Unit 1 – Ecology
Standards
• S7CS3. Students will use tools and instruments for observing, measuring,
• S7CS5. Students will question scientific claims and arguments effectively.
• S7CS6. Students will investigate the features of the process of scientific inquiry.

Ways of science

Ways of science
• Steps in the scientific method
▫ Note: steps are the same; order can change
▫ Question/Problem
 What do you want to know?
▫ Research/Background info
 Find out more about it.
▫ Hypothesis (can be redone)
 Develop the possible answer
 If _____________, then
__________.
▫ Experiment/Procedures
 Test the possible answer.
▫ Analysis/Data
 Examine the results.
▫ Conclusion
 Is the answer what you thought it would be? Explain.

Homework (8/18/11)

Fall 2011
Mrs. Cole
7 th grade science

Unit 1 – Ecology: Standards
S7L1 Students will investigate the diversity of living organisms and how they can be compared scientifically.
• b. Classify organisms based on a six-kingdom system and a dichotomous key.
• S7L4 Students will examine the dependence of organisms on one another and their environments.
• c. Recognize that changes in environmental conditions can affect the survival of both individuals and entire species.
• e. Describe the characteristics of Earth’s major terrestrial biomes (i.e., tropical rain forest, savanna, temperate, desert, taiga, tundra, and mountain) and aquatic communities (i.e., freshwater, estuaries, and marine).

Unit 1 – Ecology
Vocabulary
• Ecology
• Biotic
• Abiotic
• Biome
• Ecosystem
• Savanna
• Desert
• Tundra
• Taiga
• Aquatic
• Tropical rain forest
• Temperate deciduous forest
• Freshwater
• Estuary
• Marine
• Swamp
• Marsh

Biomes
BIOTIC FACTORS
• Plants
• Animals
• Protists
• Bacteria
• Think…all living things
ABIOTIC FACTORS
• Climate
• Water
• Sunlight
• Wind
• Rocks
• Think…nonliving things

Ecology
Biome
• a very large area characterized by its climate and the plants and animals that live in that area.
Ecosystem
• a community of organisms
(living things biotic) and their abiotic (nonliving) environment

Unit 1 – Ecology: Standards
• S7L4 Students will examine the dependence of organisms on one another and their environments.
• e. Describe the characteristics of Earth’s major terrestrial biomes (i.e., tropical rain forest, savanna, temperate, desert, taiga, tundra, and mountain) and aquatic communities (i.e., freshwater, estuaries, and marine). http://www.brainpop.com/

Terrestrial Biomes
• Tundra
▫ Climate
 Average yearly rainfall:
 12 to 20 in (30 to 50 cm)
 Average temps
 Daytime: 54ºF (12ºC)
 Nighttime: -26ºF (-15ºC)
▫ Animals
 Caribou, oxen, reindeer
▫ Plants
 Small shrubs and grasses
 Layer of soil beneath the surface that stays frozen (permafrost)

Terrestrial Biomes
• Taiga
▫ Climate
 Average yearly rainfall:
 15 to 30 in.(38 to 76 cm) – mostly snow
 Average temps
 Daytime: 70ºF (21ºC)
 Nighttime: 20ºF (-7ºC)
▫ Animals
 Beavers, grizzly bears, wolves
▫ Plants
 Dense forests of evergreen trees

Terrestrial Biomes
• Coniferous forests
▫ Climate
 Average yearly rainfall:
14 to 29.5 in (35 to 75 cm)
 Average temps
 Summer: 57ºF (14ºC)
 Winter: 14ºF (-10ºC)
▫ Animals
 Deer, moose, squirrels, insects
▫ Plants
 Trees that produces seeds in cones
(evergreen)

Terrestrial Biomes
• Temperate deciduous forests
▫ Climate
 Average yearly rainfall:
29.5 to 49 in (75 to 125 cm)
 Average temps
 Summer: 82ºF (28º C)
 Winter: 43ºF (6ºC)
▫ Animals
 Bears, snakes, birds, insects
▫ Plants
 Trees with leaves that change color and shed

Terrestrial Biomes
• Tropical rain forests
▫ Climate
 Average yearly rainfall:
 up to 157.5 in (400 cm)
 Average temps
 Daytime: 93ºF (34ºC)
 Nighttime: 68ºF (20ºC)
▫ Animals
 Most diverse
 Birds, reptiles, mammals
▫ Plants
 Tall trees that form green roofs (canopy)
 Vines
 Low plants

Terrestrial Biomes
• Savanna
▫ Climate
 Average yearly rainfall:
 up to 59 in (130 cm)
 Average temps
 Dry season: 93ºF (34ºC)
 Wet season: 61ºF (16ºC)
▫ Animals
 Lions, elephants, zebra
▫ Plants
 Open grasslands that dry out and turn yellow during the dry season
 Very few trees

Terrestrial Biomes
• Desert
▫ Climate
 Average yearly rainfall:
 Less than 10 in. (25 cm)
 Average temps
 Summer: 100ºF (38ºC)
 Winter: 45ºF (7ºC)
▫ Animals
 Birds, rodents, snakes, lizard
▫ Plants
 Plants with fleshy leaves and stems and deep roots
 Waxy coating to prevent water loss

Unit 1 – Ecology: Standards
• S7L4 Students will examine the dependence of organisms on one another and their environments.
• e. Describe the characteristics of Earth’s major terrestrial biomes (i.e., tropical rain forest, savanna, temperate, desert, taiga, tundra, and mountain) and aquatic communities (i.e.,
freshwater, estuaries, and marine). http://www.brainpop.com/

