Comparing Ecosystems and
Human Effects on Ecosystems
Unit 5
Lessons 4 & 5
Vocabulary
• 1. biome –
• one of Earth’s major land ecosystems, each
with its own kind of climate, soil, plants and
animals
• 2. wetlands –
• An ecosystem where water is near the surface
of the soil much of the time
3. estuary –
• The boundary where a freshwater ecosystem
meets a saltwater ecosystem
4. pollution –
• The addition of harmful substances to the
environment
5. Litter –
• Trash that is unlawfully disposed of outside
6. Smog –
• A type of air pollution formed by particles
produced by burning fossil fuels
7. Ozone –
• A form of oxygen gas forming a layer in Earth’s
atmosphere that screens out much of the
Sun’s ultraviolet rays
8. Pollutant –
• A substance that pollutes a material
9. non-native species –
• Also called exotic species, plant and animal
species that have been introduced into an
environment that is outside their native range
• 10. climate –
• The average weather pattern for a region
11. What biome is Louisiana in?
• Louisiana is in the deciduous forest
biome, but there are several different
types of ecosystems located within
Louisiana
12. What are some ecosystems in
Louisiana?
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Wetlands, freshwater
deciduous forests
Ponds, freshwater
Rivers, freshwater
Lakes, freshwater
Gulf (considered to be an ocean ecosystem)
13. How are streams and rivers
different from ponds and lakes?
• Ponds and lakes contain non-moving water
year-round
• Streams and rivers have moving water
14. Would you find the same organisms in
each of these ecosystems? Why?
• No. Each of these ecosystems has different
types of organisms, but some organisms can
be found in more than one ecosystem.
15. What are some organisms you
would find in a wetland?
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Frogs
Fish
Birds
Algae and many different types of plants
16. What are the six major land
ecosystems?
• Tundra
• Taiga - coniferous evergreen forests of subarctic
lands, covering vast areas of northern North America
and Eurasia.
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Desert
Grassland
Rain forest
Deciduous forest
17. What makes these six ecosystems
different from on another?
• The climates, animals that live there, plants
that live there, amounts of water
• Earth’s ecosystems are not just restricted to
land
• Most of Earth is covered with water
ecosystems.
18. What types of water ecosystems
exist on Earth?
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Freshwater
Saltwater
Ponds, lakes, streams, rivers, wetlands
Estuaries
Oceans
19. Why do ecosystems near the
equator have more organisms than in
the polar regions?
• Areas closer to the equator receive more
direct sunlight than areas closer to the poles.
20. What are the names of three
ecosystems with harsh climates?
• Tundra
• Taiga
• Desert
21. What factors make these climates
harsh?
• Extremely hot or cold temperatures; very little
precipitation
22. Tundra
• Found in far northern regions
• Very cold winters and short summers
• A tundra is a cold, dry biome that includes a
layer of permanently frozen soil called
permafrost
• In the Northern Hemisphere, tundras circle
the land just south of the north pole
23. Taigas
• Found south of the northern tundras
• A cool forest of cone-bearing evergreen trees
• Winters are cold, and the short summers are
warm, wet, and humid
• Summer conditions encourage insect
reproduction, which in turn attracts many
migrating birds
24. Deserts
• Found on every one of Earth’s continents
• Not all deserts are hot
• Some deserts are located in cold regions near
the South Pole
• All deserts are dry; they receive less than 10
inches of rain
25. What are the characteristics of
grassland ecosystems?
• Main plants are grasses; not much rainfall,
warm summers and cool winters, windy
• Grasslands are sometimes called prairies
26. What are the differences between
a tropical rain forest and a deciduous
forests?
• Tropical rain forest; warm, humid climate;
much rainfall; located near the equator.
• Deciduous forest: trees lose leaves during fall
and winter; warm summers and cold winters
27. Why are wetlands important
ecosystems?
• They are rich in plant life, homes to many
living things and important breeding grounds
for birds and other animals.
• They also serve as a natural water filters and
sponges by removing pollutants and
protecting surrounding land from floods and
erosion.
28. Why are estuaries unique
ecosystems?
The water is part salt water and part
freshwater
The plants and animals that live in estuaries
have adaptations that help them survive in
variations in salt content, or salinity
29. Wetlands
About 40% of the wetlands in the continental
United States are in Louisiana.
Wetlands include marshes, swamps and bogs
30. Ocean food chains
• Includes plankton, nekton and benthos
31. Plankton
o Live near the ocean’s surface
o They make up the base of the ocean food
chain.
32. Nekton
• Squid, fish and dolphins, swim through the
water
33. Benthos
• Crabs, sponges and corals, are bottomdwelling animals that live on or near the
oceans floor
34. What are the three ocean zones?
Intertidal zone (close to shore)
Neritic zone
Oceanic zone
35. Which ocean zone would not have
algae growing on the ocean floor and
why?
The oceanic zone because sunlight cannot
reach the floor of the ocean.
36. How does depth affect ocean
water’s temperature?
Temperature decrease as depth increase.
37. What are the problems holes in
the ozone layer may cause?
Holes in Earth’s ozone are a problem because
they allow dangerous rays from the Sun to
reach earth’s surface.
These rays can cause skin cancer.
Smog can cause breathing problems
38. What is the best way to protect
our water resources?
The best way to protect our water resources is
to prevent water pollution.
39. How is a biome different from
other habitats?
A biome is a set of habitats or ecosystems all
grouped together into a kind of “superecosystem”.
40. How are ecosystems near the
equator different from ecosystems in
the polar regions?
Ecosystems near the equator are rich with
plants and animals, while fewer organism live
in Earth’s polar regions.
41. Effects of permafrost
Prevents trees and large plant from
developing deep roots
Lichen, mosses, grasses, flowers and low
shrubs with shallow root systems can grow
above the permafrost
42. What are some ways in which soil
can become polluted?
Waste that’s not disposed of properly
Underground storage tanks can leak
Chemicals used on crops can get in the soil
Landfills that are not properly constructed,
can leak
Litter from humans
43. What are some negative effects of
soil pollution on the environment?
Harmful substances can be washed into
streams and rivers
Soil chemistry can change
The health of humans and other organisms
can be affected
44. What are some ways in which
water can become contaminated or
polluted?
Chemicals used on crops and on lawns can
seep into groundwater
Water running over streets can pick up
contaminants
Animal waste can get washed into streams
and lakes, when it rains
45. What laws are in place to protect
water resources?
• The Safe Drinking Water Act and the Clean
Water Act
46. What are some ways people could
prevent water pollution?
 Reduce or eliminate the use of chemical on
their lawns
 Dispose of garbage properly
 Plants trees or shrubs to absorb chemicals,
animals waste and sediment
Test Prep
47. Most of Earth’s water is in the
salty oceans. Based on this fact, what
can be inferred about Earth’s
freshwater?
• There is a limited supply of freshwater