Ecosystems

1
Chapter 4 Ecosystems and Communities
2
4-1
I. The Role of Climate
Day to day conditions of Earths atmosphere in a
particular place and time
A. Weather
Average year after year conditions of temp. and
precipitation in a particular region
B. Climate
1. Affected by latitude, winds, ocean currents,
trapping of heat in atmosphere, amount of
precipitation
2. As a result of differences in latitude and
thus the angle of heating Earth has three main
climate zones
a. polar, temperate, and tropical.
3
The Effect of Latitude on Climate
90N North Pole
Polar
Sunlight
66.5N
Arctic Circle
Temperate
Sunlight
Tropic of Cancer
23.5N
Equator
Tropical
Most direct sunlight
0
Tropic of Capricorn
23.5S
Temperate
Sunlight
Antarctic Circle
66.5S
Sunlight
Polar
90S South Pole
Page 88
4
3. Heat Transport in the Biosphere
a. Warm air over the equator rises, while cooler
air over the poles sinks toward the ground
b. Upward and downward movement of air creates
air currents/ winds, that move heat throughout
the atmosphere.
c. Similar patterns of heating and cooling occur
in Earths oceans
1. Water is also moved at the surface by winds
5
Heat Transport in the Biosphere

• Earths Winds

WINDS
Polar Easterlies
66.5N
Westerlies
23.5N
Northeast Trade Winds
0
Equator
Southeast Trade Winds
23.5S
Westerlies
Polar
66.5S
Easterlies
Prevailingwinds
Page 89
6
Heat Transport in the Biosphere

• Ocean Currents

OCEAN CURRENTS
66.5N
23.5N
Equator
0
23.5S
66.5S
Warm currents Cold currents
Page 89
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Page 87
II. Greenhouse Effect
Some heat escapes into space

• A. Atmospheric gases that trap the heat energy of
  sunlight and maintain Earth's temperature range
  include
• carbon dioxide
• methane
• water vapor

Greenhouse gases trap some heat
Atmosphere
Earths Surface
8
4-2
III. Shaping an Ecosystem
A. Biotic Factors
all the living things with which an organism
might interact
Nonliving environment
B. Abiotic Factors
Ex. Temp., rain, wind, rocks, soil, air, sun
C. Biotic and abiotic factors determine the
survival and growth of an organism and
productivity of the ecosystem in which the
organism lives.
9
D. Habitat
area where an organism lives
Conditions which an organism lives and how it
uses it
E. Niche
1. No two species can share the same niche in the
same habitat
2. Different species can occupy niches that are
very similar
10
IV. Community Interactions
Occurs when organisms attempt to use the same
resources
A. Competition
1. Competitive Exclusion Principle
no two species can occupy the same niche (role)
in the same habitat at the same time
Page 92
11
B. Predation
One organism captures and feeds on another
a. Prey organism being captured
C. Symbiosis two species living closely together
(Page 93)
1. Mutualism
Both species benefit from relationship
Ex. Flowers and bees
1 member benefits the other is neither
harmed/helped rare
2. Commensalism
Ex. barnacles on whales pilot fish with shark
egret on cattle
1 organism lives in/on another and harms it
3. Parasitism
Ex Fleas/ ticks on dogs sinus
infection-bacteria humans athletes foot
(fungus) humans
12
V. Ecological Succession
A. Succession ? predictable changes in an
ecosystem
1. Primary Succession- nothing there before
a. Occurs where no soil exists
b. occurs on rock surfaces formed after volcanoes
erupt
c. The first species to populate the area are
called pioneer species
13
Primary Succession
Page 94
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2. Secondary Succession (Page 95)-something was
there before
a. Disturbance changes community without removing
soil
b. Forest fire, hurricane, tornado, human
activities (subdivision, clear-cutting, mining)
15
3. Marine Succession
a. whale dies and sinks to the ocean floor
16

• b. Scavengers and decomposers eat the tissue
  within a year

c. decomposition enriches the sediments with
nutrients
d. heterotrophic bacteria decompose skeleton
remains
17
4-3
VI. Biomes
A. Group of ecosystems with same climate and
dominant communities
B. Plants and animals exhibit variations in
tolerance
ability to survive and reproduce under conditions
that differ from their optimal conditions
Climate within a small area that differs
significantly from the climate around it
C. Microclimate
Ex Oasis in a desert
18
VII. Ten Major Terrestrial Biomes

