Biology, Seventh Edition
Solomon • Berg • Martin
Chapter 54
Ecology and the
Geography of Life
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Biology, Seventh Edition
CHAPTER 54 Ecology and the Geography of Life
• Biome
• A large, relatively distinct terrestrial
region with characteristic
–Climate
–Soil
–Plants
–Animals
–Interacting landscapes
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Biology, Seventh Edition
CHAPTER 54 Ecology and the Geography of Life
Using
precipitation
and
temperature
to identify
biomes
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Biology, Seventh Edition
CHAPTER 54 Ecology and the Geography of Life
• Tundra
• Northernmost biome
–Frozen layer of subsoil (permafrost)
–Low-growing vegetation adapted to
extreme cold/short growing season
• Taiga
• Coniferous trees dominate the
taiga, or boreal forest
–Cold winters, short growing season,
and acidic, mineral-poor soil
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Biology, Seventh Edition
CHAPTER 54 Ecology and the Geography of Life
Arctic tundra
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Biology, Seventh Edition
CHAPTER 54 Ecology and the Geography of Life
Taiga
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Biology, Seventh Edition
CHAPTER 54 Ecology and the Geography of Life
• Temperate rain forest
• Large conifers
• High precipitation
• Temperate deciduous forest
• Precipitation relatively high
• Soils rich in organic matter
• Broad-leaf trees that lose their
leaves seasonally dominate
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Biology, Seventh Edition
CHAPTER 54 Ecology and the Geography of Life
Temperate
rain forest
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Biology, Seventh Edition
CHAPTER 54 Ecology and the Geography of Life
Temperate
deciduous
forest
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Biology, Seventh Edition
CHAPTER 54 Ecology and the Geography of Life
• Temperate grassland
• Deep, mineral-rich soil
• Moderate but uncertain
precipitation
• Well suited to growing grain crops
• Chaparral
• Thickets of small-leaf evergreens
• Climate of wet, mild winters and dry
summers
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Biology, Seventh Edition
CHAPTER 54 Ecology and the Geography of Life
Temperate
grassland
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Biology, Seventh Edition
CHAPTER 54 Ecology and the Geography of Life
Chaparral
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Biology, Seventh Edition
CHAPTER 54 Ecology and the Geography of Life
Significance of precipitation in temperate
biomes
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Biology, Seventh Edition
CHAPTER 54 Ecology and the Geography of Life
• Desert
• Cold deserts in temperate climates
• Warm deserts in subtropical or
tropical regions
• Low levels of precipitation
• Organisms with specialized waterconserving adaptations
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Biology, Seventh Edition
CHAPTER 54 Ecology and the Geography of Life
Savanna
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Biology, Seventh Edition
CHAPTER 54 Ecology and the Geography of Life
• Savanna
• Tropical grassland
• Widely scattered trees interspersed
with grassy areas
• Occurs in topical areas with low or
seasonal rainfall
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Biology, Seventh Edition
CHAPTER 54 Ecology and the Geography of Life
• Tropical rain forest
• Mineral-poor soil
• High rainfall evenly distributed
throughout the year
• High species richness and high
productivity
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Biology, Seventh Edition
CHAPTER 54 Ecology and the Geography of Life
Tropical rain forest
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Biology, Seventh Edition
CHAPTER 54 Ecology and the Geography of Life
The world’s major biomes
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Biology, Seventh Edition
CHAPTER 54 Ecology and the Geography of Life
• Human effect on biomes
• Tundra
–Oil exploration and military exercises
result in long-lasting damage
• Taiga and temperate rain forests
–Clearcut logging destructive
• Temperate and deciduous forests
and tropical rain forests
–Removed by logging and development
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Biology, Seventh Edition
CHAPTER 54 Ecology and the Geography of Life
• Aquatic ecosystems
• Important environmental factors
–Salinity
–Amount of dissolved oxygen
–Availability of light for photosynthesis
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Biology, Seventh Edition
CHAPTER 54 Ecology and the Geography of Life
• Aquatic life divided into
• Plankton
–Free-floating organisms
• Nekton
–Strongly swimming organisms
• Benthos
–Bottom-dwelling organisms
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Biology, Seventh Edition
CHAPTER 54 Ecology and the Geography of Life
• Freshwater ecosystems include
• Flowing-water ecosystems
–Streams and rivers
• Standing-water ecosystems
–Ponds and lakes
• Freshwater wetlands
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Biology, Seventh Edition
CHAPTER 54 Ecology and the Geography of Life
Features
of a
typical
river
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Biology, Seventh Edition
CHAPTER 54 Ecology and the Geography of Life
• Freshwater ecosystems include
• Streams and rivers
• Ponds and lakes
• Freshwater wetlands
• Estuaries
• Coastal body of water with access
to both the ocean and fresh water
from rivers
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Biology, Seventh Edition
CHAPTER 54 Ecology and the Geography of Life
Zonation in a large lake
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Biology, Seventh Edition
CHAPTER 54 Ecology and the Geography of Life
Thermal stratification in a temperate lake
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Biology, Seventh Edition
CHAPTER 54 Ecology and the Geography of Life
Freshwater swamp
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Biology, Seventh Edition
CHAPTER 54 Ecology and the Geography of Life
Mangroves
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Biology, Seventh Edition
CHAPTER 54 Ecology and the Geography of Life
• Marine environments
• Intertidal zone
–Shoreline between low and high tides
• Benthic environment
–The ocean floor
• Neritic province
–Open ocean from shoreline to depth
of 200 m
• Oceanic province
–Ocean deeper than 200 m
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Biology, Seventh Edition
CHAPTER 54 Ecology and the Geography of Life
Zonation in the
ocean
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Biology, Seventh Edition
CHAPTER 54 Ecology and the Geography of Life
Seaweeds in a rocky intertidal zone
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Biology, Seventh Edition
CHAPTER 54 Ecology and the Geography of Life
Seagrass bed
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Biology, Seventh Edition
CHAPTER 54 Ecology and the Geography of Life
Coral reef organisms
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Biology, Seventh Edition
CHAPTER 54 Ecology and the Geography of Life
• Ecotone
• Transition zone where two
communities meet and intergrade
• Provide habitat diversity
• Often inhabited by a greater
variety and density of organisms
than either adjacent community
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Biology, Seventh Edition
CHAPTER 54 Ecology and the Geography of Life
• Biogeography
• Study of the geographic
distribution of plants and animals
• Each species originated from its
center of origin
• Alfred Wallace divided the Earth’s
land areas into six major
biogeographic realms
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Biology, Seventh Edition
CHAPTER 54 Ecology and the Geography of Life
Wallace’s biogeographic realms
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