Biosphere, biomes and ecosystem

Terminology: 1. Biosphere: the part of the earth on which living organisms

live.2. Atmosphere: layer of air around the earth’s surface.3. Lithosphere: the soil and rocks forming the upper layers of

the earth’s surface.4. Biome: any region with a distinct climate and all the

organisms that live in that area.5. Savanna: vegetation type with well developed grassy layer

and an upper layer of woody plants.6. Endemic: organisms found in only one area in the world and

no where else.7. Mutualism: relationship between two organisms in which

both benefit.8. Lichen: a close association between an algae and fungi

Ecology Study of the relationships between living organisms

and the environment they live in

The environment is made up of ecosystems

Ecosystems consists of biotic (living) factors and

abiotic (non-living) factors

Biosphere

The biosphere can be defined as that part of the earth where the living organisms are found.

It is made up of 3 parts.

Atmosphere (air)

Hydrosphere (water)

Lithosphere (rock and soil)

Biosphere

The biosphere is made up of ecosystems.

The biosphere is about 20 km thick

AtmosphereThe atmosphere is a layer of air around the earth’s surface

Lithosphere

The lithosphere is all the soil and rocks that makes up the upper layers of the earth’s surface.

HydrosphereHydrosphere is all the waters of the seas, rivers and lakes.

Here are some examples

of the various sources of

natural water on the

Earth

BiomesDifferent parts of the earth have different climates (temp, rainfall, humidity).

Plants and animals are adapted to live in particular climates.

Therefore different plants and animals will live in different regions.

These regions with their particular climates and living organisms that are adapted to live in there is called a biome

A biome can be defined as a region with a distinct climate and all the organisms that live in that region.

Terrestrial biomes are found on land.

Biomes further away from the equator are drier and colder.

Biomes The change between biomes is gradual with no clear

boundaries

There can be variations within biomes e.g. an oasis in a desert

There are 10 – 15 different biomes across the world (Table 2.1 pg 213)

Biomes of Southern AfricaThe map shows the biomes of the Southern African region.The countries that make up the Southern African region are:

South AfricaNamibiaBotswanaLesothoSwazilandZimbabweMozambique

There 8 different biomes in this region (Fig 2.5 pg 191)

Something for you to do

Look at the map and find the area or province in which live.

Write down the biome that is found in your area.

The different biomes of the Southern African region

Nama-karoo

Grassland

Savanna

Fynbos

Succulent Karoo

Forest

Desert

Thicket

Fig 2.5 pg 191

Savanna BiomeSavanna refers to a type of vegetation with a well developed grassy layers and an upper layer of woody plants.

Fire hazard.

It is the largest biome in South Africa

It is found mainly in Mpumalanga and Limpopo.

Its also found in the coastal belt of KZN and Eastern Cape Province.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GibiNy4d4gc

Savanna: Temperature, Rainfall and Soil

Temperature (20-22 ‘C) and Rainfall:

In this area summers are hot and wet and winters are cool with little or no rainfall.

Soil:

The soil is mostly sandy.

It has a low amount of nutrients due to

leaching.

Some parts have very rich soil.

Savanna: Vegetation and Animal Life

Vegetation:This biome is dominated by grasses, large shrubs and trees.

The lack of sufficient rainfall and fires prevent the trees from being the main type of vegetation.

This type of vegetation is suitable for grazing animals example: cattle and buck.

The marula tree grows in this biome.

It grows to about 12m in size and produces

yellow fruit about the size of a plum

Baobab Tree

Grows up to about 15m tall.

The tree trunk can grow up to 30m wide.

Savanna: Animal LifeThe mammals found in this biome include the big five.

This area is also home to many large birds of prey.

The Grassland Biome

This biome is found in

parts of 5 provinces in

South Africa and 2

countries in the South

African region (2nd largest biome)

The grassland biome is found in parts of:

Gauteng

Mpumalanga

Kwa Zulu – Natal

Eastern Cape

Free State

Lesotho

Swaziland

(Central plateau of SA and inland areas of KZN, including the escarpment)

Grassland: Temperature, rainfall and soil type.

Temperature (8-15 ‘C) and Rainfall

The summers are hot with high rainfall.

