Biosphere Review Test Date: September 15, 2015 1. Biotic and Abiotic Factors Biotic Factors: Abiotic Factors: (prefix “bio” = life) (prefix “a” = without) the living parts of an ecosystem. Examples: • plants • humans • animals the non-living parts of an ecosystem. Examples: • soil • temperature • rocks • sunlight • rainfall 2. Biomes: Tropical Rainforest • found close to equator • 68°-93° F • 50-260” rain per year • poor soil • greatest biodiversity of all biomes • large and small trees, vines, tropical flowers • insects, birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians 2. Biomes: Tundra • no trees can grow due to permafrost • lichens, mosses • insects, birds, polar bears, caribou • Area around North Pole • very cold year-round; average temperature is -18°F 2. Biomes: Coniferous Forest (also called Taiga, Boreal Forest or Evergreen Forest) • most plants are conifers • animals include wolves, lynx, snowshoe rabbits • temperatures from 20°70°F • rainfall 12-33” per year, mostly snow 2. Biomes: Desert • many animals are nocturnal to escape daytime heat • insects, reptiles, birds • cacti and succulents • Up to 115°F daytime • Can drop by 50° at night • less than 10” of rain per year (plants that store water) 2. Biomes: Deciduous Forest • Oak, maple, hickory, & elm trees, shrubs and wildflowers • animals include deer, foxes, squirrels, mice • has 4 distinct seasons • 30-60” of rainfall per year • average temperature is 50°F 2. Biomes: Grassland (also called prairies or savannas) • grasses, wildflowers, clover • coyotes, bison, wild turkey, insects • found in middle latitudes • Temperatures range from -40° to 70°F • 10-30” rain per year (more than desert, less than deciduous forest) 3. Habitat vs. Biome Habitat: the natural home or environment of an animal, plant, or other organism. Biome: much larger; can contain many habitats. A biome is a large region containing distinctive plant and animal species and climate. 4. microHABITAT (prefix micro = very small) A very small, specialized habitat in which organisms live Examples: • a pile of wood • an old bottle 5. Different Environments = Different Organisms • Not all organisms have the same needs. Different environments provide different things to support different organisms. • The abiotic characteristics of an environment (rainfall, temperatures, soil type) determine what organisms can live/ grow there. 6. Biodiversity • Bio (life) + diversity (variety) • Biodiversity makes an ecosystem more sustainable…better able to survive. • A threat to one organism in the ecosystem won’t destroy the whole ecosystem. Resilient system: an alpine meadow in bloom. Note that the floral vegetation on each slope is different. Ecosystem niches are in sync with environmental conditions — in this case differences in exposure (sunlight), temperature, and moisture. This creates resource efficiency and resilience. 7. Biotic and Abiotic Factors in a Forest Ecosystem Biotic Factors grasses trees shrubs insects decomposers birds mammals reptiles amphibians Abiotic Factors rocks soil rainfall amount temperature humidity 8. Definitions Term Definition Biosphere The area on and around Earth in which life exists; extends from the atmosphere to the bottom of the ocean Ecosystem A system of interaction between the organisms living in an area and their environment Community The populations of species that live together in an area and interact with each other Population Members of the same species that live together in the same place at the same time 9. How are they related? 10. Ecoregions of Texas Ecoregion Abiotic Factors Biotic Factors Trans Pecos/ Chihuahuan 5.1 - 20” rainfall Desert Summer 90s – 100s Winter 40s Roadrunners, snakes, insects, spiders, lizards High Plains 15.1 - 20” rainfall Summer 90s- 100s Winter 30s Ducks, geese, cranes, small mammals Piney Woods 40.1 - 60” rainfall Summer 70s Winter 40s Pines and oaks, 85 different species of trees, 1,000 species of flowering plants, 180+ species of birds 10. Ecoregions of Texas cont’d Ecoregion Abiotic Factors Biotic Factors Edwards Plateau/ Llano Uplift 15.1 – 35” rainfall Summer 70s Winter 30s Dome-like formations of pink granite Deciduous forests, mesquite trees, wildflowers, bats, salamanders, warblers Gulf Coast Plains & Marshes 30-50” rainfall Summer 70s Winter 50s Barrier islands, coastline erosion of 30 cm – 15m per year 500 different species of resident and migratory birds, very biologically diverse 11. Manipulated/ independent variable and responding/ dependent variable Keeping the lights on for different amounts of time each day affected the number of eggs chickens laid. • Does the amount of time the lights are on depend on the number of eggs laid? OR • Does the number of eggs laid depend on the amount of time the lights are on? Number of eggs depends on amount of time lights are on, so… • Dependent = number of eggs laid • Independent = amount of time lights are on 12. Reading a Graph A. B. C. D. Relationship between Weight and Wing Span They increase together; as weight increases, so does wingspan Canary Lorikeet and parakeet Macaw lorikeet parakeet macaw THAT’S IT! YOU’VE GOT THIS! STUDY AND YOU’LL DO GREAT! I BELIEVE IN YOU!