Chapter 3:Ecosystems and Communities

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Chapter 3Ecosystems and Communities

• Georgia Performance Standards
• Relate environmental conditions to successional
  changes in ecosystems.
• Determine how organisms depend on one another and
  the flow of energy and
• matter within their ecosystems.
• Define population, community, ecosystem, biome,
  biosphere

• Essential Questions
• EQ How does the change in temperature and
  climate affect life in different ecosystems and
  communities?
• EQ How are ecosystems organized?
• EQ If you had to design another biosphere on
  another planet, what would you include?

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31 The Role of Climate  Warm-up

• 1. When does the area in which you live
  experience the lowest temperatures? Does the
  temperature ever get below freezing? If so, how
  often does this occur?
• 2. When does the area in which you live have the
  highest temperatures? About how high is the
  highest temperature?
• 3. How often does it rain where you live? Is one
  season rainier than the others?
• 4. Does it ever snow where you live? If so, what
  is the heaviest snowfall you can remember?
• 5. What are two factors that may affect climate?

• How would you describe your climate, or the
  average, year-after-year conditions of
  temperature and precipitation where you live?
• Does your area receive a great deal of
  precipitationrain and snowor is your area very
  dry?

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3-1 The Role of Climate

• Weather is the day-to-day condition of Earths
  atmosphere at a particular time and place.

• Climate, on the other hand, refers to the
  average, year-after-year conditions of
  temperature and precipitation in a particular
  region.

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The Greenhouse Effect
The Greenhouse Effect
Section 4-1
Sunlight

• Carbon dioxide, methane, water vapor, and a few
  other atmospheric gases trap heat energy and
  maintain Earths temperature range
• These gases allow solar radiation to enter the
  biosphere but slows down the loss of heat to
  space

Some heat escapes into space
Greenhouse gases trap some heat
Atmosphere
Earths surface
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The Effect of Latitude on Climate

• As a result of differences in latitude and thus
  the angle of heating, Earth has three main
  climate zones polar, temperate, and tropical.

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Climate Zones

• Polar - cold areas where the suns rays strike
  Earth at a very low angle.
• Temperate - sit between the polar zones and the
  tropics.
• Tropical - receive direct or nearly direct
  sunlight year-round, making the climate almost
  always warm

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Heat Transport in the Biosphere

• The unequal heating of Earths surface drives
  winds and ocean currents, which transport heat
  throughout the biosphere.
• The upward movement of warm air and the downward
  movement of cool air create air currents, or
  winds, that move heat throughout the atmosphere,
  from regions of sinking air to regions of rising
  air .
• Continents and other landmasses can also affect
  winds and ocean currents

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Warm-up EQ What Shapes an Ecosystem?

• Organisms not only live together in ecological
  communities, but they also constantly interact
  with one another.
• These interactions, which include predation and
  competition, help shape the ecosystem in which
  they live.

• Based on your own experiences, define predation.
  Give one example of predation.
• 2. Based on your own experiences, define
  competition. Give one example of competition.

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What Shapes an Ecosystem?

• Biotic and Abiotic Factors
• Niche
• Community Interactions
• Ecological Succession

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Abiotic Biotic Factors

• Abiotic factors are nonliving factors
• Temperature
• Humidity
• Precipitation
• Wind
• Nutrient availability
• Soil type
• Sunlight

• Biotic factors are living factors
• Ecological community
• Ex bull frog, what is eats, other organisms with
  which it interacts.

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Abiotic Biotic Factors

• Together, biotic and abiotic factors determine
  the survival and growth of an organism and the
  productivity of the ecosystem in which the
  organism lives.
• The area where an organism lives is called its
  habitat. A habitat includes biotic and abiotic
  factors.

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Niche

• Habitat is to address as niche is to occupation
• A niche is an organisms role or job in an
  ecosystem.
• Ex an organisms place in the food
  web.(earthworm-decomposer)

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Community Interactions

• Competition, predation, and various forms of
  symbiosis, can powerfully affect an ecosystem.

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Competition

• Organisms of the same or different species
  attempt to use an ecological resource in the same
  place at the same time.
• Direct competition in nature often results in a
  winner and a loserwith the losing organism
  failing to survive
• Competitive exclusion principle - no two species
  can occupy the same niche in the same habitat at
  the same time.

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Predation

• An interaction in which one organism captures and
  feeds on another organism.
• Ex Anglerfish on Finding Nemo.

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Symbiosis

• Any relationship in which two species live
  closely together
• Mutualism both species benefits
• Ex bee and flower
• Commensalism- one species benefits and the other
  is neither hurt nor harmed.
• Barnacles on whale
• Parasitism one species benefits and the other
  is harmed
• Flea on dog

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Checkpoint!!!

• How are the three types of symbiotic
  relationships different? How are they similar?

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Ecological Succession

• Ecosystems are constantly changing in response to
  natural and human disturbances.
• As an ecosystem changes, older inhabitants
  gradually die out and new organisms move in,
  causing further changes in the community.
• Ecological succession - predictable changes that
  occur in a community over time.

