Professional Development Series June 25, 2005 Biomes presented by Richard A. Campbell, Ph.D. Professor Science Education Florida International University

Write at least five things that you thought about this morning

Did you list some things that are found in your environment?

Did you every think about what your environment would be like if some things were removed?

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live in a different part of the world?

What do you think the weather would be like there?

What kinds of animals do you think you would see?

What kind of plants do you think would live there?

By investigating these questions, you would learn something about biomes

This presentation is on biomes  Goal: to develop a meaningful understanding about biomes  Objective: upon completion of this presentation you should be able to explain, in your own words, what a biome is with 80% of accuracy.

What is Biome? A biome is a community of plants and animals living together in a certain kind of climate

The biome concept embraces the idea of community, of interaction among vegetation, animal populations, and soil.

Why do you think it is important to study about biomes?

The Earth has many different environments, or habitats, varying in temperature, moisture, light, and many other factors. Each of these habitats has distinct life forms living in it, forming complex communities of interdependent organisms.

Scientists have classified regions of the world into different biomes

Some World Biomes aquatic forestdesert tundrafreshwatergrassland

How are biomes patterns distributed? Their distribution patterns are strongly correlated with regional climate patterns and are identified according to the climax vegetation type

A biome is composed not only of the climax vegetation, but also of associated successional communities, persistent sub- climax communities, fauna, and soils.

A biome is also influenced by both biotic and abotic factors

What are the biotic factors? Biotic factors refer to the living parts of an ecosystem, such as the unique species that live there.

What are the abotic factors? the nonliving parts of an ecosystem, such as rainfall and temperature.

Do you think that a biome can change?

Human activities have drastically altered biome communities. Increased human activity over the past several decades has rapidly altered or destroyed many ecological habitats, thereby changing the biomes. Increased human activity over the past several decades has rapidly altered or destroyed many ecological habitats, thereby changing the biomes.

Freshwater Biome

Where is the biome found? This biome is found all over the world on every continent.

Other questions regarding this biome What geological events are related to the formation of this biome? –In the mountains landslides may fill stream beds with earth and rock causing ponds to form –Erosion tends to destroy ponds, but sometimes it creates depressions that fill with water

What is the weather and climate like in this biome? There are shallow water zones along the shore, There is an open water zone where light is insufficient for photosynthesis, There is a deep water zone which is less dense, A bottom zone which is made of soft mud and is the coldest because very little sunlight gets to silt. The shallow water zone is the warmest because it gets the most light.

What plant communities dominate this biome?  algae,  water moss,  and plant plankton

What are some of the animals found in this biome?  snails,  breams,  belted kingfisher,  bass,  sunfish,  aquatic insects,  trout,  mussel,  brook trout,  mayfly,  and rainbow trout.

One of the factors in all biomes with living things is water

Water is a substance that can exist in all three forms SolidLiquidGas

Water is an integral part of life on this planet

Water is an odorless, colorless, & tasteless substance that covers more than three-fourths of the Earth's surface

Precipitation, evaporation, and transpiration are all terms that sound familiar. They are all part of the water cycle.

Evaporation When the sun heats the water found in oceans, rivers and lakes

Precipitation Occurs when cooler air cause the water to condense into clouds

Transpiration Water vapor from the plant surface evaporates into the atmosphere

Water places an important role in all biotic environments

Biotic environments consist of three interrelated parts  Physical environment  Biological environment  Chemical environment

Physical Environment  Light  Temperature  Gravity  Structures and surfaces

Chemical Environment  Water  Atmosphere  Organic things  Inorganic things and PH

Biological Environment Organisms and their relationship to one another

Biome on a string