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BIOME ABIOTIC FACTORS BIOTIC FACTORS PLANTS Desert Very little rainfall, < 10 cm/yr Soil – rich in minerals *Low rainfall means minerals are not carried deep into soil - poor in organic material (dead stuff) *too dry for decay of dead plants & animals Occasional High Winds Therefore – little or no topsoil Most get H2O from foods Adaptations*thick outer coat or skin (shells/scales) *burrows during heat of day (nocturnal) *big ears to release heat *smaller animals (less surface/area) Ex. beetles, snakes, lizards, hares, kangaroo rat, vulture Can be Cool or Hot Deserts ….but always drastic change in temperatures from day to night Store H2O Adaptations*spines vs. leaves = less surface area to loose water **also prevent predators *Succulents store water (thick water filled leaves with waxy coating) *Thick, waxy coating *Shallow, broad roots Ex. cacti, aloe, mesquite tree Little rainfall, <25cm/year. Temp. rarely above 10oC Only the top layer of soil thaws in summer – active zone. Permafrost -frozen soil beneath the active zone. Short growing season & low temps. = slow recovery from any disruptions in vegetation or changes to the active or permafrost layers. Small & grow close to the ground. Shallow roots due to permafrost. Trees < 1m tall & more like shrubs than trees, due to short growing season & limited space for roots. Ex. Mosses, shrubs & Grasses. Many seasonal visitors (summer). Migration = longdistance seasonal travel. Few predators & little competition for food or space. Adapted for maintaining body temp. (insulated, thick coats, small ears… Ex. Caribou, arctic hare, arctic fox, polar bear. All Grasslands Wetter than deserts Grasses have underground roots to withstand fires etc.. Steppe <50cm of rain/year Bunch grasses = short, fine-blade grasses that grow in a clump. Blades prevent water loss and bunching keeps water in small root area & shade of plant. Combined steppe & prairie: Many migrate, hibernate or burrow as adaptation to extremes (cold, hot, dry..). Prairie 50-75cm of rain/year Sod-forming grasses do not dry out quickly or blow away in wind. Form a layer of organic material = humus. Ex. Armadillo, Prairie dogs, ground birds, bison, Tundra ANIMALS Savanna Tropical grasslands Rainfall 25-150cm/year, has a rainy & dry season. Need to resist drought. Grow runners = long horizontal stems below the ground. (allows quick growth & easy recovery from damage) Grow in tufts = large clumps of tall, coarse grasses. Thorns & sharp leaves = less water loss & less predation. Adapt for short rainy season (migrate, thick skin, scales). Many reproduce during rainy season = more food & water. Limited food leads to vertical feeding = animals eat vegetation at different heights. Coniferous Forests Far from the equator, usually Northern Hemisphere. Warm summers (2-5 months). Winters long & very cold. Precipitation 40-200cm/year. * well defined seasons • heavy snowfall Soil is poor in nutrients and acidic (needles are acidic and decompose slowly). Conifer = cone-bearing. (cones carry seeds) grow closely together. Roots long to anchor trees in high winds. Needles are long, thin and waxy to conserve water, also help shed snow. Most are evergreen (don’t loose needles in winter) Not very diverse. Low sunlight & poor soil keep many plants from growing on forest floor Ex. Pine, hemlock, fir, spruce, cedar, aspen, ferns & moss. Adaptations for cold winters – burrowing, hibernation, warm coats & extra insulation. Ex. Mice, squirrels, nesting birds, eagles, hawks, moose elk, beaver, snowshoe hares, bears, wolves & lynxes. Deciduous Forests Closer to equator than coniferous forests = temperate zone. Temp. varies greatly, summers hot & winters very cold. Precipitation 50-300cm/year (rain or snow) Deciduous trees well adapted to varied climate (dormant in winter, conserves water & energy). More diverse due to increased sunlight and nutrients. Deep layer of humus. Ex. Maple, oak, hickory, birch, ferns, mosses, shrubs, wild flowers Adapted for change in seasons – loose winter coat, hibernate, burrow.. Ex. Insects, invertebrates, nesting birds, owls, eagles, hawks, mice, squirrels, small mammals, deer, snakes, toads, frogs, salamanders, wolves, mountain