1. Tropical Rain Forest
2. Tropical Dry Forest
3. Savanna-Grassland
4. Desert (Cold and Hot Deserts)
5. Temperate Grasslands
6. Temperate Woodland/Shrubland-Chapparral
7. Temperate (Deciduous) Forest-GA
8. Northwest Coniferous Forest- Washington State,
   Seattle
9. Taiga (Boreal)
10. Tundra

19
VII. Ten Major Terrestrial Biomes-HONORS
A. Tropical Rain Forest-20-30 C greater than
200cm rain yearly warm temps, wet weather and
lush plant-life near equator
B. Tropical Dry Forest
C. Savanna-grassland long, dry winter, wet
summer Africa-20-30 C 100 to 150 cm-10 to 30
in.
D. Desert- 30 C cool deserts 20-49 C in hot
deserts less than 25 cm rain yearly extreme
dryness (arid) w/ hot-cold temps
E. Temperate Grassland- 10 25 C 25-75 cm rain
yearly limited rain grasses and nonwoody plants
20
F. Temperate Woodland/ Shrubland-chaparral
G. Temperate (Deciduous) Forest -10 to 25 C
75-125 cm rain yearly 4 seasons GEORGIA
H. Northwest Coniferous Forest- needle-like
leaves moderate temps, lots of precipitation,
Washington State, Seattle
I. Taiga (Boreal)- (-30) to 20 C 30-50 cm
rain yearly cold forest cone-bearing
evergreens mostly snow precipitation northern
US, southern Canada
J. Tundra- PERMAFROST-(-40) to 10 C less than
25 cm rain yearly cold, dry, treeless little
precipitation, but ice-covered long, cold
winters short, lush summers Alaska
21
Reg Ed- FOR BIOME BOOKLETS
---- Tropical Rain Forest- 20-30 C greater than
200cm rain yearly
--- Savanna-20-30 C 100 to 150 cm-10 to 30 in.
--- Desert- 30-38 C cool deserts 20-49 C less
than 25 cm rain yearly
--- Temperate (Deciduous) Forest -10 to 25 C
75-125 cm rain yearly
--- Taiga (Boreal)- (-30) to 20 C 30-50 cm
rain yearly
---Tundra- PERMAFROST-(-40) to 10 C less than
25 cm rain yearly
22
The Major Biomes
Page 99
60N
30N
0 Equator
30S
60S
Temperate grassland
Temperate forest
Tropical rain forest
Northwesternconiferous forest
Desert
Tropical dry forest
Boreal forest(Taiga)
Temperate woodlandand shrubland
Tropical savanna
Mountains and ice caps
Tundra
23
4-4
VIII. Aquatic Ecosystems
A. Determined by depth, flow, temp., and
chemistry of the overlying water
IX. Freshwater
A. Flowing-Water Ecosystem
1. Rivers, streams, creeks, and brooks are
freshwater ecosystems that flow over land
2. originate in mountains or hills
B. Standing-Water Ecosystem
1. Lakes and ponds
2. water circulates within, this helps to
distribute heat, oxygen, and nutrients
24
3. Still waters provide habitats for organisms
such as plankton ? free-floating organisms
Unicellular algae
i. Phytoplankton
Unicellular and small animals that feed on
phytoplankton
ii. Zooplankton
C. Freshwater Wetland
1. water covers the soil or is present at or near
the surface of the soil at least part of the year
2. Can be flowing or standing and fresh, salty,
or brackish
25
3. Three Types of Freshwater Wetlands
i. Bogs are wetlands that typically form in
depressions where water collects
ii. Marshes are shallow wetlands along rivers
iii. Swamps, which often look like flooded
forests, water flows slowly
26
X. Estuaries
A. Where rivers meet the sea
B. mixture of fresh and salt water, and are
affected by the ocean tides
C. Salt marshes occur in estuaries along
seacoasts in the temperate zone
D. Mangrove swamps are coastal wetlands that
occur in bays and estuaries across tropical
regions, including southern Florida and Hawaii
27
XI. Marine Ecosystems
A. well-lit upper layer of the ocean photic zone
1. Algae and other producers can grow only in
this thin surface layer
B. aphotic zone which is permanently dark is
below the photic zone
1. Chemosynthetic autotrophs are the only
producers that can survive here
C. Ocean is divided into zones based on the depth
and distance from shore The intertidal zone,
coastal ocean, open ocean
28
Marine Ecosystems
Photic zone
Land
200 m 1,000 m
Intertidal zone
Coastal ocean
Open ocean
4,000 m
Aphotic zone
Benthic zone
6,000 m
Ocean trench
10,000 m
Continental slope and continental rise
Abyssal plain
Continental shelf
Page 109
29
4-1

