AP Environmental Science
Chapter 7 and 8 - biogeography and biomes
text web site | main class page
I. Climate basics
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overview and comparison of climate with weather
overview of climate science
National Rain, Snow and Hail network - keep track of what's happening!
A. overview of the interaction between climate and ecosystems
B. global air/wind circulation – fig. 7-3, 7-4, 7-5
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Coriolis effect
animation | another | one more
C. water currents – fig. 7-2
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lots of info on the world's ocean currents
1. upwellings and their effects on nutrients
2. El Nino – S20-21
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more information and graphics
La Nina -- a related phenomenon
FAQ - El Nino and La Nina
climate prediction center
D. seasons
E. microclimates are created by land surface features
1. sea and land breezes
2. rain shadows – fig. 7-6 (animation) | another animation
II. Biomes – major regional ecosystems | scroll down for more links on biomes
A. map of world biomes – fig. 7-9
B. temperature and precipitation are the major factors – fig. 7-7
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soil type is also important, and certain soil types are often associated with
particular biomes (more info)
C. latitude and altitude have similar effects – fig. 7-8
D. terrestrial biomes – p. 148-159 (use North America biome map as reference) |
more info on ecoregions
1. Forests
a. temperate rain forest (western hemlock-red cedar-Douglas fir) |
Olympic National Park
b. northern hardwoods (maple-birch-oak)
c. coastal plain forests
d. eastern deciduous forest (largely oak-hickory)
e. boreal forest (spruce-fir)
f. tropical rain forest
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explore forest types in Illinois
2. grasslands
a. prairie: shortgrass, mixed grass, tallgrass | National Grasslands
b. savanna
c. pampas, veldt, steppe
3. desert
a. four distinct deserts in North America: Great Basin | Mojave |
Sonoran | Chihuahuan
b. the Colorado Plateau is mostly desert - see Biological
communities of the intermountain west
4. Chaparral | more here
5. tundra: arctic and alpine | The Alaska Biological Science Center -information on artic ecosystems
6. mountains are in interesting case because of the varied biomes found as
the elevation changes
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Tour of Kilamanjaro gives an overview of 6 ecological
zones associated with a high mountain!
Virtual field trip: North Carolina highlands and blue ridge
mountains
E. aquatic biomes – chapter 8
1. fig. 8-6 shows distribution of ocean habitat zones
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National Marine Sanctuaries -- photos, videos and maps
2. life zones with depth – fig. 8-6
3. tidal regions - rocky coasts and beaches - p. 171-175
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Explore the coastal regions of south Florida -- wetlands,
mangroves, and "tree islands"
4. barrier islands
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coastal dunes are a related habitat
North Carolina virtual field trips: large barrier islands |
small barrier islands | effects of hurricanes
5. coral reefs
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Coral reef - coral.org
Coral reef conservation program
Coral discovery program
Coral Reef information system
6. freshwater pond/lake life zones - fig. 8-16
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overturn and stratification
7. oligotrophic vs. eutrophic lakes (fig. 8-17)
8. rivers - fig. 8-18
9. wetlands
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Estuaries, fjiords, and other marine environments in New
Zealand
wetlands of the coastal plain (virtual field trip)
More Links for biomes:
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Detailed info from the US Forest Service - click on the appropriate region on the map
Wild World from WWF - excellent page with details on specific regions
Ecoregions form the Sierra Club -- a more detailed division of North American into 17
distinct regions
World Biomes Page
Overviews and links for most biomes - Environmental Literacy Council
Land Use History of North America (a more technical page)
Biomes around the world, Freshwater ecosystems, Marine ecosystems, Rain Forests
(Missouri Bot Gardens)
North Carolina Virtual Field trips (mountain forests, grassy balds, and coastal plain
forests and swamps)
Sierra club "habitats" - focuses on several regions where the club works to protect
wildlife habitat