Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Biodiversity
What is Biodiversity?
• (Biological diversity) – the sum
total of the different organisms in
the biosphere
Why is Biodiversity important?
• Humans have a place in food webs and nutrient
cycles
• our well being is closely tied to the well being of
a great variety of other organisms
• Species of many kinds have provided us with…
• Food
• Industrial products
• medicines
Changes in Ecosystems: .
Ecological Succession
• Do all ecosystems stay the same
all the time?
• What are some things that cause
changes to ecosystems?
–Natural and unnatural (Quickly and
slowly)
Ecological succession
• DEFINITION:
• Series of predictable changes that
occur in a community over time.
Caused by:
– Physical environment
– Natural disturbance
– Human disturbance
Primary Succession
• Occurs in an area that has never
been colonized by living organisms
– Sides of volcanoes
– Landslides
– Glacier melting
• Starts with the arrival of living things
such as lichens that do not need soil to
survive, called PIONEER SPECIES.
Pioneer species
http://uisstc.georgetown.edu
http://www.uncw.ed
u
Simple plants like
mosses and ferns can
grow in the new soil
The simple plants die,
adding more organic material
Simple plants like
mosses and ferns
can grow in the new soil
The simple plants die,
adding more organic material
The soil layer
thickens, and grasses, wildflowers and other
plants begin take over.
This plant died and add more nutrients to
the soil
Shrubs and tress
can survive
now
Insects, small birds, and
mammals have
begun to move in
What was once bare rock now supports a variety
of life
Primary Succession
Reaching a mature
community can
take CENTURIES.
Secondary Succession
• Formerly inhabited area that was
disturbed by flood, fire, humans
– Soil remains present
– Other organism rapidly repopulate due to
presence of soil
Secondary succession
• Unlike primary succession, secondary
succession occurs in a place where an
ecosystem currently exists.
• Occurs more rapidly than primary
succession.
On a separate piece of paper,
take 2 minutes and explain the
differences between primary
and secondary succession
• Biomes are the world's major ecosystems
and are classified according to vegetation
and organisms to that reside there
Biomes
TYPES OF BIOMES – EACH HAS ITS OWN CHARACTERISTIC
• Biomes have changed and moved many
times during the history of life on Earth
• More recently, human activities have
drastically altered these communities.
• Conservation and preservation of biomes
should be a major concern to all.
Why is it important to preserve
and conserve biomes?
Ecological succession and Biome
Webquest
