Introduction to Unit Three
Biogeography
 is the study of the distribution of plants and animals.
 Scientists who study biogeography have found that
similar organisms exist in different parts of the world
because ecosystems in which they live have very
similar factors.
Ecosystem
 A system that includes all living organisms in an area
as well as its physical environment functioning
together as a unit.
 An ecosystem is made up of plants, animals,
microorganisms, soil, rocks, minerals, water sources
and the local atmosphere interacting with one
another.
Biomes
 A biome is defined as a large geographical region that
has particular types of organisms (plants and animals)
and climate.
 A biome is a distinct ecological community of plants
and animals living together in a particular climate.
 Climate – the average long-term atmospheric conditions
(based on temperature and precipitation amounts)
Adaptation
 Adaptation means that a plant or animal has acquired
certain characteristics to enable it to live in one type of
climate or another.
 Types of Adaptation
 Behavioral
 Physiological
 Structural
Behavioral Adaptations
 Behavioral adaptations are the things organisms do to
survive.
 Examples:

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bird calls to warn of oncoming predators is a behavioral
adaptation – it helps with their survival.
In mammals, breast feeding is an innate behavior in mammals
- it is instinctive and necessary for the survival of a newborn..
A spider spinning a web to an innate behavior which allows
the spider to obtain food and aids in reproduction. Seasonal
migration of birds to warmer temperatures is a behavioral
adaptation.
http://hawkesbiology.wikispaces.com/11.+Behaviours+for+survival
Physiological Adaptation
 jobs of body parts controlling life processes that aids
survival.
 Examples:
 Warm-blooded creatures, like mammals and birds, try to keep
the inside of their bodies at a constant temperature. They do
this by generating their own heat when they are in a cooler
environment, and by cooling themselves when they are in a
hotter environment. Cold-blooded creatures take on the
temperature of their surroundings. They are hot when their
environment is hot and cold when their environment is cold.
 Digestive System – helps break down foods and absorb
needed nutrients.
 Fish gills – help fish obtain oxygen molecules from the water.
Structural Adaptations
 a body part or coloring that
aids survival.
 Examples:
 Birds have different size
beaks/bills to acquire the food
they eat.
 Bears have fur to help
acclimatize to their
environment.
 Dogs and cats both grow
‘winter coats’ – different fur to
adapt to coolor climate.
Can you find the moth?
Biome map of the world:
Biotic Factors
 Biotic factors are factors
resulting from the activities of
a living thing or any living
component in an
environment, such as the
actions of an organism
affecting the life of another
organism.
 For instance, in a quail’s
environment, the biotic
factors are the living elements
of the environment such as the
quail’s prey like insects, seeds,
etc. and the quail’s predators
like coyotes
Abiotic Factors
 An Abiotic Factor refers to a non-
living chemical or physical factor in
the environment, such as soil, pH,
forest fire, flood, hurricane, etc.
 Abiotic factors may be grouped into
the following main categories:
 climatic factors - include sunlight,
humidity, temperature, atmosphere,
etc.
 edaphic factor - include the nature
and type of soil, the geology of the
land, etc.
 social factors - land use, water
resources, etc.
Ecosystems and Abiotic Features
Ecosystems that share similar abiotic features also
share similar life!
There are many different kinds of plants and animals
on Earth, but only certain kinds are naturally found at
any particular place.
Abiotic Factors in Ecosystems are:
 Amount of precipitation
 Temperature and climate
 Soil characteristics
 Amount of sunlight
1. Amount of Precipitation
 Example:
 In the boreal forest biome there are many
ponds and bogs because the amount of
precipitation is between 50 and 100 cm per
year.
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This amount of precipitation results in
ecosystems with much forest containing conifer
trees.
As a result, animals such as beavers in the ponds
and moose who eat and live among the conifers
will be found in British Columbia or
Newfoundland where ecosystems are similar.
2. Temperature & Climate
 Climate varies with latitude (distance from the equator) and
altitude (elevation above sea level). Therefore, temperature
does as well.
 If you were to travel from the northern part of Canada
toward the south, you would find the temperature becoming
higher on the average.
 Example:

