Biomes

Grassland Prairie Savanna Desert Tundra Forest Conifer (Taiga) Rain Forest Deciduous Coral Reef Ocean Fresh Water Estuary Wetlands Biome- a regional or global land area that is characterized by the plants, animals and climate in that area

Examples: dry, wet, hot, cold, humid the weather conditions prevailing in an area in general or over a long period Examples: dry, wet, hot, cold, humid Climate

Biotic factors living or once-living organisms in the ecosystem. Examples: animals, birds, plants, fungi, and other similar organisms

Abiotic factors non-living physical and chemical elements in the ecosystem Examples: water, air, soil, sunlight, and minerals

he position or function of an organism in a community of plants and animals Example: in a forest there may be a niche for an organism that can fly and eat nectar from blossoms Niche

Symbiotic relationships “I'll scratch your back if you scratch mine” A close, prolonged association between two or more different organisms of different species that may, but does not necessarily, benefit each member Three main types of symbiotic relationships: Mutualism: Both organisms benefit Commensalism: one organism benefits, the other is unaffected Parasitism: One organism benefits, the other is harmed

Nitrogen is necessary for all known forms of life on Earth Processes in the nitrogen cycle include: Fixation: bacteria change nitrogen into ammonium Nitrification: the process by which ammonium gets changed into nitrates by bacteria Assimilation: This is how plants get nitrogen. They absorb nitrates from the soil into their roots. Then the nitrogen gets used in amino acids, nucleic acids, and chlorophyll Ammonification: When a plant or animal dies, decomposers like fungi and bacteria turn the nitrogen back into ammonium so it can reenter the nitrogen cycle Denitrification: Extra nitrogen in the soil gets put back out into the air Nitrogen Cycle

Carbon Cycle Process above ground Carbon is removed from the atmosphere by plants through the process known as photosynthesis Carbon is later transferred to animals who consume, or eat plants. When plants and animals die, much of their carbon is returned to the atmosphere as the organisms decompose Process below ground Every so often, a plant or animal does not decompose right away. Their bodies are trapped in locations where decomposition can simply not take place Instead of returning to the atmosphere, the carbon from these lifeforms is trapped within the Earth. Over millions of years, more and more of the carbon on Earth has been trapped in this manner Carbon Cycle

Water cycle Processes include: Evaporation: the sun heats up water in rivers or lakes or the ocean and turns it into vapor or steam. The water vapor or steam leaves the river, lake or ocean and goes into the air Condensation: Water vapor in the air gets cold and changes back into liquid, forming clouds Precipitation: So much water has condensed that the air cannot hold it anymore. The clouds get heavy and water falls back to the earth in the form of rain, hail, sleet or snow Collection: When water falls back to earth as precipitation, it may fall back in the oceans, lakes or rivers or it may end up on land. When it ends up on land, it will either soak into the earth and become part of the “ground water” that plants and animals use to drink or it may run over the soil and collect in the oceans, lakes or rivers where the cycle starts all over again Water cycle