The winters are cold with frost.

Soil

Sandy with some clay

The soil has a high humus content.

Unfortunately in the areas with high rainfall the soil is easily

leached and becomes acidic.

Grassland: VegetationThis biomes is dominated by grasses.There are 2 types of grasses here.They are the sweet grasses and the sour grassesThe sweet grasses grow on fertile soil and therefore have good food value and are therefore preferred by the animals.The sour grasses grow on infertile soil and do not have much food value and are avoided by animals.No trees.Rare plants may occur.

Grassland: Animal Life

Blesbok, black wildebeest and springbok are found here.

Also has a large variety of birds including the blue crane.

The sun gazer lizard is also found here

Nama Karoo BiomeIt is a semi desert area.

It forms a large part of the ____________.

Nama Karoo: Temperature, Rainfall and Soil TypeTemperature (15-22 ‘C) and Rainfall

This is a semi desert area.

It receives very little rainfall

Summers are very hot and winters are very cold.

Soil

The soil is rich in nutrients (lime-rich).

Nama Karoo: VegetationVegetation is dominated by grasses and dwarf shrubs.

The stone plants are a group of plants that occur here that use camouflage, since it looks like pebbles around it.

Nama Karoo: Animal LifeThe animals that are found here are those that can survive extremes of temperature and very little water.

Some examples of the animals found here are:

Foxes, jackals, dassies and hares.

Succulent Karoo BiomeFound on the west coast of

the Northern Cape Province

and the northern parts of

the Western Cape Province.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ip60X142idM

Succulent Karoo: Temperature, Rainfall and Soil type.Temperature (6-40 ’C) and Rainfall.

Hot in summer and cold in winter.

Rainfall is very low.

Soil

The soil is very fertile (lime-rich).

It is red clay with rocks in between.

There are large parts of shale in other parts.

White quartz pebbles can be seen

Succulent Karoo: VegetationThis area is dominated by dwarf shrubs.40% of the species are endemic to this areaThe Namaqualand region of this biome is world famous for the colourful wild flowers (vygies and daisies).Annual plants germinate, grow, flower and seed in the moist winter and spring.They die off in the dry months with the seeds surviving and grow again the next winter.

Succulent Karoo: VegetationThe perennial plants survive the dry season by using water stored in the leaves or stems.

These plants are called succulents.

Highest number of succulents in the world.

These plants are adapted to reduce transpiration by

having a:

thick waxy cuticle

reducing the number of stomata.

The non-succulent perennials have very small leaves to reduce water loss by transpiration.

Those with large leaves lose their leaves during the dry months.

Succulent Karoo: Animal LifeAnimal life is not as abundant as the plant life.

The bat eared fox, the meerkat

and the barking gecko are

examples of the animals found here.

Fynbos Biome

Found in the major parts of Western Cape.

Fynbos Biome: Temperature, Rainfall and SoilTemperature (18-19 ‘C) and Rainfall

Hot and dry summers (Mediterranean)

Winters are cold and wet but not cold enough for frost.

Soil

The soil is very varied of different pH and quality

The soil is sandy and alkaline along the coast

The soil is sandy but acidic inland

In the lowlands the soil is fertile and more or less neutral.

The soil on the mountain tops are acidic and of a very poor quality

Well-leached, infertile soil

Fynbos Biome: Vegetation Fynbos refers to dwarf shrubs with fine leaves.

However when it is used to describe a biome it refers to all the vegetation found in this biome.

This includes:

dwarf shrubs

large shrubs

trees

There is very little grass here but

Leafless tufted grass plants occur here.

Fynbos Biome: Vegetation

One of the world’s riches floral kingdoms (8 700 species)

Fire is important for seeding

Fynbos: Animal Life There is a limited variety of species found in this biome.

Examples of animals found in this biome are:

Grysbok, klipspringer, bontebok

There are a large number of bird species.

Tortoises

Forest BiomeIt occurs in patches in spread over four provinces.

Mostly in the Garden Route and lowveld escarpment.