• The Earths polar zones are cold because
• A. they are never heated by the sun.
• B. at the poles, the sun's rays are at a very low
  angle.
• C. the greenhouse effect does not occur at the
  poles.
• D. heat is transported from the poles to the
  equator.

30
4-1

• The upward movement of warm air and the downward
  movement of cool air creates
• A. upwellings.
• B. air currents.
• C. ocean currents.
• D. the greenhouse effect.

31
4-1

• Earth's temperature range is maintained by
• A. the greenhouse effect.
• B. climate zones.
• C. ocean currents and winds.
• D. latitude differences.

32
4-1

• Variation of temperature in the temperate zone is
  due primarily to
• A. air and ocean currents.
• B. the greenhouse effect.
• C. variation in the suns energy production.
• D. latitude and season.

33
4-1

• The tropical zone is warm all year long because
• A. the suns angle changes the most in that part
  of Earth.
• B. ocean water is warmest near the equator.
• C. it receives direct or nearly direct sunlight
  year-round.
• D. landmasses in the tropic latitudes hold on to
  heat.

34
4-2

• Which of the following is a biotic factor in a
  bullfrog's niche?
• A. water
• B. a heron
• C. climate
• D. day length

35
4-2

• An organisms niche is different from its habitat
  because
• A. The niche does not include the place where the
  organism lives.
• B. the niche includes all the conditions under
  which the organism lives.
• C. the niche includes only abiotic factors.
• D. the niche includes only biotic factors.

36
4-2

• The attempt by organisms of the same or different
  species to use a resource at the same time in the
  same place is called
• A. competition.
• B. predation.
• C. symbiosis.
• D. cooperation.

37
4-2

• An association between two species in which one
  species benefits and the other is neither helped
  nor harmed is called
• A. symbiosis.
• B. mutualism.
• C. commensalism.
• D. parasitism.

38
4-2

• When a volcano erupts and completely destroys an
  ecosystem, the first species to populate the area
  are usually
• A. grasses and shrubs.
• B. pioneers such as lichens.
• C. small plants such as mosses.
• D. small animals such as rodents.

39
4-3

• When the climate in a small region of a biome is
  different from the overall climate of the biome,
  the regions climate is called
• A. tolerance.
• B. a harsher climate.
• C. a microclimate.
• D. a local variation.

40
4-3

• The ability of an organism to survive under
  conditions that differ from its optimal condition
  is called
• A. niche.
• B. tolerance.
• C. variation.
• D. succession.

41
4-3

• Which of the following biomes is characterized by
  less than 25 centimeters of annual precipitation?
  
• A. tropical savanna
• B. desert
• C. boreal forest
• D. temperate grassland

42
4-3

• Which of the following biomes is characterized by
  a mixture of deciduous and coniferous trees?
• A. temperate woodland and shrubland
• B. boreal forest
• C. temperate forest
• D. tropical dry forest

43
4-3

• Which of the following biomes is characterized by
  the presence of permafrost?
• A. boreal forest
• B. temperate grassland
• C. northwestern coniferous forest
• D. tundra

44
4-4

• Which of the following factors is important in
  determining the type of aquatic ecosystem found
  in a specific area?
• A. geographic location
• B. amount of dissolved chemicals
• C.the percentage of land covered by water
• D. the kinds of organisms in the water

45
4-4

• The two types of freshwater ecosystems are
  distinguished by whether or not they have
• A. high oxygen content or low oxygen content.
• B. phytoplankton or zooplankton.
• C. high temperature or low temperature.
• D. flowing water or standing water.

46
4-4

• Coastal wetlands that are widespread in tropical
  regions such as southern Florida and Hawaii are
  known as
• A. detritus.
• B. bogs.
• C. mangrove swamps.
• D. benthos.

