Lessons

1. Biodiversity and Interactions in the
Environment

2. Learning Objectives
At the end of our discussion, you
should be able to:
 Demonstrate an understanding of
the concept of species as a distinct
group of organisms that reproduces;
 Demonstrate an understanding of
the classification of organisms into
taxonomic ranks;
 Analyze the roles of organisms in
the cycling of materials; and
 Suggest ways to minimize negative
human impact on the environment.

3. What is Biodiversity???
 Biological diversity
 It refers to the variety of
living things on Earth,
ranging from species to
populations in different
environments.
 Also means the number, or
abundance of different
species living within a
particular region

4. Okay, So Why Is It Important?
 Everything that lives in an ecosystem is part of the web
of life, including humans
 Each species of vegetation and each creature has a place
on the earth and plays a vital role in the circle of life
 Plant, animal, and insect species interact and depend
upon one another for what each offers, such as food,
shelter, oxygen, and soil enrichment
 "It is reckless to suppose that biodiversity can be
diminished indefinitely without threatening humanity
itself." -Edward O. Wilson (Father of Biodiversity)

5. Early Classification
 To study the diversity of life, biologists use a classification system to
name organisms and group them in a logical manner.
 The field of Biology that deals with classifying organisms is called
Taxonomy.
 Carolus von Linnaeus(Carl von Linne) is the father of Modern
Taxonomy (1707-1778)
 He wrote Systema Naturae
•Linnaeus is considered the
founder of the binomial system of
nomenclature and the originator
of modern scientific classification
of plants and animals

6. Linneaus’ Findings:
 Millions of animals and plants
 How did we keep them in order?
 Binomial Nomenclature

7. Hierarchy
System Of Classification
Kingdom Phylum Class Order Family Genus Species
Hierarchy
Ranking System

8. Binomial Nomenclature
 Identifying organisms by their genus and species’ names
 2 words
 First letter of FIRST word is capital, First letter of
SECOND word is lowercase.
 The word needs to be in italic or underlined
 Latin Form of the word.
 Ex: Homo sapiens, Acer rubrum, Canus lupus
 Humans, Red Maple, Wolf

9. Binomial Nomenclature
 Used because the common name can sometimes be
misleading.
 Common names can be different in various parts of the
world (for example the British, North American and
Australian “Robins”)
 Latin is a universal “dead” language

10. How do Scientist
Classify organisms?
 You will probably need to add this slide to your notes
 Characteristics that appear in recent parts of a lineage but not in
its older members are called derived characters.
 Derived Characters can be used to construct a Cladogram, a
diagram that shows the evolutionary relationship among a group
of organism
 This concept was derived from Darwin.
 http://ccl.northwestern.edu/simevolution/obonu/cladograms/Op
en-This-File.swf

11. How do Scientist
Classify organisms?
 Early systems of classification grouped organisms
together bases on visible similarities.
 That can quickly lead to troubles….
 Biologist now group organisms into categories that
represent lines of evolutionary descent, or phylogeny,
not just physical similarities.
 Characteristics that appear in recent parts of a lineage but
not in its older members are called derived characters.
 This concept was derived from Darwin.

12. How do Scientist
Classify organisms?
 Similarities at the DNA level in the genes of organisms
can be used to help determine classification.
 Comparisons of DNA can also be used to mark the
passage of evolutionary time. A model known as a
molecular clock uses DNA comparisons to estimate the
length of time that two species have been evolving
independently.

13.  A dichotomous key is a
series of yes/no questions
that state the rules for
placing items into
categories within a system
of classification
 Ex: Plants, Insects, Trees,
People (We could make
one for our class!!)

14.  1. Eubacteria- (Bacteria)
 2. Archaebacteria-
(Bacteria)
 2. Protists- (Amoeba)
 3. Fungi- (Mushrooms)
 4. Plants- (Trees)
 5. Animal- (Mammals)

15. 2 Kingdoms or 1?
 Our book lists 6 kingdoms,
Eubacteria and Archaebacteria
 Prior to 1990 most books listed
only 5 kingdoms, Eubacteria
and Archaebacteria were
grouped together Monera
 Either is correct..(I still refer to
Monera on my quizzes and
test. )

16. The Three-Domain System
 Molecular analyses have given rise to a new
taxonomic category that is now recognized
by many scientist.
 The domain is more inclusive category than
any other—larger than a kingdom.
 Bacteria, Archaea and Eukarya.

