Field Ecology Climate Terrestrial Biodiversity Biomes Biomes.
-
Upload
virgil-rogers -
Category
Documents
-
view
243 -
download
0
Transcript of Field Ecology Climate Terrestrial Biodiversity Biomes Biomes.
Field EcologyField Ecology
Climate Climate Terrestrial Biodiversity Terrestrial Biodiversity
BiomesBiomes
Overview QuestionsOverview Questions
How does climate determine where the How does climate determine where the earth’s major biome’s are found?earth’s major biome’s are found?
What are the major types of desert biomes?What are the major types of desert biomes? What are the major types of grassland What are the major types of grassland
biomes?biomes?
Overview Questions (cont’d)Overview Questions (cont’d)
What are the major types of forest and What are the major types of forest and mountain biomes?mountain biomes?
How have human activities affected the How have human activities affected the world’s desert, grassland, forest, and world’s desert, grassland, forest, and mountain biomes?mountain biomes?
Blowing in the Wind: Blowing in the Wind: A Story of ConnectionsA Story of Connections
Wind connects Wind connects most life on earth.most life on earth. Keeps tropics from Keeps tropics from
being unbearably being unbearably hot.hot.
Prevents rest of Prevents rest of world from world from freezing.freezing.
CLIMATE: A BRIEF INTRODUCTIONCLIMATE: A BRIEF INTRODUCTION
Weather is a local area’s short-term physical Weather is a local area’s short-term physical conditions such as temperature and conditions such as temperature and precipitation.precipitation.
Climate is a region’s average weather Climate is a region’s average weather conditions over a long time.conditions over a long time. Latitude and elevation help determine climate.Latitude and elevation help determine climate.
Earth’s Current Climate ZonesEarth’s Current Climate Zones
Solar Energy and Global Air Solar Energy and Global Air Circulation: Distributing HeatCirculation: Distributing Heat
Global air Global air circulation is circulation is affected by the affected by the uneven heating of uneven heating of the earth’s surface the earth’s surface by solar energy, by solar energy, seasonal changes seasonal changes in temperature and in temperature and precipitation.precipitation.
Coriolis EffectCoriolis Effect
Global air Global air circulation is circulation is affected by the affected by the rotation of the rotation of the earth on its axis.earth on its axis.
Convection CurrentsConvection Currents
Global air Global air circulation is circulation is affected by the affected by the properties of air properties of air water, and land.water, and land.
Convection CellsConvection Cells
Heat and moisture Heat and moisture are distributed over are distributed over the earth’s surface by the earth’s surface by vertical currents, vertical currents, which form six giant which form six giant convection cells at convection cells at different latitudes.different latitudes.
Ocean Currents: Ocean Currents: Distributing Heat and NutrientsDistributing Heat and Nutrients
Ocean currents influence climate by Ocean currents influence climate by distributing heat from place to place and distributing heat from place to place and mixing and distributing nutrients.mixing and distributing nutrients.
Ocean Currents: Ocean Currents: Distributing Heat and NutrientsDistributing Heat and Nutrients
Global warming:Global warming: Considerable scientific evidence and climate Considerable scientific evidence and climate
models indicate that large inputs of greenhouse models indicate that large inputs of greenhouse gases from anthropogenic activities into the gases from anthropogenic activities into the troposphere can enhance the natural greenhouse troposphere can enhance the natural greenhouse effect and change the earth’s climate in effect and change the earth’s climate in your your lifetimelifetime..
Topography and Local Climate:Topography and Local Climate:Land MattersLand Matters
Interactions between land and oceans and Interactions between land and oceans and disruptions of airflows by mountains and disruptions of airflows by mountains and cities affect local climates.cities affect local climates.
BIOMES: BIOMES: CLIMATE AND LIFE ON LANDCLIMATE AND LIFE ON LAND
Different climates lead to different Different climates lead to different communities of organisms, especially communities of organisms, especially vegetation.vegetation. Biomes – large terrestrial regions characterized Biomes – large terrestrial regions characterized
by similar climate, soil, plants, and animals.by similar climate, soil, plants, and animals. Each biome contains many ecosystems whose Each biome contains many ecosystems whose
communities have adapted to differences in communities have adapted to differences in climate, soil, and other environmental factors.climate, soil, and other environmental factors.
