Biomes and Aquatic Ecosystems Aim: What conditions characterize the world’s biomes?

What is a Biome? A biome is a grouping of ecosystems with similar biotic and abiotic conditions

World’s Major Biomes Tropical Forest Savanna Desert Temperate Rain Forest Grasslands Boreal Forest (Taiga) Tundra

Tropical Forest (Central America) Close to equator Year-round warm temperatures More rain than any other biome

Savanna (Africa, South American, Australia) Grasslands with clusters of trees Slight seasonal variation in temperature Significant variation in rainfall Savanna’s have distinct rainy seasons

Desert Driest biome on Earth Depending on rainfall, can vary in biodiversity

Temperate Rain Forest (Pacific NW Coast of US) Regions with heavy rainfall Moderate year-round temperatures

Grasslands (Midwest) Also known as the praries Moderate seasonal rainfall But, not enough to support the bigger plants and trees like a forest

Boreal Forest (Taiga) (Ex:Canada) Develop in long, cold winters and cool summers. Moderate precipitation

Tundra Cold and Damp Located near poles and on top of high mountains in lower latitudes

Group Work The biome's location A color-coded system indicating the climate and the vegetation What adaptations would plants need What adaptations would animals need A representation of the animals that live in the biome

Aquatic Ecosystems AIM: What conditions and organisms characterize the worlds aquatic ecosystems?

Ecologists classify aquatic ecosystems based on 1)Salinity 2)Depth 3) If the water is flowing or standing

Amount of salts dissolved in the water Salinity Amount of salts dissolved in the water

The depth of water can affect 1) how much light is available 2)Temperature

Photic Zone Enough sunlight for photosynthesis

Below the photic zone, no sunlight can penetrate these waters Aphotic Zone Below the photic zone, no sunlight can penetrate these waters

The very bottom layer of a body of water Benthic Zone The very bottom layer of a body of water

Flowing Water System Water near constant motion Example: rivers, streams, etc

Standing Water System Water that does not move or moves slowly Example: ponds, wetlands

Standing Freshwater Ecosystems Bodies of water that collect in depressions on Earth’s surface Examples: Ponds, Lakes, wetlands

Characteristics of standing freshwater ecosystems Littoral zone Limnetic Zone

Littoral Zone 1) Shallow and Near-Shore 2) Aquatic plants can grow from mud and reach above water’s surface

Limnetic Zone 1) Farther from shore 2) No rooted plants

Wetlands Systems that combine elements of fresh water and dry land Extremely rich in nutrients Examples: Marshes Swamps Bogs

Flowing Freshwater Ecosystems Examples: Rivers and Streams

A River’s Course Rivers shape the landscape through which they run Flow downhill because of gravity

Flood Plain Areas near a river’s course that flood periodically

Estuaries 1)Homes to diverse ecosystems that prevent soil erosion and flooding 2) Found where land drainage meets oceans

The Oceans Divided into 3 zones Intertidal Neritic Open Ocean

Intertidal Where ocean meets land

Neritic Zone Extends from low-tide mark to the continental shelf

Open-Ocean 1)Starts at the edge of continental shelf 2) Contains over 90% of Earth’s ocean water