This document discusses communities, biomes, and ecosystems. It defines a community as all the populations that live in the same area at the same time. Limiting factors, both abiotic and biotic, that restrict organism numbers are described. Ecological succession, both primary and secondary, is explained as how ecosystems change over time. Biomes are defined as large groups of ecosystems with the same climax community. Various aquatic and terrestrial biomes are outlined, including their climates, geographic locations, and characteristic plants and animals. Biomes discussed include tundra, taiga, grasslands, deserts, temperate forests, tropical rainforests, and more.

1. Communities, Biomes and
Ecosystems
Chapter 3
By: Andrea Bonde & slideshare.net

2. COMMUNITY ECOLOGY
Section 1

3. Communities
• Community – all of the
populations that live in the
same area at the same time.
• Limiting Factor – any abiotic or
biotic factor that restricts the
numbers, reproduction, or
distribution of organisms

4. Limiting Factors
2 Types:
Abiotic
• Sunlight
• Climate
• Temperature
• Water
• Nutrients
• Fire
• Soil Chemistry
• Space
Biotic
• Plant species
• Animal species
• Fungi
• Bacteria
• Virus (If you believe)

5. Range of Tolerance
• Tolerance – the ability of any organism to
survive when subjected to non-ideal biotic or
abiotic conditions
– Steelhead Trout tolerate 9-25°C

6. What Shapes an Ecosystem
• Ecological Succession
– As an ecosystem changes, older inhabitants
gradually die out and new organisms move in,
causing further predictable changes in the
community.
– Primary Succession
• Occurs on surfaces where no soil exists
• Example: new surface where volcanic eruptions
occurred.

7. Primary Succession
http://www.cas.vanderbilt.edu/bioimages/ecoregions/w70202lava-
types04123.jpg

8. Primary Succession

9. What Shapes an Ecosystem
– Secondary Succession
• Occurs when land cleared and plowed for farming is
abandoned. It also occurs where wildfires burn
forests.

10. Secondary Succession
http://www.geo.arizona.edu/Antevs/nats10
4/00lect20sucn2.gif
http://research.esd.ornl.gov/EMBY
R/fire-crop.gif

11. End of Section 3.1
-Work on any worksheets given out.
- Work on 3.1 Section Assessment
- Work on Problem-Solving lab 3.1
- Add Question below to your paper!
What are similarities and differences
between the two plants?
What are the natural habitats for each
one?
What would happen if we planted each
plant in the other’s habitat?
A
B

12. BIOMES
Section 2

13. What is a biome?
Biome: a large group of ecosystems that share the
same type of climax community.

14. AQUATIC BIOMES

15. Aquatic Biomes
• Determined primarily by the depth, flow,
temperature, and chemistry
– Chemistry – the amount of dissolved chemicals,
especially salts, nutrients, and oxygen
• Two main types of aquatic ecosystems:
– Freshwater Ecosystems
– Marine Ecosystems (salt water)

16. Aquatic Biomes
• Freshwater Ecosystems
– Flowing Water Ecosystems – freshwater
ecosystems that flow over the land
• rivers, streams
– Standing Water Ecosystems – bodies of
water that do not flow over the land
• Lakes, and ponds

17. Aquatic Biomes
• Marine Biomes
– Photic zone – well
lit area of the
ocean
• Only to a depth of
about 200 meters
• Where
photosynthesis can
take place
– Aphotic zone –
permanently dark
area of the ocean

18. Aquatic Biomes
• Estuaries – Mixed Water
– Estuary: A coastal body of water, partially surrounded
by land, in which fresh water and salt water mix.
• Animals: salt marsh, eelgrass, snails, crab, shrimp

19. Aquatic Biomes
Effects of Tides
• Intertidal Zone: Portion of shoreline between
the high and low tide lines.
- Tide Pools
- Differs in
rockiness and
wave action
- Snails,
starfish,
barnacles, sea
urchins

20. Aquatic Biomes
• Freshwater Wetlands – an ecosystem in
which water either covers the soil or is
present at or near the surface of the soil
for at least part of the year
– Include: bogs, marshes, and swamps
– They are important breeding grounds for
migratory birds

21. Effects of Latitude and Climate
• What is climate?
–Weather – the day to day conditions
of the earth’s atmosphere at a
particular time and place
–Climate – average conditions of
temperature and precipitation in a
particular region

22. Elevation

23. Tundra
• Tundra: Treeless with long summer days and short winter
days.
• Climate- cold (-94°F – 10°F) and dry (15-25cm/year)
• Characterized by permafrost (permanently frozen soil)
• Geographic location -south of the polar ice caps in the
northern hemisphere

24. Taiga AKA Boreal Forest
• Taiga: Continuous belt of coniferous trees worldwide.
• Climate- cold (-65°F – 69°F) and some rain(30-84cm/year)
• Characterized by lack of permafrost and some trees and
shrubs
• Geographic location –northern parts of North America,
Europe and Asia

25. Desert
• Desert: Arid region with sparse to almost nonexistent plant
life.
• Climate- temperature fluctuates and very dry (2-26 cm/year)
• Characterized by cacti, reptiles, birds
• Geographic location –every continent except Europe

26. Grassland
• Grassland: Large communities covered with rich soil, grasses,
and similar plants.
• Climate- hot (-40°F – 100°F) and fairly dry(50-89 cm/year)
• Characterized by grasses and flowers
• Geographic location –North America, South America, Asia,
Africa and Australia

27. Temperate Forest
• Temperate Forest: Dominated by broad-leaved hard woods
that loose foliage annually.
• Climate- (-22°F – 86°F) and fairly wet (75-150cm/year)
• Characterized by large deciduous forests
• Geographic location –Eastern North America, Eastern Asia,
Australia and Europe

28. Temperate Woodland and Shrubland
• Climate- hot (50°F – 104°F) and fairly dry(38-100 cm/year)
• Characterized by shrubs and small trees
• Geographic location –Western North America, Mediterranean
Sea, South Africa and Australia

29. Tropical Savanna
• Climate- (70°F – 90°F) and somewhat dry(50-130 cm/year)
• Characterized by grasses and scattered trees
• Geographic location –Africa, South America and Australia

30. Tropical Rain Forest
• Tropical Rain Forest: Warm temperatures, wet weather, lush
plant growth.
• Climate- warm (75°F – 80°F) and wet (200-1,000 cm/year)
• Characterized by broadleaf evergreens, bamboo, ferns
• Geographic location –Africa, South America, Central America,
Australia, Asia

31. End of Section 3.2
-Work on any worksheets given out.
- Work on 3.2 Section Assessment
- Work on Problem-Solving lab 3.2
- Add Question below to your paper!
Create a food chain found in each of
the biomes listed in this PPT!
- Tropical Rain Forest
- Tropical Savanna
- Temperate Woodland
- Temperate Forest
- Grassland
- Desert
- Taiga
- Tundra