climate and terrestrial biodiversity. i consist mostly of cone-bearing trees, i can be found south...
TRANSCRIPT
Climate and Terrestrial Biodiversity
I consist mostly of cone-bearing trees, I can be found south of the Arctic tundra in northern America, Asia, and Europe, my trees waxy leaves can withstand the intense cold and snow because my winters are long and cold. What biome am I?
I can be found along coastal areas as well as parts of the Appalachian Mountains. On the west coast I consist mostly of redwoods and Douglas firs. I get plenty of rainfall, some place receive 14 feet of rain a year. Very little light reaches my forest floor. What biome am I?
I am a fragile biome. My growing season is only 6 to 8 weeks. Soil and vegetation recover very slowly here. Animals in my area have thick fur and short extremities to help them keep warm. Tall trees and plants cannot survive in my area. The permafrost prevents trees from taking root. What biome am I?
My winters are cold and my summers are dry and hot. I am a great biome for growing crops and raising cattle. The grasses in my area are drought-tolerant and fire-resistant. My animals are quick and agile or they can dig holes to avoid predators. I can be found mainly in the American mid-west. My area is prone to wind erosion when humans remove my grass to grow their crops. What biome am I?
I have moderate average temperatures with abundant precipitation throughout the year. My trees, such as oaks, hickories, poplars, and maples, drop their leaves in the Fall. My forest floor is covered with decaying leaves that are storehouse of nutrients for future growth. What biome am I?
People like living here because of my moderate, sunny climate with mild, wet winters and warm, dry summers. I have a thin layer of soil which is not very fertile. I have dense growths of low-growing evergreen shrubs with leathery leaves that reduce evaporation. Because of my frequent fires many of my plants have adapted by storing food reserves in their fire-resistant roots and they have seeds which sprout only after fires. What biome am I?
As you can see I do not have much vegetation. My winters are cold and my summers are hot. I have very little precipitation. I am the result of a rain shadow effect caused by the Himalaya Mountains. My animals have thick outer coatings to help retain moisture. What type of desert am I?
I am dotted with widely scattered clumps of trees covered with thorns to keep the herbivores away. I have alternating dry and wet seasons. I have occasional fires caused by lightning which allows nutrients to be added back to the soil. I have many species which migrate in large herds. My animals are far-sighted, swift, and stealthy. What biome am I?
I am found near the equator. I have uniformly warm temperature year around. I am dominated by a variety of broadleaf evergreen plants. My trees are very large with wide bases and shallow roots. My dense canopy prevents light from reaching the forest floor. My soil is acidic and low in nutrients. Pollination depends on bats, butterflies, birds, and bees because there is little wind. What biome am I?
CLIMATE: A BRIEF INTRODUCTION
• Weather is a local area’s short-term physical conditions such as temperature and precipitation.
• Climate is a region’s average weather conditions over a long time.– Latitude and elevation help determine climate.
Four major factors determine global air circulation patterns
• Uneven heating of the Earth’s surface by the Sun
• Seasonal changes in temperature and precipitation
• Rotation of the earth on its axis – Coriolis effect
• Properties of air, water, and land
Ocean Currents: Distributing Heat and Nutrients
• Ocean currents influence climate by distributing heat from place to place and mixing and distributing nutrients.
Topography and Local Climate:Land Matters
• Interactions between land and oceans and disruptions of airflows by mountains and cities affect local climates.
BIOMES: CLIMATE AND LIFE ON LAND
• Different climates lead to different communities of organisms, especially vegetation.– Biomes – large terrestrial regions characterized
by similar climate, soil, plants, and animals.– Each biome contains many ecosystems whose
communities have adapted to differences in climate, soil, and other environmental factors.
Polar ice
Equator
Tropic ofCapricorn
Tropic ofCancer
High mountains
Polar grassland (arctic tundra)Temperate grasslandTropical grassland (savanna)ChaparralConiferous forestTemperate deciduous forestTropical forestDesert
BIOMES: CLIMATE AND LIFE ON LAND
• Biome type is determined by precipitation, temperature and soil type
DESERT BIOMES
• Deserts are areas where evaporation exceeds precipitation.
• Deserts have little precipitation and little vegetation.– Found in tropical, temperate and polar
regions.
• Desert plants have adaptations that help them stay cool and get enough water.
DESERT BIOMES
• Variations in annual temperature (red) and precipitation (blue) in tropical, temperate and cold deserts.
