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Transcript
Wildlife Studies- Summary Lecture 1: BIOMES: Environment- all living and non-living things in a place- surroundings, air, orgs etc. o 1 environmentmany habitats Habitat- place where org lives and grows, finds food, water shelter BIOME- large geographic region characterised by certain type of ecosystem o Ecosystem structure- soil, climate, flora, fauna Terrestrial, Marine, freshwater Terrestrial: Determined by climate determines flora Plants o Xerophyte- adapted to very dry habitats o Hydrophyte- very wet o Mesophyte- moderate Keystone species- many other species depend on it for survival Indicator species- whose no.’s tell us about health, e.g. corals. Sensitive Polar (N/S poles): Above 60° N/S latitude Technically arid Extremely cold Day length varies- 24hrs at solstices Low animal diversity Most photosynthetic orgs are marine Penguins, seals, polar bears, whales, fish, marine inverts Arctic Tundra: Just south of north polar regions Arid ABIOTIC FACTORS o Rain- lack of o Permafrost- permanently frozen layer of soil, prevents growth of large trees with deep roots o Short growing season o High wind, cold o Varying daylight PLANT ADAPTATIONS o Mostly scrubby/small plants o Lichens (symbiosis of algae and fungus) major photosynthetic food source o Grow close to ground o Shallow roots absorb limited water resources o Tress <1m ANIMAL ADAPTATIONS o Small ears, insulation, thick coat o Many visitors/migrators o Few predators o Little competition o Caribou, snowy owls, bears, wolves, arctic fox, migratory birds, lemmings THREATS- very fragile, slow to recover from damage. Oil drilling, global warming Boreal/Coniferous Forest: Taiga Northern hemisphere, south of tundra ABIOTIC FACTORS o Lots of snowfall in winter o Relatively high rainfall, short winter days, most precipitation snow o Higher diversity than tundra o Long cold winters o Soil poor in nutrients, acidic o Short growing season PLANT ADAPTATIONS o Evergreen conifers- pines, firs, spruce o Shrubs, mosses, ferns grow under trees o Pine’s conical shape helps remove snow o Long roots to anchor trees o Needles long, thin, waxy o Low sunlight, poor soil inhibits growth on floor ANIMAL ADAPTATIONS o Adapt for winter- burrow, hibernate, warm, coat, insulation o Deer, wolves, bears, foxes, migratory birds, squirrels, rabbits THREATS- mining, logging, pollution Temperate Deciduous: ABIOTIC FACTORS o South of coniferous forest, NE US, Europe o Relatively high rainfall, elevation, longer days than coniferous o 4 seasons- all forms of precipitation (rain, snow, hail, fog) o Deep soil layers, rich in nutrients PLANT ADAPTATIONS o Deciduous trees, flowering trees, shrubs o Higher diversity than coniferous- more sunlight o Adapt to climate by dormancy in winter o Grow in layers- more sunlight reaches ground more ground dwelling plants ANIMAL ADAPTATIONS o Deer, wolves, foxes, etc.- many hibernate o Lose winter coat, adapt to seasons, feed in different layers THREATS o Deforestation- housingsustainability Temperate Grassland/Prairie: Everywhere except Antarctica Big open spaces, not many bushes, trees found near water Pampas (ARG), plains of US, steppes of central Asia ABIOTIC FACTORS o Distinct seasonal changes, moderate rainfall, rich organic soil, high winds o Fertile land- harsh seasonal variations (hot summers, cold winters) PLANT ADAPTATIONS o Grasses, flowering plants, marshes in areas of standing water (Willows) o Sod-forming grasses that won’t dry out or be blown away Mostly agricultural ANIMAL ADAPTATIONS- adaptations to survive extremes o Bison, prairie dog, coyote, deer, hawks, falcons, grazing animals (zebra) Tropical Grassland/ Savannah: Near equator, tropics ABIOTIC FACTORS o Distinct seasonal changes, moderate rainfall, rich organic soil o Very fertile- harsh seasonal changes- very wet season followed by extremely dry season (animals migrate away) o Wet season- lush grass and shrubbery growth- ample food for large animals o Fire- important role o Lots of precipitation supports tall grasses, occasional trees PLANT ADAPTATIONS o Grow in tufts o Grasses, flowering plants, drought tolerant trees with high canopies (giraffes), fire resistant plants o Thorns, sharp leaves to protect against predation ANIMAL ADAPTATONS o Adapt to short rainy season- migrate as necessary o Limited foodvertical feeding o Reproduce during rainy season- more young survive o Grazing ungulates, big cats, rhinos etc. THREATS- invasive species, changes in fire management (animals used to seasonal fires); low elevationsome threatened by rising sea levels Chaparral/ Mediterranean Scrub Forest: ABIOTIC FACTORS o Arid regions with Mediterranean climate (SW AUS, CAL) o Rainy/mild winters, long hot dry summer days- slight seasonal variations o Periodic, seasonal fires