17. Eubacteria
 Single Celled, Prokaryotic, Autotrophic
and Hetrotrophic
 Most bacteria are in the EUBACTERIA
kingdom.
 Cell walls with peptidoglycan.
 Some produce vitamins and foods like
yogurt.
 Ex: Streptococcus, Escherichia coli
 Bacteria…ecological diverse
 Free living soil organisms to deadly
parasites
 Some need oxygen some do not need
oxygen.

18. Archaebacteria
 Single Celled
 Prokaryotic
 Autotrophic and Heterotrophic
 Cell walls do NOT contain
peptidogllycan
 Ex: Methanogens, halophiles
 These bacteria live in volcanic hot
springs, brine pools, and black organic
mud.
 Most survive in the absence of oxygen

19. Protists
 Mostly unicellular
 Eukaryotic
 Autotrophic/Heterotrophic
 Members have great variety
 Ex: Amoeba (bottom) and
Paramecium (top)
 You need to be familiar with
BOTH of these little
guys…they will be on your
quiz/test.

20. Fungi
 Mostly multicellular but some unicellular.
 Has a cell wall but does NOT make its own food.
 Heterotrophic
 Change dead organic matter into usable nutrients… Decomposers
 Ex: Bread mold, mildew, yeast, and mushrooms.

21. Plant Kingdom
 Green- contain
chlorophyll
 Make food by
photosynthesis
 Ex: Algae. Moss,
Vascular Plants, Trees,
Flower, Etc

22. Animal Kingdom
 Multi-Cellular
 Cannot make their own
food
 Most animals move
(sponge is sessile)
 Vertebrates: (Backbone)
Ex: Fish, Frogs, Birds,
Snakes, and US!!
 Invertebrates: (No
backbone) Ex: Sponges,
Jellyfish, Earthworm

23. A Mysterious Organism-Virus
 Not sure which
classification to
put viruses
under
 No cell parts
 Chromosome-
like structures
 Do not grow as
living things

24. A Mysterious Organism-Virus
1
.
A virus is an infectious organism that reproduces within the cells of
an infected host.
2
.
A virus is not alive until it enters the cells of a living plant or animal
.
3
.
A virus contains genetic information wrapped in a protein coat.
4
.
Viruses can be useful as well as harmful.
5
.
A virus that mutates ensures its own survival by making itself
unrecognizable to immune systems and vaccines.
6
.
Even viruses engineered for useful purposes can be harmful if
unchecked

25. Body Symmetry
 Body Symmetry- The
arrangement of body parts.
 Radial Symmetry- Has
body parts radiating from
a central point. Ex:
Starfish, Hydra
 Bilateral Symmetry- An
animal with body parts
arranged in pairs on either
sides of a central axis. Ex:
Humans
 Asymmetry- Irregular
body shape

26. Body Symmetry

27. Parts of the Body
 Dorsal- Top of
animal (Back
Surface)
 Ventral- Bottom
of animal (Belly)
 Anterior- Front
of animal
 Posterior- End
of animal

28. Metamorphosis
 A series of changes during which
young insects develop into adults

29. Complete Metamorphosis
 Egg, Larva, Pupa, Adult
 The larva looks
completely different than
the adult
 Ex: Butterflies, Beetles,
Flies

31. Incomplete Metamorphosis
 Egg, Nymph,
Adult
 A nymph is like a
much smaller
version of the
adult
 Ex: Grasshopper,
Cockroaches

32. Biomes
 Large areas
(ecosystems) with the
same type of climax
community
 Biomes located on land
are called terrestrial
 Those located in oceans,
lakes, streams, or ponds
are called aquatic

33. Biomes
 Terrestrial biomes include
(out of your book)
Tundra, Taiga, Desert,
Grassland, Deciduous
Forest, and Tropical Rain
Forest
 Other Biomes Savannah,
Chaparral, Mountain
Zones, etc

34. Biomes
 Aquatic Biomes
include ….
 Marine, estuary, and
freshwater.

35. Biomes

36. Tundra
 Treeless land.
 Short soggy summers;
long, cold, dark winters
 Strong winds
 Temperature never rises
above freezing for long.

