1. Introduction to Unit Three
Biomes
Introduction to Unit Three

2. Biogeography is the study of the distribution of plants and animals.
Scientists who study biogeography have found that similar organisms exist in different parts of the world because ecosystems in which they live have very similar factors.

3. Ecosystem
A system that includes all living organisms in an area as well as its physical environment functioning together as a unit.
An ecosystem is made up of plants, animals, microorganisms, soil, rocks, minerals, water sources and the local atmosphere interacting with one another.

4. Biomes
A biome is defined as a large geographical region that has  particular types of organisms (plants and animals) and climate.
A biome is a distinct ecological community of plants and animals living together in a particular climate.
Climate – the average long-term atmospheric conditions (based on temperature and precipitation amounts)

5. Adaptation
Adaptation means that a plant or animal has acquired certain characteristics to enable it to live in one type of climate or another.
Types of Adaptation
Behavioral
Physiological
Structural

6. Behavioral Adaptations
Behavioral adaptations are the things organisms do to survive.
Examples:
bird calls to warn of oncoming predators is a behavioral adaptation – it helps with their survival.
In mammals, breast feeding is an innate behavior in mammals - it is instinctive and necessary for the survival of a newborn..
A spider spinning a web to an innate behavior which allows the spider to obtain food and aids in reproduction. Seasonal migration of birds to warmer temperatures is a behavioral adaptation.

7. Physiological Adaptation
jobs of body parts controlling life processes that aids survival.
Examples:
Warm-blooded creatures, like mammals and birds, try to keep the inside of their bodies at a constant temperature. They do this by generating their own heat when they are in a cooler environment, and by cooling themselves when they are in a hotter environment. Cold-blooded creatures take on the temperature of their surroundings. They are hot when their environment is hot and cold when their environment is cold.
Digestive System – helps break down foods and absorb needed nutrients.
Fish gills – help fish obtain oxygen molecules from the water.

8. Structural Adaptations
a body part or coloring that aids survival.
Examples:
Birds have different size beaks/bills to acquire the food they eat.
Bears have fur to help acclimatize to their environment.
Dogs and cats both grow ‘winter coats’ – different fur to adapt to coolor climate.
Can you find the moth?

9. Biome map of the world:

10. Biotic Factors
Biotic factors are factors resulting from the activities of a living thing or any living component in an environment, such as the actions of an organism affecting the life of another organism.
For instance, in a quail’s environment, the biotic factors are the living elements of the environment such as the quail’s prey like insects, seeds, etc. and the quail’s predators like coyotes

11. Abiotic Factors
An Abiotic Factor refers to a non-living chemical or physical factor in the environment, such as soil, pH, forest fire, flood, hurricane, etc.
Abiotic factors may be grouped into the following main categories:
climatic factors - include sunlight, humidity, temperature, atmosphere, etc.
edaphic factor - include the nature and type of soil, the geology of the land, etc.
social factors - land use, water resources, etc.

12. Ecosystems and Abiotic Features
Ecosystems that share similar abiotic features also share similar life!
There are many different kinds of plants and animals on  Earth, but only certain kinds are naturally found at any particular place.
Abiotic Factors in Ecosystems are:
Amount of precipitation
Temperature and climate
Soil characteristics
Amount of sunlight
Ecosystems and Abiotic Features

13. 1. Amount of Precipitation
Example:
In the boreal forest biome there are many ponds and bogs because the amount of precipitation is between 50 and 100 cm per year.
This amount of precipitation results in ecosystems with much forest containing conifer trees.
As a result, animals such as beavers in the ponds and moose who eat and live among the conifers will be found in British Columbia or Newfoundland where ecosystems are similar.

14. 2. Temperature & Climate Example:
Climate varies with latitude (distance from the equator) and altitude (elevation above sea level). Therefore, temperature does as well.
If you were to travel from the northern part of Canada toward the south, you would find the temperature becoming higher on the average.
Example:
The arctic fox and polar bear live in the tundra and they are adapted to live there since they have a thick fur coat. These animals would not be comfortable living in the warmer temperate deciduous biome or grasslands such as a snake would.

15. 3. Soil Characteristics Example:
The soil quality of the tundra is very poor and has a permafrost layer. Thus, large trees cannot grow in the tundra. With no large trees, one will not find certain tree dwelling birds that would be otherwise be found in the temperate deciduous biome or the boreal forest.

16. 4. Amount of Sunlight Example
The grassland biome is known to have a longer growing season than the tundra and the boreal forest.
The reason for this is because the grasslands receive more sunlight than these other biomes and thus the days are longer.
With more sunlight, plants such as grasses will grow which will attract more insects and snakes. Thus , grassland biomes have these animals in common.
Because of limited sunlight in the tundra, one would definitely not find grasses growing and thus not find snakes or  grasshoppers that live in areas where there is plenty of sunlight and grass.

17. And one last note…
Terrestrial (land) biomes are defined by the dominant type of plant life (climax community). The terrestrial biomes include the Tropical Rain Forest, Temperate Deciduous Forest, Deserts, Grasslands, Taiga, and Tundra.
There are also two types of aquatic biomes, the marine (saltwater or ocean) biome, and the freshwater biomes (rivers, lakes, ponds, swamps, bogs, etc.).

