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““When we try to pick out When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything it hitched to everything else in the universe.”else in the universe.”

-John Muir-John Muir (naturalist, writer and (naturalist, writer and

founder of founder of the Sierra Club)the Sierra Club)

What does this quote mean?What does this quote mean?

EcosystemsEcosystems


An An ecosystemecosystem is is all of the all of the organisms living in organisms living in an area together an area together with their physical with their physical environment. environment.

All ecosystems are All ecosystems are connected to other connected to other ecosystems.ecosystems.

Question: What defines an ecosystem? Where does it start and end?

Components of Components of EcosystemsEcosystems

BioticBiotic factors are factors are the living and once the living and once living parts of an living parts of an ecosystem.ecosystem.

Biotic factors Biotic factors include dead include dead organisms, dead organisms, dead parts of organisms, parts of organisms, and the organism’s and the organism’s waste products.waste products.

What shapes the organisms in an ecosystem?


The The abioticabiotic factors are the factors are the nonliving parts of nonliving parts of an ecosystem.an ecosystem.

Abiotic factors Abiotic factors include air, water, include air, water, rocks, sand, light rocks, sand, light and temperature.and temperature.


Scientists organize ecosystems into Scientists organize ecosystems into various levels.various levels.

The lowest level is the The lowest level is the organismorganism. An . An organism is an individual living thing. organism is an individual living thing.

A A speciesspecies is a group of organisms is a group of organisms that are closely related and that can that are closely related and that can mate to produce fertile offspring.mate to produce fertile offspring.


The next level is a The next level is a populationpopulation. A . A population is all the members of the population is all the members of the same species that live in the same same species that live in the same place at the same time.place at the same time.

A A communitycommunity consists of several consists of several populations of different species that populations of different species that interact with each other. interact with each other.

Levels of OrganizationLevels of Organization

Community

Population

Ecosystem

Biosphere

HabitatHabitat

The place an organism lives is called The place an organism lives is called its its habitathabitat. .

Every habitat has specific Every habitat has specific characteristics that the organisms characteristics that the organisms that live there need to survive. that live there need to survive.

Organisms tend to be very well suited Organisms tend to be very well suited to their habitats. to their habitats.


The variety of organisms in a given area The variety of organisms in a given area is called is called biodiversity.biodiversity.

Physical factors can have a big influence Physical factors can have a big influence on biodiversity. High or low on biodiversity. High or low temperatures, or limited food or water temperatures, or limited food or water can lower biodiversity.can lower biodiversity.

Ecosystems with high biodiversity are Ecosystems with high biodiversity are often more able to resist damage. often more able to resist damage.

An example of high biodiversity and low biodiversity.


Damage to ecosystems can be Damage to ecosystems can be caused by severe weather events or caused by severe weather events or human activities. Systems with low human activities. Systems with low biodiversity can be severely biodiversity can be severely damaged easily. damaged easily.

When biodiversity decreases in any When biodiversity decreases in any ecosystem, that ecosystem is not as ecosystem, that ecosystem is not as healthy as it could be.healthy as it could be.

SuccessionSuccession The replacement of one kind of community The replacement of one kind of community

by another at a single place over a period of by another at a single place over a period of time is called time is called succession.succession.

The first organisms to appear in a newly The first organisms to appear in a newly made habitat are often called made habitat are often called pioneer pioneer speciesspecies. They change the habitat in such a . They change the habitat in such a way that other species can live in the way that other species can live in the ecosystem.ecosystem.

Often, the new species will replace the Often, the new species will replace the pioneer species.pioneer species.

How would a moss covered rock be an example of a pioneer species?

Succession Succession An ecosystem responds to change in such a An ecosystem responds to change in such a

way that the ecosystem is restored to way that the ecosystem is restored to equilibrium. equilibrium.

For example, when a tree falls down in a For example, when a tree falls down in a rain forest, the newly vacant patch rain forest, the newly vacant patch proceeds through succession until the proceeds through succession until the patch returns to its original state. patch returns to its original state.

Sometimes, the ecosystem will find an Sometimes, the ecosystem will find an equilibrium in which different species equilibrium in which different species dominate after a change.dominate after a change.

Example of SuccessionExample of Succession

Major Biological Major Biological CommunitiesCommunities

The kinds of species that live in a The kinds of species that live in a particular place are determined particular place are determined partly by climate. partly by climate. ClimateClimate is the is the average weather conditions in an average weather conditions in an area over a long period of time.area over a long period of time.

A A biomebiome is a large region is a large region characterized by a specific kind of characterized by a specific kind of climate and certain kinds of plant climate and certain kinds of plant and animal communities.and animal communities.

Major Biological Major Biological CommunitiesCommunities

Two key factors of climate that determine Two key factors of climate that determine biomes are temperature and biomes are temperature and precipitation. precipitation.

Most organisms are adapted to live Most organisms are adapted to live within a particular range of temperatures within a particular range of temperatures and cannot survive at temperatures too and cannot survive at temperatures too far above or below that range. far above or below that range.

