Download Chapter 15: Our Living Planet

Chapter 15:
Our Living Planet
Section 15-1:
Climate and Life
Introduction
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What do you think is the difference between
climate and weather?
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Climate is an area’s typical long-term
conditions while weather is varying shortterm conditions.
Climate and Populations
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Climate is the temperature range, the
average annual precipitation (rain or snow),
humidity, and the amount of sunshine that a
particular region experiences.
Climate can affect the growth and stability of
populations, as well as the structure of food
webs and the flow of nutrients.
Climate and Populations

Climate patterns are caused by the sun’s
energy interacting with air, water, and land.

Earth is the only planet with temperatures
suitable for life as we know it because of our
atmosphere, which acts like a natural
thermostat.
Climate and Populations

CO2, water vapor, and other gases in the
atmosphere allow the sun’s energy to get to
the Earth’s surface, where it can be used

The gases also act as an insulator, keeping
heat energy trapped by the greenhouse
effect
Climate Zones

The sun’s energy also powers global winds
and ocean currents, creating varying climate
zones

The main climate zones are tropical
regions, temperate regions, and polar
regions
How Climate Varies

Sometimes, locations that are very distant
have similar climates, while other locations
that are very close to each other have very
different climates

Climate can also vary an a very small scale –
like moss growing on only the north side of
trees – which is called a microclimate
(conditions that vary over small distances)
Environments and Ecosystems
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An environment is a combination of physical
and biological factors that influence life.
Abiotic factors are the physical (nonliving)
factors such as climate, the type of soil and
its acidity, and the availability of nutrients.
Biotic factors (living) include all the living
things with which an organism might interact.
Environments and Ecosystems


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An ecosystem is a combination of the biotic
and abiotic factors.
It is a collection of organisms interacting with
each other and their environment.
It is like the biological street address for an
organism, telling you what type of climate it
likes and the types of neighbors it is likely to
have.
Environments and Ecosystems


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A niche is the full range of physical and biological
conditions in which the organisms in a species can
live and the way in which the organisms use those
conditions.
The biotic factors of a niche identify other organisms
that a species interacts with in any way, including the
plants that an animal rests on or makes a home in,
the prey it eats, the predators it may encounter, etc.
The niche of an organism also includes when it eats
and how it finds food (abiotic)
Environments and Ecosystems


An organism’s habitat is the surroundings in
which it lives and thrives, defined in terms of
the plant community and abiotic factors.
Organisms can share a habitat and not
actually compete with each other if they have
different niches.