Desert Plant Adaptations• Drop their leaves during hot and dry spells to
survive dormant state• Succulent plants – fleshy plants store water• Some have deep roots to tap into
groundwater• Some have widely spread, shallow roots to
collect water during brief rain showers• Spines to guard against predators• Wax coated leaves to reduce water loss• Grasses and wildflowers store their biomass
in seeds
Desert Animal Adaptations• Small• Hide in burrows during day and hunt at night• Dormant during periods of extreme heat and drought• Insects and reptiles thick outer coverings• Insects and reptiles feces is dry and a dried concentrate of
urine to minimize water loss• Get water from dew
Dry feces
Dry urine
Saguaro (“sah-WAH-ro”) cactus• No leaves• Store water and synthesize food in their
expandable fleshy tissue• Reduce water loss by opening their stomata
only at night to take up CO2
-Grow up to 50 feet tall-Live up to 200 years-Grow a few inches a year-Branches around 50 years
Why are desert ecosystems fragile?
Soils take a long time to recover Slow plant growth Low species diversity Slow nutrient cycling Lack of water
GRASSLANDS AND CHAPARRAL BIOMES
• Variations in annual temperature (red) and precipitation (blue).
GRASSLANDS• Grasslands occur in
areas too moist for desert and too dry for forests.
Savanna Grasslands• Scattered clumps of trees
• Animals farsighted, swift, stealthy
• Large herds of hoofed animals
• Seasonal droughts
• Occasional fires
Temperate Grasslands
• The cold winters and hot dry summers have deep and fertile soil that make them ideal for growing crops and grazing cattle.
Chaparral
• Chaparral has a moderate climate but its dense thickets of spiny shrubs are subject to periodic fires.
Why is the tundra a fragile biome?
Short growing season Soil and vegetation recovers slowly Human activities leave scars that persist
for centuries
Which of the following adaptations describes insects and reptiles which live in the desert?
I. Thick outer coverings to prevent water loss
II. Hunt during the day when it is warmer and hide in burrows at night
III. To prevent water loss their feces is dry along with their urine being dry
A. I only C. I and II only E. I, II, and III
B. II only D. I and III only
Which of the following adaptations describes insects and reptiles which live in the desert?
I. Thick outer coverings to prevent water loss
II. Hunt during the day when it is warmer and hide in burrows at night
III. To prevent water loss their feces is dry along with their urine being dry
A. I only C. I and II only E. I, II, and III
B. II only D. I and III only
FOREST BIOMES
• Variations in annual temperature (red) and precipitation (blue) in tropical, temperate, and polar forests.
Bromeliad
buttress
Rafflesia – world’s largest flower which smells like rotting flesh
Dense vegetation = little wind
Rainforest depends on others to spread seeds and pollen
Tropical Rain Forest
• Filling such niches enables species to avoid or minimize competition and coexist
Stratification of specialized plant and animal niches
Temperate Rain Forests
• Coastal areas support huge cone-bearing evergreen trees such as redwoods and Douglas fir in a cool moist environment.
Taiga (Boreal) Forest
Long wintersConiferous trees
Low plant diversityHigh soil acidity
Soil nutrient poor
AB
C
D
E
F
Letter Name the biome
A
B
C
D
E
F
AB
C
D
E
F
Letter Name the biome
A Chaparral
B
C
D
E
F
AB
C
D
E
F
Letter Name the biome
A Chaparral
B Taiga (Boreal)
C
D
E
F
AB
C
D
E
F
Letter Name the biome
A Chaparral
B Taiga (Boreal)
C Tropical Rainforest
D
E
F
AB
C
D
E
F
Letter Name the biome
A Chaparral
B Taiga (Boreal)
C Tropical Rainforest
D Taiga (Boreal)
E
F
AB
C
D
E
F
Letter Name the biome
A Chaparral
B Taiga (Boreal)
C Tropical Rainforest
D Taiga (Boreal)
E Sub-Tropical Desert (Sahara)
F
AB
C
D
E
F
Letter Name the biome
A Chaparral
B Taiga (Boreal)
C Tropical Rainforest
D Taiga (Boreal)
E Tropical Desert (Sahara)
F Temperate Desert (Saguaro NP)
Human impact tropical rainforest
Human impact on deserts
Human impact on grasslands
Human impact on forests
Human impact on forests
The End