BIOMES: BIOMES: CLIMATE AND LIFE ON LANDCLIMATE AND LIFE ON LAND
BIOMES: BIOMES: CLIMATE AND LIFE ON LANDCLIMATE AND LIFE ON LAND
Biome type is determined by precipitation, Biome type is determined by precipitation, temperature and soil typetemperature and soil type
BIOMES: BIOMES: CLIMATE AND LIFE ON LANDCLIMATE AND LIFE ON LAND
Parallel changes occur in vegetation type Parallel changes occur in vegetation type occur when we travel from the equator to the occur when we travel from the equator to the poles or from lowlands to mountaintops.poles or from lowlands to mountaintops.
DESERT BIOMESDESERT BIOMES
Deserts are areas where evaporation Deserts are areas where evaporation exceeds precipitation.exceeds precipitation.
Deserts have little precipitation and little Deserts have little precipitation and little vegetation.vegetation. Found in tropical, temperate and polar regions.Found in tropical, temperate and polar regions.
Desert plants have adaptations that help Desert plants have adaptations that help them stay cool and get enough water.them stay cool and get enough water.
DESERT BIOMESDESERT BIOMES
Variations in Variations in annual annual temperature (red) temperature (red) and precipitation and precipitation (blue) in tropical, (blue) in tropical, temperate and temperate and cold deserts.cold deserts.
Tropical Desert
Mea
n m
on
thly
tem
per
atu
re (C
)
Mean
mo
nth
ly prec
ipitatio
n (m
m)
Month
Freezing point
Temperate Desert
Mea
n m
on
thly
tem
per
atu
re (C
)
Mean
mo
nth
ly prec
ipitatio
n (m
m)
Month
Freezing point
Polar Desert
Mean
mo
nth
ly prec
ipitatio
n (m
m)
Month
Freezing point
Mea
n m
on
thly
tem
per
atu
re (
°C)
DESERT BIOMESDESERT BIOMES
The flora and The flora and fauna in desert fauna in desert ecosystems ecosystems adapt to their adapt to their environment environment through their through their behavior and behavior and physiology.physiology.
GRASSLANDS AND CHAPARRAL GRASSLANDS AND CHAPARRAL BIOMESBIOMES
Variations in Variations in annual annual temperature temperature (red) and (red) and precipitation precipitation (blue).(blue).
Tropical grassland (savanna)
Mea
n m
on
thly
tem
per
atu
re (C
)
Mean
mo
nth
ly prec
ipitatio
n (m
m)
Month
Freezing point
Temperate grassland
Mea
n m
on
thly
tem
per
atu
re (C
)
Mean
mo
nth
ly prec
ipitatio
n (m
m)
Month
Freezing point
Polar grassland (arctic tundra)
Mea
n m
on
thly
tem
per
atu
re (C
)
Mean
mo
nth
ly prec
ipitatio
n (m
m)
Month
Freezing point
GRASSLANDS AND CHAPARRAL GRASSLANDS AND CHAPARRAL BIOMESBIOMES
Grasslands (prairies) occur in areas too moist Grasslands (prairies) occur in areas too moist for desert and too dry for forests.for desert and too dry for forests.
Savannas are tropical grasslands with Savannas are tropical grasslands with scattered tree and herds of hoofed animals.scattered tree and herds of hoofed animals.
Temperate GrasslandsTemperate Grasslands
The cold winters and The cold winters and hot dry summers hot dry summers have deep and have deep and fertile soil that make fertile soil that make them ideal for them ideal for growing crops and growing crops and grazing cattle.grazing cattle.
Temperate GrasslandsTemperate Grasslands
Temperate tall-Temperate tall-grass prairie grass prairie ecosystem in North ecosystem in North America.America.
Polar GrasslandsPolar Grasslands
Polar grasslands Polar grasslands are covered with ice are covered with ice and snow except and snow except during a brief during a brief summer.summer.
ChaparralChaparral
Chaparral has a Chaparral has a moderate moderate climate but its climate but its dense thickets of dense thickets of spiny shrubs are spiny shrubs are subject to subject to periodic fires.periodic fires.
