Natural Habitats

Outline• 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. Water2. Soil3. 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. Tundra 2. Taiga 3. Deciduous Forest 4. Tropical Rain Forest 5. Desert 6. Grassland 7. Freshwater 8. 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.