Ch. 4 – Ecosystems and Communities

Climate Is the average, year after year, (after year) conditions of temperature, precipitation, humidity, wind, atmospheric pressure, and other meteorolgical elements in a region. Climate is affected by altitude, latitude, terrain, nearby bodies of water, solar radiation, and other factors.

World Climate

New Mexico Climate New Mexico 1 Northwestern Plateau 2 Northern Mountains  3 Northeastern Plains  4 Southwestern Mountains  5 Central Valley  6 Central Highlands  7 Southeastern Plains  8 Southern Desert

Albuquerque Climate a. West Mesa and Heights Zone The thermal belts above both sides of the Rio Grande valley and east of I-25; This is a semi-desert or in marginal areas, true desert. b. Foothills Zone The foothills on the west side of the Sandia / Manzano Mountains,below about 7000 feet elevation; This area, receiving more moisture is a mix of semi-desert, interior chaparral, and woodland. c. Valleys and Major Arroyos Zone The Rio Grande valley floodplain and the larger arroyos that drain into the valley.   d. East Mountain Zone The eastern side of the Sandia and Manzano Mountains, which are far more exposed to cold fronts. Typically cold winter, lower Rocky Mountains, High Plains or Great Basin. e. Eastern Highlands and Basins Zone The plains and undrained basins at the eastern base of East Mountain areas, which are also exposed to plains fronts, heavier soils, less moisture, higher daytime temperatures, and colder nights.

Artificial Climate How/why is the very local climate of a large city quite different from natural surroundings?

Albuquerque Temperature

Albuquerque Record High 107 – June 1994 Record Low -17 – January 1971 ( - 7 Feb. 2011)

Weather Short term Day to day condition of the Earth’s atmosphere – particular time and place

Greenhouse Effect Vote Greenhouse Good - Greenhouse Bad – Some atmospheric gases trap solar heat and energy Blanket, windows of a greenhouse

Greenhouse gases water vapor carbon dioxide nitrous oxide methane Others Without the greenhouse effect Earth’s average temperature would be about 30 C cooler. (Now reported to be 15C (56F)).

Greenhouse Effect Planet without greenhouse: Mars Planet with too much greenhouse: Venus

Too Little Greenhouse If there are no greenhouse gases: Extremes in heating – no shielding layer Extremes in cooling – no blanket

Too much greenhouse More heat trapped on Earth and in atmosphere

Ecosystem Collection of all the organisms that live in a particular place, together with their nonliving environment

Revote Greenhouse Effect good – Greenhouse Effect bad –

Biome Complex of terrestrial communities Large area Biome – large ecosystem or large several ecosystems Not part of Standards, so not studying this

Local Ecosystems Albuquerque Basin Rio Grande Floodplain Conifer Woodlands & Savannahs Rocky Mountain Conifer Forest Subalpine Forest

Local Ecosystems Biotic Plants Animals b

Local Ecosystems Abiotic – non – living Rio Grande River Sandia Mountains Climate Soil types Many others

Niche All physical and biological conditions in which an organism lives and the way the organism uses those conditions. Place in food web Climate needed for survival When/how it reproduces Behaviors for survival

Niche No two species can share the same niche at the same time. There can be niches that are very similar, different in small ways: Where in the tree. When it feeds/reproduces

Ecological Succession Ecosystems are always changing in response to disturbances. Predictable change in an ecosystem is called SUCCESSION

Ecological Succession Primary Secondary Pioneer species

Succession slides SEE OTHER POWERPOINT http://www.science-class.net/PowerPoints/Ecological%20Succession.ppt#256,1,Changes in Ecosystems: Ecological Succession SEE OTHER POWERPOINT