FOREST BIOMESFOREST BIOMES
Variations in annual Variations in annual temperature (red) temperature (red) and precipitation and precipitation (blue) in tropical, (blue) in tropical, temperate, and temperate, and polar forests.polar forests.
Tropical rain forest
Mea
n m
on
thly
tem
per
atu
re (C
)
Mean
mo
nth
ly prec
ipitatio
n (m
m)Month
Freezing point
Temperate deciduous forest
Mea
n m
on
thly
tem
per
atu
re (C
)
Mean
mo
nth
ly prec
ipitatio
n (m
m)Month
Freezing point
Polar evergreen coniferous forest(boreal forest, taiga)
Mea
n m
on
thly
tem
per
atu
re (C
)
Mean
mo
nth
ly prec
ipitatio
n (m
m)
Month
Freezing point
FOREST BIOMESFOREST BIOMES
Forests have enough precipitation to support Forests have enough precipitation to support stands of trees and are found in tropical, stands of trees and are found in tropical, temperate, and polar regions.temperate, and polar regions.
Tropical Rain ForestTropical Rain Forest
Tropical rain forests Tropical rain forests have heavy rainfall have heavy rainfall and a rich diversity and a rich diversity of species.of species. Found near the Found near the
equator.equator. Have year-round Have year-round
uniformity warm uniformity warm temperatures and temperatures and high humidity.high humidity.
Tropical Rain ForestTropical Rain Forest
Filling such niches enables species to avoid Filling such niches enables species to avoid or minimize competition and coexistor minimize competition and coexist
Temperate Deciduous ForestTemperate Deciduous Forest
Most of the trees Most of the trees survive winter by survive winter by dropping their dropping their leaves, which leaves, which decay and decay and produce a nutrient-produce a nutrient-rich soil.rich soil.
Evergreen Coniferous ForestsEvergreen Coniferous Forests
Consist mostly of Consist mostly of cone-bearing cone-bearing evergreen trees that evergreen trees that keep their needles keep their needles year-round to help year-round to help the trees survive the trees survive long and cold long and cold winters.winters.
Temperate Rain ForestsTemperate Rain Forests
Coastal areas support huge cone-bearing Coastal areas support huge cone-bearing evergreen trees such as redwoods and evergreen trees such as redwoods and Douglas fir in a cool moist environment.Douglas fir in a cool moist environment.
MOUNTAIN BIOMESMOUNTAIN BIOMES
High-elevation High-elevation islands of islands of biodiversity biodiversity
Often have snow-Often have snow-covered peaks that covered peaks that reflect solar reflect solar radiation and radiation and gradually release gradually release water to lower-water to lower-elevation streams elevation streams and ecosystems.and ecosystems.
HUMAN IMPACTS ON HUMAN IMPACTS ON TERRESTRIAL BIOMESTERRESTRIAL BIOMES
Human activities have damaged or disturbed Human activities have damaged or disturbed more than half of the world’s terrestrial more than half of the world’s terrestrial ecosystems.ecosystems.
Humans have had a number of specific Humans have had a number of specific harmful effects on the world’s deserts, harmful effects on the world’s deserts, grasslands, forests, and mountains.grasslands, forests, and mountains.
Natural Capital Degradation
Desert
Large desert cities
Soil destruction by off-road vehicles
Soil salinization from irrigation
Depletion of groundwater
Land disturbance and pollution from mineral extraction
Oil production and off-road vehicles in arctic tundra
Overgrazing by livestock
Release of CO2 to atmosphere from grassland burning
Conversion to cropland
Grasslands
Natural Capital Degradation
Clearing for agriculture, livestock grazing, timber, and urban development
Conversion of diverse forests to tree plantations
Damage from off-road vehicles
Natural Capital Degradation
Forests
Pollution of forest streams
Natural Capital Degradation
Mountains
Agriculture
Timber extraction
Mineral extraction
Hydroelectric dams and reservoirs
Increasing tourism
Urban air pollution
Increased ultraviolet radiationfrom ozone depletion
Soil damage from off-roadvehicles