Aquatic Ecosystems
Marine (Oceans)
• Intertidal
▫ Near shore
▫ Organisms live in and out of water
• Coral reefs
▫ Warm, shallow area
▫ Coral, sponges, sea stars
• Sargasso sea
▫ Middle of the Atlantic ocean
▫ Floating algae
• Polar ice
▫ Around the Arctic and
Antarctica
• Estuary
▫ where salt meets fresh
▫ mixture
Freshwater
• Stream and river
▫ Think ‘fast moving’ water
▫ Rivers are simply strong, wide streams
• Pond and lake
▫ Enclosed body of water
▫ Plants grow near the shoreline
• Wetlands (area of land partially under water)
▫ Marsh
 Grasses, reeds, wild rice
▫ Swamp
 Trees and vines

Aquatic Ecosystems
Marine (Oceans)
• Intertidal
▫ Location: Found near the shore
▫ Type of water: Salt
▫ Movement of water: crashing waves; constant movement
▫ Plant life: plankton
▫ Animal life: worms, clams, crabs

Aquatic Ecosystems
Marine (Oceans)
• Coral Reefs
▫ Location: warm
▫ Type of water: Salt
▫ Movement of water: steady, subtle
▫ Plant life: algae
▫ Animal life: corals, sponges, sea stars

Aquatic Ecosystems
Marine (Oceans)
• Sargasso Sea
▫ Location: middle of the Atlantic Ocean
▫ Type of water: Salt
▫ Movement of water: constant, subtle
▫ Plant life: algae called sargassums

Aquatic Ecosystems
Marine (Oceans)
• Polar Ice (remember: ice is a form of water)
▫ Location: around the Arctic and Antartica
▫ Type of water: Salt
▫ Movement of water: slow moving (lots of ice)
▫ Plant life: plankton
▫ Animal life: polar bears, penguins

Aquatic Ecosystems
Estuary
▫ Location: where fresh water spills into the ocean
▫ Type of water: mixture of fresh and salt
▫ Movement of water: swirling, mixing
▫ Plant life: plankton, grasses
▫ Animal life: large variety that can survive in changing concentrations of salt

Aquatic Ecosystems
Freshwater
• Stream and River
▫ Location: runs through land, into other streams/rivers, out to the ocean
▫ Type of water: Fresh
▫ Movement of water: fast moving
▫ Plant life: large variety of plants, moss, algae
▫ Animal life: fish, clams, snails, frogs, etc.

Aquatic Ecosystems
Freshwater
• Ponds and Lakes
▫ Location: surrounded by land
▫ Type of water: Fresh
▫ Movement of water: slower than rivers and streams
▫ Plant life: cattails, rushes, algae
▫ Animal life: frogs, turtles, fish, snakes, clams

Aquatic Ecosystems
Freshwater
• Wetland (marshes and swamps)
▫ Location: surrounded by land
▫ Type of water: Fresh
▫ Movement of water: slow moving or stagnant
▫ Plant life: grasses, reeds, wild rice, vines
▫ Animal life: fishes, snakes, birds, frogs, turtles
▫ DIFFERENCE: swamps have trees; marshes don’t have trees.

Sum it all up!
Terrestrial Biomes
• Tundra
• Taiga
• Coniferous forest
• Temperate deciduous forest
• Tropical rain forest
• Savanna
• Desert
Aquatic Ecosystems
•
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Unit 1 – Ecology: Standards
• S7L4 Students will examine the dependence of organisms on one another and their environments.
▫ c. Recognize that changes in environmental conditions can affect the survival of both individuals and entire species.

Environmental Factors
Pollution
• Garbage
▫ Medical waste
▫ Lead paint
▫ Hazardous wastes
 These can catch fire, eat through metals or make people sick.

Environmental Factors
Pollution
• Chemicals
▫ CFCs ( chlorofluorocarbon )
 Destroys the ozone layer
 Used in aerosols and plastics
▫ PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyl)
 Poisonous and can cause cancer
 Used in appliances and paints

Environmental Factors
Pollution
• High-Powered Wastes
▫ Radioactive
▫ Nuclear plants
• Gases
▫ Carbon dioxide (acts like a greenhouse)
• Noise
▫ Constructions zones
▫ Can impact ability to hear

Environmental Factors
Resource Depletion
• Renewable
▫ Can be replaced at the same rate it is used
▫ Solar, wind energy, water
• Nonrenewable
▫ Cannot be replaced OR can only be replaced over thousands of years.
▫ Minerals, fossil fuels (oil and coal)

Environmental Factors
Overpopulation
• Number of organisms is too large for the available resources
▫ Human population (too many people in one area)
▫ Animal population (producers versus consumers)

Human interaction
How can we help?
• Plant more trees and other vegetation
▫ Plants provide oxygen!
• Recycle, recycle, recycle
• Limit use of poisonous pesticides
▫ Use natural pesticides instead
• Stop destruction of habitats
▫ Takes away food source and living spaces
• Stop overhunting/overfishing

Animal adaptation
Temperature
• Heat
▫ Large surface area to release heat
(large ears on jack rabbit)
▫ Light colors to absorb heat (tan or beige coats)
▫ Sleeping patterns (sleep in burrows during day; hunt at night)

Animal adaptation
Temperature
• Cold
▫ Extra layer of fat (polar bears, seals)
▫ Hibernation (bears)
▫ Thick coat of fur (camel: remember it
DOES get cold in the desert)
▫ Huddling together (to conserve heat)

Animal adaptation
Precipitation
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