18. The Four Major of Biomes of Canada
The four major biomes of Canada are terrestrial biomes:
Tundra
Deciduous Forest
Boreal Forest (Taiga)
Grassland

19. Biomes
If you were to hike from British Columbia to Newfoundland and Labrador , you would see that this great country of ours has many similarities and differences in terms of plants, animals, climate and landforms from one province to the next.
For example in Manitoba  and Newfoundland, you would find both spruce trees , moose and black bears. Prairie provinces such as Saskatchewan would contain more flat grassland as compared to mountainous regions within Newfoundland and British Columbia. For these reasons, ecosystems can be grouped into larger categories called biomes.

20. The Tundra Biome

21. Tundra Biome… Location: Biodiversity:
lies south of the ice caps of the Arctic. It extends across North America, Europe, and Siberia.
In Canada it is the northernmost biome, and  is referred to as a cold desert.
Biodiversity:
The tundra has very little biodiversity and is very vulnerable to environmental damage because the low temperatures make it slow to recover.

22. Tundra – *Some Abiotic factors
The tundra has a low average temperature and a short growing season of about 60 days. In winter everything is frozen but in summer the top layer of soil thaws. The layers that remain frozen are called permafrost.

23. Tundra – *Some Biotic factors
There are no trees because of the permafrost. There are only a small number of organisms living in the tundra.
Animals found in the tundra are reindeer, musk oxen, caribou, wolves, arctic hares, arctic foxes, lemmings, snowy owls, and ptarmigans.

24. The Boreal Forest Biome

25. Boreal Forest Biome… Location: Biodiversity:
lies immediately south of the tundra and is often called the taiga biome.
Biodiversity:
Dominated by conifers or what is also known as evergreens (trees with needle-shaped leaves), the boreal forest is found in every province and makes up 80% of the forested areas of Canada.
Forms the largest biome on Earth. It is very vulnerable to diseases and pests that attach to the limited species of trees found there.

26. Boreal - *Some Abiotic Factors
There are cold winters with deep snow.
The growing season is about 120 days.
During this period of time, the ground thaws completely.
Precipitation is usually between 50 and 100cm per year. There are many ponds and bogs.
Northern Lights, Boreal Forest – Canada

27. Boreal - *Some Biotic Factors
The vegetation is generally pines, furs, and spruce.
There are some deciduous trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants.
Animals include moose, wolves, bears, lynx, deer, elks, wolverines, martens, snowshoe hares, porcupines, rodents, birds, and insects.

28. The Deciduous Forest Biome

29. Deciduous Forest Biome…
Location:
lies south of the boreal forest, in Eastern and Central Canada .
Globally, the temperate deciduous forest is located in eastern North America and Europe.
Biodiversity:
has the greatest biodiversity.
This biome gets its name from the abundance of deciduous trees that grow there. Deciduous trees are trees that shed their leaves in winter, unlike conifers that don’t shed.

30. Deciduous - *Some Abiotic Factors
Summers are hot and humid, and  winters are cold. The rainfall averages between cm a year.

31. Deciduous - * Some Biotic Factors
The vegetation includes oak, maple, hickory, beech, chestnut, birch, herbaceous plants, ferns and mosses. The animals  consist of wolves, gray foxes, bobcats, deer, raccoons, squirrels, chipmunks, birds and insects.

32. The Grasslands Biome

33. The Grasslands Biome of Canada
Location:
is found at approximately the same latitude as the deciduous forests.
It extends from eastern Manitoba to the Rocky Mountains.
Globally, grasslands, also called prairies, are found in the interiors of North America, Asia, South America and Africa.
Biodiversity:
Farming has reduced the number of species found within the biome.

34. Grasslands - *Some Abiotic Factors
Human intervention in the form of farming has caused extensive change to this biome.
Under natural conditions, the grassland should gradually be replaced by forest due to succession. Farming and grazing by farm animals prevents this from happening.
The rainfall ranges from cm a year, which cannot support deciduous forest, so grasses become the main form of plant life.
In most places of the grasslands, the soil is usually rich and deep, making it the most fertile farmlands on Earth.

35. Grasslands - *Some Biotic Factors
The vegetation includes many various forms of wild flowers and grass.
Near rivers and other wet areas plants and vegetation become more dense.
Coyotes, badgers, rattlesnakes, prairie dogs, jackrabbits and ground squirrels all inhabit the North American grasslands.
Huge herds of bison and pronghorn antelope have been replaced by domesticated cattle and sheep.

36. Test yourself…
1. Which factor prevents trees from growing in the tundra a. poor soil fertility b. too windy c. permafrost d. too hot 2. Which Canadian biome has the greatest biodiversity? a. tundra b. grassland c. boreal forest d. temperate deciduous forest

37. 3. Which biome has the most fertile soil. a. tundra b. grassland c
3. Which biome has the most fertile soil? a. tundra b. grassland c. boreal forest d. temperate deciduous forest 4. Which Canadian biome is dominated by evergreen trees? a. tundra 5. Which biome has the least biodiversity? b. boreal forest c. grasslands

38. References: