1. Table of Contents Energy Flow in Ecosystems Cycles of Matter
Biogeography
Biomes
Aquatic Ecosystems

2. Food Chains and Food Webs
- Energy Flow in Ecosystems
Food Chains and Food Webs
The movement of energy though an ecosystem can be shown in diagrams called food chains and food webs.

3. Building Vocabulary - Energy Flow in Ecosystems
A definition states the meaning of a word or phrase by telling about its most important feature or function. After you read the section, reread the paragraphs that contain definitions of Key Terms. Use all the information you have learned to write a definition of each Key Term in your own words.
Key Terms:
Key Terms:
Examples:
energy pyramid
food web
producers
Examples:
food chain
consumer
herbivore
omnivore
carnivore
scavenger
An energy pyramid shows how much energy moves from one level to another in a food web, beginning with the producers.
In a food chain, a consumer could be an herbivore, an omnivore, or a carnivore, including a scavenger.
decomposer
Decomposers are nature’s recyclers.

4. Click the Video button to watch a movie about consumers.
- Energy Flow in Ecosystems
Consumers
Click the Video button to watch a movie about consumers.

5. Links on Food Chains and Food Webs
- Energy Flow in Ecosystems
Links on Food Chains and Food Webs
Click the SciLinks button for links on food chains and food webs.

6. End of Section: Energy Flow in Ecosystems

7. The Water Cycle - Cycles of Matter
The processes of evaporation, condensation, and precipitation make up the water cycle.

8. Water Cycle Activity - Cycles of Matter
Click the Active Art button to open a browser window and access Active Art about the water cycle.

9. The Carbon and Oxygen Cycles
- Cycles of Matter
The Carbon and Oxygen Cycles
In ecosystems, the processes by which carbon and oxygen are recycled are linked. Producers, consumers, and decomposers play roles in recycling carbon and oxygen.

10. The Nitrogen Cycle - Cycles of Matter
In the nitrogen cycle, nitrogen moves from the air to the soil, into living things, and back into the air.

11. Precipitation runs off or becomes groundwater.
- Cycles of Matter
Sequencing
Sequence is the order in which a series of events occurs. As you read, make a cycle diagram that shows the water cycle. Write each event of the water cycle in a separate oval.
The Water Cycle
Water evaporates.
Precipitation runs off or becomes groundwater.
Clouds form.
Precipitation falls.

12. End of Section: Cycles of Matter

13. Continental Drift - Biogeography
One factor that has affected how species are distributed is the motion of Earth’s continents.

14. Continental Drift Activity
- Biogeography
Continental Drift Activity
Click the Active Art button to open a browser window and access Active Art about continental drift.

15. Limits to Dispersal - Biogeography
The typical weather pattern in an area over a long period of time is the area’s climate.

16. Relating Cause and Effect
- Biogeography
Relating Cause and Effect
As you read, identify three causes of dispersal. Write the information in a graphic organizer like the one below.
Causes
Wind
Effect
Dispersal of species
Water
Living things, including humans

17. End of Section: Biogeography

18. Rain Forest Biomes - Biomes
Temperate rain forests receive a great deal of rain and have moderate temperatures.

19. Rain Forest Biomes - Biomes
Tropical rain forests are wet, warm biomes that contain an amazing variety of plants and other organisms.

20. - Biomes
Desert Biomes
A desert is an area that receives less than 25 centimeters of rain per year.

21. Grassland Biomes - Biomes
A grassland is an area that is populated mostly by grasses and other nonwoody plants.

22. Deciduous Forest Biomes
Many of the trees in the deciduous forest are deciduous trees, which shed their leaves and grow new ones each year. A deciduous forest receives at least 50 centimeters of precipitation each year. Temperatures vary greatly through the year.

23. Boreal Forest Biomes - Biomes
Most of the trees in the boreal forest are coniferous trees, trees that produce their seeds in cones and have leaves shaped like needles. Winters in the boreal forest are cold and very snowy, but summers are warm and rainy enough to melt all the snow.

24. - Biomes
Tundra
The tundra is an extremely cold and dry biome. Most of the soil in the tundra is permafrost, which is frozen all year.

25. Mountains and Ice - Biomes
Some areas of land are not part of any major biome. These areas include mountain ranges and land that is covered with thick sheets of ice.

26. Earth’s Biomes Activity
Click the Active Art button to open a browser window and access Active Art about Earth’s biomes.

27. Biome Climates - Biomes
An ecologist collected climate data from two locations. The graph shows the monthly average temperatures in the two locations. The total yearly precipitation in Location A is 250 cm. In Location B, the total yearly precipitation is 14 cm.

28. Biome Climates - Biomes Reading Graphs:
What variable is plotted on the horizontal axis? On the vertical axis?
Month is plotted on the horizontal axis; temperature is plotted on the vertical axis.

29. Biome Climates - Biomes Interpreting Data:
Look over the graph. How would you describe the temperature over the course of a year in Location A? In Location B?
Location A temperatures are steady; Location B temperatures fluctuate.

30. Biome Climates - Biomes Drawing Conclusions:
Given the precipitation and temperature data for these locations, in which biome would you expect each to be located? Explain your answers.
Location A: tropical rain forest
Location B: desert

31. Biome Climates - Biomes Predicting:
What would you expect a temperature graph for your biome to look like? Draw a temperature graph for the biome in which you live.
Answers will vary but should reflect whether local climate is hot or cold, seasonal or steady.

32. Comparing and Contrasting
- Biomes
Comparing and Contrasting
As you read, compare and contrast the different biomes by completing a table like the one below.
Tropical Rain Forest
Temperate Rain Forest
Character-istic
Deciduous Forest
Boreal Forest
Tundra
Desert
Grassland
Cool winters, warm in summer
Usually hot with great daily extremes
Temps vary throughout the year
Warm in summer, cold in winter
Warm to cool in summer, cold in winter
Tempera-ture
Warm all year
Cold all year
Mostly dry with a wet season
Abundant rain and snow
Precipit-ation
Rather wet all year
Moderate rainfall
Wet all year
Dry all year
Dry all year
Typical organisms
Gamble’s quail
Orangutan
Mosses
Mule deer
Grasses
Red fox
Lynx

33. Click the Video button to watch a movie about deciduous forests.
- Biomes
Deciduous Forests
Click the Video button to watch a movie about deciduous forests.

34. End of Section: Biomes

35. Marine Ecosystems - Aquatic Ecosystems
The ocean is home to a number of different ecosystems. Factors such as water temperature and the amount of sunlight determine what types of organisms can live in each zone.

36. Marine Ecosystems - Aquatic Ecosystems
The ocean is home to a number of different ecosystems. Factors such as water temperature and the amount of sunlight determine what types of organisms can live in each zone.

37. Outlining - Aquatic Ecosystems
As you read, make an outline about the different types of aquatic ecosystems. Use the red headings for the main ideas and the blue headings for the supporting ideas.
Freshwater Ecosystems
Streams and Rivers
Ponds and Lakes
Marine Ecosystems
Intertidal Zone
Neritic Zone
Open Ocean

38. Links on Aquatic Ecosystems
Click the SciLinks button for links on aquatic ecosystems.

39. End of Section: Aquatic Ecosystems

40. Graphic Organizer Nitrogen Cycle Free nitrogen is present in air.
Bacteria release some free nitrogen back into the air.
Bacteria in root nodules fix free nitrogen into compounds.
Nitrogen Cycle
Decomposers break down wastes and remains of organisms.
Consumers obtain nitrogen by eating plants.

41. End of Section: Graphic Organizer