1. Chapter 14 – Ecosystems & Biomes
14.1 Ecosystems support life
14.2 Matter cycles through ecosystems
14.3 Energy flows through ecosystems
14.4 Biomes contain many ecosystems

2. 14.1 Ecosystems Support Life
Living things depend on the environment
Ecology is the scientific study of how organisms interact with their environment and all the other organisms that live in that environment.
Ecosystem is a particular environment and all the living things that are supported by it.

3. 14.1 Biotic Factors
Biotic Factor = all the living parts of an ecosystem
Biotic factors interact with an ecosystem and influence it.
Living things depend on the ecosystem for food, air, water, etc. for survival needs and they intern impact the ecosysstem.
Ex: Plants (biotic) impact abiotic factors such as:
Soil enrichment, depletion, retention, temperature, animals, etc.
Animals (biotic) impact biotic and biotic (beaver building a dam, cattle overgrazing a grassland cause soil erosion - abiotic

4. 14.1 Abiotic Factors
Abiotic factors = non-living parts (physical as well as chemical) of the environment (oxygen, CO2, soil, water, sunlight, temperature, minerals & compounds, etc)
Temperature affects plants (type & varieties), animals, available shelter, etc.
Light impacts amount/variety of plants, how much photosynthesis
Soil affects plant growth, water percolation, supply
Water impacts carrying capacity (# of plants/animals an area can support) of all plant & animal life, variety of species, etc.

5. 14.2 Matter Cycles All ecosystems need certain materials (matter)
Cycle: movement of matter (living/nonliving) is a continuous process or cycle.
Cycle = a series of events that happen repeatedly
3 Main Cycles are: Water, Carbon, Nitrogen

6. 14.2 Water Cycle
Water is constantly moving through the environment through the water cycle
Water has two elements oxygen & hydrogen
Water changes form as it cycles: solid (ice, snow), liquid, gas (water vapor), etc.
Evaporation = change of state from liquid to gas form
Plants release water as they breathe or respire & release more vapor through transpiration of vapor through their leaves.

7. 14.2 – Carbon Cycle
Carbon cycles through ecosystems in the carbon cycle.
CO2 in our air has carbon in it.
Plants use CO2 to produce sugars during photosynthesis.
Carbon is re-released as plants/animals use energy or decompose.
Earth’s oceans contain more carbon than the air.
Algae & bacteria also use/release carbon

8. 14.2 Nitrogen Cycle
Four fifths of our air has nitrogen (a clear colorless gas), but we cannot use it in gas form.
Nitrogen has to be “fixed” into a useable state by plants before they/we can use it.
Plants take in nitrogen compounds through their roots. We get it when we eat the plants.
Lightning breaks apart or fixes pure nitrogen as well
Nitrogen fixing bacteria live in the oceans as well as in plants roots. Soybeans & alfalfa are good sources of nitrogen

9. 14.3 Energy Flows Through Ecosystems
We use chemical energy (from food; ultimately from the sun) and need to replace it with energy in our ecosystem.
Producers – capture energy and store it in food as chemical energy.
Plants are most common producers on land
Photosynthetic bacteria and algae produce energy in the oceans (exception: deep ocean trench bacteria use heated chemicals released from vents in process called chemosynthesis)
They make the energy available for themselves and the rest of the ecosystem.

10. 14.3 Energy Flows – cont’d
Consumers - organisms that get energy from eating/consuming other organisms.
Classified by their position in a feeding relationship: Example
1st level consumers = primary consumers – feed on grasses & plants
2nd level consumers = secondary consumers feed on primary consumers
3rd level = tertiary consumers feed on secondary consumers
Decomposers – break down dead plant/animal material into simpler compounds
They release the last bit of energy from once living organisms.

11. 14.2 Feeding Models
Food Chain = Model of a feeding relationship between a producer and a single chain of consumers in an ecosystem.
Food Web = model of the feeding relationships between many different consumers and producers in an ecosystem.
Energy Pyramid = model that shows the amount of energy available at teach feeding level of an ecosystem.
All show how organisms receive energy

12. 14.4 Biomes contain many ecosystems
Regions of Earth are classified into 6 biomes:
Tundra & Taiga
Dessert & Grassland
Temperate Forrest & Tropical Forrest
Mountain Zones & Polar Ic
Biome = geographic area similar in climate (temp.-soil-water), plants, and animals

13. 14.4 Biotic & Abiotic Biotic = living factors in an ecosystem.
Abiotic (Non-living) factors in a particular biome are similar and impact the biotic.

14. 14.4 Tundra
Both are northernmost regions w/long cold winters and short cool summers
Tundra = -50 – 18 degrees centigrade
less than 25 cm. rain per year, yet wet
Permafrost (deep layer of permanently frozen soil just below the surface; trees can’t root)
Plants = mosses, lichens, grasses, shrubs
Animals = rodents, caribou, musk oxen, grizzly bear, white fox, snowy owl, migrating birds

15. 14.4 Taiga 30-60 cm rain per year -40 degrees to 20 degrees centigrade
Cold winters and short cool summers; more snow
No permafrost; soil low in nutrients
Plants = coniferous (evergreen) trees w/needles that produce food all year long
Animals = insects, deer, elk, snowshoe hare, beaver, lynx, owl, bear, wolf

16. 14.4 Desert Found in middle latitudes Less than 25 cm of rainfall
Dry, sandy soil; some are hot some cold
Plants = cactus
Animals = lizards, kangaroo rat, ground squirrel, snake, owl, fox

17. 14.4 Grassland 50-90 cm rainfall Supports grasses, but
No trees
Found in middle latitudes often near
desert; warm summers (30 degrees centigrade) but cold winters
Plants = sun loving grasses
Animals = bison, horse, gazelle, zebra, tiger, wolf, lion
Wildfires/drought keep out invading trees/shrubs

18. Temperate Forest 75-150 cm water; enough to support trees
Short winters
Deciduous trees (drop their leaves) in fall & grow new leaves in spring (exception: Pacific Northwest has coniferous redwoods, spruce, fir)
Most common plants: oak, birch, beech, maple, seed plants, fruiting plants
Diverse animal variety: mice chpmunks, squirrels, raccoons, deer, wolf, bobcat, fox cougar

19. 14.4 Tropical Forest Wet 200-450 cm rain 25 degrees year-round
Soil is nutrient poor, but
tree litter breaks down quickly to supply nutrients
Diverse plants/animals; more than anywhere else on earth. More tree dwelling species (snakes, monkeys, etc)

20. 14.4 Water Biomes Water covers ¾’s of Earth’s surface
Two Broad Types = Fresh Water &Salt Water
Freshwater Biomes: affected by land topography
Runoff, lakes, rivers, streams, farms, etc.
Plants may live in or near water; may root below & grow above water, etc.
Phytoplanktons won’t grow in rivers due to moving h20