Precipitation also determines the kinds of Precipitation also determines the kinds of species that are found in a biome.species that are found in a biome.

Terrestrial BiomesTerrestrial Biomes Earth’s major terrestrial biomes can be Earth’s major terrestrial biomes can be

grouped by latitude. Latitude affects the grouped by latitude. Latitude affects the amount of solar energy that a biome receives amount of solar energy that a biome receives and thus affects a biome’s temperature range.and thus affects a biome’s temperature range.

Tropical biomes are generally near the Tropical biomes are generally near the equator. equator.

For the most part, temperate biomes are For the most part, temperate biomes are between 30° and 60° latitude. between 30° and 60° latitude.

High-latitude biomes are at latitudes 60° and High-latitude biomes are at latitudes 60° and higher.higher.

Earth’s Major BiomesEarth’s Major Biomes

Terrestrial Biomes, Terrestrial Biomes, continuedcontinuedTropical BiomesTropical Biomes

Because they are located at low latitudes near Because they are located at low latitudes near the equator, all tropical biomes are warm.the equator, all tropical biomes are warm.

Tropical rain forests Tropical rain forests receive large amounts of receive large amounts of rain and are warm all year. They have the rain and are warm all year. They have the greatest biodiversity of any land biome.greatest biodiversity of any land biome.

SavannasSavannas are tropical grasslands that have long are tropical grasslands that have long dry seasons and shorter wet seasons.dry seasons and shorter wet seasons.

Tropical desertsTropical deserts get very little rain. Because get very little rain. Because deserts are drier, they have fewer plants and deserts are drier, they have fewer plants and animals than other biomes.animals than other biomes.

Terrestrial Biomes, Terrestrial Biomes, continuedcontinuedTemperate BiomesTemperate Biomes

Biomes at mid-latitudes have a wide range of Biomes at mid-latitudes have a wide range of temperatures throughout the year. temperatures throughout the year.

Temperate grasslands Temperate grasslands have moderate precipitation have moderate precipitation and cooler temperatures than savannas do. and cooler temperatures than savannas do. Temperate grasslands are often used for agriculture. Temperate grasslands are often used for agriculture.

Temperate forests Temperate forests grow in mild climates that receive grow in mild climates that receive plenty of rain. plenty of rain.

Temperate deserts Temperate deserts receive little precipitation, but receive little precipitation, but have a wide temperature range throughout the year.have a wide temperature range throughout the year.

Terrestrial Biomes, Terrestrial Biomes, continuedcontinuedHigh-Latitude BiomesHigh-Latitude Biomes

Biomes at high latitudes have cold Biomes at high latitudes have cold temperatures.temperatures.

Coniferous forests in cold, wet climates are Coniferous forests in cold, wet climates are called called taigataiga. Winters are long and cold. Most of . Winters are long and cold. Most of the precipitation falls in the summer. the precipitation falls in the summer.

The The tundra tundra gets very little rain, so plants are gets very little rain, so plants are short. Much of the water in the soil is not short. Much of the water in the soil is not available because the water is frozen for most available because the water is frozen for most of the year. of the year.

Elements of ClimateElements of Climate

Aquatic EcosystemsAquatic Ecosystems Aquatic ecosystems are organized into freshwater Aquatic ecosystems are organized into freshwater

ecosystems, wetlands, estuaries, and marine ecosystems, wetlands, estuaries, and marine ecosystems.ecosystems.

Freshwater ecosystems Freshwater ecosystems are located in bodies of are located in bodies of fresh water, such as lakes, ponds, and rivers. fresh water, such as lakes, ponds, and rivers. These ecosystems have a variety of plants, fish, These ecosystems have a variety of plants, fish, arthropods, mollusks, and other invertebrates.arthropods, mollusks, and other invertebrates.

Wetlands Wetlands provide a link between the land and fully provide a link between the land and fully aquatic habitats. Water-loving plants dominate aquatic habitats. Water-loving plants dominate wetlands. Wetlands moderate flooding and clean wetlands. Wetlands moderate flooding and clean the water that flows through them.the water that flows through them.

Aquatic Ecosystems, Aquatic Ecosystems, continuedcontinued

An An estuary estuary is an area where fresh water from a is an area where fresh water from a river mixes with salt water from an ocean. river mixes with salt water from an ocean. Estuaries are productive ecosystems because they Estuaries are productive ecosystems because they constantly receive fresh nutrients from the river constantly receive fresh nutrients from the river and the ocean.and the ocean.

Marine ecosystems Marine ecosystems are found in the salty waters are found in the salty waters of the oceans. Kelp forests, seagrass communities, of the oceans. Kelp forests, seagrass communities, and coral reefs are found near land. The open and coral reefs are found near land. The open ocean, far from land, has plankton and large ocean, far from land, has plankton and large predators, such as dolphins, whales, and sharks.predators, such as dolphins, whales, and sharks.

ActivityActivity

Draw a T-chart (biotic/abiotic). List Draw a T-chart (biotic/abiotic). List 10 items in each column. 10 items in each column.

Turn this in on your way out!Turn this in on your way out!

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