1. Chapter 4 – Ecosystems and Communities

2. 4-1 The Role of Climate
In the atmosphere, temperature, precipitation, and other environmental factors combine to produce weather and climate.
- weather is the day-to-day conditions
- climate is the average year-to-year conditions in a region

3. The Greenhouse Effect - Carbon dioxide, methane, water vapor, and a few other atmospheric gases trap heat energy and maintain Earth’s temperature range.
- greenhouse effect is the natural situation in which heat is retained by
the layers of greenhouse gases

4. Latitude- Earth is a sphere tilted on its axis and receives sunlight at different angles throughout the year
-Three main climate zones: polar, temperate, and tropical
Heat is transferred around Earth by winds and ocean currents

5. 4-2 What Shapes an Ecosystem?
Ecosystems are influenced by a biological and physical factors.
- biotic factors = biological influences
- abiotic factors = physical, nonliving factors
- habitat = the area in which an organism lives; biotic and abiotic factors; an organism’s address

6. Niche
Niche = full range of physical and biological conditions and interactions; organism’s occupation

7. Community interactions
- competition – struggle for resources: water, nutrients, light, food, space
- predation – predator catches and feeds off of prey

8. - symbiosis – “living together”
- mutualism = both species benefit; flowers and insects; ants and aphids

9. - commensalism = one member benefits and other is neither benefited or harmed; barnacles and whales; orchids and tree

10. - parasitism = parasite lives on or in a host which generally weakens the host; tapeworms and mammals; fleas, ticks and mites and mammals;

11. Ecological succession – predictable changes over time
- primary succession – occurs on new surfaces
- secondary succession – occurs after natural events like fires
- aquatic succession – 1. whale dies… scavengers 2. nutrients decompose and support marine worms 3. oil in bones eaten by bacteria

12. Succession

13. Major Land Biomes

14. Tropical Rain Forest
– tall trees from canopy over the understory; hot and wet year-round; nutrient-poor soil
Boa constrictor
Black Jaguar
Sloth
Jaguar
Orchids
Toucan
Tapir

15. Tropical Dry Forest
– deciduous trees; generally warm, alternating dry and wet seasons; rich soil
Toucan
Elephants
Spot billed pelican
Monitor lizard
Bromeliads
Tiger

16. Tropical Savanna
– cover grasses and shrubs that are fire-resistant; warm temps; seasonal rainfall
Giraffe
Storks
Aardvark
Hyena
Lion

17. Desert – less than 25 cm per year; hot & cold temps; mineral-rich soil
Kangaroo rat
– less than 25 cm per year; hot & cold temps; mineral-rich soil
Roadrunner
Mule deer
Mountain lion
Desert big horned sheep
Golden eagle
Creosote bush

18. Temperate Grassland
Pronghorn antelope
– warm to hot summer, cold winter; moderate precipitation; fertile soil
Polecat
Coyotes
Black-tailed prairie dog
Bison
sunflowers
Blazing stars
Badgers

19. Temperate Woodland and Shrubland
Squirrel
– hot, dry summers; cool, moist winter, nutrient-poor soil, periodic fires
Fox
Black-tailed deer
California quail
Warbler

20. Temperate Forest
Raccoon
– mix of coniferous and deciduous trees; cold winters, warm summers; year-long precipitation; fertile soil
Skunk
Turkey
Bobcat
Black bear

21. Northwestern Coniferous Forest
Douglas Fir
beaver
– abundant precipitation; coniferous trees; mild temperatures
Elk
Redwoods
Barred owl

22. Boreal Forest – also known as taiga; long, cold winters; high humidity
Spruce
Boreal Forest
Snowshoe hare
– also known as taiga; long, cold winters; high humidity
Moose
Timber wolves
Lynx

23. Tundra
– permafrost is the layer of permanently frozen subsoil, strong winds; long, cold winters and short, soggy summers
Artic willow
Snowy owl
Artic fox
Bearberry
Caribou
Polar bear

24. Biomes Movie Part 1

25. Biomes Movie Part 2