LB 144: Organismal Biology
Class 18
March 22, 2016
“Ecology II: Biomes”
Reminders:
Readings: Chapter 52 Sections 52.4-52.6
(pages 1068-1079)
Additional Resources:http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/glossary/gloss5/biome/aquatic.html
Announcements: • Exam 2 review scheduled for Wed March 23rd in
this room (C106), from 6-7pm.
• Exam 2 is now scheduled for March 29, 2016• Bring a calculator, you will have to calculate• Pencil, eraser
Learning Objectives:• Model and predict the global and regional
distribution of biomes
• Model and predict the distribution of organisms within a landscape
Terms:Wet Tropical ForestSubtropical DesertTemperate GrasslandsTemperate ForestsBoreal ForestsArctic TundraSalinityWater FlowWater Depth
Fresh WaterNutrientsEstuary Marine (Ocean)Intertidal ZoneBiomassOcean Upwelling Lake TurnoverNet Primary Productivity
*not in your text book
Ecology
• The study of how organisms interact with each other and their environment.
• Fundamentally ecology seeks to determine the distribution and abundance of organisms.
EcologyWhat determines the distribution and abundance of organisms?
Abiotic factors- Non-living factors in the environment that influence an organism’s distribution and abundance
Biotic factors- living factors that (e.g., competition) that influence the distribution and abundance of organisms.
Biomes
Regions characterized by distinct abiotic characteristics (predominantly temperature and precipitation) and dominant types of vegetation
Biomes
BiomesQ1. East Lansing (E.L.) in part, is within the Temperate Deciduous Forest biome.
A. If E.L.’s average temp increased, but annual precipitation stayed the same, what would be our new biome?
BiomesQ1. East Lansing (E.L.) in part, is within the Temperate Deciduous Forest biome.
B. Climate change models predict a significant decrease in annual precipitation and increased in average daily temperatures. How might this effect E.L.’s biome? Explain your answer.
BiomesQ1. East Lansing (E.L.) in part, is within the Temperate Deciduous Forest biome.
C. What types of vegetation would you expect in the region?Explain your answer.
Biomes
Biomes
BiomesQ.2 Match biomes with descriptions
Biomes:• Temperate Forest
• Temperate Grasslands
• Subtropical deserts
• Tropical Wet Forests
• Boreal Forests
• Arctic Tundra
DescriptionsA. Deciduous leaves
B. Trees
C. Waxy Leaf Structures
D. Broad leaves
E. Evergreen
F. Relatively High latitude
G. Relatively Low latitude
H. Low vegetation height (< 1 m)
I. High vegetation height (> 2m)
BiomesTropical Wet Forest
Average Temp: HighTemperature variation: Low
Average Precipitation : High Precipitation variation: High
Subtropical Deserts
Average Temp: HighTemperature variation: Moderate
Average Precipitation : LowPrecipitation variation: Low
BiomesTropical Wet Forest
Average Temp: HighTemperature variation: Low
Average Precipitation : High Precipitation variation: High
Subtropical Deserts
Average Temp: HighTemperature variation: Moderate
Average Precipitation : LowPrecipitation variation: Low
BiomesTemperate Grasslands
Average Temp: ModerateTemperature variation: Moderate
Average Precipitation: ModeratePrecipitation variation : Moderate
Temperate Forests
Average Temp: ModerateTemperature variation: Moderate
Average Precipitation : ModeratePrecipitation variation : Low
BiomesTemperate Grasslands
Average Temp: ModerateTemperature variation: Moderate
Average Precipitation: ModeratePrecipitation variation : Moderate
Temperate Forests
Average Temp: ModerateTemperature variation: Moderate
Average Precipitation : ModeratePrecipitation variation : Low
BiomesBoreal Forests
Average Temp: LowTemperature variation: Very High
Average Precipitation: LowPrecipitation variation : Low
Artic Tundra
Average Temp: Very LowTemperature variation: High
Average Precipitation: Very LowPrecipitation variation: Low
BiomesBoreal Forests
Average Temp: LowTemperature variation: Very High
Average Precipitation: LowPrecipitation variation : Low
Artic Tundra
Average Temp: Very LowTemperature variation: High
Average Precipitation: Very LowPrecipitation variation: Low
BiomesIs there a pattern to biome and latitude?
