1. Factors of Life

2. Climate Refers to the average amount of precipitation and the average temperature in a given area Refers to the average amount of precipitation and the average temperature in a given area Depending on latitude there are three main climate zones Depending on latitude there are three main climate zones –Polar: at the north and south pole  Sun hits at an extreme angle  Always cold –Temperate: between the poles and the tropics  Angle of the sun changes over the year lending to a greater variance in temperature –Tropical: lies between the tropic of cancer and the tropic of Capricorn  Receive direct or nearly direct sunlight  Always warm

3. Sunlight Some heat escapes into space Greenhouse gases trap some heat Atmosphere Earth’s surface Sunlight Most direct sunlight Sunlight 90°N North Pole 66.5°N 23.5°N 0° 23.5°S 66.5°S 90°S South Pole Arctic circle Tropic of Cancer Equator Tropic of Capricorn Arctic circle Greenhouse EffectDifferent Latitudes

4. Abiotic Factors - nonliving Light Light –An ecosystem is driven by the amount of light available –Light is essential in order for autotrophic organisms to perform photosynthesis

5. Abiotic Factors - nonliving Temperature Temperature –The temperature of the water and/or air affects an organisms metabolism  How well can an organism process the food they eat and how active is the organism –All animals have a temperature range in which they can comfortably live  Some can survive for a short period outside this range but will die if exposed to unfavorable temperatures for long periods of time  Life on earth lives in a temperature range of 32 and 122 degrees Fahrenheit

6. Abiotic Factors - nonliving Water Water –Cells are made of mostly water – approximately 75 percent of the human body is water –Water is needed for dissolving chemicals an organism needs –Most of the chemical reactions in an organism involve adding or removing water

7. Abiotic Factors - nonliving Oxygen Oxygen –The depth or elevation at which life is found is limited by the amount of oxygen present –Almost all animals need oxygen to live

8. Biotic Factors - living Food Food –How much food is available in the environment –If there is nothing a shark wants to eat then no sharks will be in the environment Predation Predation –One organism eating another organism –The amount of predation limits the population An average orca eats 50 – 60 lbs Of squid and herring a day

9. Biotic Factors - living Disease Disease –Disease has the possibility to wipe out a population –The higher the population the greater chance that disease will run rampant Competition Competition –A group of organism both using the same resource or prey item –Occurs both within the species and with other species

10. Biotic Factor - living Symbiosis Symbiosis –A relationship where two animals live closely together –Mutualism: both animals benefits from the interaction –Commensalism: only one animal benefits from the interaction but the other one is not harmed –Parasitism: one animal benefits and one animal is harmed

12. Niche Defines the role that an organism plays in the ecosystem Defines the role that an organism plays in the ecosystem –Where the species lives, what it eats, and what eats it –Because animals have different niches it allows many animals to occupy the same ecosystem with limited competition

13. Recommended Viewing Bozeman Bozeman Bozeman Biotic factors and evolution Biotic factors and evolution Biotic factors and evolution Biotic factors and evolution Monsters inside me Monsters inside me Monsters inside me Monsters inside me