lions & foxes. Tropical Rainforest Aquatic Biomes Many symbiotic relationships (two organisms living together) Adapted for life • in trees • wet • low light Near equator. Very little variation in temp. (~20oC all year) No seasons. Rainfall 100-400cm/year Highest biodiversity & energy (biomass). Nutrients are recycled/used so quickly <1 inch topsoil. Thick layer of dead organic material on floor. Fast decay (weeks vs. years) Shallow & wide root systems to get nutrients, little or no sun on forest floor (1%) Trees provide homes for other plants (epiphytes) & animals. Determined by salinity (amount of dissolved salts and minerals in water). Measured in parts/thousand. Biotic factors depend mainly on light availability. Photic zone receives light enough for photosynthesis. Aphotic zone little or no light. Phytoplankton (plants carried by the current of the water) provide food source. Zooplankton = animals carried by the current of the water. Ex. Cyprus, kapok, teak, mahogany, moss & algae Ex. Tapir, sloth, toucan, tree frog, poison arrow frog, snakes, kapybara, margay, howler monkey, tamarind.Swamp Fresh Water Salinity < 0.5ppt Lakes Deepest water May have aphotic zone Fed by underground aquifers or streams Floating algae & benthic plants along shoreline. Fish, zooplankton… Ponds Light reaches benthic zone (bottom where water meets soil/ground) Fed mainly by rainfall. May be seasonal Algae & plants growing on bottom (benthos) Fish, frogs, insects, zooplankton … Marsh Very shallow with land occasionally exposed. Soil is saturated (wet). Low oxygen. May be fresh, saltwater or in between (brackish). Often tidal. Plants with underground roots, leaves above water (emergent). Ex. Grasses, cattails.. Crabs, snails, insects, zooplankton … Insects, zooplankton, visiting reptile & mammal predators. Swamp Land is soaked due to poor drainage. Flat, low land often along stream beds. Large trees and shrubs adapted to muddy, oxygen-poor soil. Ex. Cyprus, willow, dogwood. Bog Inland wetland with little water exchange, soil is acidic, decay slow. AKA fen or moor. Sphagnum moss is dominant. Decaying moss = peat. Streams Flowing water all called streams. Speed of flow determines characteristics. Plants grow in accumulated sediments in slower moving waters (which will slow water even more). Marine Biomes Salinity = 35ppt Phytoplankton Zooplankton Oceanic Zone / Open Ocean Very deep (500-11000m) Actually, now divided into several biomes. Increasesd photic zone due to clarity of the water, but because of depth – still a very large aphotic zone. Warmer surface waters can be extremely cold at depth. Currents and depth determine characteristics. Microscopic and macroscopic floating plants. Ex. Phytoplankton, Sargassum… Open ocean - whales, sea birds, pelagic fish (roamers) tuna… Deep sea - creatures adapted to life with no light and little food. Zooplankton every where Neritic Zones Between shoreline and edge continental shelf,Mostly photic zone. Phytoplankton Zooplankton Coral Reef Close to equator, constant water temperatures, low nutrient waters, shallow waters (must be photic) Macro & Phytoplankton Breeding areas for many pelagic and reef fish. Ex. Coral, reef fish, moray, sea turtles, barracuda, sharks, shrimp, octopus….& Zooplankton Estuaries Fresh water source meets salt water ocean. Salinity varies with depth, time of year, flow rate, tide, rainfall…(brackish). Macro & Phytoplankton Nurseries for young fish. Ex. Insects, fish & Zooplankton. Not much, but zooplankton. Fish, zooplankton …. Intertidal Zones Alternates between periods of submersion and exposure at least twice a day. Must tolerate changes due to exposure. Drastic change in habitat submerged/exposed Salt/fresh water Salt Marsh Flat muddy wetlands, influenced by tides. Salt-tolerant grasses & Phytoplankton Crabs, clams, oysters, fish & Zooplankton Mangrove Warm climate, low oxygen soil. Known as an island builder mangroves germinate in sandy regions and overtime, sediments get trapped in the roots of the mangrove trees. Act as a hurricane buffer & decrease wave effects on shore. Red, black, & white Mangrove trees, buttonwoods & Phytoplankton Sponges, mangrove snapper, sea horse, shrimp, small mammals & Zooplankton