Introduction to the Biosphere, Biomes, and Ecology PDF

Image: https://thecostaricanews.com/november-1st-world-ecology-day/ Introduction to the Biosphere, Biomes, and Ecology Today Part 1: Levels of ecological organization Introduction to terrestrial biomes Drivers of global climate patterns Part 2: Introduction to aquatic biomes...

Image: https://thecostaricanews.com/november-1st-world-ecology-day/ Introduction to the Biosphere, Biomes, and Ecology Today Part 1: Levels of ecological organization Introduction to terrestrial biomes Drivers of global climate patterns Part 2: Introduction to aquatic biomes Distribution of species  Learning Goals Recognize the key factors that define terrestrial vs. aquatic biomes Recognize latitude, seasons, wind, and precipitation as key drivers of global climate patterns Explain the importance of local climate patterns in moderating the conditions available to biodiversity Give examples of how different life forms have adapted to the biomes in which they live Recognize that abiotic and biotic factors interact to limit species distributions Understand what an emergent property is  Reminder: What is ecology? The scientific study of the distribution and abundance of organisms, and the interactions between those organisms and their environment  How do we study ecology?. Hierarchical organization of ecology: individuals populations communities ecosystems The scope of ecological research (Fig 52.2)  How exchange of energy/materials influences function and distribution of organisms across the biosphere  What controls the flow of energy, materials, and organisms across multiple ecosystems  Emphasizes energy flow and chemical cycling between organisms and the environment  How species interactions affect community structure and organization  How and why population sizes change through time  How an organism’s structure, physiology, and behaviour relate to its environment  Emergent properties: Novel properties that emerge at each level of organization Individuals: Age, size, clutch size, lifespan, personality Populations: Density, dispersion, growth rate Communities: Species diversity, successional stage, species interactions Ecosystems: Efficiency of nutrient cycling, energy flow, transfer efficiency Landscapes: Biomes (major ecosystem types)  Living things shape the world around them, including the climate Photosynthesis shaped the air Trees can make their own rainfall Coal forests took up CO2 in the carboniferous: led to global cooling Which came first: the rain or the rainforest? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3OWgb0Bv-A  Biomes set the stage for species distributions and interactions Biomes are major ecosystem types - For terrestrial (land) environments: Defined based on the dominant type of vegetation present - For aquatic environments: defined based on the physical environment - Characterized by the adaptations organisms have to that specific environment  We have seen that all organisms are adapted to live in specific conditions: Availability of water Temperature Sunlight Oxygen / lack of oxygen Nutrients Presence or absence of other species Local climate shapes many of these factors  Terrestrial Biomes The biome of a terrestrial environment is heavily shaped by climate, with three main factors: - Average temperature - Average amount of precipitation - Seasonality Combined: these factors determine how much moisture is available for plants to grow, and how long they can grow  Terrestrial Biomes are defined based on dominant vegetation Trees: Can outcompete shorter species for light, need a lot of moisture and long growing season Shrubs: Woody but shorter than trees; don’t need as much moisture to grow, can compete for light with grasses, resist herbivores Grasses: not woody. Can grow quickly, often have deep roots Terrestrial Biomes in North America Fig. 52.10 Grasses: Trees: - Fast growing - Slow growing - (Often) drought - (often) high water tolerant requirements - Short statured - Tall, can outcompete grasses for light Transition from grassland → forest occurs with an increase in precipitation Forest types change with changes in temperature and precipitation Fig. 52.10  The largest scale influence of global climate patterns is latitude General trend: Warm at the equator, cold at the poles Rainforest image © Pearson Education Less energy per unit area at higher latitudes because the same amount of light is spread out across more area, due to the angle of the light Low angle High angle Low angle Campbell Biology 3rd Ed. Fig. 52.3 Global climate patterns are also influenced by wind and precipitation, which also vary with latitude First principles: - Cold air is denser than warm air - Air cools as it rises - Warm air holds more moisture than cold Fig. 52.5 Major patterns: Wet at equator, dry at poles; dry at 25-30 N & S Ascending moist air releases moisture = Hot, wet weather  Tropical forest Temp 200 – 400 cm of rainfall a year Precip 25-29C average temp Vertically layered trees Plants evolved to grow quickly and high, not limited by water Very high diversity of plants, animals, fungi  Organisms also create conditions that allow them to persist https://youtu.be/Y3OWgb0Bv-A Major patterns: Wet at equator, dry at poles; dry at 25-30 N & S Descending dry air absorbs moisture = hot, dry deserts Ascending moist air releases moisture = Hot, wet weather  Desert Temp