Ecology and Biosphere

Location of tropical wet forest

Within 10° N and 10° S

Location of tropical dry forest

Between 10° and 25° N or S

Location of savannas

10° to 20° N and S

Location of subtropical deserts

20° to 30° N and S

Location of cold deserts

30° to 50° N

Location of chaparral

30° to 40° N and S

Location of temperate grassland

30° to 40° N and S

Location of temperate forest

25° to 50° N and S

Location of boreal forest (taiga)

50° to 65° N

Location of arctic tundra

65° to 75° N

Typical temperature ranges of tropical wet forest

68° to 86° F

Typical temperature ranges of dry forest

63° to 95° F

Typical temperature ranges of savannas

68° to 86° F

Typical temperature ranges of subtropical desert

86° to 122°F

Typical temperature ranges of cold desert

28° to 79° F

Typical temperature ranges of chaparral

50° to 86° F

Typical temperature ranges of temperate grassland

23° to 86° F

Typical temperature ranges of temperate forest

30° to 86° F

Typical temperature ranges of boreal forest (taiga)

-40° to 68° F

Typical temperature ranges of tundra

-40° to 50° F

Average yearly rainfall of tropical wet forest

6.5 to 13 ft

Average yearly rainfall of tropical dry forest

3.3 to 6.6 ft

Average yearly rainfall of savanna

1.6 to 5 ft

Average yearly rainfall of subtropical desert

0 to 0.8 ft

Average yearly rainfall of cold desert

0.8 to 1.6 ft

Average yearly rainfall of chaparral

0.8 to 2.5 ft

Average yearly rainfall of temperate grassland

0.8 to 3 ft

Average yearly rainfall of temperate forest

2.5 to 5 ft

Average yearly rainfall of boreal forest (taiga)

1 to 2.8 ft

Average yearly rainfall of arctic tundra

0.5 to 0.8 ft

Typical vegetation of tropical wet forest

Dense, multi-layered canopy, constantly green

Typical vegetation of tropical dry forest

Trees that shed leaves in dry season, less dense canopy

Typical vegetation of savanna

Scattered drought-resistant trees, tall grasses, fire-adapted plants

Typical vegetation of subtropical desert

Drought-tolerant plants like cacti and succulents, deep-rooted, small-leaved shrubs

Typical vegetation of cold desert

Small shrubs, grasses

Typical vegetation of temperate grassland

Few trees due to fire, tall and short grasses

Typical vegetation of temperate forest

Deciduous trees, understory shrubs mosses and ferns

Typical vegetation of boreal forest (taiga)

Coniferous trees, few understory plants, mosses and lichens on floor

Typical vegetation of arctic tundra

Low-growing plants, no trees due to harsh cold

Rank terrestrial biomes by species diversity

Tropical wet forest, tropical dry forest, temperate forest, savanna, temperate grassland, subtropical desert, cold desert, boreal forest, arctic tundra

Detrital food web

A food web where energy flows from dead organic matter to decomposers and detrivores, then to consumers of those organisms

Grazing food web

A food web where energy flows from producers to herbivores then to carnivores

What is the difference between detail and grazing food web?

The grazing food web deals with energy from living sources, while the detrital food web deals with energy from dead organic material

Photic zone

The uppermost layer of the ocean (0-200 meters deep) where light is able to penetrate

Aphotic zone

The deeper zone of the ocean (below 200 meters), where there is no sunlight

Species diversity in photic zone

The presence of sunlight in the photic zone supports photosynthetic organisms. This zone has high species diversity due to the availability of light and food

Species diversity in aphotic zone

The species diversity is much lower in this zone because of the lack of photosynthesis

Chemosynthetic bacteria

Organisms that use chemicals, such as hydrogen sulfide or methane, to produce energy through chemosynthesis. They don’t rely on sunlight and are typically found in deep-sea environments

Why do you not find photosynthetic organisms in the abyssal zone of the ocean?

The abyssal zone is over 4000 meters deep where there is no sunlight

What are some adaptations in organisms inhabiting the intertidal zone of the ocean?

Shells or hard exoskeletons for protection, ability to cling to rocks or burrow into the ground to avoid being swept away by waves, tolerance to varying salinity due to the mixing of salt and freshwater during tides

How does overfishing in the area of a coral reef threaten the coral population

Herbivorous fish that are caught help prevent algae overgrowth on the reef, without these fish algae can completely cover the coral and prevent it from photosynthesizing

Coral bleaching

Occurs when corals expel the zooxanthellae algae that lives within their tissues. This occurs when the coral is in a stressful environment such as high water temperature or pollution. It causes the coral to lose its color and become more vulnerable to disease and starvation.

Estuary

Areas where fresh and saltwater mix

What are some adaptations in organisms that live in estuaries

Many estuarine species have specialized mechanisms to regulate their internal salt balance as salinity fluctuates and some estuarine plants have adaptations to withstand periods of flooding or drying out as tides change

Delta

A landform formed at the mouth of a river, where the river meets a body of water. It is characterized by the deposition of sediment carried by the river as the flow velocity decreases upon entering standing water. Deltas are rich in biodiversity.

Wetland

An area of land that is saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally. Wetlands are typically rich in biodiversity and serve as important ecosystems for wildlife. Some examples are swamps and bogs

Hierarchy of life

Atom, molecule, cell, tissue, organ, organ system, organism, population, community, ecosystem, biome, biosphere

What do organisms compete for?

Food, water, sunlight, space, and reproductive opportunities

Intraspecies

Amongst same species

Interspecies

Among different species

Endemic species

Plant or animal species that can only be found in a particular geographical region

Location of Venus flytrap

Coast of North and South Carolina

Pignose frog

India

Purple butterfly

Only lives in locations where purple lupine is found

Yucca moth

Only lives in location where yucca plant is found

Resistance

Recovery to “normal” fairly quickly

Resilience

Recovery to “normal” over a long time

Biological succession

Pioneer species, primary succession, secondary succession, climax species

Pioneer species

First organisms to colonize a disturbed environment

Primary succession

Gradual development of ecosystems in an area where no previous life existed

Secondary succession

Occurs in areas where an existing ecosystem had been destroyed, but some soil and life still remained

Climax species

The stable, long-lived plants and animals

What limits the number of steps in a food chain or food web?

Only 10% of all energy from producers is left at the top of tertiary consumers

Ocean

Continuous body of salt water

Coral reefs

Ocean ridges formed by marine vertebrates that are very diverse