Start-Up: 1. Find the definition of biotic and abiotic in your text. 2. Identify the abiotic and biotic features in this picture. 3. Is this a population or a community? 4. Describe some of the interactions shown.

Explore This Ecosystem

Ecology is the scientific study of the interactions between organisms and their environments The goal of ecology is to understand the biological principles of how natural systems operate. Note! Ecology is not environmentalism! Ecology – science, not value based Environmentalism – value based

Practice: Ecology or Environmentalism? A population of rabbits begins to decline in number as coyotes are introduced into the area. 2. A citizen group is formed to protest the contamination of a river by a nearby factory. 3. Climate change is causing a shift in the migration patterns of many species. 4. World fish stocks are expected to be depleted by 2050. 5. Overfishing will lead to the economic collapse of the fishing industry.

A population of rabbits begins to decline in number as

coyotes are introduced into the area.

2. A citizen group is formed to protest the contamination of a river by a nearby factory.

3. Climate change is causing a shift in the migration patterns of many species.

4. World fish stocks are expected to be depleted by 2050.

5. Overfishing will lead to the economic collapse of the fishing industry.

Climate Determines Ecosystem Patterns in the Biosphere -Earth’s climate patterns are produced by the uneven heating of the planet by the sun -causes a varying range of temperature, wind, and amount of rainfall

The major types of terrestrial ecosystems that cover the Earth are called biomes . The major biomes are named after their climax vegetation .

Tropical forest – enormous productivity & diversity Gorillas All species endangered Habitat loss Poaching Warfare Disease (Ebola virus)‏

Gorillas

All species endangered

Habitat loss

Poaching

Warfare

Disease (Ebola virus)‏

Savanna – grasslands with scattered trees Common Hippopotamus Found near lakes and streams Threatened Poaching

Common Hippopotamus

Found near lakes and streams

Threatened

Poaching

Desert – extreme temperature variation Kangaroo Rat Incredible adaptations Many species endangered Habitat loss Habitat fragmentation

Kangaroo Rat

Incredible adaptations

Many species endangered

Habitat loss

Habitat fragmentation

Chaparral – coastal, dense evergreen shrubs, dry in summer Quagga Went extinct in 1883 Habitat loss Habitat fragmentation

Quagga

Went extinct in 1883

Habitat loss

Habitat fragmentation

Temperate grassland – deep, nutrient rich soil Prairie Milkweed Endangered Insects dependant on nectar Introduced species competition Agriculture

Prairie Milkweed

Endangered

Insects dependant on nectar

Introduced species competition

Agriculture

Temperate broadleaf forest – wide variety; we live here! Red-Cockaded Woodpecker Threatened Many other species dependent on nest cavities Logging Agriculture

Red-Cockaded Woodpecker

Threatened

Many other species dependent on nest cavities

Logging

Agriculture

Coniferous forest – cone-bearing evergreen trees Woodland Caribou Endangered Hunting Logging

Woodland Caribou

Endangered

Hunting

Logging

Tundra – cold, covered in permafrost Harlequin Duck Endangered or threatened Habitat loss Oil pollution Hunting

Harlequin Duck

Endangered or threatened

Habitat loss

Oil pollution

Hunting

High mountains Snow Leopard Endangered Poaching Habitat loss Prey population declines

Snow Leopard

Endangered

Poaching

Habitat loss

Prey population declines

Polar ice Polar Bear Threatened Habitat Loss (melting ice)‏

Polar Bear

Threatened

Habitat Loss (melting ice)‏

Aquatic Ecosystems

Ponds & Lakes – freshwater Lake Sturgeon Threatened Overfishing Dams Pollution

Lake Sturgeon

Threatened

Overfishing

Dams

Pollution

Streams & Rivers - freshwater

Estuaries – where rivers & streams meet the ocean West Indian Manatee Endangered Habitat loss Pollution Entanglement in fishing nets Boat collision

West Indian Manatee

Endangered

Habitat loss

Pollution

Entanglement in fishing nets

Boat collision

Ocean Zones Northern Right Whale Critically endangered Commercial whaling Pollution Boat collision Net entanglement

Northern Right Whale

Critically endangered

Commercial whaling

Pollution

Boat collision

Net entanglement

Coral Reefs – extreme diversity Elkhorn Coral Threatened Climate change Pollution Cruise ships

Elkhorn Coral

Threatened

Climate change

Pollution

Cruise ships

Deep-sea – no light; chemosynthetic prokaryotes are producers Very little is known about the population status of deep sea species