire to open cones and
reduce competition for light
TAIGA – ecotone between Boreal Forest and the
Tundra – some trees, thinning toward tundra
16
TEMPERATE DECIDUOUS FORESTS
17
TEMPERATE DECIDUOUS FOREST
•
LATITUDE/ALTITUDE: 300-550N/S
•
AVERAGE RAINFALL: 75-250 cm/year
Distributed equally throughout the year
•
SEASONAL VARIATIONS: usually 4 distinct
seasons 00-200C
•
SOIL CHARACTERISTICS: HIGH in nutrients,
RICH, good amount of humus, leaf litter
18
TEMPERATE DECIDUOUS FOREST
•




•



DOMINANT PLANT SPECIES & ADAPTATIONS:
Deciduous – leaves fall off in the winter
Broadleaf trees, hardwood trees – oaks, maples,
beech
Dormant period in winter, regrowth of leaves in
the spring required a lot of energy (stored)
Ferns, lichens, mosses on moist ground
DOMINANT ANIMAL SPECIES & ADAPTATIONS
High diversity of songbirds, insects, amphibians
Fox, bear, deer, rabbits, squirrels, bobcat
Animals may migrate, store food, hibernate in
winter months
19
TEMPERATE DECIDUOUS FOREST
•

•



HUMAN DISTURBANCE:
Deforestation – since arrival of settlers –
lumber, firewood, development, agricultural
lands and industrial uses
OTHER:
Re-growth after disturbance tends to be fast
due to long growing season
Vernal (springtime) ponds support amphibian &
insect populations
THIS IS OUR BIOME!!!
20
WOODLAND / SCRUBLAND / CHAPARRAL
21
WOODLAND / SCRUBLAND / CHAPARRAL
•
LATITUDE/ALTITUDE:
~ 400N/S usually coastal
•
AVERAGE RAINFALL: 40-60cm/year
•
SEASONAL VARIATIONS: cool moist winters,
hot dry summers
00-380C
•
SOIL CHARACTERISTICS: poor , shallow,
rocky
22
WOODLAND / SCRUBLAND / CHAPARRAL
•




•

DOMINANT PLANT SPECIES & ADAPTATIONS:
Drought adapted shrubs, trees, grasses
Grow in clusters
Small leathery leaves with thick waxy layers
Annual spring flowers, or after fire
DOMINANT ANIMAL SPECIES & ADAPTATIONS
Drought tolerant – rabbits, kangaroo rats, mule
deer, lizards, sheep, fox, coyote
23
WOODLAND / SCRUBLAND / CHAPARRAL
•

•


HUMAN DISTURBANCE:
Human Development – climate is generally
good – not too cold, not too rainy -
OTHER:
Periodic fires necessary for plant reproduction
- seeds require heat, or charring to sprout
Considered “Hot Spots” due to high
biodiversity in a small area
24
TROPICAL RAIN FOREST
25
TROPICAL RAIN FOREST
•
•
LATITUDE/ALTITUDE:
20-300N/S
At high altitudes called “Mist Forests”
AVERAGE RAINFALL: 200+cm/year
•
SEASONAL VARIATIONS: warm and moist all
year – very little variation
•
SOIL CHARACTERISTICS: poor in nutrients,
old, thin. Decomposition is extremely fast and
nutrients are immediately taken up and stored
in plants
26
TROPICAL RAIN FOREST
•




•

DOMINANT PLANT SPECIES & ADAPTATIONS:
Broadleaf evergreens – photosynthesize all year
Epiphytic plants, vines
Multi-story canopy – trees are shade tolerant
Trees form BUTTRESS ROOTS for support
- soil is thin, heavy rains, roots are shallow
DOMINANT ANIMAL SPECIES & ADAPTATIONS
HIGH BIODIVERSITY – Insects, birds, reptiles,
amphibians, mammals – most are ARBOREAL
27
TROPICAL RAIN FOREST
•



•


HUMAN DISTURBANCE:
Deforestation – agriculture, mining, lumber,
livestock grazing
Leads to loss of
biodiversity
Leads to erosion
(soil easily washes
away)
OTHER:
90% of nutrients
are in biomass!!
Multilayered forest
28
SAVANNAS
29
SAVANNAS
•
LATITUDE/ALTITUDE: 20–30 0N/S
•
AVERAGE RAINFALL: 50 -150 cm/year
•
SEASONAL VARIATIONS: dry most of the year,
rainy season
8–20 0C
•
SOIL CHARACTERISTICS: generally rich
30
SAVANNAS
•