47
4-4

• Coral animals cannot grow in water that
• A. contains salt.
• B. contains oxygen.
• C. is cold.
• D. receives sunlight.

48
4-4

• The zone that covers the ocean floor is the
• A. benthic zone.
• B. abyssal plain.
• C. continental shelf.
• D. continental rise.

49
4-1

• The Earths polar zones are cold because
• A. they are never heated by the sun.
• B. at the poles, the sun's rays are at a very low
  angle.
• C. the greenhouse effect does not occur at the
  poles.
• D. heat is transported from the poles to the
  equator.

50
4-1

• The upward movement of warm air and the downward
  movement of cool air creates
• A. upwellings.
• B. air currents.
• C. ocean currents.
• D. the greenhouse effect.

51
4-1

• Earth's temperature range is maintained by
• A. the greenhouse effect.
• B. climate zones.
• C. ocean currents and winds.
• D. latitude differences.

52
4-1

• Variation of temperature in the temperate zone is
  due primarily to
• A. air and ocean currents.
• B. the greenhouse effect.
• C. variation in the suns energy production.
• D. latitude and season.

53
4-1

• The tropical zone is warm all year long because
• A. the suns angle changes the most in that part
  of Earth.
• B. ocean water is warmest near the equator.
• C. it receives direct or nearly direct sunlight
  year-round.
• D. landmasses in the tropic latitudes hold on to
  heat.

54
4-2

• Which of the following is a biotic factor in a
  bullfrog's niche?
• A. water
• B. a heron
• C. climate
• D. day length

55
4-2

• An organisms niche is different from its habitat
  because
• A. The niche does not include the place where the
  organism lives.
• B. the niche includes all the conditions under
  which the organism lives.
• C. the niche includes only abiotic factors.
• D. the niche includes only biotic factors.

56
4-2

• The attempt by organisms of the same or different
  species to use a resource at the same time in the
  same place is called
• A. competition.
• B. predation.
• C. symbiosis.
• D. cooperation.

57
4-2

• An association between two species in which one
  species benefits and the other is neither helped
  nor harmed is called
• A. symbiosis.
• B. mutualism.
• C. commensalism.
• D. parasitism.

58
4-2

• When a volcano erupts and completely destroys an
  ecosystem, the first species to populate the area
  are usually
• A. grasses and shrubs.
• B. pioneers such as lichens.
• C. small plants such as mosses.
• D. small animals such as rodents.

59
4-3

• When the climate in a small region of a biome is
  different from the overall climate of the biome,
  the regions climate is called
• A. tolerance.
• B. a harsher climate.
• C. a microclimate.
• D. a local variation.

60
4-3

• The ability of an organism to survive under
  conditions that differ from its optimal condition
  is called
• A. niche.
• B. tolerance.
• C. variation.
• D. succession.

61
4-3

• Which of the following biomes is characterized by
  less than 25 centimeters of annual precipitation?
  
• A. tropical savanna
• B. desert
• C. boreal forest
• D. temperate grassland

62
4-3

• Which of the following biomes is characterized by
  a mixture of deciduous and coniferous trees?
• A. temperate woodland and shrubland
• B. boreal forest
• C. temperate forest
• D. tropical dry forest

63
4-3

• Which of the following biomes is characterized by
  the presence of permafrost?
• A. boreal forest
• B. temperate grassland
• C. northwestern coniferous forest
• D. tundra

64
4-4

• Which of the following factors is important in
  determining the type of aquatic ecosystem found
  in a specific area?
• A. geographic location
• B. amount of dissolved chemicals
• C.the percentage of land covered by water
• D. the kinds of organisms in the water

65
4-4

• The two types of freshwater ecosystems are
  distinguished by whether or not they have
• A. high oxygen content or low oxygen content.
• B. phytoplankton or zooplankton.
• C. high temperature or low temperature.
• D. flowing water or standing water.

66
4-4

• Coastal wetlands that are widespread in tropical
  regions such as southern Florida and Hawaii are
  known as
• A. detritus.
• B. bogs.
• C. mangrove swamps.
• D. benthos.

67
4-4

• Coral animals cannot grow in water that
• A. contains salt.
• B. contains oxygen.
• C. is cold.
• D. receives sunlight.

68
4-4

• The zone that covers the ocean floor is the
• A. benthic zone.
• B. abyssal plain.
• C. continental shelf.
• D. continental rise.