1. Chapter 52 Biomes and Ecology
4/20/2018AP Biology
Minzenmayer

2. Organismal ecology Population ecology Community ecology Ecosystem
Fig. 52-2
Organismal
ecology
Population
ecology
Community
ecology
Ecosystem
ecology
Landscape
ecology
Global
ecology

3. Ecology
Scientific study of interactions between organisms and environment
Involves
Biotic factors
Include all living parts of ecosystem including behavior
Predator/prey; parasite/host etc…
Abiotic factors
Nonliving, chemical and physical components of ecosystem
Temperature, water, salinity, sunlight and soil
AP Biology
Minzenmayer

4. Does Feeding by Sea Urchins Limit Seaweed Distribution?
Hypothesis?
100
Both limpets and urchins
removed 80
Sea urchin
Only urchins
removed 60
Seaweed cover (%)
Limpet
If sea urchins are a limiting biotic factor,
then more seaweed should invade an area
from which sea urchins have been removed. 40
Experiment: If sea urchins are a limiting biotic factor, then more seaweed should invade an area from which sea urchins have been removed.
Results: removing both limpets and urchins or removing only urchins increased seaweed cover dramatically
Almost no seaweed grew in areas where both urchins and limpets were present or where only limpets were removed
Conclusions
Removing both limpets and urchins resulted in the greatest increase in seaweed cover, indicating that both species have some influence on seaweed distribution. But since removing only urchins greatly increased seaweed growth while removing only limpets had litte effect, concluded that sea urchins have a much greater effec t than limpets in limiting seaweed distribution
Only limpets removed 20
Control (both urchins
and limpets present)
August
1982
February
1983
August
1983
February
1984

5. Fig. 52-9

6. Fig. 52-5
Kangaroos/km2
0–0.1
0.1–1
1–5
5–10
10–20
> 20
Limits of
distribution
Interactions between organisms and environment limit distribution of species
AP Biology
Minzenmayer

7. Factors Limiting Geographic Distribution
Why is species X absent from an area?
Yes
Area inaccessible or
insufficient time
Does dispersal limit its distribution? No
Yes
Does behavior limit its distribution?
Habitat selection
Factors Limiting Geographic Distribution No
Do biotic factors (other species)
limit its distribution?
Yes
Predation, parasitism,
competition, disease No
Chemical
factors
Water, oxygen, salinity, pH,
soil nutrients, etc.
Do abiotic factors limit its distribution?
Temperature, light, soil
structure, fire, moisture, etc.
Physical
factors

8. Climate Prevailing weather conditions in an area Includes
Temperature*
Sunlight
Wind
Precipitation*
Macroclimate patterns
Global, regional or local
Microclimate patterns
Small scale variations
Under log
AP Biology
Minzenmayer

9. Latitudinal Variation in Sunlight Intensity
90ºN (North Pole)
60ºN
Low angle of incoming sunlight
30ºN
23.5ºN (Tropic of
Cancer)
Sun directly overhead at equinoxes
0º (equator)
23.5ºS (Tropic of
Capricorn)
30ºS
Kcurved shape of earth causes latitudinal variation in intensity of sunlight
Becaue sunlight strikes tropics more directly, more heat and light per unit of surface area are delivered there
At higher latitudes, sunlight strikes earth at an oblique angle and light is more diffuse on earth’s surface
Low angle of incoming sunlight
60ºS
90ºS (South Pole)
Atmosphere
AP Biology
Minzenmayer

10. Seasonal Variation in Sunlight Intensity
March equinox
0º (equator)
June solstice
30ºS
June solstice—northern hemisphere tilts toward sun and has longest day and shortest night
Sourthern hemisphere tilts away from sun and has shortest day and longest night
March equinox
Equator faces sun directly; neither pole tilts toward sun; all regions on earth experience 12 hours day and 12 hours night
December solstice
Northern hemisphere tilts away from sun and has shortest day and longest hight
Southern hemisphere tilts toward sun and has longest day and shortest night
September equinox
Equator faces sun directly ; neierht pole tilts toward sun; all regions on earth have 12/12
December solstice
Constant tilt
of 23.5º
Seasonal Variation in Sunlight Intensity
September equinox
AP Biology
Minzenmayer

11. Global Air Circulation and Precipitation Patterns
Descending
dry air
absorbs
moisture
Descending
dry air
absorbs
moisture
30ºN 0º
(equator)
Ascending
moist air
releases
moisture
30ºS
60ºS
23.5º 0º
30º
23.5º
30º
Arid
zone
Tropics
Arid
zone

12. Great Ocean Conveyor Belt
Labrador
current
Gulf
stream
Equator
water
Warm
Cold water

13. bodies of water on climate
Air cools at
high elevation. 2
Cooler
air sinks
over water. 3
Warm air
over land rises. 1
Cool air over water
moves inland, replacing
rising warm air over land. 4
Moderating effects of
bodies of water on climate

14. Mountains Affect Rainfall Leeward side of mountain Wind direction
range
Ocean

15. Localized effects leeward windward desert 4/20/2018AP Biology
Minzenmayer

16. Aquatic Biomes
4/20/2018AP Biology
Minzenmayer

17. Aquatic Biomes Make up largest part of biosphere
Water covers around 75% of Earth’s surface
All with vertical stratification—forms unique ecological areas
Photic
Light for photoshythesis
Aphotic
Little to no light penetration
Benthic
Bottom areas; detritus rich
Thermoclines
Narrow layers of fast temperature change
Separate warm upper layer and cold deeper layers
AP Biology
Minzenmayer

