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!