MacroEcology: Large Scale Relationships
The Big Idea: Why do we have varied climates around the world? What abiotic factors affect them?
Write and draw your response here:
What is Ecology?
• The scientific study among organisms and between organisms and their environment or surroundings. There are 3 basic approaches to conducting ecological research:
1. ______2. ______3. ______
The 6 Levels of Ecology
The biosphere is the zone of ______on Earth.
Ecosystems that have similar kinds of climax communities are called ______.
Biomes are limited by ______and ______due to climatic differences based on Latitude and/or Altitude.
Types of Biomes
______
• Largest Biome that covers 71% of the Earth. Scientists separate marine (saltwater) biomes into two parts:
– Photic Zone : portion of the biome shallow enough to allow light through: Intertidal, Coral Reef, Estuary. Plankton, juvenile marine organisms. Aphotic zone : deeper water where light cannot penetrate: Benthic, Abyssal Angler fish, Thermal vents Adapted to life in the dark.
______Freshwater is defined as having a low salt concentration — usually less than 1%. Types: Ponds and Lakes, Rivers and Streams, and Wetlands
______
• Geography – Circles the poles (90°N and 90°S), treeless with long summer days and short periods of winter sunlight. Alpine Tundra - Alpine tundra is located on mountains throughout the world at high altitude where trees cannot grow. Unlike the arctic tundra, the soil in the alpine is well drained.
• Abiotic Limiting Factors Temperature: -34°C in winter, 3-12°C in summer and Precipitation: 15 to 25 cm
• Soils are nutrient poor and cannot hold larger plants & trees. Under the topsoil is a permanently frozen part called permafrost. Plant root systems very short.
• Species: Small mammals live there like owls and lemmings. Animals with adaptations to resist the cold climate.
______
• Geography – just south of the tundra, between 50°- 60° N, broad belt of Eurasia & North America.
• Abiotic Limiting Factors Temperature: -54°C to 21° C and Precipitation: 30 to 84 cm
• Seasons are divided into short, moist, and moderately warm summers and long, cold, and dry winters.
• Species: Contains larger animals like Caribou, snowshoe hare, land of fir & spruce trees.
______
• Geography: above and below the equator. Eastern North America, northeastern Asia, and western and central Europe Further subdivided based upon seasonal distribution of rainfall.
• Abiotic Limiting Factors Temperature: 4 to 6 months frost free and Precipitation: 70 to 150 cm
• Nutrient rich soil with Hardwood trees.
• Species: Home to many forest animals (bears, squirrels, salamanders)
______
• Geography – grassland with scattered individual trees. Savannas of one sort or another cover almost half the surface of Africa (about five million square miles, generally central Africa) and large areas of Australia, South America, and India. Savanna has both a dry and a rainy season. Seasonal fires play a vital role in the savanna's biodiversity.
• Abiotic Limiting Factors Temperature: 20°C to 30°C and Precipitation: 51 to 127 cm
• Species: Dominated by grazing animals (elephants, zebra, lions)
______
• Geography – covered by grasses and similarly small plants. Prevalent in US and Central Asia.
• Abiotic Limiting Factors Temperature: 38°C to -40°C and Precipitation: 51 to 89 cm
• Divided by height of grasses (prairie – tall; steppe – short)
• Species: Dominated by grazing animals (bison), Good for growing crops and Dependent on Fire for growth
______
• Geography – driest biome with sparse plant life and extreme temperature ranges. Around 30° Latitude. Cover 1/5 of the Earth’s Surface.
• Four Main Types: Hot & Dry, Semi-Arid, Coastal and Cold.
• Abiotic Limiting Factors Temperature: 21° C to 49° C and Precipitation: Less than 50 cm per year
• Species: Organisms have adapted to conserve water (mice, scorpions, snakes, owls, etc)
______
• Geography – located at the equator, between 23.5°N and 23.5°S.
• Warm and wet with lush plant growth
• Abiotic Limiting Factors Temperature: Average 25° C and Precipitation: 200-600 cm
• Species: Home to the most amount of species (biodiversity) on the planet. Has many niches due to the layers of the rainforest (forest floor, trees, canopy, etc)
Levels of Ecology
______are subunits of biomes.
• They consist of a “system” involving non-living ______ components which impact what living organisms (biotic) can reside there.
What is your Ecological Address?
The Environment and Human Impact on the Environment There are Nine (9) Major Components:
- River Basin, 2. Topography, 3. Soil, 4. Groundwater, 5. Wetlands, 6. Biodiversity, 7. Air, 8. Climate, 9. Energy
Your (mis)use of these 9 resources is called your Ecological ______!
Levels of Ecology
______ are gatherings of different populations that live together in a defined area.
______ are groups of individuals of the same species AND also live in the same area.
A ______ is a group of organisms so similar to one another that they can breed and produce fertile offspring.
Disturbances to Ecosystems
• Ecological ______ is a series of predictable, orderly and natural changes and species replacements that occur in a community over time until it reaches its final and stable species (climax community.)
• Takes a long ______and not easily observable. Occurs in ______.
Primary Succession
• A ______species is the first species to populate an area that has had a disturbance and is barren. Example: Lichens are often the pioneer species on volcanic rock
• Grasses grow and then are over taken by taller grasses and shrubs. As they die, they add more organic material to the soil. Small softwood trees replace shrubs and then get replaced by Larger Hardwood trees.
• Continues until it reaches the ______.
Secondary Succession
• Occurs when interrupted by natural ______or ______actions.
• Occurs in areas that previously contained ______and ______.
• Occurs by the same process as primary succession.
• Takes less ______, since there is no need for pioneer species.
• When the interactions are over, the community interactions tend to restore the ecosystem to its ______condition.
Return to the BIG IDEA: Why do we have varied climates around the world? What abiotic factors affect them?
Write and draw the conclusion here: What was surprising? What are the implications of this for life on Earth?