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Primary Succession

• On land, succession that occurs on surfaces where
  no soil exists.
• The first species to populate the area are called
  pioneer species.

• occurs on the surfaces formed as volcanic
  eruptions build new islands or cover the land
  with lava rock or volcanic ash.
• occurs on bare rock exposed when glaciers melt.

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Secondary Succession

• When a disturbance of some kind changes an
  existing community without removing the soil.

• Land cleared for farming
• Wildfires and other natural disasters.

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Checkpoint!!!

• What is the main abiotic factor that
  distinguishes primary from secondary succession?

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 Land Biomes

• Ten different biomes
• Tropical rain forest
• Tropical savanna
• Tropical dry forest
• Desert
• Temperate grassland
• Temperate Woodland Shrubland
• Temperate Forest
• Northwestern coniferous forest
• Boreal Forest
• Tundra

• A biome is a particular physical environment that
  contains a characteristic assemblage of plants
  and animals.
• Characteristics
• Climate and Microclimate

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Figure 4-17 The Worlds Major Land Biomes
Temperate grassland
Tropical rain forest
Temperate forest
Tundra
Northwestern coniferous forest
Mountains and ice caps
Tropical dry forest
Desert
Temperate woodland and shrubland
Tropical savanna
Boreal forest (Taiga)
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Terrestrial/land Biomes

• Tundra
• abiotic factors
• cold temp, Poor soil, low rain, long severe
  winters, permafrost
• b. biotic factors least diverse biome, lichens,
  mosses, small plants, polar bears, reindeer,
  caribou, arctic foxes, arctic hares

Climatograms- show annual precipitation
Temperature
What kinds of adaptations would the plants
animals of this biome have?
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Figure 20.25h Tundra
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Major Biomes

• 2. Taiga (Boreal Forests)
• p. 104-climatogram look at map
• abiotic factors
• summers mild
• winters long, snowy, cold
• most spongy areas called bogs
• Acidic soil
• b. biotic factors
• evergreen trees, moose, bears, elk, wolves,
  porcupines, hares, bobcats

What kinds of adaptations would the plants
animals of this biome have?
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Taiga-Boreal Forest
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What kinds of adaptations would the plants
animals of this biome have?
WHERE WE LIVE!!!!

• 3. Temperate Deciduous forests
• -climatogram look at map
• abiotic
• moderate rainfall
• summer moderate
• Winter cold
• Rich soil

b. biotic (lots of diversity) deciduous trees
maples, elms, oaks, shrubs, varied animal
life squirrels, foxes, bears, wildcats,
salamanders, snakes, lizards, rabbits, chipmunks
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Figure 20.25f Temperate deciduous forest
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• 4. Temperate Grasslands
• The Prairies
• abiotic
• Moderate rain
• central part of country
• warm spring, scorching dry seasons,
• winters can be snowy
• biotic
• rich soil so lots of grasses- fires help
• Treeless
• wheat, oats, barley, corn,
• bison, antelope, prairie dogs, coyotes, badgers

p.102-climatogram look at map
What kinds of adaptations would the plants
animals of this biome have?
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Grasslands
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Figure 50.25e Temperate grassland
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5. Temperate woodland/shrubland (aka) Chaparral

• Pg. 102 climatogram look at map
• Abiotic
• mod. Rain
• Rich soil
• No trees
• Biotic shrubs, coyotes, mt. Lions, bobcats,
  deer, rabbits, squirrels

What kinds of adaptations would the plants
animals of this biome have?
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Figure 50.25d Chaparral
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Figure 50.25dx Chaparral
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• 6. Tropical Savanna
• special type of grassland
• a. Abiotic
• warm all year
• Clay soil
• b. Biotic
• Do have some trees
• animals zebra, antelopes, gazelles, elephants,
  wildebeest, giraffes

What kinds of adaptations would the plants
animals of this biome have?
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Figure 50.25b Savanna
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Figure 50.25bx Savanna
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• 7. Tropical Rain forest
• abiotic
• Lots of rain
• hot temperature
• Poor soil
• b. biotic
• Highest diversity here
• Trees in layers/zones
• vines, ferns, large flowering trees, insects,
  birds, monkeys, snakes, lizards, jaguars, panthers

What kinds of adaptations would the plants
animals of this biome have?
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Figure 50.25a Tropical forests
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• 8. Tropical Dry forest
• abiotic
• Mild temp
• Rich soil
• Rain seasonal
• b. biotic
• Deciduous trees
• Tigers
• Monkeys
• Elephants
• rhinos

Pg. 100 climatogram look at map
What kinds of adaptations would the plants
animals of this biome have?
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• 9. Desert
• abiotic
• Sandy
• rainfall less than 20 cm
• hot, dry regions
• Poor soil
• b. biotic cacti, insects, birds, iguanas, gila
  monsters, horned lizards, kangaroo rats,
  scorpions, spiders, snakes
• Moderate diversity-nocturnal animals

Pg. 101 climatogram look at map
What kinds of adaptations would the plants
animals of this biome have?
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Figure 50.25c Deserts
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• Northwestern Coniferous forest
• (aka Temperate rain forest)
• Abiotic
• High rain fall
• Summer mild winter cool
• Soil is acidic rocky
• Biotic redwoods, flowering shrubs, bears,
  elk, deer, beavers, owls, bobcats
• Pg. 103 climatogram look at map-Northern
  Pacific coast of U.S.

