Biosphere ReviewTest Date: September 15, 2015

1. Biotic and Abiotic FactorsBiotic Factors: (prefix “bio” = life)

the living parts of an ecosystem.

Examples:• plants• humans• animals

Abiotic Factors: (prefix “a” = without)

the non-living parts of an ecosystem.

Examples:• soil• temperature• rocks• sunlight• rainfall

2. Biomes: Tropical Rainforest

• found close to equator• 68°-93° F• 50-260” rain per year• poor soil

• greatest biodiversity of all biomes• large and small trees,

vines, tropical flowers• insects, birds,

mammals, reptiles, and amphibians

2. Biomes: Tundra

• Area around North Pole• very cold year-round; average

temperature is -18°F

• no trees can grow due to permafrost

• lichens, mosses• insects, birds, polar bears,

caribou

2. Biomes: Coniferous Forest(also called Taiga, Boreal Forest or Evergreen Forest)

• temperatures from 20°-70°F

• rainfall 12-33” per year, mostly snow

• most plants are conifers• animals include wolves,

lynx, snowshoe rabbits

2. Biomes: Desert

• Up to 115°F daytime• Can drop by 50° at night• less than 10” of rain per

year

• many animals are nocturnal to escape daytime heat• insects, reptiles, birds• cacti and succulents

(plants that store water)

2. Biomes: Deciduous Forest

• has 4 distinct seasons• 30-60” of rainfall per

year• average temperature is

50°F

• Oak, maple, hickory, & elm trees, shrubs and wildflowers• animals include deer,

foxes, squirrels, mice

2. Biomes: Grassland(also called prairies or savannas)

• found in middle latitudes• Temperatures range

from -40° to 70°F• 10-30” rain per year

(more than desert, less than deciduous forest)

• grasses, wildflowers, clover• coyotes, bison, wild

turkey, insects

3. Habitat vs. BiomeHabitat: the natural home or environment of an animal, plant, or other organism.

Biome: much larger; can contain many habitats. A biome is a large region containing distinctive plant and animal species and climate.

4. microHABITAT(prefix micro = very small)

A very small, specialized habitat in which organisms liveExamples:• a pile of wood• an old bottle

5. Different Environments = Different Organisms• Not all organisms have the

same needs. Different environments provide different things to support different organisms.

• The abiotic characteristics of an environment (rainfall, temperatures, soil type) determine what organisms can live/ grow there.

6. Biodiversity• Bio (life) + diversity (variety) • Biodiversity makes an ecosystem more sustainable…

better able to survive.• A threat to one organism in the ecosystem won’t destroy

the whole ecosystem.

Resilient system: an alpine meadow in bloom. Note that the floral vegetation on each slope is different. Ecosystem niches are in sync with environmental conditions — in this case differences in exposure (sunlight), temperature, and moisture. This creates resource efficiency and resilience.

7. Biotic and Abiotic Factors in a Forest Ecosystem

Biotic Factorsgrassestrees

shrubsinsects

decomposersbirds

mammalsreptiles

amphibians

Abiotic Factorsrockssoil

rainfall amounttemperature

humidity

8. Definitions

Term Definition

Biosphere The area on and around Earth in which life exists; extends from the atmosphere to the bottom of the ocean

Ecosystem A system of interaction between the organisms living in an area and their environment

Community The populations of species that live together in an area and interact with each other

Population Members of the same species that live together in the same place at the same time

9. How are they related?

10. Ecoregions of TexasEcoregion Abiotic Factors Biotic Factors

Trans Pecos/ Chihuahuan Desert

5.1 - 20” rainfallSummer 90s – 100sWinter 40s

Roadrunners, snakes, insects, spiders, lizards

High Plains 15.1 - 20” rainfallSummer 90s- 100sWinter 30s

Ducks, geese, cranes, small mammals

Piney Woods 40.1 - 60” rainfallSummer 70sWinter 40s

Pines and oaks, 85 different species of trees, 1,000 species of flowering plants, 180+ species of birds

10. Ecoregions of Texas cont’dEcoregion Abiotic Factors Biotic Factors

Edwards Plateau/ Llano Uplift

15.1 – 35” rainfallSummer 70sWinter 30sDome-like formations of pink granite

Deciduous forests, mesquite trees, wildflowers, bats, salamanders, warblers

Gulf Coast Plains & Marshes

30-50” rainfallSummer 70sWinter 50sBarrier islands, coastline erosion of 30 cm – 15m per year

500 different species of resident and migratory birds, very biologically diverse

11. Manipulated/ independent variable and responding/ dependent variableKeeping the lights on for different amounts of time each day affected

the number of eggs chickens laid.

• Does the amount of time the lights are on depend on the number of eggs laid?

OR• Does the number of eggs

laid depend on the amount of time the lights are on?

Number of eggs depends on amount of time lights are on, so…• Dependent = number of

eggs laid• Independent = amount

of time lights are on

12. Reading a Graph

Relationship between Weight and Wing SpanA. They increase together; as weight increases, so does

wingspanB. CanaryC. Lorikeet and parakeetD. Macaw

lorikeet parakeet macaw

THAT’S IT!YOU’VE GOT THIS!

STUDY AND YOU’LL DO GREAT!

I BELIEVE IN YOU!