Ecosystems and Communities. What is climate?

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1 Ecosystems and Communities The Role of Climate & What shapes an ecosystem? What is climate? Weather = day-to-day condition of Earth s atmosphere at a particular time and place. Climate = average temperature and precipitation in a particular region. 1

2 The Greenhouse Effect Atmosphere = the mass of air surrounding the earth. Atmospheric gases trap heat energy from the sun and mountain's the Earth s temperature range. The Greenhouse Effect Greenhouse effect = the retention of heat by the atmosphere. Sunlight hits the Earth. The sunlight is reflected back into the atmosphere as heat. Some of the heat passes through the atmosphere and into space. Some of the heat bounces off of the atmosphere back to the Earth. 2

3 The Effect of Latitude on Climate Solar radiation (sunlight) strikes different parts of the Earth at different angles. This results in different climate zones 3

4 The Effect of Latitude on Climate Polar Zones Cold zones where sunlight strikes the Earth at a low angle. Cold climate Temperate Zones Climate ranges from hot to cold depending on the season. Tropical Zone Near the equator. Warm climate 4

5 Heat Transport in the Biosphere Air Currents (Winds) Air that is heated near the equator rises. Cooled air over the poles sinks to the ground. The upward movement of warm air and the downward movement of cool air creates air current (winds) 5

6 Heath Transport in the Biosphere Ocean currents Cold water near the poles sinks to the ocean bottom and flows toward warmer regions. The cold water rises up to the surface at the warmer regions. Surface water is moved by winds. Surface ocean currents warm or cool the air above them. 6

7 Biotic and Abiotic Factors Biotic factors = Living components of an ecosystem. Examples: plants, animals, bacteria. Abiotic factors = nonliving components of an ecosystem. Examples: wind, temperature, precipitations, sunlight, soil type. Habitat = the combination of biotic and abiotic factors. The organism s address! The Niche Niche = The role of an organism in an ecosystem. The organism s occupation Examples types of food eaten. How food is obtained. Which species use this organism as food. Where the organism lives. Temperature needed to survive. When the organism reproduces. 7

8 The Niche The Niche Competitive exclusion principle = No two species can occupy the same niche in the same habitat at the same time. 8

9 Community Interactions - Competition Competition = organisms of the same or different species attempt to use an ecological resource in the same place at the same time. Resource = a necessity of life Examples = water, nutrients, light, food, space. Community Interactions - Predation Predation = one organism captures and feeds on another organism. Predator = the organism that does the killing. Prey = the food organism. 9

10 Community Interactions - Symbiosis Symbiosis = any relationship in which two species live together. Mutualism Commensalism Parasitism Community Interactions - Symbiosis Mutualism = both species benefit from the relationship. 10

11 Community Interactions - Symbiosis Commensalism = one organism benefits and the other is neither helped or harmed. Community Interactions - Symbiosis Parasitism = one organism benefits while the other is harmed. 11

12 Ecological Succession Ecosystems and communities are always changing in response to natural or human disturbances. Examples: change in temperature, amount of rainfall, fire, flood, earthquake. Ecological succession = changes in a community that occur over time. Ecological Succession - Primary Succession Primary succession = changes on surfaces where no soil exists. Pioneer species = the first species to populate an area. Lichen = a common pioneer species which grows on bare rock. Made up of fungus and an algae (an example of mutualism) Breaks up the rocks to form soil. 12

13 Ecological Succession Primary Succession Ecological Succession Primary Succession 13

14 Ecological Succession - Secondary Succession Secondary succession = Succession on a previously established ecosystem. Started by an event. Forest fire Harvesting Hurricane Ecological Succession - Secondary Succession 14

15 Ecological Succession - Secondary Succession Climax Community The development of vegetation in a community over time through succession has reached a steady state (equilibrium). The plants and animals in the community are best adapted to the environment. 15

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