The living part of the world

Why should we care about the biosphere?It’s the food we eat, the plants that we grow,

provides oxygen for us to breathe, pets for comfortWhy should we take care of the biosphere?

Without the services that the biosphere provides, we would be dead.

Biosphere

Biosphere The living part of the worldBiomes Specific types of ecosystems and

environments that have certain types of climates and biotic factors Ecosystems The combination of the living

and non living parts of an environmentCommunity Different types of animals and

plants that interact with each other in an ecosystemPopulation A group of animals/plants that live

in one communitySpecies A single type of organisms

Organism An individual life form

Life on Earth is broken down into different levels

Levels of Life Example

Ecosystems Combination of living and non-living of an environment

EcosystemsAbiotic Factors Non

living or never lived parts of an ecosystemThese materials will

provide the nutrients and materials needed to support the living part of an ecosystem

Examples of Abiotic Factors:Examples: Air, Water,

Soil, Rocks

Samples of living factors that need nonliving factors:

Plants need water and nutrients and carbon dioxide

Animals need water and oxygen and vitamins

Ecosystems Biotic Factors Living

parts of an ecosystemThese are organisms

that exist in nature and balance the living world

If part of the biotic part of an ecosystem dies, what happens to the rest of the system?

Increases and Decreases in organismsExamples of Biotic

factors: Animals, Plants, Bacteria, dead organisms

Samples of what happens when a biotic factor dies out:

If a forest fire moves through a forest, the birds fly off, the trees would be burnt, the air would be smoky, but the soil would be enriched with nutrients

BiomesSpecific types of

ecosystems and environments that have certain types of climates and biotic factors Types

TundraDesertTaiga(Boreal Forest)GrasslandTemperate Deciduous

ForestTropical Rainforest

Biomes will shape the types of organisms that are found in them

Organisms are adapted to the ecosystems and biomes that they live in

Different biomes have different amounts and types of organisms for reasons:Tropical biomes will have increased amounts of

animals and plantsWhy? Animals and plants tend to grow and reproduce

more in warmer, wetter climates and good soilsTundra biomes will have decreased amounts of

animals and plantsWhy? Colder climates are harsh conditions for plants to

grow in, which means less food for animalsTemperate forest biomes have larger human

populationsWhy? Humans prefer the milder climates

Relationships in Biomes

Describe this Biome

Describe this Biome

Name the Abiotic and Biotic Factors

Name the Abiotic and Biotic Factors

Organize the following words into TWO lists, Abiotic and Biotic Factors:

A cell

The total amount of species living in a given areaThis accounts from the single celled bacteria to

the largest of the top consumersHigher biodiversities are found in your biomes

that have warm temperatures and wetter conditionsExamples?

Tropical RainforestBoreal Forest (Taiga)

Lower Biodiversity biomeswould be cooler and/or dryExamples?

DesertTundra

Biodiversity

What causes Biodiversity (differences amongst the species)?Why are we all so different?

Differences in our genetic code are what make us unique and look so differentThis is called genetic variationThese are mutations in the genetic code that

cause similar structures, but different ways to look at it

This genetic variation is found in all living organisms, which is believed to be the driving force of evolutionThe better showing of genes are the ones

that survive better

Tundra Animals will have more insulation (fur and fat) and plants are low and shrubby

Desert Animals are cold blooded; most organisms can survive with small amounts of water

Taiga(Boreal) Plants can survive the colder weather (pine needles)and animals can survive with more insulation

Grassland Animals are mostly herbivores and plants are low and dry

Temperate Deciduous Forest All animals and plants have seasonal changes and adapt to a variety of temperatures and climates

Tropical Rainforest Animals are brightly colored and are insectivores; plants have broad leaves and absorb water out of the air.

Different Adaptations for each biomes

The biomes that are filled with trees. (3)________________________________________________

The biomes that would have a lot of snakes because of higher temperatures for the cold-blooded reptiles (2) _______________________________

The biomes where you would find a lot of bears (3) ____________________________________________________________

Biomes that would NOT have mountain ranges in them usually (2) ___________________________

The biomes that would not be good for growing soil (2) ___________________________________

Best biome for growing agriculture crops (1) _______________________________

Biomes with the best soils (3) ________________________________________________________

Activity 3: Name the Biomes that are being described. The number in the parentheses is how many biomes should be listed for that question.