Species Ranges
Species RangesAedes aegypti
Species RangesAedes aegypti
Q3. Based on distribution map what biome does A. aegypti prefer?
Q4. What abiotic factors influence the distribution of A. aegypti
Species RangesAedes aegypti
Q5. How you invest in controlling A. aegypti to protect major population centers to prevent the spread of disease?
Species Ranges
Q5. How you invest in controlling A. aegypti to protect major population centers?
Species Ranges
Based on distribution map what biome does A. aegypti prefer?
All Countries and Territories with Active Zika Virus Transmission (www.cdc.gov/zika/index.html)
Q5. How you invest in controlling A. aegypti to protect major population centers?
Aquatic Biomes
How do these four factors influence aquatic life?
Salinity-
Water Depth-
Water Flow-
Nutrient Availability-
Aquatic Biomes
Use the following relative descriptions to describe the aquatic biomes listed in blue.
Salinity: High, Mixed, or LowWater Depth: Shallow, Deep, or DeepestWater Flow: Variable, Wind Driven, and/or Tidal Nutrient Availability: High, low
LakesPondsWetlands
StreamsEstuariesOceans
Aquatic Biomes
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/glossary/gloss5/biome/aquatic.html
Lakes and Ponds –• Low salinity • Limited species diversity• Can be divided into three different “zones” based depth and
distance from the shoreline.
• The topmost zone near the shore of a lake or pond is the littoral zone. • It is shallow and can absorb more of the Sun’s heat (warmest)
• The limnetic zone is well-lite (like the littoral zone) and is dominated by both phytoplankton and zooplankton.
• The profundal zone is much colder and denser than the other two.• Little light penetrates all the way through the limnetic zone into
the profundal zone.
• Temperature varies in ponds and lakes seasonally.
Aquatic Biomes
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/glossary/gloss5/biome/aquatic.html
Streams and Rivers• Water flows in one direction. • The characteristics of a river/ stream change from the water
source to its mouth. • The temperature is cooler at the source than it is at the
mouth. • At the source the water is clear and has higher oxygen levels• In the middle part of the stream/river, the width increases, as does
species diversity• Toward the mouth of the river/stream, the water becomes murky from
sediments that it has picked up upstream, decreasing the amount of light that can penetrate through the water.
Aquatic Biomes
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/glossary/gloss5/biome/aquatic.html
Wetlands• Wetlands are areas of standing water that support aquatic
plants. • Marshes, swamps, and bogs are all considered wetlands. • Wetlands are not considered freshwater ecosystems as there
are some, such as salt marshes, that have high salt concentrations—these support different species of animals, such as shrimp, shellfish, and various grasses.
Aquatic Biomes
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/glossary/gloss5/biome/aquatic.html
Wetlands• Wetlands are areas of standing water that support aquatic
plants. • Marshes, swamps, and bogs are all considered wetlands. • Wetlands are not considered freshwater ecosystems as there
are some, such as salt marshes, that have high salt concentrations—these support different species of animals, such as shrimp, shellfish, and various grasses.
Aquatic Biomes
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/glossary/gloss5/biome/aquatic.html
Estuaries• Where freshwater streams/rivers merge with the ocean.
• The mixing of waters with different salt concentrations
creates a very interesting and unique ecosystem.
• Estuaries support a diverse fauna, including a variety of worms, oysters, crabs, and waterfowl.
Aquatic Biomes
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/glossary/gloss5/biome/aquatic.html
Oceans• High salinity • The largest of all the ecosystems (they are huge!)• Like ponds and lakes, the ocean regions are separated into
different zones: intertidal, pelagic, benthic, and abyssal. • The intertidal zone is where the ocean meets the land—sometimes it is
submerged and at other times exposed, as waves and tides come in and out.• The pelagic zone includes those waters further from the land, basically open
ocean. • The benthic zone is the area below the pelagic zone, but does not include the
very deepest parts of the ocean (see abyssal zone)• The deep ocean is the abyssal zone.
• The water in this region is very cold (around 3° C), highly pressured, high in oxygen content, but low in nutritional content.