•


DOMINANT PLANT SPECIES & ADAPTATIONS:
Dominated by grasses – When trees are present
it is called Savanna - trees are sparse and
clustered
Thorny acacia trees – small leaves, thorns on
branches, drought resistant
DOMINANT ANIMAL SPECIES & ADAPTATIONS
Large Herbivores – migratory – follow rains and
new grasses – wildebeest, antelope, bizon,
zebra
Predators follow herbivores – lions, hyena,
vultures
31
SAVANNAS
•


•

HUMAN DISTURBANCE:
Overgrazing by livestock
Poaching of large animals – elephant, rhino,
lion, leopard
OTHER:
Fires during dry season – kill young trees –
maintain grassland balance
32
GRASSLANDS
33
TEMPERATE GRASSLANDS
•
LATITUDE/ALTITUDE: 30–50 0N/S
•
AVERAGE RAINFALL: 25-100cm/year
•
SEASONAL VARIATIONS: variable throughout
the year and daily variations
•
SOIL CHARACTERISTICS: RICH SOIL, lots of
decaying plant material, high amounts of
humus hold moisture in soil
34
TEMPERATE GRASSLANDS
•



•


DOMINANT PLANT SPECIES & ADAPTATIONS:
Mixed grasses and herbaceous flowering plants
(FORBS – wildflowers)
Deep root adaptations for drought and fire
Root system creates “sod” - thick mat which
reduces erosion of top soil
DOMINANT ANIMAL SPECIES & ADAPTATIONS
Animals tend to burrow (no trees) – rodents,
prarie dogs, ferrets, owls, fox, coyote
Large herbivores – migrate – bison, antelope,
deer
35
TEMPERATE GRASSLANDS
•


•



HUMAN DISTURBANCE:
Conversion for Agriculture – corn, wheat, soy
Conversion for pasture/grazing of livestock –
overgrazing leads to killing of grass roots and
soil erosion. Weeds and poor quality plants will
persist
OTHER:
FIRE ADAPTED COMMUNITY – needs fire to
maintain grassland ecosystem.
Fire returns nutrients to soil
Fire suppression leads to shrub and tree
growth which cause fires to burn hotter and
longer
36
DESERTS
37
DESERTS
•
LATITUDE/ALTITUDE:
HOT - 300N/S in central regions of continents
COLD – some consider tundra areas a desert
due to lack of water
•
AVERAGE RAINFALL: <30cm/year
rains are unpredictable and non-seasonal
•
•
SEASONAL VARIATIONS: -50 - 300C
Daily variations: can be extremely cold at night
SOIL CHARACTERISTICS: poor in nutrients,
extremely slow to form, NOT resilient
38
DESERTS
•





•





DOMINANT PLANT SPECIES & ADAPTATIONS:
SUCCULENTS - plants that store water in their
leaves and/stems
Stems are green and can photosynthesize
Spines/needles are leaves – provide shade
Bloom & produce seeds rapidly (dormancy)
Absorb CO2 at night to reduce water loss
DOMINANT ANIMAL SPECIES & ADAPTATIONS
NOCTURNAL to avoid heat, deep burrows
Get moisture from plants they eat
Concentrated urine, dry feces
ESTIVATE – hibernate to avoid extreme heat
Reptiles have thick skin to reduce dehydration 39
DESERTS
•


•

HUMAN DISTURBANCE:
Off road vehicles damage sensitive soils
Overgrazing – reduces roots – sands dry up
quickly – blow away
OTHER:
ALLELOPATHIC – Allelopathy – plants release
chemicals/toxins from their roots to keep other
plants away. This reduces competition.
40
HUMAN DISTURBANCE
•
By some estimates, humans preempt about
40% of net terrestrial primary productivity.
•
Conversion of habitat to human use is single
largest cause of biodiversity loss.
•
Temperate deciduous forests are the most
completely human-dominated biome.
•
Tundra and Arctic Deserts are the least
disturbed.
41
HUMAN DISTURBANCE
42