18. Zonation in Lakes What factors contribute to organism distribution?
4/20/2018AP Biology
Minzenmayer

19. Freshwater Biomes Standing bodies of water--Lentic
Lakes and wetlands
Types of Lakes
Oligotrophic
Deep; nutrient poor; oxygen rich; sparse phytoplankton
Eutrophic
Shallow; higher nutrient content; lower oxygen; high phytoplankton concentration
Moving bodies of water--Lotic
Streams and rivers
Estuaries
Areas where freshwater streams or rivers merge with ocean
AP Biology
Minzenmayer

20. An oligotrophic lake in Grand
Teton National Park, Wyoming
A eutrophic lake in the
Okavango Delta, Botswana

21. Seasonal Turnover of Lakes
Thermal energy from sun warms surface waters
Deeper waters remain cooler
Semiannual Turnover
Semiannual mixing of water in lakes
Brings oxygenated water from surface to bottom
Brings nutrient rich water from bottom to surface
Winter
Spring
Summer
Autumn 0º 4º
22º 4º 2º 4º
20º 4º 4º 4º
18º 4º 4º 4º 8º 4º 4º 4º 6º 5º 4º
4ºC
4ºC
4ºC
4ºC
Thermocline

22. Okefenokee National Wetland
Reserve in Georgia
A headwater stream--Great
Smoky Mountains
An estuary in a low coastal plain of Georgia
Mississippi River

23. Marine Zones
4/20/2018AP Biology
Minzenmayer

24. Marine coral reef benthos intertidal 4/20/2018AP Biology
Minzenmayer

25. Aquatic Biomes Lakes Coral reefs Rivers Oceanic pelagic and
Fig
Aquatic Biomes
Lakes
Coral reefs
Rivers
Oceanic
pelagic and
benthic zones
Estuaries
30ºN
Intertidal zones
Tropic of
Cancer
Equator
Tropic of
Capricorn
30ºS

26. Terrestrial Biomes Tropical forest Savanna Desert Chaparral 30ºN
Fig
Terrestrial Biomes
Tropical forest
Savanna
Desert
Chaparral
30ºN
Tropic of
Cancer
Temperate
grassland
Equator
Temperate
broadleaf forest
Tropic of
Capricorn
Northern
coniferous forest
30ºS
Tundra
High mountains
Polar ice

27. Effects of Climate Desert Temperate grassland Tropical forest 30
broadleaf
forest 15
Effects of Climate
Annual mean temperature (ºC)
Northern
coniferous
forest
Arctic and
alpine
tundra
–15
100
200
300
400
Annual mean precipitation (cm)
4/20/2018AP Biology
Minzenmayer

28. Tropical Rainforest distribution: equatorial precipitation: very wet
temperature: always warm
characteristics: many plants & animals, thin soil
4/20/2018AP Biology
Minzenmayer

29. Savanna distribution: equatorial
precipitation: seasonal, dry season/wet season
temperature: always warm
characteristics: fire-adapted, drought tolerant plants;
herbivores; fertile soil
4/20/2018AP Biology
Minzenmayer

30. Desert distribution: 30°N & S latitude band precipitation: almost
temperature: variable daily & seasonally, hot & cold
characteristics: sparse vegetation & animals, cacti,
succulents, drought tolerant, reptiles, insects, rodents, birds
4/20/2018AP Biology
Minzenmayer

31. Chaparral distribution: coastal mid-latitude
precipitation: seasonal, dry summer/rainy winter
temperature: hot summer/cool winter
characteristics: scrubby vegetation, drought-adapted, fireadapted,
herbivores, amphibians, birds, insects
4/20/2018AP Biology
Minzenmayer

32. Temperate Grassland distribution: mid-latitudes, mid-continents
precipitation: seasonal, dry season/wet season
temperature: cold winters/hot summers
characteristics: prairie grasses, fire-adapted, drought
tolerant plants; many herbivores; deep, fertile soil
4/20/2018AP Biology
Minzenmayer

33. Temperate Deciduous Forest
distribution: mid-latitude, northern hemisphere
precipitation: adequate, summer rains, winter snow
temperature: moderate warm summer/cool winter
characteristics: many mammals, insects, birds, etc.;
deciduous trees; fertile soils
4/20/2018AP Biology
Minzenmayer

34. Coniferous Forest (Taiga)
distribution: high-latitude, northern hemisphere
precipitation: adequate to dry (temperate rain forest on coast)
temperature: cool year round
characteristics: conifers; diverse mammals, birds, insects, etc.
4/20/2018AP Biology
Minzenmayer

35. Arctic Tundra distribution: arctic, high-latitude, northern hemisphere
precipitation: dry
temperature: cold year round
characteristics: permafrost, lichens & mosses, migrating animals
& resident herbivores
4/20/2018AP Biology
Minzenmayer

36. Alpine Tundra distribution: high elevation at all latitudes
precipitation: dry
temperature: cold year round
characteristics: permafrost, lichens, mosses, grasses; migrating
animals & resident herbivores
4/20/2018AP Biology
Minzenmayer