EcosystemsEcosystemsof the of the WorldWorld

DesertDesert

DesertDesert

Landscape: rocky and sandyLandscape: rocky and sandy

Climate: hot and dryClimate: hot and dry

Dominant plant life: cactus, small shrubsDominant plant life: cactus, small shrubs

Dominant animal life: reptiles, birds, rodents, sheepDominant animal life: reptiles, birds, rodents, sheep

Main feature: dryMain feature: dry

TundraTundra

TUNDRATUNDRA

Landscape: treeless plainLandscape: treeless plain

Climate: extremely cold and dryClimate: extremely cold and dry

Dominant plant life: small grasses, shrubsDominant plant life: small grasses, shrubs

Dominant animal life: caribou, birds, fox, owls, lemmingsDominant animal life: caribou, birds, fox, owls, lemmings

Main feature: frozen soil most of the yearMain feature: frozen soil most of the year

TemperatTemperate e

Deciduous Deciduous ForestForest

Temperate Deciduous forestTemperate Deciduous forest

Landscape: deciduous treesLandscape: deciduous trees

Climate: wet and moderate temperatureClimate: wet and moderate temperature

Dominant plant life: deciduous trees, ferns, mossesDominant plant life: deciduous trees, ferns, mosses

Dominant animal life: squirrels, birds, deer, fox, raccoon, insectsDominant animal life: squirrels, birds, deer, fox, raccoon, insects

TROPICAL TROPICAL Rain ForestRain Forest

Tropical rain forestTropical rain forest

Landscape: trees – near equatorLandscape: trees – near equator

Climate: hot and very wetClimate: hot and very wet

Dominant plant life: large trees, vinesDominant plant life: large trees, vines

Dominant animal life: monkeys, insects, mammals, Dominant animal life: monkeys, insects, mammals, frogs, birds, reptilesfrogs, birds, reptiles

ChaparralChaparral

chaparral

Landscape: dirt, shrubsLandscape: dirt, shrubs

Climate: dry, hot summers, cool, wet wintersClimate: dry, hot summers, cool, wet winters

Dominant plant life: shrubs, small grassesDominant plant life: shrubs, small grasses

Dominant animal life: owls, chipmunks, lizardsDominant animal life: owls, chipmunks, lizards

grasslangrasslandd

grasslandgrassland

Landscape: plainsLandscape: plains

Climate: dry, warmClimate: dry, warm

Dominant plant life: grassesDominant plant life: grasses

Dominant animal life: grazing animals Dominant animal life: grazing animals (cows, antelope, bison), coyotes, squirrels, snakes(cows, antelope, bison), coyotes, squirrels, snakes

Temperate Temperate rain rain forestforest

Temperate rain forestTemperate rain forest

Landscape: forestLandscape: forest

Climate: very wet, moderate temperaturesClimate: very wet, moderate temperatures

Dominant plant life: conifer trees, ferns, mossesDominant plant life: conifer trees, ferns, mosses

Dominant animal life: salmon, deer, arachnidsDominant animal life: salmon, deer, arachnids

TaigTaigaa

taigataiga

Landscape: coniferous forestLandscape: coniferous forest

Climate: long, cold winters, short summersClimate: long, cold winters, short summers

Dominant plant life: evergreen treesDominant plant life: evergreen trees

Dominant animal life: deer, elk, caribou, mountain lions, Dominant animal life: deer, elk, caribou, mountain lions, wolves, bears, chipmunks, beaverswolves, bears, chipmunks, beavers

WetlandsWetlands

wetlandswetlands

Landscape: shorelines, lagoons, and marshesLandscape: shorelines, lagoons, and marshes

Climate: wet, varying temperaturesClimate: wet, varying temperatures

Dominant plant life: sea grasses, phytoplankton, algaeDominant plant life: sea grasses, phytoplankton, algae

Dominant animal life: fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, insectsDominant animal life: fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, insects

Aquatic: Aquatic: freshwatefreshwate

rr

Aquatic: freshwaterAquatic: freshwater

Feature: fresh (non-salty) waterFeature: fresh (non-salty) water

Dominant plant life: algae, aquatic plants, grassesDominant plant life: algae, aquatic plants, grasses

Dominant animal life: insects, fishDominant animal life: insects, fish, snails, beaver, birdssnails, beaver, birds

AquaticAquatic: :

MarineMarine

Aquatic: MarineAquatic: Marine

Feature: saltwaterFeature: saltwater

Dominant plant life: seaweed, algae, phytoplanktonDominant plant life: seaweed, algae, phytoplankton

Dominant animal life: zooplankton, crustaceans, sea creatures, fishDominant animal life: zooplankton, crustaceans, sea creatures, fish

Some things to know about

ecosystems . . .