Forest Biome: Temperature, rainfall and soil:Temperature (6-30 ‘C) and RainfallTemperature varies from about 6⁰C to 30⁰C.Temperature can get higher.Rainfall seasons vary, in some forests it rains only in winter,while in other forests it rains in summer only and others it rainsall year round.SoilThis biome has a thick layer of soil and it may be shallow in otherparts.The soil here is very rich, because it is mixed with the fallingleaves, fruit and bird and mammal droppings.

Forest Biome: Vegetation Dominated by large shrubs and

trees. The largest South African

Forest tree is the Outeniqua yellowwood.

These large trees form a canopy, under this canopy large ferns and tall woody shrubs form the next layer.

Herbaceous and bulbous plants, together with grasses form the ground level.

The climbing plants and epiphytes are also found here.

Something for you to do:1. Herbaceous plants have…A. green, fleshy stems.B. woody brown stems.C. dicot stemsD. broad, flat leaves.

2. A canopy is a…A. roof like layer of leaves over the forestB. tent shading one from the sunC. part of a dicot plantD. lowest layer of trees in a forest

Something for you to do:3. Epiphytes are

A. Ground cover in the forest

B. Plants with no stomata

C. Climbing plants found in a forest.

D. Plants with no leaves.

Solution:1. A

2. A

3. C

Forest Biome: Animal life

Bush buck, bush pig, blue duiker, baboon, vervet monkey, and leopard are some of the larger mammals found here.

Many birds are found in this biome.

Some examples are: the fruit eating rameron pigeon, the insect eating paradise fly-catcher and seed eaters.

The Knysna lourie and the Knysna woodpecker are some examples of endemic birds found here.

The Thicket biome It occurs in finger-like

projections along the coasts of KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape and some other areas.

Most of the thicket biome occurs in the river valleys.

Thicket Biome: Temperature, Rainfall and Soil.Temperature (variable) and Rainfall

These areas experience fairly high rainfall.

Since periods of little rain does occur it means rainfall

is not high enough and the vegetation does not develop into

forests.

During the dry periods the life forms living here get their

moisture from the mists and fog that often occurs in this

biome.

Thicket biome: Temperature, Rainfall and Soil

Soil

There is a thick layer of soil.

The falling leaves, fruit and droppings of birds and

mammals mixes with the soil and

increasing its humus content.

The soil is generally nutrient poor.

This rich soil can support

woody vegetation.

Thicket Biome: Vegetation

This biomes has many short trees, low intertwining shrubs and vines.

The vines often have spines for protection.

The vegetation does not have distinct layers like the forest.

Common trees found in this area are the Spekboom and many species of Euphorbia.

Cape honeysuckle and Plumbago are some examples of shrubs found in this biome.

Spekboom

Cape honeysuckle

Plumbago

Thicket biome: Animal lifeSome examples of animals found here are monkeys, birds and squirrels.

These animals feed on the fruit of the trees.

The black rhino, elephants and kudu were once found here in large numbers.

Now they are only found in protected areas e.g. Shamwari Private Game Reserve.

Desert Biome

This biome occurs mainly as the Namib Desert.

The Namib desert is found along the west coast of Namibia

Some scientist believe that the Succulent Karoo Biome and the very parts of the Savanna Biome form parts of the Desert Biome.

Desert Biome: Temperature, Rainfall and SoilTemperature and Rainfall

Average temperature in the Namib Desert ranges from

20⁰C to about 34⁰C.

The rainfall is low and unpredictable.

The air is very dry because of the high temperature and

low rainfall.

Therefore it has a very high evaporating power.

Soil

The soil is sandy and has a very low water holding

capacity.

Desert Biome: vegetation

A large part of this biome has no visible plant life.

However they do carry seeds.

When there is sufficient rainfall, these seeds will germinate and grow into grasses very quickly.

The land will now be covered by large amounts of golden coloured grasses and will not resemble a desert at all.

The desert biome after high volume of rain

The desert in times of no rain

Flowers in the desert after rainfall

Desert Biome: Vegetation

Shrubs grow in areas into which water drains.

Welwitschia is an example of such a shrub.

A few trees may also grow here.

The African moringo, camelthorn, mustard trees and Euphorbias are examples of some of the trees that grow here.

Welwitschia

African moringo

camelthorn

Desert Biome: vegetation

The large variety of lichens are also found in this biome.

