1. ECOLOGY
L E V E L S O F O R G AN I Z A T I O N
AN D
B I O M E S

2. 5 LEVELS OF ORGANIZATION
• Biosphere
• Ecosystems
• Communities
• Populations
• Organisms
• EXTRA Specific:
• Cells grouped into tissues
• Cells
• Molecules.

3. BIOSPHERE
• The broadest, most inclusive level of organization.
• The thin volume of Earth and its atmosphere that
supports life.
• If the Earth were the size of an apple, the biosphere
would only be as thick as the skin.
• 1. True or False: All organisms are found within the
Biosphere.

4. ECOSYSTEMS
• Biosphere is composed of these smaller units.
• Includes ALL of the organisms and the NON-LIVING
environment found in a particular place.
• 2. True or False: A pond is considered an
ecosystem.
• Name a nonliving factor.
• Biotic – living factors
• Abiotic – nonliving factors

5. COMMUNITIES
• A community is all the interacting organisms living in
an area.
• Ecologist studying a community often focus on how
species interact and how these interactions
influence the nature of the community.
• 3. True or False: The word community means the
same thing in biology as is means in everyday life.

6. POPULATION
• Includes all the members of a species that live in
one place at one time.
• Ex: Population of fish, birds, insects, etc.
• 4. True or False: Populations located in the same
area make up a community.

7. ORGANISM
• The simplest level of organization in ecology.
• A single member of a given species.
• Research at this level concentrates on the
adaptations that allow organisms to overcome the
challenges of their environment.
• More specific levels in study of biology include
tissues, cells, and molecules.

8. TUNDRA
• Cold, largest, northernmost biome, covers 1/5 of
world’s land surface.
• Few trees, permafrost – permanently frozen layer of
soil under surface.
• -26 to 12 degrees C (-14.8 to 53.6 degrees F)
• Less 25 cm precipitation yearly.
• 5. True or False: Tundra supports the GREATEST
amount of Biodiversity.
• http://videos.howstuffworks.com/discovery/28112-
assignment-discovery-the-tundra-biomes-
video.htm

9. TAIGA
• Located just south of the Tundra.
• AKA: Borreal Forest, Coniferous Forest
• Forest dominated by evergreen trees, plants
adapted to long cold winters, moose, bears,
wolves.
• -10 to 14 degrees C (14 to 57.2 degrees F)
• 35-75 cm average precipitation.
• 6. Why do evergreens have needle-leaves?
• http://videos.howstuffworks.com/discovery/28108-
assignment-discovery-taiga-biomes-video.htm

10. TEMPERATE DECIDUOUS FOREST
• Trees lose all leaves in fall= deciduous.
• Leaves are thin with large surface area.
• Pronounced seasons.
• Deer, foxes, raccoons, squirrels.
• 6 to 28 degrees C (42.8 to 82.4 F)
• 75-125 cm ave. precip.
• 7. True or False: We live in a temperate deciduous
forest.
• http://videos.howstuffworks.com/discovery/28109-
assignment-discovery-temperate-forest-video.htm

11. TEMPERATE GRASSLAND
• Prairie, interior of continents, about same latitude as
TDF, less rainfall=no trees.
• 8. Why less rainfall?
• 0 to 25 degrees C (32 to 77 degrees F)
• 25-75 cm ave precip.
• Grasses and grazing animals.
• Rich soil – farmland.
• http://videos.howstuffworks.com/discovery/28110-
assignment-discovery-temperate-grassland-biomes-
video.htm

12. DESERT
• NOT hot all the time, cold at night!
• Vegetation is sparse.
• Animals, active at night.
• Lizards, snakes, kit foxes.
• 7 to 38 degrees C (44.6 to100.4 degrees F)
• Less than 25 cm ave. precip.
• 9. True or False: The Tundra is like a frozen Desert.
• http://videos.howstuffworks.com/discovery/28106-
assignment-discovery-desert-biomes-video.htm

13. SAVANNAS
• Tropical or subtropical grasslands
• Alternating wet and dry seasons
• Zebras, wildebeest, giraffes, gazelles.
• Lions, leopards and cheetahs.
• 16 to 34 degrees C (60.8 to 93.2 degrees F)
• 75-150 cm ave. precip.
• 10. True or False: There are more carnivores than
herbivores living in the savanna.
• http://videos.howstuffworks.com/discovery/28107-
assignment-discovery-savanna-biomes-video.htm

14. TROPICAL RAIN FOREST
• Stable, year-round growing season
• Abundant Rainfall
• Most Productive Biome – 1/5 of known species.
• 20 to 34 degrees C (68 to 93.2 degrees F)
• 200 to 400 cm ave. precip.
• Responsible for 28% of world’s oxygen turnover.
• 11. True or False: The tropical rain forest produces 28%
of the world’s oxygen.
http://videos.howstuffworks.com/discovery/30139-
assignment-discovery-tropical-ecosystem-video.htm
http://videos.howstuffworks.com/discovery/28111-
assignment-discovery-the-tropic-biomes-video.htm