Natural Habitats
Outline
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Populations and Communities
Ecosystems
Biotic and Abiotic Factors
Biomes
Biomes of the World
Wetlands
Natural Environmental Change
Environmental Change Due to Human
Impact
Populations and Communities
• Population: all of the members of one (1)
species in a given area
– Example – all of the elk in a forest
Populations and Communities
• Community: all of the populations in an area
– Example – all of the elk, lynx, rabbits, owls, trees,
and grasses in a forest
Ecosystems
• Ecosystem: all of the living and non-living parts
on an environment
– all of the communities combined with the air, water,
and ground
Population, Community, and
Ecosystem
Biotic Factors
• Biotic Factors: the living parts of an ecosystem
– Examples – animals, plants, bugs
Abiotic Factors
• Abiotic Factors: the nonliving
parts on an ecosystem
– 4 important ones
1. Water
2. Soil
3. Sunlight – primary source of
energy in the ecosystem.
4. Temperature
Biomes
• Biome: large geographic areas that have
similar climates and similar
plants/animals that live there
– 3 important factors that make up a biome
1. Temperature
2. Precipitation (type and amount)
3. Organisms that live there (plants and animals)
Biomes of the World
• Major Biomes of the world
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Tundra
Taiga
Deciduous Forest
Tropical Rain Forest
Desert
Grassland
Freshwater
Saltwater
Tundra
• Location:
– Arctic Regions (North
Pole)
• Temperature:
– Yearly average is -30°F
• Precipitation:
– Snow
– 6-10 inches per year
• Other information:
– Ground is permanently
frozen 3-10 inches
below the surface
Taiga
• Location:
– Russia, Canada
• Temperature:
– Winter is -65°F to -30°F
– Summer is 20°F to 70°F
• Precipitation:
– Mostly snow
– 12-30 inches per year
• Other information:
– Also called the Coniferous
Forest
Deciduous Forest
• Location:
– Easter United States,
Europe
• Temperature:
– Moderate temperatures
– 4 seasons
• Precipitation:
– Rain and snow
– 30-60 inches per year
• Other information:
– Where we live
Tropical Rain Forest
• Location:
– South America, Central
Africa, Southeastern Asia
• Temperature:
– Yearly average of 70°F to
90°F
• Precipitation:
– Rain
– 60-200 inches per year
• Other information:
– Produces 40% of the Earth’s
oxygen
– 25% of all medicines come
from Rain Forest plants
Desert
• Location:
– Southwestern United States,
Northern Africa, Australia
• Temperature:
– Yearly average of 70 ° F to 80
°F
• Precipitation:
– Rain
– 3-10 inches per year (usually
falls at one time)
• Other information:
– Extreme high temps of 140 °F
Grassland
• Location:
– Midwestern United States,
Africa
• Temperature:
– Yearly temperatures of 40°F to
70°F
• Precipitation:
– Rain (Africa), Rain and Snow
(US)
– 12-30 inches per year
• Other information:
– Savannah – grasslands in Africa
– Prairie – grasslands in United
States
Freshwater Biomes
• Any of body of water that is made of freshwater .
(salt content < 1%)
• Includes lakes, ponds, streams, and rivers, but can
include puddles and any “standing “ water.
• Only 3% of the water on Earth comes from
freshwater biomes.
• 99% of all freshwater is either in the form of ice or
located in an aquifer.
Saltwater Biomes
• Saltwater biomes cover about 75% of the Earth's
surface and include oceans, coral reefs, and
estuaries.
• Saltwater is water with a salt content > 1%, but
typical ocean saltwater is about 3.5% salt.
Saltwater Biomes
• Algae in the oceans supply most of the Earth’s
oxygen supply!
• Evaporation of seawater provides moisture in
the air which in turn provides rain for the land!
Wetlands
• What are Wetlands?
– A wetland is a land area that is saturated with
water, either permanently or seasonally.
– The soil in wetlands is uniquely suited to aquatic
plants.
Man-made Wetland
Wildwood Park, Harrisburg
Wetlands
• Importance of Wetlands:
- Very biologically diverse ecosystem.
(Many plant and animal species)
- Wetlands are a natural water filtration
system that help to purify local water
sources.
Natural Environmental Change
• Succession: Natural, gradual changes in the
types of species of plants and animals
that live in an area.
Succession
• Primary Succession: Succession beginning in an area
with no soil such as a volcanic island.
Slow process!
• Secondary Succesion: Faster succession occurring in
an area that already has soil present.
Area destroyed by a forest fire
would be one example!
• Climax Community: Community that has reached a
stable stage of succession. This would be the end of
succession!
Natural Environmental Change
• Limiting Factors: Anything that restricts the
number of individuals in a population. Lack of water,
food, space, mates, as well as predation and disease can
all limit a population!
Natural Environmental Change
• Abiotic
Biotic
Biotic Interactions
- Living things need a constant supply of energy to
survive. The Sun is the main source of energy for all
living things (Abiotic).
- Living things also produce energy by utilizing water and
nutrients found in their environments (Abiotic).
- The water and nutrients can come directly from the
Earth or can be obtained from eating other plants or
animals (Biotic).
Natural Environmental Change
• Producer – Any organism that uses outside energy
sources (Sun) to produce energy rich molecules.
- Most contain chlorophyll. Plants use
chlorophyll during photosynthesis. Plants
are producers!
• Consumer – Any living thing that cannot make its
own energy rich molecules. Consumers must eat
other living things to get energy.
- All animals are consumers!
Environmental Change Due to
Human Impact
• Pollution – The introduction of contaminants into
the natural environment that cause adverse (bad)
change.
– Although most pollution comes from man some can be
introduced naturally (example: volcanic ash)
Environmental Change Due to
Human Impact
•Eutrophication – Natural response in an ecosystem to the
addition of nitrates and phosphates. These chemicals can
come from untreated sewage and fertilizers used on crops.
- Can cause sudden growths of algae and bacteria
- Oxygen is reduced and aquatic animals can die off!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=6LAT1gLMPu4
Environmental Change Due to
Human Impact
• Invasive Species – Non-native species in an ecosystem.
- Usually introduced by man (many times by accident)
- Can compete with and kill off native species.
- Can be plants or animals.
•http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0gwlAnwu7g
Environmental Change Due to
Human Impact
•Deforestation – Removal of trees and plants in a forest
so that the land is converted forever to non-forest use.