1. The Biosphere can be divided into Biomes

2. What is a Biome? A biome is the largest division of the biosphere.
Earth has eight terrestrial (land-based)
Biomes are characterized by their biotic (living) and abiotic (non- living components.
There are about different biomes.

3. Biotic Components Are the living organisms in an environment
Plants, animals, fungi, and bacteria
They interact with each other and with the physical and chemical environment in which they live.
Name an interaction: deer eats grass (2 biotic components interacting) . Grass depends on sunlight.

4. Abiotic Components Non-living parts of the environment:
Sunlight, soil, moisture, temperature, wind, elevation, pollution
Biotic Factors rely on
abiotic factors to survive

5. Biomes
Biomes are large regions distinguished by their similar biotic and abiotic components such as climate, flora and fauna.
Eg. BC and New Zealand are similar biomes because they have regions with similar biotic & abiotic components
Biomes are largely based on the geography and climate of a region. Therefore, a biome is a geoclimatic zone that is identifiable on a global scale and includes things such as plants and animals.
A desert is an example of a biome and can be identified by its general temperature, precipitation and geography. Deserts can be categorized even further into arid, semi-arid, coastal, and cold deserts.
In Canada, we have the 4 overarching biomes: tundra, desert, grassland, and forest. Within BC, we have the following subcategories: semi-arid desert, temperate rainforest, boreal forest (taiga), and alpine tundra.

6. To understand a world biome, you need to know:
What the climate of the region is like.
Where each biome is found and what its geography is like.
The types of plants and animals found in the biome and their physical and behavioral adaptations to their environment.

7. Tundra
What type of plants (tall trees vs small lichens). Animal adaptations – for cold.

8. Desert Biome
Temperature. Rainfall? Animals. Veg- small shrubby, conserve water. Location- north? Middle?

9. Activity
Describe two patterns you see in the distribution of the biomes
Compare your patterns with the patterns identified by another pair of students.
Which three distribution patterns were most frequently identified?

10. Distribution of Biomes
Describe two patterns you see in the distribution of the biomes
Compare your patterns with the patterns identified by another pair of students.
Which three distribution patterns were most frequently identified?

11. Check your Understanding
What is a biome?
What are the biotic components of a biome?
What are the abiotic components of a biome?
Name the major biomes that are in Canada.

12. Factors that influence the characteristics and Distribution of Biomes

13. Abiotic Factors
Temperature and Precipitation (rainfall, snow, mist, and fog) are two of the most important abiotic factors that influence the characteristics of biomes.
Organisms have adaptations for survival in the specific environmental conditions of their biome
Eg. slugs, ferns, mosses, and large trees that you would find in the rainforest of New Zealand and British Columbia would not survive in a hot, dry desert biome because they can survive only in environments that are cool and wet

14. Distribution of Biomes
Temperature & precipitation are 2 of the most important abiotic factors in identifying biomes.
Fig 1.6 shows biomes in relation to average annual preciptitatoin and average annual temperature. Notice the biomes overlap, indicating other factors influence.
Suppose you knew the average annual temperature and average annual precipitation of a region. To determine th type of biome of the regions, you wold locate the intersection point of these data on the graph. For example, if the average annual temperature is 15C, locate 15C on the x axis. Then move up the graph in a line from 15C until you reach 25cm of annual ppt on the y axis. This intersection point indicates that the region is in the grassland biome. You could also begin with the average annual precipitation on the y axis and then find the intersection with the average annual temperature on the x axis.

15. Other Abiotic Factors: Latitude
Latitude – affects both temperature and precipitation
elevation, and
Ocean currents.
Wind

16. Latitude - affects both temperature and precipitation
Latitude is the distance measured in degrees north or south from the equator.
The equator is 0 ° latitude and divides Earth into the northern and southern hemispheres.
At the equaotor, the rays of the sun shine down from almost directly over head. As a result, the equator receives 12 hours of sunlight each day year-round and experiences little annual fluctuation in temperature.
Areas closer to equator receive more direct sunlight and has warm temp. North of Tropic of Cancer and south of Tropic of Capricorn, sun’s rays hit Earth at an angle, due to the tilt of Earth. As a result, sun’s rays spread out over the larger surface area between these latitudes and the poles.. Since sun’s rays are less intense farther away from the equator, the temperatures in these zones (temperate zones) are lower at the equator. 
Latitude and ppt: at equator, direct sunlight heats moist air, which quickly rises, cools in the upper atomosphere, and falls back to Earth as rain. Land and ocean near equator receive large quantities of rain. Polar regions , little moisture can be picked up and carried in cold air, so clouds do not form readily and there is little precipitation. 

17. Latitude
Areas closer to equator receive more direct sunlight and has warm temp. North of Tropic of Cancer and south of Tropic of Capricorn, sun’s rays hit Earth at an angle, due to the tilt of Earth. As a result, sun’s rays spread out over the larger surface area between these latitudes and the poles.. Since sun’s rays are less intense farther away from the equator, the temperatures in these zones (temperate zones) are lower at the equator.
Latitude and ppt: at equator, direct sunlight heats moist air, which quickly rises, cools in the upper atomospher, and falls back to Earth as rain. Land and ocean near equator receive large quantities of rain. Polar regions , little moisture can be picked up and carried in cold air, so clouds do ot formredily and there is little precipitation. 

18. How does Latitude affect temperature and precipitation?
Areas closer to equator receive more direct sunlight and has warm temp. North of Tropic of Cancer and south of Tropic of Capricorn, sun’s rays hit Earth at an angle, due to the tilt of Earth. As a result, sun’s rays spread out over the larger surface area between these latitudes and the poles.. Since sun’s rays are less intense farther away from the equator, the temperatures in these zones (temperate zones) are lower at the equator.

