Professional Development SeriesJune 25, 2005

Biomespresented by

Richard A. Campbell, Ph.D.Professor

Science EducationFlorida International University

Write at least Write at least fivefive things things that you thought about this that you thought about this

morningmorning

Did you list some things that Did you list some things that are found in your are found in your

environment?environment?

Did you every think about what Did you every think about what your environment would be like your environment would be like if some things were removed?if some things were removed?

What do you think your What do you think your environment would be like environment would be like

if there were if there were no treesno trees??

Have you ever wondered Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live what it would be like to live

in a different part of the in a different part of the world? world?

What do you think the What do you think the weatherweather would be like would be like

there? there?

What kinds of What kinds of animals animals do do you think you would see? you think you would see?

What kind of What kind of plantsplants do you do you think would live there? think would live there?

By investigating these By investigating these questions, you would questions, you would learn something about learn something about

biomesbiomes

This presentation is on biomesThis presentation is on biomes

GoalGoal: to develop a meaningful : to develop a meaningful understanding about biomesunderstanding about biomes

ObjectiveObjective: upon completion of this : upon completion of this presentation you should be able to presentation you should be able to explain, in your own words, what a explain, in your own words, what a biome is with 80% of accuracy. biome is with 80% of accuracy.

What is Biome?What is Biome?

A biome is a community of A biome is a community of plants and animals living plants and animals living together in a certain kind together in a certain kind

of climate of climate

The biome concept The biome concept embraces the idea of embraces the idea of

community, , of interaction among vegetation, , animal

populations, , and soil. .

Why do you think it is Why do you think it is important to study about important to study about

biomes?biomes?

The Earth has many different The Earth has many different environments, or habitats, varying in environments, or habitats, varying in temperature, moisture, light, and many temperature, moisture, light, and many other factors. other factors.

Each of these habitats has distinct life Each of these habitats has distinct life forms living in it, forming complex forms living in it, forming complex communities of interdependent organisms.communities of interdependent organisms.

Scientists have classified Scientists have classified regions of the world into regions of the world into

different biomesdifferent biomes

Some World Biomes Some World Biomes

aquatic forest desert

tundra freshwater grassland

How are biomes patterns How are biomes patterns distributed?distributed?

Their distribution patterns are strongly Their distribution patterns are strongly correlated with regional climate patterns correlated with regional climate patterns

andand

are identified according to the climax are identified according to the climax vegetation type vegetation type

A A biome is composed not only of biome is composed not only of the climax vegetation, but also the climax vegetation, but also of associated successional of associated successional communities, persistent sub-communities, persistent sub-climax communities, fauna, and climax communities, fauna, and soils.soils.

A biome is also influenced by A biome is also influenced by both both biotic biotic and and aboticabotic factors factors

What are the biotic factors?What are the biotic factors?

Biotic factors refer to the Biotic factors refer to the living partsliving parts of an of an

ecosystem, such as the ecosystem, such as the unique speciesunique species that live that live

there. there.

What are the abotic What are the abotic factors?factors?

the the nonliving partsnonliving parts of an of an ecosystem, such as rainfall ecosystem, such as rainfall

and temperature.and temperature.

Do you think that a Do you think that a biome can change?biome can change?

Human activitiesHuman activities have have drastically altered biome drastically altered biome

communities.communities.

Increased human activityIncreased human activity over the past several decades over the past several decades

has rapidly altered or has rapidly altered or destroyed many ecological destroyed many ecological habitats, thereby changing habitats, thereby changing

the biomes.the biomes.

Freshwater BiomeFreshwater Biome

Where is the biome found?Where is the biome found?

This biome is found all This biome is found all over the world on every over the world on every

continent. continent.

Other questions regarding this Other questions regarding this biome biome

What geological events are related What geological events are related to the formation of this biome?to the formation of this biome?

– In the mountains landslides may In the mountains landslides may fill stream beds with earth and fill stream beds with earth and rock causing ponds to formrock causing ponds to form

– Erosion tends to destroy ponds, Erosion tends to destroy ponds, but sometimes it creates but sometimes it creates depressions that fill with waterdepressions that fill with water

What is the weather and climate like in this What is the weather and climate like in this biome?biome?

There are shallow water zones along the shore,There are shallow water zones along the shore,

There is an open water zone where light is There is an open water zone where light is insufficient for photosynthesis, insufficient for photosynthesis,

There is a deep water zone which is less dense, There is a deep water zone which is less dense,

A bottom zone which is made of soft mud and is A bottom zone which is made of soft mud and is the coldest because very little sunlight gets to silt. the coldest because very little sunlight gets to silt.

The shallow water zone is the warmest because it The shallow water zone is the warmest because it gets the most light.gets the most light.

What plant communities What plant communities dominate this biome?dominate this biome?

algae, algae, water moss,water moss, and plant plankton and plant plankton

What are some of the animals What are some of the animals found in this biome?found in this biome?

snails, snails, breams, breams, belted kingfisher, belted kingfisher, bass, bass, sunfish, sunfish,

aquatic insects, aquatic insects, trout,trout, mussel,mussel, brook trout, brook trout, mayfly, mayfly, and rainbow trout. and rainbow trout.

One of the factors in all One of the factors in all biomes with living things is biomes with living things is

waterwater

Water is a substance that can exist in Water is a substance that can exist in all three formsall three forms

Solid Solid

Liquid Liquid

GasGas

Water is an integral part of Water is an integral part of life on this planet life on this planet

Water is an Water is an odorlessodorless, , colorless,colorless, & & tastelesstasteless substance that covers more substance that covers more

than three-fourths of the Earth's than three-fourths of the Earth's

surfacesurface

PPrecipitationrecipitation, , evaporationevaporation, and , and transpiration transpiration are all terms that are all terms that

sound familiar. They are all part of sound familiar. They are all part of

the the water cycle.water cycle.

EvaporationEvaporation

When the sun heats the When the sun heats the water found in oceans, water found in oceans,

rivers and lakesrivers and lakes

PrecipitationPrecipitation

Occurs when cooler air Occurs when cooler air cause the water to cause the water to

condense into cloudscondense into clouds

TranspirationTranspiration

Water vapor from the Water vapor from the plant surface evaporates plant surface evaporates

into the atmosphereinto the atmosphere

Water places an important role in Water places an important role in all biotic environmentsall biotic environments

Biotic environments consist of three Biotic environments consist of three interrelated partsinterrelated parts

Physical environmentPhysical environment

Biological environmentBiological environment

Chemical environmentChemical environment

Physical EnvironmentPhysical Environment

LightLight

TemperatureTemperature

GravityGravity

Structures and surfacesStructures and surfaces

Chemical EnvironmentChemical Environment

WaterWater

AtmosphereAtmosphere

Organic thingsOrganic things

Inorganic things and PHInorganic things and PH

Biological EnvironmentBiological Environment

Organisms and their Organisms and their relationship to one relationship to one

anotheranother

Biome on a stringBiome on a string