Biosphere unit 4

biosphere

all living things on earth

Fauna

animals

Flora

plants

ecosystem

an ecological system in which plants and animals are linked to their enviornment

what are the 2 components of ecosystem

biotic: living components and abiotic: non-living components

what are the 2 types of ecosystem

micro and macro ecosystem

What are the biotic components?

producers, consumer--herbivores, carnivores, omnivores, decomposers

biotic comp 1: producers

plans + bacteria that manufacture organic food matter for consumers

biotic comp 2: consumers

herbivore who generate energy from consuming only green plants

biotic comp 3: carnivores

feed on green plants indirectly by eating consumers

omnivores

eat both plants & animals

decomposers

break down dead plant and animal matter

what are abiotic components?

water, sunlight, oxygen, temperature, soil, climate

maco ecosystem

large complex ecosystem of many plants/animals species that rely on each other

biomes

a major terrestrial ecosystem w characteristic plant and animal species maintained under particular climate condition

8 major biomes

coniferous forest, temperate rainforest, tropical rainforest, desert, grassland, tundra, temperate deciduous forest, mediterranean chaparral

how do soil form 4 ways

decaying vegetation, leaching, capillary action, translocation

decaying vegetation

from humus, or decomposed material (compost)

leaching

rainwater passing thru the soil carrying dissolved nutrients/minerals

Capillary action

the process where plant life pulls water from deep within the Earth, occuring in deserts/dry place

Translocation 

The movement of soil materials through the soil, which can be done by natural events such as burrowing animals

5 main types of soil

Chernozem, Podzol, Laterite, Sierozem, Tundra

Chernozem soil

super fertile due to large quanitity of plant/animal decay

Podzol

thin layer of organic matter (humus), soil is leeched so nutrients are deep down the earth

Laterite soil

found in rainforest with a lot of organic content

Sierozem soil

gritty, loose, clay, seen in desert w little organic content

Tundra

permafrost, frozen so water doesn't get into it

over-cultivation

take too many nutrients from the soil

overgrazing

take too many plants from the soil

poor irrigation practices

washing off nutrients if too much water is needed to be added year after year

deforestation

trees can no longer provide material to make up the top layers of nutritious soil

what are the 2 types of soil erosion

wind and water

how to stop wind erosion

plant tall trees and keep crops in soil

how to stop water erosion

terrace your crops

world erosional hotspots

areas in our world in danger of becoming desert due to climate change