Ecology
Q6.A. Fig 1. Summarize the inter-annual variation in precipitation
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
1400
1983 1985 1987 1989 1991 1993 1995 1997 1999 2001
Am
ount
Pre
cip
itation (
mm
)
Total Precipitation Amount
Ecology
Q6.B. Fig 2. Summarize of precipitation on productivity
R² = 0.2249
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
400 600 800 1000 1200 1400
Abovegro
und p
roductivity (
g/m
^2-
year)
Total Precipitation (mm-yr)
Total Site Productivity (1984-1999)
Ecology
Q6.C. Fig 3. Summarize the influence of precipitation on productivity in annually burned prairie
R² = 0.4146
R² = 6E-05
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
400 600 800 1000 1200 1400
Abovegro
und p
roductivity (
g/m
^2-y
ear)
Total Precipitation (mm-yr)
Burn Frequency
Annual
20-yr
(1984-1999)
Ecology
Q6.D. Fig 3. Summarize the influence of precipitation on productivity in a 20 year burned prairie
R² = 0.4146
R² = 6E-05
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
400 600 800 1000 1200 1400
Abovegro
und p
roductivity (
g/m
^2-y
ear)
Total Precipitation (mm-yr)
Burn Frequency
Annual
20-yr
(1984-1999)
Ecology
Q6.E. Fig 4. Summarize of precipitation on productivity in annually burned prairie. 1 sentence
R² = 0.6063
R² = 0.2473
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
400 600 800 1000 1200 1400
Abovegro
und p
roductivity (
g/m
^2-y
ear)
Total Precipitation (mm-yr)
Topography (annual-burn only)
Upland
Lowland
(1984-1999)
Ecology
Q6.F. Qualify your statement from part E to summarize the difference in patterns between the two sites. 1 sentence
R² = 0.6063
R² = 0.2473
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
400 600 800 1000 1200 1400
Abovegro
und p
roductivity (
g/m
^2-y
ear)
Total Precipitation (mm-yr)
Topography (annual-burn only)
Upland
Lowland
(1984-1999)
Q6.G Create a succinct summary by incorporating information from these 3 figures.
R² = 0.6063
R² = 0.2473
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
400 600 800 1000 1200 1400
Abovegro
und p
roductivity
(g/m
^2-
year)
Total Precipitation (mm-yr)
Topography (annual-burn only)
Upland
Lowland
(1984-1999)
R² = 0.4146
R² = 6E-05
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
400 600 800 1000 1200 1400
Abovegro
und p
roductivity
(g/m
^2-
year)
Total Precipitation (mm-yr)
Burn Frequency
Annual
20-yr
(1984-1999)
R² = 0.2249
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
400 600 800 1000 1200 1400
Abovegro
und p
roductivity (
g/m
^2-
year)
Total Precipitation (mm-yr)
Total Site Productivity (1984-1999)
Sample Test Question: The red imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta) was introduced into Mobile, Alabama in 1906. This invasive ant species is notorious for its sting and negative impact native species. This is its current distribution in the continental United States. • What abiotic factor likely limits its spread from the east coast to the west coast?• What abiotic factor likely limits its spread into the northeastern United States?• For the populations in CA, AZ, and NM what abiotic disturbance accounts for
those pockets in these typically arid (dry) regions?
Sample Test Question: The red imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta) was introduced into Mobile, Alabama in 1906. This invasive ant species is notorious for its sting and negative impact native species. This is its current distribution in the continental United States. • What abiotic factor likely limits its spread from the east coast to the west coast?• What abiotic factor likely limits its spread into the northeastern United States?• For the populations in CA, AZ, and NM what abiotic disturbance accounts for
those pockets in these typically arid (dry) regions?
Sample Test Question: Phorid flies were introduced to control the fire ant population. These small flies lay eggs in the heads of the ants and when they emerge they kill the ant. While adept at maneuvering, the flies are relatively poor fliers and dispersal is strongly driven by local wind patterns.
Based on US wind patterns, which state would you recommend releasing the flies to ensure the greatest spread of flies across their invaded ranges in the United States. Explain your answer. Note: No host = No offspring