Download Chapter 34 The Biosphere

Chapter 34
The Biosphere
Lecture notes
Ecology
5 levels of study
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Individuals organisms- the smallest unit of
study.
Populations-group of individuals of the same
species in a particular area
Communities- all of the organisms in a
particular area
Ecosystem-all the abiotic and biotic factors in
an area.
Biosphere- the sum of all Earth’s ecoystems.
Ecology
5 levels of study

Individual
Ecology
5 levels of study

Population
Ecology
5 levels of study

Communities
Ecology
5 levels of study

Ecosystems
Ecology
5 levels of study

biosphere
The Biosphere
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The biosphere is a patchwork of different
habitats, or biomes.
Biomes can be defined by their abiotic
and biotic factors.
Abiotic factors
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Sunlight
Water
Temperature
Soil
Wind
Severe disturbancefires, floods
hurricanes
Biotic Factors-all living
componetns of the ecosystem
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Plants
Animals
Bacteria
Fungi
Climate
Graphic of climate zones
Climate Zones
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Tropics
Polar zones
Temperate zones
Oceans currents
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Gaphic of ocean current
microclimates
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Graphic of bay area temperatures
Biomes
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A major type of ecosystem that covers a
large region of the Earth.
Tropical Rain Forest
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Occur near equator
Can receive as much as 350 cm. of
rain/year.
Contain the greatest diversity of life.
50 percent of all known species of life
live in the rainforest.
80 percent of all flowering plants
Tropical Rainforest (cont.)
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graphic
Desert
Less that 30 cm of rain/year
 Occurs largely in the tropics of Cancer
and Capricorn zone (30° latitude north
and south).
Organisms have adapted ways to
conserve water.
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Desert
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gtraphic
Chaparral
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Temperate coastal biome
Dense evegreen shrubs
Rainy winters & hot dry summers
Found around Mediterranean Sea and
coastal California
Deer, lizards, snakes, and rodents.
Chaparral
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graphic
Temperate Grassland
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Fertile soil grass species
Colder winters
No growth of trees or woody plants
(prairies)
Grazing mammals-bison, pronghorn and
coyotes, snakes, lizards and insects.
Height of grass varies according to
rainfall
Coniferous forest
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Dominated by evergreen trees, pine,
spruce and fir.
Long cold winters with heavy snowfall
Hares, moose, elk, wolves, and bears.
Tundra
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Found with arctic circle and at high
mountain elevations.
Contains the permafrost which limits the
growth of large plants,
Mosses, lichens and mosses thrive.
Arctic hare, snowy owl, lemmings,
caribou, reindeer, and fox.
Tundra
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graphic
Tundra
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graphic
Tundra
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graphic
Aquatic ecosystems
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Freshwater ecosystems
ponds,lakes,streams and rivers
• Photic zone enough light for photosynthesis
• Aphotic zone light levels to low to support
photosynthesis
benthic zone- the bottom
Estuaries
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Where streams and rivers merge with
ocean water
Salt and fresh water mix (brackish water)
Most productive ecosystem, supports
nesting and breeding grounds for many
birds and fishes.
Estuaries includes wetlands, salt
marshes,and mangrove swamps.
Salt Marsh
Mangrove swamp
Elkhorn Slough
Ocean Zones
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Intertidal- area affected by tides and
waves.
Neritic zone-area of ocean from low time
line to the edge of the continental shelf.
Oceanic-vast expanse of ocean from the
continental shelf out.
Ocean zones
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Graphic of Monterey bay depths.