Because of the extinction of 3-4 species a day, we are losing many different resources that we could use in the futureResources that are being lost

Cures for diseasesFood resourcesBuilding resourcesChemicals for safer pesticides and fertilizers

We need to slow this loss or the next species that goes extinct maybe be one that would have saved the human race in the future

Loss of Biodiversity

Reasons for Biodiversity LossHuman Population

Growth (Urban Sprawl)We people need

space to live, we would rather use new land and spread out than build up and tear down old buildings

Plants are animals are cleared to make way for humans

Reasons for Biodiversity LossHabitat Alteration

Even if we do not clear the land completely, we can change the type of ecosystem that exist thereForests are changed

to farm landsDeserts have more

water placed in them to make them into farmlands

Reasons for Biodiversity LossHabitat

FragmentationOrganisms become

separated into pockets of their ecosystems

Examples:Housing

DevelopmentsLogging

(deforestation)HighwaysMany human

activities

Reasons for Biodiversity LossInvasive Species

A new, foreign species that is introduced into an ecosystem that can destroy the ecosystem that it is in

It is always harmful to the new environment

Wisteria wood climbing vines that choke the trees

Kudzu Vines Climbing vines that can destroy life under the trees and block out the sun; can also hide predators.

Invasive Species of NC

Hemlock Wooly Adelgid These small insects eat hemlock trees and slowly destroys forests in the taiga

Fire Ants Their sting can cause anything from skin irritation to scars from infected bites

Invasive Species of NC

Reasons for Biodiversity LossNonnative Species

A new species that is introduced to an ecosystem that does not harm the new environment

This new species usually will fit into the new ecosystem fairly well

Reasons for Biodiversity LossClear

Cutting/DeforestationDeforestation is

taking a normal forest and cutting everything in sight, whether or not it is going to be used.

Reasons for Biodiversity LossOverharvesting

When too many animals or plants are removed from the ecosystems, the chance for a genetic mutation is shrunken because the organism is not there to reproduce that genetic mutation

Examples:Fishing (trout and

salmon)Deforestation

Finding the ability to change a problems outcomeHow can we fix the problems with the

environment that we created?

Mitigation

Write these on the left side of your paperHabitat AlterationPollutionInvasive SpeciesNonnative SpeciesOverharvestingHuman Population Growth

Problems with The Environment

From the list below, on the right hand side of your paper, match the problems to their categories that they would fit underneathDumping of trash barges from NYCNear extinction of the cod fishKudzu vine in NCSmoke stack from coal burning factoriesLow availability of birth control in developing

countriesZebra mussels in the St Lawrence RiverOvergrazing of cattle in the Midwest USLeaking landfills

Match the Problems with Their Categories

Larger familiesSmogDeforestationOils spills from tankersCanadian geesePythons in FloridaGlobal Warming leads to warmer biomesImproper recyclingStripping of orchards and no new regrowthPeppered moths from EuropeIrrigation of deserts to produce more

farmland

A. Soil, minerals, grass, and oxygen

B. Carbon Dioxide, worms, beetles, and clouds

C. Water, oceans, lakes, and streams

D. Baboon, boy, bubble, and bunny

Which of these lists contains only biotic factors?

A. Some of the consumers would benefit and none of the producers would benefit

B. None of the consumers would benefit and all of the producers would benefit

C. Some of the consumers and some of the producers would benefit

If there were massive floods over a farm’s lands, which of following would happen to the producers and consumers?

A. An abundant amount of food resources

B. Pleasant living conditions and shelter

C. Invasive species move in creating competition

D. Many males and females in the same area

Which of the situations would lead to a genetic variation that would evolve to benefit the species?

A. There would be less predators to attach us

B. We would miss the fuzzy little creatures that are cute in the world

C. Less bacteria to attack our immune systems

D. We would lose valuable resources

Why would biodiversity loss on even a small scale be such a problem for the human race?

A. Snakes, hawks, and lions

B. Trees, bacteria, and fish

C. Grass, seaweed, and flowers

D. Mice, rabbits, and granola

Which of the following would be found at the bottom of a food web?

A. No solution is needed. It is not a problem.

B. Have trees planted to regrow the forest.

C. Stop fishing practices for a few year.

D. Throw new fish into the ocean and then fish them.

How could one mitigate the problem of overharvesting fish from an ocean?