Q2: Lesson 4: Biosphere

Biosphere

• entirety of Earth’s living things

• “zone of life”

• global ecological system integrating all living things and their relationships

• interactions with elements of the lithosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere

Edward Seuss

Proponent

1875

When was biosphere coined?

Biomes

• world’s major communities

• classified according to the predominant vegetation

• characterized by adaptations of organisms to a particular climate

Aquatic

• freshwater and marine biomes

• numerous species of plants and animals

Forest

distinct features dominated by trees rather than large shrubs or grasses

tropical; temperate; boreal forests; taiga

Enumerate the types of forests

Grassland

dominated by grasses and grass-eaters (ruminants)

Desert

• low rainfall

• specialized vegetation, as well as specialized animals adapted to its condition

Tundra

• coldest

• has low biotic diversity

• simple vegetation structure

Ten Percent Rule

When energy is passed in an ecosystem from one trophic level to the next, only ten percent of the energy will be passed on.