1. Natural Habitats

2. Outline Parts of the Environment Biotic and Abiotic Factors
Biomes of the World
Wetlands
Energy in Ecosystems
Natural Environmental Change
Environmental Change Due to Human Impact

3. Parts of the Environment
Population: all members of one species in a given area
Example -> all of the elk in a forest

4. Parts of the Environment
Community: all of the populations in an area
Example -> all of the elk, lynx, rabbits, owls, trees and grasses in a forest

5. Parts of the Environment
Ecosystem: all of the living and non-living parts of an environment
All of the communities in an area; combined with the air, water and ground

6. The Environment

7. Biotic Factors Biotic Factors: the living parts of an ecosystem
Examples -> animals, bugs, plants

8. Abiotic Factors Abiotic Factors: the nonliving parts of an ecosystem
4 important ones
Water – all living things need some amount of water
Soil – type of soil determines what plants can grow
Sunlight – primary source of energy in all ecosystems
Temperature – living things require certain temperatures

9. Biomes of the World
Biome: large areas of the world that have similar climates and similar plants/animals that live there
3 important factors that make up a biome
Temperature
Precipitation (type and amount)
Organisms that live there (plants and animals)

10. Biomes of the World Major Biomes of the World Tundra
Taiga (coniferous forest)
Deciduous Forest
Tropical Rain Forest
Desert
Grassland
Freshwater
Saltwater

11. Wetlands What are wetlands?
A wetland is an area that is saturated with water permanently or seasonally
The soil in wetlands is uniquely suited to aquatic plants

12. Wetlands Importance of Wetlands
Very biologically diverse ecosystem (many types of plants and animals)
Wetlands are a natural water filtration system (helps to clean water)

13. Energy in Ecosystems
Producer: any organism that produces its own energy (typically plants)
The sun is the primary source of energy in all ecosystems
Consumer: any living things that must eat (consume) other living things for energy
all animals are consumers

14. Energy in Ecosystems

15. Energy in Ecosystems

16. Natural Environmental Change
Limiting Factors: anything that restricts (limits) the number of individuals in a population
Predators, diseases, lack of water, food, space, or mates

17. Natural Environmental Change
Succession: natural, gradual changes in the types of plants and animals that live in an area

18. Types of Succession
Primary succession: succession beginning in an area with no soil (volcanic island)
Slow process
Secondary succession: succession that occurs in an area that already has soil
Area destroyed by a forest fire or natural disaster
Climax community: succession is finished
Stable community of plants and animals (no more changes)

19. Environmental Change Due to Human Impact
Pollution: the introduction of contaminants into the natural environment that are harmful

20. America the Beautiful
Oh beautiful for spacious skies, For amber waves of grain, For purple mountain majesties Above the fruited plain! America! America! God shed His grace on thee, And crown thy good with brotherhood, From sea to shining sea! ~ Katherine Lee Bates

21. America the Beautiful

22. America the Not so Beautiful
Oh beautiful for smoggy skies,
Insecticided grain,
For strip-mined mountain’s majesty
Above the asphalt plain!
America! America!
Man sheds his waste on thee,
And hides the pines with billboard signs
From sea to oily sea!
~ George Carlin (comedian)

23. Water Pollution

24. Water Pollution

25. Water Pollution

26. Water Pollution

27. Water Pollution

28. Water Pollution

29. 11 Million Gallons Spilled – not even in the top 50 internationally
Water Pollution
Alaska 1989
11 Million Gallons Spilled – not even in the top 50 internationally

30. Water Pollution

31. Water Pollution

32. Water Pollution
Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill – 200 million gallons spilled (estimate)

33. Water Pollution

34. Air Pollution

35. Air Pollution Los Angeles at night Smoggy Los Angeles
Los Angeles during the day

36. Air Pollution

37. Air Pollution

38. Air Pollution

39. Environmental Change Due to Human Impact
Invasive Species: non-native species in an ecosystem (they don’t normally belong there)
Usually introduced by humans (many times by accident)
Can compete with and kill off native species
Can be plants or animals

40. Invasive Species

41. Invasive Species

42. Environmental Change Due to Human Impact
Deforestation: removal of trees and plants in a forest so that land is converted forever to non-forest use