Unit B: Sustainable Ecosystems and Human Activity
Chapter 2: Understanding Ecosystems
2.9: On Land or in Water?
Pg. 60
Biomes: large geographical regions defined by climate with
a specific set of biotic and abiotic features.
Watershed: the land area drained by a particular river or
lake; also called a drainage basin.
Biomes
Earth is made up of many different biomes each with their
own climate patterns and specific sets of biotic and abiotic
features. Desert, Coral Reef, tundra, and tropical rain
forests biomes are common and have distinct features. Each
biome can contain different ecosystems.
Terrestrial Biomes
Terrestrial biomes are located and make up are determined
by their climate. Temperature and precipitation have the
greatest influence on the make up of a biome.
Canada’s Biomes
Canada has five major biomes: tundra, boreal forest,
mountain forest, grassland, and temperate deciduous forest.
Canada Biomes (Exam)
Tundra –Northernmost part of Canada
Abiotic
Biotic




Low temps (very cold)
Short growing season
Permafrost layer
Poor soil quality, not much
grows
 Rapid flowering plants
 Mosses and lichens
 Caribou, fox, lemmings
Boreal Forest –Northern Ontario (Largest biome)
Abiotic
Biotic
 Warmer than tundra (no
permafrost)
 More precipitation
 Permafrost layer
 Coniferous trees
(Christmas trees)
 Squirrels, birds, hares,
black bears, wolves
Mountain Forest–British Columbia
Abiotic
Biotic





Temps vary with elevation
Cool summers/windy
Short growing season
Fast flowing rivers
Lots of precipitation on
the windy side of the
mountain
 Large coniferous tree
 Ferns
 Squirrels, elk,
black/grizzly bears
 Cougar
Temperate Deciduous Forest–Southern Ontario
Abiotic




Longer growing season
Higher temps
Fertile soil
Good amount of
precipitation
Biotic
 Deciduous trees (eg. maple
trees) and other flowering
plants
 Squirrels, insects, black
bears
 Deer, hummingbirds,
weasels
Grasslands–The Prairies
Abiotic
Biotic
 Longer growing season
than the boreal forest
 Higher temp than boreal
and tundra
 Rich, fertile soil
 More precipitation than
tundra and boreal
 Grasses
 Grasshoppers, bison,
snakes, hawks, coyotes
Figure 5: The plants in a temperate deciduous forest biome include canopy trees, under
storey trees, shrubs, and ground vegetation.
Figure 6: Canada’s Biomes
Aquatic Ecosystems
Water covers over two-thirds of the planet. 97 % of the
water is saltwater. There are two categories of aquatic
ecosystems; freshwater and saltwater (marine).
Freshwater Ecosystems
Freshwater ecosystems: rivers, streams, lakes, and ponds.
Rivers and streams are unique ecosystems because the
water is continuously moving down stream. Organisms that
live in these ecosystems will either swim or attach
themselves to rocks or the bottom for survival.
Lakes and pond ecosystems have stationary water lakes are
deep and clear, while ponds are shallow and murky.
Other wetlands; such as, bogs, marshes are large areas of
shallow water or saturated soil. Marshes perform a vital
role, by filtering water. There is a high level of nutrients,
and a wide range of species; such as, birds, fish,
amphibians, and insects.
Watersheds
The land that is drained by streams and rivers, and fills
lakes is called a watershed. The St. Lawrence lowlands is a
land area where the water runs downstream from streams,
rivers, into the lakes and out to the Gulf of St. Lawrence. If
pollution should enter the watershed, it will pollute areas
downstream.
Figure 8: Watersheds must be managed to keep them healthy and pollution-free.
Marine Ecosystems
Marine ecosystems make up 70 % of the Earth’s surface in
the form of oceans. Water from the oceans is evaporated
into the air making up part of the water cycle. Oxygen
comes from organisms that photosynthesize; half of the
production comes from organisms that live in the oceans.
Coral Reefs
- found in warm shallow oceans
- home to a large number of organisms
- Very sensitive to temperature, acidity, and pollution
Estuaries
-
composed of both saltwater and freshwater
partially enclosed bodies of water
high in nutrients
support many different shellfish; such as, calms and
scallops
- Largest estuary is the Gulf of St. Lawrence
Mangrove Forests
- found along tropical and semitropical shorelines
- Trees are adapted to live at and beyond the water’s
edge.
- Area acts as nurseries to may young fish
- Protects shoreline from storm damage
Check Your Learning:
Questions 1 – 4, pg. 64
Wrap Up:
- A large region with a particular climate and a
characteristic community or plants and animals is
called a biome.
- Terrestrial ecosystems are on land and have distinctive
biotic and abiotic features.
- Aquatic ecosystems can be freshwater or marine.
Chapter 2 Summary
1. Energy passes through ecosystems, but
matter cycles within ecosystems
2. Energy is passed through ecosystems when
organisms eat other organisms
3. Energy is lost to the environment as
thermal/heat energy
4. Photosynthesis (plants take carbon dioxide
and light to make oxygen and sugars) and
respiration (animals and humans breathe in
oxygen and use sugars to make carbon
dioxide, water and energy) are processes
that work together
5. Aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems are
strongly influenced by their abiotic
environment
6. Abiotic (temperature and precipitation) are
important in terrestrial ecosystems
7. Abiotic (temperature and salt concentration)
are important in aquatic ecosystems