Ecology Part 2: Biomes and Population Ecology

Biomes• Definition: A biome is a complex of terrestrial

communities that cover a large area and is characterized by certain soil and climate conditions and particular assemblages of plants and animals.

• Or in simpler words- A complex community of organisms living in an ecological region that has distinctive soil conditions and climate

The 9 biomes • Tundra• Tropical Rainforest• Temperate Deciduous

Forest• Taiga (Coniferous

forest)• Desert

• Savannah/Grassland• Aquatic: Freshwater• Aquatic: Saltwater

(marine)• Intertidal/estuarine

Complete the biome chart!

Do the Biome Project!

Factors that affect a biome• Biotic Factors are biological influences,

such as the food that an organism eats. “Living factors”

• Abiotic Factors- are factors that are physical or nonliving, such as the climate. “ Non living factors”

Other terms• Habitat is where an organism lives.

• A niche is the job description for an organism, how it obtains its food, or what it eats.

• Adaptations: a naturally selected behavioral or physical trait that increases an organism’s likelihood of survival in its environment.

Interactions • Competition is seen between organisms

that are competing for the same resource.

• Predators are organisms that compete for the same resources.

Symbiotic Interactions• Symbiosis is the relationship between two

species that are living close together. There are 3 types:– Mutual – both species benefit. – Commensalism- one organism benefits, and

the other organism is not affected. – Parasitism- one organism lives on another

and harms the other organism

Symbiotic Interactions• Examples

– Mutualism

– Commensalism

– Parasitism

Your Turn…Commensalism

Mutualism

Commensalism

Mutualism

Parasitism

Parasitism

Commensalism

Mutualism

Parasitism

Population Ecology

• 1. Competition• 2. Predators• 3. Parasites• 4. Disease• 5. Droughts• 6. Clear Cutting• 7. Population

Things that Affect

Populations in the

Environment

Renewable vs. Non-renewable• A non-renewable resource is a resource

that can not be replenished by natural processes. – Fossil Fuels

• A renewable resource is a resource that can be replenished or regenerated naturally. – Lumber, crops

Human Impacts/Terms• Land resources must be conserved to

protect plants and animals.• Conservation is preserving the Earth’s

resources.• Forests can be protected from

deforestation, which is the loss of forest areas.

Human Impacts/Terms• Fisheries are being over fished. The oceans are

on their way to being depleted.• Air is being polluted by smog (chemicals in the

air) and other pollutants (harmful material in the biosphere)

• Freshwater is being contaminated by run-off from farming operations and chemical plants.

• Biological magnification is the pollution levels increase as you go up the food chain.

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