Chapter 4

Section 4.2

Terrestrial and Aquatic Biomes

Biomes

• Biome – is a large geographical region with a specific range of temperatures and precipitation, and the organisms are adapted to those conditions of temperature and precipitation.

• There are two major types of biomes:1. Terrestrial2. Aquatic

Terrestrial Biomes in Canada

• There are 4 terrestrial biomes in Canada:

1. Tundra

2. Taiga

3. Temperate Deciduous Forest

4. Grasslands

Terrestrial Biomes in Alberta

• There are 3 terrestrial biomes in Alberta:

1. Taiga

2. Grasslands

3. Temperate deciduous forest

Taiga (Boreal Forest) Biome

• Found in Northern Alberta and along the Rocky Mountains.

• Abiotic factors:- Changeable weather- Soil contains some water and is acidic- Average precipitation

• Biotic factors :

- black and grizzly bears

- wolverines

- weasels

- moose

- deer

- grouse

- owls

- spruce and pine (coniferous or cone-bearing)

- shrubs, ferns, mosses and lichens

• There are different ecosystems within the taiga depending on the amount of sunlight.

• One of these ecosystems is in the muskeg.

• Muskegs:- muskeg is the thin layer of soil above the permafrost that is swampy and boggy - in the summer when snow melts, the permafrost prevents the water from moving all the way to the water table, so it remains in the top layers, saturating them- muskegs are home to moss, lichens, small shrubs and tall grasses

Muskeg

Boreal Forest

Grassland Biome

• Found in central and southern Alberta.

• Abiotic factors:- Fertile soils- Warm temperatures- Rapid decay- Rich humus layers- Less precipitation

• Biotic factors:- Bison- Deer- Rabbits- Hawks- Yellow-bellied sapsuckers- Grasshoppers- Fescue grasses

Grasslands

Deciduous Forest Biome

• Found in central Alberta.

• Abiotic factors:- Increased sunlight and warmer temperatures- Rich fertile soil- More precipitation

• Biotic Factors:- Black bears- Weasels- Moose- Deer- Woodpeckers- Deciduous trees (leaves)- Shrubs

Deciduous Forest

Aquatic Biomes in Canada

• There are 2 aquatic biomes in Canada:

1. Salt Water

2. Fresh Water

Salt Water

Fresh Water

Aquatic Biomes in Alberta

• There is 1 aquatic biome in Alberta:

1. Fresh water or lake ecosystem

Fresh Water Biomes

• The fresh water biomes in Alberta are made up of lake ecosystems.

• Lake ecosystems have 3 main zones:

1. Littoral zone

2. Limnetic zone

3. Profundal zone

Littoral Zones

• The area from the shore of the lake or pond to the point where no more plants grow in the lake bottom.

• It is warm, shallow and has lots of oxygen.

• It has many photosynthetic organisms and is the most productive zone.

Limnetic Zones

• The area of a lake or pond in which there is open water and sufficient light for photosynthesis to occur.

• There are a few photosynthetic organism.

• Contains consumers such as fish, tadpoles, and birds.

Profundal Zones

• The region of a lake beneath the limnetic zone, in which there is insufficient light for photosynthesis to occur.

• It has cool temperatures and is very dark.

• There are few nutrients, low oxygen due to no photosynthesis and a high number of bacteria.

• It contains low oxygen organisms such as carp.

LITTORAL ZONE