The arctic fox and polar bear live in the tundra and they are
adapted to live there since they have a thick fur coat. These
animals would not be comfortable living in the warmer
temperate deciduous biome or grasslands such as a snake would.
3. Soil Characteristics
 Example:
 The soil quality of the tundra
is very poor and has a
permafrost layer. Thus, large
trees cannot grow in the
tundra. With no large trees,
one will not find certain tree
dwelling birds that would be
otherwise be found in the
temperate deciduous biome
or the boreal forest.
4. Amount of Sunlight
 Example
 The grassland biome is known to have a longer growing
season than the tundra and the boreal forest.
 The reason for this is because the grasslands receive
more sunlight than these other biomes and thus the
days are longer.
 With more sunlight, plants such as grasses will grow
which will attract more insects and snakes. Thus ,
grassland biomes have these animals in common.
 Because of limited sunlight in the tundra, one would
definitely not find grasses growing and thus not find
snakes or grasshoppers that live in areas where there is
plenty of sunlight and grass.
And one last note…
 Terrestrial (land) biomes are defined by the
dominant type of plant life (climax community). The
terrestrial biomes include the Tropical Rain Forest,
Temperate Deciduous Forest, Deserts, Grasslands,
Taiga, and Tundra.
 There are also two types of aquatic biomes, the
marine (saltwater or ocean) biome, and the
freshwater biomes (rivers, lakes, ponds, swamps,
bogs, etc.).
The Four Major of Biomes of Canada
 The four major biomes of Canada are terrestrial
biomes:
 Tundra
 Deciduous Forest
 Boreal Forest (Taiga)
 Grassland
Biomes
If you were to hike from British
Columbia to Newfoundland and
Labrador , you would see that this
great country of ours has many
similarities and differences in terms of
plants, animals, climate and
landforms from one province to the
next.
For example in Manitoba and
Newfoundland, you would find both
spruce trees , moose and black bears.
Prairie provinces such as
Saskatchewan would contain more
flat grassland as compared to
mountainous regions within
Newfoundland and British Columbia.
For these reasons, ecosystems can be
grouped into larger categories called
biomes.
The Tundra Biome
Tundra Biome…
 Location:
 lies south of the ice caps of the Arctic. It extends across
North America, Europe, and Siberia.
 In Canada it is the northernmost biome, and is referred
to as a cold desert.
 Biodiversity:
 The tundra has very little biodiversity and is very
vulnerable to environmental damage because the low
temperatures make it slow to recover.
Tundra – *Some Abiotic factors
 The tundra has a low average temperature and a short
growing season of about 60 days. In winter everything
is frozen but in summer the top layer of soil thaws. The
layers that remain frozen are called permafrost.
Tundra – *Some Biotic factors
 There are no trees because of the permafrost. There
are only a small number of organisms living in the
tundra.
 Animals found in the tundra are reindeer, musk oxen,
caribou, wolves, arctic hares, arctic foxes, lemmings,
snowy owls, and ptarmigans.
The Boreal Forest Biome
Boreal Forest Biome…
 Location:
 lies immediately south of the tundra and is often called
the taiga biome.
 Biodiversity:
 Dominated by conifers or what is also known as
evergreens (trees with needle-shaped leaves), the
boreal forest is found in every province and makes up
80% of the forested areas of Canada.
 Forms the largest biome on Earth. It is very
vulnerable to diseases and pests that attach to the
limited species of trees found there.
Boreal - *Some Abiotic Factors
 There are cold winters with
deep snow.
 The growing season is about
120 days.
 During this period of time,
the ground thaws completely.
 Precipitation is usually
between 50 and 100cm per
year. There are many ponds
and bogs.
Northern Lights, Boreal Forest – Canada
http://pixdaus.com/single.php?id=134693
Boreal - *Some Biotic Factors
•The vegetation is
generally pines, furs,
and spruce.
•There are some
deciduous trees, shrubs
and herbaceous plants.
•Animals include
moose, wolves, bears,
lynx, deer, elks,
wolverines, martens,
snowshoe hares,
porcupines, rodents,
birds, and insects.
The Deciduous Forest Biome
Deciduous Forest Biome…
 Location:
 lies south of the boreal forest, in Eastern and Central Canada .
 Globally, the temperate deciduous forest is located in eastern
North America and Europe.
 Biodiversity:
 has the greatest biodiversity.
 This biome gets its name from the abundance of deciduous
trees that grow there. Deciduous trees are trees that shed
their leaves in winter, unlike conifers that don’t shed.
Deciduous - *Some Abiotic Factors
 Summers are hot and humid, and winters are cold.
The rainfall averages between 75-150 cm a year.
Deciduous - * Some Biotic Factors
The vegetation includes
oak, maple, hickory,
beech, chestnut, birch,
herbaceous plants, ferns
and mosses. The
animals consist of
wolves, gray foxes,
bobcats, deer, raccoons,
squirrels, chipmunks,
birds and insects.
The Grasslands Biome
The Grasslands Biome of Canada
 Location:
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is found at approximately the same latitude as the deciduous
forests.
It extends from eastern Manitoba to the Rocky Mountains.
Globally, grasslands, also called prairies, are found in the
interiors of North America, Asia, South America and Africa.
 Biodiversity:

Farming has reduced the number of species found within the
biome.
Grasslands - *Some Abiotic Factors
 Human intervention in the form of
farming has caused extensive
change to this biome.
 Under natural conditions, the
grassland should gradually be
replaced by forest due to
succession. Farming and grazing
by farm animals prevents this from
happening.
 The rainfall ranges from 25-75 cm a
year, which cannot support
deciduous forest, so grasses become
the main form of plant life.
 In most places of the grasslands, the
soil is usually rich and deep,
making it the most fertile
farmlands on Earth.
Grasslands - *Some Biotic Factors
•The vegetation includes many various
forms of wild flowers and grass.
•Near rivers and other wet areas plants
and vegetation become more dense.
•Coyotes, badgers, rattlesnakes, prairie
dogs, jackrabbits and ground squirrels
all inhabit the North American
grasslands.
•Huge herds of bison and pronghorn
antelope have been replaced by
domesticated cattle and sheep.
Test yourself…
1. Which factor prevents trees from growing in the tundra
a. poor soil fertility
b. too windy
c. permafrost
d. too hot
2. Which Canadian biome has the greatest biodiversity?
a. tundra
b. grassland
c. boreal forest
d. temperate deciduous forest
3. Which biome has the most fertile soil?
a. tundra
b. grassland
c. boreal forest
d. temperate deciduous forest
4. Which Canadian biome is dominated by evergreen trees? a.
tundra
b. grassland
c. boreal forest
d. temperate deciduous forest
5. Which biome has the least biodiversity?
a. tundra
b. boreal forest
c. grasslands
d. temperate deciduous forest
References:
 https://www.cdli.ca/courses/sci2200/unit01_org03_ilo
01/b_activity.html