A lichen is a very close association between a fungi and an algae.

They have such a close relationship that they actually form a new organism.

The fungi provides the algae with water and the algae uses the water to make food by photosynthesis.

The algae then provides the fungi with food.

The fungi gets the moisture from the dew and fog.

This is an example of mutualism.

Something for you to do:

A quick question for you to answer:

Explain what is mutualism and why the lichen is an example of mutualism.

Solution: Mutualism is a symbiotic relationship between two

organisms in which both organisms benefit.

The lichen is considered to be an example of mutualism because the fungi is heterotrophic and unable to make its own food, but it is able to absorb water.

The fungi provides the algae with water. The algae uses the water to make food and provides the fungi with food. Because both organisms benefit this is an example of mutualism.

Desert Biome: Animal life There are many endemic species of animals are found

here.

Some examples of organisms found in this biome are lizard, geckos and snakes.

Golden mole

Web foot geckoPeringuey’s adder

Something for you to do Write down the correct biological term for each of the

following:

1. The part of the earth in which living organisms are found.

2. The soil and rocks of the upper layers of the earth’s surface.

3. A region with a distinct climate and all the organisms living there

4. Southern Africa's largest biome.

5. Species occurring in one area only and no where else in the world

6. The name given to the vegetation found in the Western cape only and nowhere else in the world

Solution:1. Biosphere

2. Lithosphere

3. Biomes

4. Savanna

5. Endemic

6. Fynbos

Homework1. Define the following words: adaptation, climate, biome2. List the 8 biomes found in SA3. Suggest why the forest biomes occupy such a small area in SA4. Explain why the savanna biome can support large animals like

zebra and lion5. Water lilies grow in wetlands and are adapted to survive the

conditions in which they grow.1. Describe 3 adaptations that a water lily would likely have to

survive in a wetland2. Stomata on leaf surfaces allow the movement of water and gases

between the leaf and the environment. They are usually found on the undersurface of leaves. State on which leaf surface you would expect to find stomata on a water lily leaf. Give reasons for your answer.

Ecosystem

An ecosystem is an area in which there exists relationships between living organisms themselves and the living organisms and the non-living environment.

Units of plant and animal communities interacting to maintain the balance of in the energy flow of the system.

Some examples of ecosystems are: a river, a grassland, a fallen rock, a drop of water.

The study of all the relationships in an ecosystem is called ecology.

Biotic and Abiotic Factors: The ecosystem is made up of 2 components.

These 2 components are living and non-living components.

The living components are also called biotic components or factors.

Examples of the biotic factors are plants and animals.

The non-living components are also called abiotic components or factors.

Water, air, soil and temperature are some examples of abiotic factors.

Biotic Components:

The biotic components are the plants and animals.

It also includes organisms such as the fungi and lichens as well as the very small organisms like bacteria.

The bacteria are so small that it can be seen only with a microscope.

Such organisms that are invisible to the naked eye are called micro-organisms.

Some algae and fungi are also examples of micro-organisms.

Biotic Components: Producers, Consumers and Decomposers.

Producers:

These are living organism that have the ability to make their

own food.

They are able to do this by absorbing energy from the sun.

The process by which they are able to manufacture their

own food by using the radiant energy is called

photosynthesis.

Ecotourism:

South Africa is a country that is rich in biodiversity.

There two reason for this rich biodiversity.

These two reasons are:

a. The country has a very varied climate, for example the

tropical weather along the east coast and the almost

Mediterranean weather in other parts of the country.

b. The country also has a very varied topography: the low

lying belt of the coast, the escarpment and finally the

plateau.

This rich biodiversity attracts people from all over the world to come to South Africa.

Ecotourism:

Ecotourism is the attraction of visitors to ecologically sensitive areas.

This type of tourism benefits the local people, the visitor and the environment.

“responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the well-being of the local people”

Aim of Ecotourism Create jobs by developing the tourist industry

Conserve SA’s rich biodiversity by increasing awareness

Aims can only be achieved if the 3 core areas are observed:

Economic responsibilities (rural communities are benefitted through the tourist industry)

Social responsibilities (local communities become involved in the decision-making process)

Environmental responsibilities (plan tourist activities around sensitive ecosystems)