37. Tundra
 Permafrost- Permanently
frozen subsoil
 Only topmost layer of soil
thaws during the summer
 Poorly developed soil
 Grasses, shallow-rooted
plants
Tundra

38. Tundra
 Mosses, lichens,
sedges, bearberry,
and short grasses
 Waterfowl, musk ox,
arctic foxes, caribou,
lemmings
Tundra

39. Tundra

40. Tundra
Tundra

41. Tundra
Tundra

42. Tundra
Tundra

43. Tundra
 Bearberry is a common
plant that can be found in
the Tundra.
 This is in the warm
season.
Tundra

44. Taiga
 Circles the North Pole
 Land of mixed pine, fir,
hemlock, and spruce trees
 Warmer and wetter than
Tundra
 Bears, elk, deer, beavers,
owls, bobcats

45. Taiga
 Mild temperatures
 Abundant
precipitation during
fall winter and spring
 Relatively cool dry
summer
 Rocky
 Acidic soils

46. Taiga

47. Taiga

48. Taiga

49. Taiga

50. Desert
 Arid region with sparse plant
life
 Occupy about 1/5 of the
Earth’s surface.
 Little and unpredictable
rainfall..usually 50 cm of
rain or less annually
 Cold and hot deserts exist
 Ex: Desert Tortoise,
Diamondback Rattlesnake,
Cactus, Aloe

51. Desert
 Deserts may be found throughout the world…Sahara of
North Africa, southwestern U.S., Mexico, and Australia as
well as in the basin and range area of Utah and Nevada
and in parts of western Asia.

52. Desert

53. Desert

54. Temperate
Grasslands
 Between 25 and 75 cm of
precipitation annually
 Large communities
covered with grasses and
similar small plants
 Occupies more area than
any other biome
 Ex:

55. Temperate Grasslands
 Warm to hot summers’ and cold winters
 Moderate seasonal precipitation
 Fertile soils
 Dominant plants: perennial grasses and herbs
and sunflowers, oats, rye, wheat
 Dominant wildlife: coyotes badgers, deer, and
rabbits

56. Temperate
Grasslands

57. Temperate Grasslands

58. Temperate Grassland

59. Savanna
 Grassland with scattered
trees.
 Frequent fires, large
mammals.
 Many small animals are
dormant during dry
period.

60. Savanna
 3 distinct seasons:
 cool and dry
 hot and dry
 warm and wet.
 Soils are poor.
Savanna

61. Savanna

62. Chaparral
 Scrubland, regions of
dense shrubs along
coasts.
 Between 30 and 40
degrees latitude.

63. Chaparral
 Rainy winters, long
dry summers.
 Maintained by
periodic fires.
 Deer, birds, rodents,
snakes, etc.

67. Temperate Deciduous Forest
 Precipitation ranges from
70 to 150 cm annually;
 Rains year round
 Cold to moderate winters
with hot summers
 Fertile soils

68. Temperate
Deciduous Forest
 Broad-leaved hardwood
trees that loose their
foliage
 Ex: Deer, Bears, Oaks,
Maples, Salamanders

69. Temperate
Deciduous Forest

70. Tropical Rain
Forests
 Most biologically diverse
 Found near the equator
 Warm, wet weather
dominated by lush plant
growth
 Receives at least 200 cm
of precipitation annually
 Dense, tangled vegetation

71. Tropical Rain Forest
 Competition for light.
 Soil is usually poor due
to rapid nutrient
recycling.
 Animals are often tree
dwellers.
 Ex. Sloths, Monkeys,
Bamboo

72. Tropical Rain Forest

73. Tropical
Rain Forest

75. AQUATIC BIOMES
75% of Earth is covered in water.
Divided into two categories freshwater and
marine
Marine Biomes: The water is salt water.
Oceans, sea, and some inland lakes contain
salt water.
Freshwater is confined to rivers, streams,
ponds and most lakes.

76. Marine
 Oceans contain the largest
amount of biomass, or
living material, of any
biome on earth.
 Many living organisms are
small they cannot even be
seen.
 Ecologist study marine
biomes by separating them
into different zones.

78. Freshwater
 Ponds, lake, rivers, etc are
also full of life but more
so around the shoreline
and in shallow areas.
 Water temperature and
sunlight penetration are
factors that limits life in
freshwater biomes.

79. Freshwater
 In the shallow waters you
will find plants such as
cattails and sedges.
 These plants serve as food
and homes for tadpoles,
aquatic insects, worms,
crayfish, dragonflies
 Minnows, bluegill, and
carp also live here.

80. Estuary
 An estuary is a coastal
body of water, partially
surrounded by land, in
which freshwater and
saltwater mix.
 It may extend many miles
inland.

81. Estuary
 Wide range of organisms live here.