Ch 3 - The Biosphere PDF

PCB 3043 Principles of Ecology The Biosphere Chapter 3  Learning outcomes Terrestrial biomes are characterized by the growth forms of the dominant vegetation Biological zones in freshwater ecosystems are associated with the velocity, depth, temperature, clarity, and chemistry of the...

PCB 3043 Principles of Ecology The Biosphere Chapter 3  Learning outcomes Terrestrial biomes are characterized by the growth forms of the dominant vegetation Biological zones in freshwater ecosystems are associated with the velocity, depth, temperature, clarity, and chemistry of the water Marine biological zones are determined by ocean depth, light availability, and the stability of the bottom substrate Life on planet earth: Biosphere Living organisms -> almost everywhere -> from high mountains to deepest oceans and extreme environments … but most occur within a thin layer of Earth’s surface, and within 200 meters of the surface of the oceans Terrestrial Biomes Large-scale terrestrial communities shaped by the physical environment Terrestrial Biomes Characterized by the growth forms of the dominant vegetation  Convergence Evolution of similar growth forms among distantly related species in response to similar selection pressures Myrtillocactus geometrizans Euphorbia polyacantha Climate diagrams Graphs of average monthly temperature and precipitation at a location Quiz 1 Tropical Rain Forest – cradles of species diversity New world tropical rain forest Old world tropical rain forest Global Biome Distributions Are Affected by Human Activities  Threatened forests The oil of African oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) is the most traded vegetable oil in the planet Threatened forests Threatened forests Temperate deciduous forests… Japanese maple Temperate forests in the northern hemisphere Southern hemisphere temperate forests Southern hemisphere temperate forests Boreal forest distribution Northern most tree line species Quiz 2  Mountain Biological Zones von Humboldt's vegetation of the Andes 1807 Kosñipata elevation transect Manu National Park Peru  Freshwater Biological Zones The mouth of the Amazon River  Freshwater Biological Zones The mouth of the Amazon River Stream Orders  Biological zones in freshwater ecosystems Velocity, depth, temperature, clarity, and chemistry of the water  Marine Biological Zones Ocean depth, light availability, and the stability of the bottom substrate Nearshore zones Influenced by: Salt Marshes Rocky Intertidal Local climate Tides Waves Inputs from the land Mangrove Forests Estuaries  Shallow ocean zones Light penetrates to the bottom and supports photosynthetic Coral Reefs organisms Corals form large colonies, and have associated algal partners Kelp beds are “forests” of large brown algae Kelp Beds  Open ocean & deep benthic zones Zooplankton—protists, crustaceans, jellyfishes Zooplankton Phytoplankton—green algae, diatoms, dinoflagellates, cyanobacteria Phytoplankton