BIO004 - Module 4 Flashcards
The Layers of Our Environment
-Biosphere
-Biomes
-Ecosystem
-Communities
-Population
-Individual
The thin outer layer of the earth that is
capable of supporting life
Biosphere
A major biotic unit bearing a
characteristic array of plant life (Flora)
and corresponding animal life (Fauna)
Biomes
Consists of all populations of different
species (a community) together with
their physical environment
Ecosystem
Different Biosphere
-Atmosphere
-Hydrosphere
-Lithosphere
The gaseous component of the biosphere
Atmosphere
The rocky material of the earth’s outer crust
Lithosphere
The ultimate source of all mineral elements
needed by living organisms
Lithosphere
The water on or near the earth’s surface
Hydrosphere
determined by its climate, the temperature and amount of rainfall of the region, and the amount of solar radiation it receives
Biomes
6 Major Types of Land Biomes
-Temperate Forest
-Tropical Forest
-Grasslands
-Taiga
-Tundra
-Desert
Also known as Deciduous forest biome
Temperate Forests
Flora and fauna adapt to withstand freezing winters and exploit short summers
Temperate Forests
Has the 4 seasons; Animal communities must adapt to respond to rapid seasonal
changes
Temperate Forests
Located mainly in the equatorial belt
Tropical Forest
Has high rainfall, high humidity and high temperature
Tropical Forest
Many may have green, dull colors to allow them to camouflage in trees and vegetation,
but many birds are also brightly colored as it is hard to see them as they fly by
Tropical Forest
Also the most seriously threatened ecosystem
Tropical Forest
Vast expanse of grass, with few trees and bushes
Grasslands
Conditions are dry with occasional rainfall; wildfires are common
Grasslands
Known for large herds of herbivores
Grasslands
Animals can grow large sizes or be speedy due to wide open space
Grasslands
Prey animals develop patterns like spots and stripes that tricks the eyes of predators and allow them to blend in taller grasses
Grasslands
The most modified ecosystem and can be converted largely to agriculture and grazing
Grasslands
Also known as coniferous forest or boreal forest
Taiga
Has short, wet summers and long, cold winters.
Taiga
Gets plenty of snow during the winter and plenty of rainfall during the summer
Taiga
Majority of the plants are conifer trees (pine trees)
Taiga
Many animals of the ____ biome have to migrate to warmer areas or hibernate during the long, cold winters
Taiga
many specialized adaptions including lots of thick fur or
feathers and the ability to change colors during different seasons
Taiga
characterized by extremely cold temperatures and treeless, frozen landscapes
Tundra
Vegetation is limited due inhospitable conditions, but may have a variety of short
shrubs, grasses, and perennials peeking through rocks and snows
Tundra
uniquely suited to endure the harsh conditions
Tundra
Arid regions where rainfall is very low and water evaporation is high
Desert
Hot daytime temperatures, but very cold by nightfall
Desert
2 Aquatic Biomes
-Inland Waters
-Oceanic Waters
The fresh water on earth is only 2.5% of the world’s water, which mostly exists frozen in
polar ice caps or found underground. Only 0.01% is habitable.
Inland Waters
contain much dissolved oxygen because of their
turbulence, so their fauna tolerates lower oxygen concentrations
Lotic habitat
have even lower concentrations of oxygen,
particularly in deeper areas. Animals living on underwater substrates and vegetation
include snails, mussels, crustaceans, and a wide variety of insects.
Lentic habitat
largest portion of earth’s biosphere (71% of earth’s surface)
Oceanic Water
supports photosynthetic activity by phytoplankton
Photic zone
the shallow water zone is the locus of the world’s great fisheries
Pelagic zone
located in the ocean bed, have the coral reefs as the most ecologically
diverse in this community
Benthic zone
The energy and materials required to construct and to maintain life, and their
incorporation into biological systems
Productivity
Levels of Productivity in the Food Chain/Web
-Primary Producers
-Consumers
-Decomposers
organisms that begin productivity by fixing and
storing energy from outside the ecosystem
Primary Producers
The most important consumers, which are mainly bacteria and fungi
Decomposers
They breakdown organic matter and return it to soluble form again to be available to
plants
Decomposers
6 Community Interactions
-Predation
-Parasitism
-Commensalism
-Mutualism
-Competition
-Amensalism
Survival of the prey is reduced (-), but benefits the predator (+) because the food
obtained from prey increases a predators ability to survive and reproduce
Predation
as the predators evolve to get better at catching prey, the prey also
evolves to get better at escaping predators
Coevolution
Parasite benefits by using host as home and source of nutrition, and host is harmed.
Parasitism
benefits one species but does not harm nor benefits the other.
Commensalism
both species benefit from each other
Mutualism
Some mutualistic relationships are not only beneficial but necessary for survival of one or
both species.
Mutualism
Reduces fitness of both species.
Competition
It is very common to have both interspecies and intraspecies competitions for limiting
resources
Competition
It is considered the most common and important interaction in nature.
Competition
One species is harmed, but the other is unaffected.
Amensalism
a crucial source of
replacement and continuous gene flow among demes
within a region
Immigration
Each local population is called a
deme
Factors that can deplete/eliminate the population
-Intrinsic factors
-Abiotic factors
-Biotic factors
