U11 ECDCICA: Diversity – U11 ECDCICA: Diversity – the most unique feature of Earththe most unique feature of Earth

I. Abiotic factors influence biotic organismsI. Abiotic factors influence biotic organisms

Sunlight energy and essential Sunlight energy and essential chemical/nutrients are present inchemical/nutrients are present indifferent different amounts and amounts and qualityquality in different in different places. This results in varied conditions for places. This results in varied conditions for life.life.Ex: Amounts of sunlight and nutrients in Ex: Amounts of sunlight and nutrients in

rainforest vs. rainforest vs. arctic tundra. arctic tundra.

Both the Both the number and type number and type of plants and of plants and animals found in the area are influenced animals found in the area are influenced by the availability of by the availability of sunlightsunlight and and nutrientsnutrients..

Ex: Different plants and animals that can live in Ex: Different plants and animals that can live in desert vs. temperate forestdesert vs. temperate forest

These changing conditions of sunlight These changing conditions of sunlight energy and building matter (nutrients) energy and building matter (nutrients) support a support a varietyvariety or diversity of life. or diversity of life.

This diversity or variety results in an This diversity or variety results in an overall sustainability (endurance or the overall sustainability (endurance or the ability to for life to keep going)ability to for life to keep going)

Grasslands

Desert

Taiga – Boreal Forest

Deciduous or Temperate Forest

Tundra

Tropical Rainforest

Which biome has the most sunlight (and warmest temperatures day and night)?

Which biome has the least sunlight (and coolest temperatures day and night)?

How temperature & precipitation How temperature & precipitation affect plant and animal lifeaffect plant and animal life

1. What do you notice about the temperature range of the desert?

2. What do you notice about the precipitation of the desert?

3. How is the tropical rainforest temperature range different than the desert?

4. How is the tropical rainforest precipitation range different than a desert?

5. Which biome has the least precipitation and coldest temperatures?

6. Give an example of an animal that can only live in the desert and one for the tropical rainforest. WHY?

II. What is the number one factor that II. What is the number one factor that influences diversity?influences diversity?Diversity is the Diversity is the varietyvariety of of abioticabiotic and and bioticbiotic factors within an ecosystem. factors within an ecosystem. AbioticAbiotic factors factors determine which determine which plantplant species will survive in the species will survive in the ecosystem, which in turn determine the ecosystem, which in turn determine the animalsanimals (consumers) that will be able to survive there.(consumers) that will be able to survive there.

Some Abiotic FactorsSunlight

WaterSoil & RocksPrecipitationTemperature

WindHumidity

Atmospheric GasesNutrients – N & P

III. SustainabilityIII. Sustainability Diversity of life assures that organisms can Diversity of life assures that organisms can

take advantage of almost any take advantage of almost any changechange (growth, fire, floods, natural disasters) in (growth, fire, floods, natural disasters) in the surrounding conditions.the surrounding conditions.

What is happening to this forest over time?

This variety of life or This variety of life or diversitydiversity guarantees guarantees that life will persist. If one organism can not that life will persist. If one organism can not resist change, resist change, another another organism is sure to be organism is sure to be prepared. Generally the more diverse an prepared. Generally the more diverse an ecosystem, the more ecosystem, the more sustainablesustainable it is. it is.

Do all the warbler species occupy the same niche (do they all live and help disperse the tree seeds in a certain area of the tree)?

What would happen if the Black-throated green warbler went extinct in this ecosystem?

SustainabilitySustainability Generally the more diverse an ecosystem Generally the more diverse an ecosystem

the more the more sustainablesustainable it is. it is.

A sustainable rainforest has the most diversity A sustainable rainforest has the most diversity although an unsustainable rainforest may still have a although an unsustainable rainforest may still have a

higher diversity than a sustainable desert.higher diversity than a sustainable desert.

Sustainable rainforestSustainable rainforest More diverseMore diverse

Unsustainable rainforestUnsustainable rainforest More diverse than a desertMore diverse than a desert

Sustainable desertSustainable desert Less diverseLess diverse

Unsustainable Rainforest

Sustainable Desert

Desert -Sustainable or Unsustainable?

IV. MonoculturesIV. Monocultures

Monocultures are generally undesirable in Monocultures are generally undesirable in a natural ecosystem. a natural ecosystem.

All of All of oneone species – crops of corn, cotton species – crops of corn, cotton or apple orchards.or apple orchards.

MonoculturesMonocultures Are like putting your eggs in one basket, if Are like putting your eggs in one basket, if

one thing goes wrong, you will loose the one thing goes wrong, you will loose the whole batch due to disease.whole batch due to disease.

Monoculture tragedy-Monoculture tragedy-Potato famine - fungusPotato famine - fungus

25% of the population or 1 million people in 25% of the population or 1 million people in Ireland died in 1840.Ireland died in 1840.

Hundreds of thousands emigrated from Ireland Hundreds of thousands emigrated from Ireland to Ellis Island.to Ellis Island.

1. Diversity or Monoculture?1. Diversity or Monoculture?

2. Diversity or Monoculture?2. Diversity or Monoculture?

3. Diversity or Monoculture?3. Diversity or Monoculture?

What now?What now? 1. You will be 1. You will be reading and answering questionsreading and answering questions

about monocultures and index speciesabout monocultures and index species

2. You will learn how to calculate how diverse 2. You will learn how to calculate how diverse an ecosystem is by doing a an ecosystem is by doing a lab activitylab activity and and calculating a diversity indexcalculating a diversity index

3. You will apply what you learned in the lab on 3. You will apply what you learned in the lab on diversity index to a diversity index to a case studycase study of a town’s of a town’s ecosystem.ecosystem.

Bibliographyhttp://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://users.rcn.com/jkimball.ma.ultranet/BiologyPages/D/Dane