2. THE EARTH’S TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEMS
• Tundra:
Is the coldest ecosystem on Earth and it is also very dry. It is located in
the land areas near the North Pole.
-Characteristic: Is the absence of trees. There are mosses and some
grasses.
-Fauna typical are reindeers, arctic foxes, polar bears and white wolves.
3. • Grassland:
Grassland are flat areas dominated by grasses.
-Savannahs (tropical areas).
-Temperate grasslands (colder regions).
Animals -> Elephant, giraffes, zebras, lions, coyotes, wolves, bison prairie
dogs, gazellas, antelopes.
4. • Tropical rainforest:
Forest in tropical areas are warn and wet.
-Flora (plants): Evergreen trees, orchids , ferns .
-Fauna (animals): Snakes, monkeys, jaguars, insects, many birds (parrot,
tucan).
5. • Forests:
-Coniferous forests cold areas evergreen trees and animals like brown
bears, deer and foxes.
-Temperate deciduous forests trees which lose their leaves every winter,
such as oak, beech and maple and animals like squirrels, rodents and
wild boar.
- Mediterranean forest surrounding areas of the mediterranean. Sea
Cork oaks, holm oaks, thyme and Rosemary.
Fauna: eagles, foxes, lynx and rodents.
6. • Desert:
The driest and hottest places on Earth.
Temperatures are very high during the day but low at night.
Examples include:
Cacti, small bushes, lizards, snakes, camels and scorpions.
7. AQUATIC AND ARTIFICIAL ECOSYSTEMS
• Marine
-Coral reefs: richest ecosystems in number of species.
-Open ocean: It is the largest ecosystem on earth , whales
and dolphins are some of the species open ocean.
-Shoreline: It is the place where the sea meets land. Animals
and plants adapted to the strong tides and waves.
8. • Freshwater
-Flowing water.
Rivers and streams: many animals live in flowing freshwater ecosystems.
Crocodiles ,turtles , and frogs.
-Standing water
Lakes and ponds: fish, tadpoles and ducks live in lakes and ponds.
Wetlands: are areas where freshwater covers the soil.Have a rich
biodiversity including and amazing number of bird species.
9. ARTIFICIAL ECOSYSTEMS
Artificial ecosystems can be terrestrial, aquatic and urban ecosystems.
-Terrestrial: Farm were the first manmade ecosystems. Domesticated
animals ecosystem: garders, parks, greenhouses, orchards, zoos and
terrariums.
-Aquatic: Aquariums, man-made ponds and fish farms.
-Urban: Cities urban occupy only 2% of the land.
Include cats, dogs, mosquitoes, rats, cockroaches, flies, pigeons,
migratory birds such as storks and plants such as grasses.
