Ecosystems of the World

Desert

Landscape: rocky and sandy Climate: hot and dry Desert Landscape: rocky and sandy Climate: hot and dry Dominant plant life: cactus, small shrubs Dominant animal life: reptiles, birds, rodents, sheep Main feature: dry

Tundra

Landscape: treeless plain Climate: extremely cold and dry TUNDRA Landscape: treeless plain Climate: extremely cold and dry Dominant plant life: small grasses, shrubs Dominant animal life: caribou, birds, fox, owls, lemmings Main feature: frozen soil most of the year

Temperate Deciduous Forest

Landscape: deciduous trees Climate: wet and moderate temperature Temperate Deciduous forest Landscape: deciduous trees Climate: wet and moderate temperature Dominant plant life: deciduous trees, ferns, mosses Dominant animal life: squirrels, birds, deer, fox, raccoon, insects

TROPICAL Rain Forest

Landscape: trees – near equator Climate: hot and very wet Tropical rain forest Landscape: trees – near equator Climate: hot and very wet Dominant plant life: large trees, vines Dominant animal life: monkeys, insects, mammals, frogs, birds, reptiles

Chaparral

chaparral Landscape: dirt, shrubs Climate: dry, hot summers, cool, wet winters Dominant plant life: shrubs, small grasses Dominant animal life: owls, chipmunks, lizards

grassland

grassland Landscape: plains Climate: dry, warm Dominant plant life: grasses Dominant animal life: grazing animals (cows, antelope, bison), coyotes, squirrels, snakes

Temperate rain forest

Climate: very wet, moderate temperatures Temperate rain forest Landscape: forest Climate: very wet, moderate temperatures Dominant plant life: conifer trees, ferns, mosses Dominant animal life: salmon, deer, arachnids

Taiga

taiga Landscape: coniferous forest Climate: long, cold winters, short summers Dominant plant life: evergreen trees Dominant animal life: deer, elk, caribou, mountain lions, wolves, bears, chipmunks, beavers

Wetlands

wetlands Landscape: shorelines, lagoons, and marshes Climate: wet, varying temperatures Dominant plant life: sea grasses, phytoplankton, algae Dominant animal life: fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, insects

Aquatic: freshwater

Feature: fresh (non-salty) water Aquatic: freshwater Feature: fresh (non-salty) water Dominant plant life: algae, aquatic plants, grasses Dominant animal life: insects, fish, snails, beaver, birds

Aquatic: Marine

Dominant plant life: seaweed, algae, phytoplankton Aquatic: Marine Feature: saltwater Dominant plant life: seaweed, algae, phytoplankton Dominant animal life: zooplankton, crustaceans, sea creatures, fish

Some things to know about ecosystems . . .

An ECOSYSTEM is the total community of living organisms in a particular area plus the nonliving factors of the environment.

A BIOME includes any ecosystems found in a regional area A BIOME includes any ecosystems found in a regional area. (For example, one geographic area may contain a freshwater pond, as well as wetland swamps, and a deciduous forest, that all interact in the given region making up a biome.)

BIOTIC factors of an ecosystem are all of its living components. ABIOTIC factors are the nonliving components of the ecosystem.

A TROPHIC LEVEL is the particular place an organism maintains in a food chain. A FOOD CHAIN is a simple representation of the trophic levels in order from producers through all levels of consumers, then decomposers. A FOOD WEB is an illustration of the complex interrelationships between all trophic levels where a particular organism may function in more than one trophic level.

SECONDARY CONSUMERS, etc. PRODUCERS are the organisms in an ecosystem that harness energy (usually from the sun) and make it available as food to . . . PRIMARY CONSUMERS who get energy by feeding on producers. They then become a food source for . . . SECONDARY CONSUMERS, etc. DECOMPOSERS break down dead plant and animal material making the raw materials available for producers to reuse.

Water cycles throughout ecosystems via evaporation, rain, runoff, etc. BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES function to recycle nutrients throughout the ecosystem. Some examples. . . Plants use Carbon Dioxide for photosynthesis and produce Oxygen. The oxygen is used in animal respiration and Carbon Dioxide is produced. Water cycles throughout ecosystems via evaporation, rain, runoff, etc. Nitrogen and Carbon are released from dead organisms by decomposers so that they may be reused by producers and cycle throughout the food web.

A NICHE is the function a particular organism performs in a given ecosystem.

Ecosystems of the World Quiz

A: bacterial decomposers Which of the following would NOT be considered to be a biotic factor of a taiga ecosystem? A: bacterial decomposers B: deer and elk C: coniferous trees D: short summers

In an aquatic marine ecosystem a killer whale feeds on krill (primary consumers), birds (third-level consumers), and penguins (fourth-level consumers). What would be the best way to illustrate these relationships? A: food web B: food chain C: photographs D: phylogenetic tree

Which of the following would not commonly be found in a desert ecosystem? A: snake B: bacteria C: deciduous tree D: cactus

A food chain shows A: the order of trophic levels of a particular ecosystem from producer to decomposer B: the complex web of interrelationships between many trophic levels C: the development of plants from seed to adult D: the organisms that are not found in a given ecosystem

A trophic level is A: an organism's place in the food web. B: an organism's dwelling place in an ecosystem. C: an organism's niche in an ecosystem. D: an aquatic organism's place in the water column

In which ecosystem would you be most likely to find a coniferous tree? A: temperate rain forest B: tundra C: aquatic marine D: desert

Which of the following most accurately describes the carbon dioxide/oxygen cycle in terrestrial biomes? A: plants produce oxygen and carbon dioxide that are used by animals in respiration B: plants use carbon dioxide and produce oxygen, while animals use oxygen and produce carbon dioxide C: animals produce carbon dioxide and oxygen which are used by plants in photosynthesis D: plants produce carbon dioxide and use oxygen, while animals produce oxygen and use carbon dioxide

One abiotic factor of a tropical rain forest is A: large vines B: parrots C: abundant rain D: monkeys

One important function of bacteria in an ecosystem is to A: build habitats for larger animals B: kill lethal viruses C: recycle nitrogen from dead organisms back into the food web D: keep populations of large animals in check

B: large deciduous trees C: insects (such as bees) Which of the following would be a producer in a temperate deciduous forest ecosystem? A: snails B: large deciduous trees C: insects (such as bees) D: nutrient-rich soil