An ECOSYSTEM is the total community of living

organisms in a particular area plus the nonliving factors of

the environment.

A BIOME includes any ecosystems found in a regional area. (For

example, one geographic area may contain a freshwater pond, as well

as wetland swamps, and a deciduous forest, that all interact in the given region making up a

biome.)

BIOTIC factors of an ecosystem are all of its living components.

ABIOTIC factors are the nonliving components of the

ecosystem.

A TROPHIC LEVEL is the particular place an organism maintains in a food chain.

A FOOD CHAIN is a simple representation of the trophic levels in order from producers

through all levels of consumers, then decomposers.

A FOOD WEB is an illustration of the complex interrelationships between all

trophic levels where a particular organism may function in more than one trophic level.

PRODUCERS are the organisms in an ecosystem that harness energy (usually from the sun) and make it available as food to . . .

PRIMARY CONSUMERS who get energy by feeding on producers. They then become a

food source for . . .

SECONDARY CONSUMERS, etc.

DECOMPOSERS break down dead plant and animal material making the raw materials

available for producers to reuse.

BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES function to recycle nutrients throughout the ecosystem.

Some examples. . .

Plants use Carbon Dioxide for photosynthesis and produce Oxygen. The oxygen is used in animal respiration and Carbon Dioxide is produced.

Water cycles throughout ecosystems via evaporation, rain, runoff, etc.

Nitrogen and Carbon are released from dead organisms by decomposers so that they may be reused by producers and cycle throughout the food web.

A NICHE is the function a particular organism performs in a given

ecosystem.

EcosystemsEcosystemsof the of the WorldWorld

QuizQuiz

Which of the following would NOT be considered to be a biotic factor of a taiga

ecosystem?

A: bacterial decomposersB: deer and elk

C: coniferous treesD: short summers

In an aquatic marine ecosystem a killer whale feeds on krill (primary consumers), birds (third-

level consumers), and penguins (fourth-level consumers). What would be the best way to

illustrate these relationships?

A: food webB: food chain

C: photographsD: phylogenetic tree

Which of the following would not commonly be found in a desert ecosystem?

A: snakeB: bacteria

C: deciduous treeD: cactus

A food chain shows

A: the order of trophic levels of a particular ecosystem from producer to decomposerB: the complex web of interrelationships

between many trophic levelsC: the development of plants from seed to

adultD: the organisms that are not found in a

given ecosystem

A trophic level is

A: an organism's place in the food web.B: an organism's dwelling place in an

ecosystem.C: an organism's niche in an ecosystem.

D: an aquatic organism's place in the water column

In which ecosystem would you be most likely to find a coniferous tree?

A: temperate rain forestB: tundra

C: aquatic marineD: desert

Which of the following most accurately describes the carbon dioxide/oxygen cycle in terrestrial biomes?

A: plants produce oxygen and carbon dioxide that are used by animals in respiration

B: plants use carbon dioxide and produce oxygen, while animals use oxygen and produce carbon

dioxideC: animals produce carbon dioxide and oxygen

which are used by plants in photosynthesisD: plants produce carbon dioxide and use oxygen,

while animals produce oxygen and use carbon dioxide

One abiotic factor of a tropical rain forest is

A: large vinesB: parrots

C: abundant rainD: monkeys

One important function of bacteria in an ecosystem is to

A: build habitats for larger animalsB: kill lethal viruses

C: recycle nitrogen from dead organisms back into the food web

D: keep populations of large animals in check

Which of the following would be a producer in a temperate deciduous forest

ecosystem?

A: snailsB: large deciduous treesC: insects (such as bees)

D: nutrient-rich soil