What kinds of adaptations would the plants
animals of this biome have?
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Figure 20.25g Coniferous forests
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AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS
1. Marine Abiotic salt water,
distribution of life dependent on water
temperature and light Biotic plankton,
starfish, whales, sharks, squid, rays 2.
Freshwater Abiotic lakes, ponds, rivers,
streams, contain little salt, life distribution
is dependent on dissolved oxygen content
Biotic algae, catfish, carp, bass, trout,
mosses, flowering lilies, frogs
What kinds of adaptations would the plants
animals of this biome have?
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Aquatic Ecosystems

• Determined primarily by the
• Depth
• Flow
• Temperature
• Chemistry of the underlying water

• Grouped according to the abiotic factors that
  affect them

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Figure 50.23 Examples of marine biomes
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Freshwater Pond Ecosystem
Section 4-4
Spoonbill
Duck
Water lilies
Frog
Dragonfly
Mosquito larvae
Duckweed
Phytoplankton
Snail
Pickerel
Diving beetle
Trout
Hydra
Crayfish
Snail
Benthic crustaceans
Go to Section
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Freshwater Ecosystems

• Flowing-water ecosystems
• Ex rivers, streams, creeks, brooks.
• Originate in mountains or hills, and often spring
  from an underground water source.

• Standing water ecosystems
• Ex Lakes and ponds
• H2O circulation helps distribute heat, oxygen,
  and nutrients.
• Plankton, phytoplankton, and zooplankton

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Freshwater Wetlands

• An ecosystem in which water either covers the
  soil or is present at or near the surface of the
  soil for at least part of the year.
• Water is either flowing or standing, and a mix of
  fresh and salt water.
• Breeding grounds for insects, fish, and other
  aquatic animals, amphibians, and migratory birds.

• Three main types
• Bogs
• Marshes
• Swamps

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Freshwater Pond Ecosystem
Section 4-4
Spoonbill
Duck
Water lilies
Frog
Dragonfly
Mosquito larvae
Duckweed
Phytoplankton
Snail
Pickerel
Diving beetle
Trout
Hydra
Crayfish
Snail
Benthic crustaceans
Go to Section
53
Estuaries

• Wetlands formed where rivers meet the sea.
• Mixture of fresh and salt water.
• Affected by the rise and fall of ocean tides.
• Many are shallow.
• Estuary food webs differ
• Most primary production is not consumed by
  herbivores
• Much of that organic material enters the food web
  as detritus
• Spawning grounds for many fish and shellfish

• Types
• Salt marshes temperate zone estuaries that are
  dominated by salt-tolerant grasses above the
  low-tide line, and by seagrasses under water.
• Mangrove swamps coastal wetlands that are
  widespread across tropical regions.
• Salt-tolerant trees (mangroves)
• Spawning grounds
• Ex Floridas Everglades National Park

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Marine Ecosystems

• Classified by photic and aphotic zones.
• Oceans are divided into zones based on the depth
  an distance from shore
• Each zone supports distinct ecological
  communities.
• Intertidal zone
• Coastal ocean
• Open ocean
• Benthic zone ???

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• Intertidal Zone
• Characterized by all areas exposed to
  fluctuations in tidal height.
• Different types of communities.
• One type of wetland
• Specialized vegetation

• Coastal Ocean
• Extends from the low-tide mark to the outer edge
  of the continental shelf
• Rich in plankton
• Coral Reefs animals whose hard, calcium
  carbonate skeletons make up their primary
  structure.
• Coral animals live in symbiosis with algae that
  lives in the coral reef.

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• Benthic Zone
• The seafloor
• Characterized by communitites of invertebrates
  and fish
• May include photosynthetic organisms (depending
  on depth)

• Open Ocean
• Includes all the water and is a major habitat for
  phytoplankton and zooplankton, and highly motile
  marine invertebrates, fish, and mammals.
• Aphotic photic zones

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Figure 4-17 Zones of a Marine Ecosystem
Section 4-4
land
Photic zone
200m
1000m
Coastal ocean
Aphotic zone
4000m
Open ocean
6000m
Ocean trench
10,000m
Continental shelf
Continental slope and continental rise
Abyssal plain
Go to Section
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Checkpoint!!!

•  How might the damming of a river affect an
  estuary at the rivers mouth?
• In general, temperature is an important abiotic
  factor shaping biomes on land, but it is less
  important in the ocean. In the ocean, light is an
  important abiotic factor, but it is less
  important on land. Explain why these factors
  differ in importance on land and in the sea.