19. Latitude - affects both temperature and precipitation
At the equator, the rays of the sun shine down from almost directly overhead. As a result, the equator receives 12 hours of sunlight each day year-round and experiences little annual fluctuation in temperature.
At the equator, the rays of the sun shine down from almost directly over head. As a result, the equator receives 12 hours of sunlight each day year-round and experiences little annual fluctuation in temperature.

20. Latitude also affect precipitation
Ex. The tropical zone has very warm temperatures & high precipitation
This is because warm air holds more moisture than cooler air.

21. Elevation affects Temperature
Elevation is the height above sea level
Air is thinner at higher elevations & therefore retains less heat

22. Elevation affects Precipitation
Windward sides of mountains are wet, leeward sides are very dry.
On windward side of mountains clouds filled with moisture rise and cool, then release rain or snow. One the leeward side of mountains (sheltered0 the air warms again, which allows it to absorb water, creating a dry land area.

23. Different Biomes at different elevations
Since elevation affects both temperature and precipitation, they type of biome found at a high altitude can be different from the type of biome found at lower elevations.
Elevation of Vancouver is 82m, Calgary 1045m

24. Ocean Currents affect temperature and Precipitation
Ocean currents transport warm water and precipitation from the equator toward the poles and cold water from the poles back to the tropics.
act like a conveyer belt,

25. Check your Understanding
Name two abiotic factors that influence the characteristics of biomes.
How does temperature change with latitude?
How does precipitation change with latitude?
How can the temperature rainforest biome be located in two very different pars of the world?
Explain why you might find a permanent ice biome at the top of a mountain and a temperate forest biome at the bottom.

26. Climatographs
Climate: the average pattern of weather conditions over a period of several years.
Climatographs show the average temperature & precipitation for a location over a 30yr period.
precipitation on the right hand y-axis,
temperature on the left hand y-axis and
time along the x-axis (bottom)

27. Climatographs Graphs show trends, Lots of data quickly
Which place gets more rain? Consistently?
Which month does Tofino get least rain? July
Which month does Osoyoos get most rain?

28. Homework: Reading a Climatograph WS

29. Adaptations to Abiotic Factors
Temperature and Precipitation (rainfall, snow, mist, and fog) are two of the most important abiotic factors that influence the characteristics of biomes.
Organisms have adaptations for survival in the specific environmental conditions of their biome
Eg. slugs, ferns, mosses, and large trees that you would find in the rainforest of New Zealand and British Columbia would not survive in a hot, dry desert biome because they can survive only in environments that are cool and wet

30. Where would these live?

31. Adaptations & Biomes
Biotic factors such as plants and animals have special adaptations to live where they are.
Adaptations are characteristics that enable organism to better survive and reproduce in that biome.
There are three types of adaptions.

32. Structural Adaptations
Physical feature of an organism’s body with a special function that helps is survive
Eg. Pine trees are cone-shaped and therefore shed snow easily
Eg arctic fox has thick , white coat in winter and brownish-grey coat in summer, providing camouflage for better hunting.
Cactus, Procupines have sharp, stiff quills to defend against predators attacks

33. Physiological Adaptations
A physical or chemical event that occurs within the body of an organism that enables survival
Eg wolves can maintain a constant body temperature regardless of weather conditions enables the to survive harsh Canadian winters.
Eg. Photosynthesis is cacti is different from photosynthesis in trees and ferns of temperate regions. This adaptation mean that cacti require only half as much water for photosynthesis as trees and ferns do.

34. Behavioural Adaptations
Something an organism does to survive the unique environment
How it feeds, mates, cares for its young, migrates, hibernates, or burrows to escape predators.
Eg burrowing owl builds its nest in abandoned prairie dog burrows in grassland areas. This keeps it cool during the day, warm at night. It places cow dung near the entrance to hide the scent from predators.

35. Where would these live?

36. Impacts of Biotic & Abiotic Factors
Can affect
Examples
Biotic
Abiotic

37. Impacts of Biotic & Abiotic Factors
Can affect
Examples
Biotic
 Themselves
 getting food
 Other Organisms
 competing for space
 Interactions between other organisms
Eating resources Spreading disease
Abiotic
 Environment
Temperature Weather 
 Survival
 Shelter
 Too dry – no water
 Reproduction
 Not the right conditions

38. Impacts of Biotic & Abiotic Factors
Can affect
Examples
Biotic
 Themselves
 finding food or shelter
 Other Organisms
 Competing for food
Choosing to flee or fight
 Interactions between other organisms
 Using up resources, spreading disease
Abiotic
 Environment
 Temperature, Landscape, Weather
 Survival
 Shelter, Water, Space
 Reproduction
 Is there enough food? Safe space to have babies?

39. Geosphere
Atmosphere
Hydrosphere
Biosphere
 gravel
Rocks
Dirt
Pebbles
Mountains
Landscape
Cloudy
Foggy
Sunshine
Humid
Raining (light)
Breeze
Water
Temperature
 Creek / River
Puddles
Rain
Moist / Damp
 Tree stumps
Birds
Plants
Trees
Bears
Flowers
Bugs
Moss
Fish
Insects

40. Sphere Interactions
Ecosystems are very complex and rely on many different interactions to keep themselves in balance.
When an ecosystem is out of balance, it can be observed in many ways throughout parts of the system.

41. Sphere Interactions
Understanding how the spheres are interconnected is an important part of maintaining a sustainable global system.