Biogeography/Biodiversity Flashcards
The biosphere:
Is the global sum of all ecosystems.
Biogeography:
The spatial and temporal distribution of plants and animals and processes influencing the distributions
Resources
- All the things consumed by an organism
- Consumption decreases the supply of resources
Plants need:
- Sunlight
- CO2 from atmosphere
- H2O from soil
- Nutrients
- Space to acquire resources
Animals need:
- O2 from atmosphere
- H20 from the environment
- Nutrient and energy sources
- Space to acquire resources
Environmental Factors:
Are abiotic environmental factors that influence organisms, not consumed
Climatic Factors - Temperature
- Directly influences physiological processes
- Indirectly influences resource needs
Climatic Factors- Light
Light availability is important in determining plant distribution patterns
Edaphic Factors =
Soil properties.
- Soil texture and structure, organic matter, soil acidity and alkalinity, biological organisms
Geomorphic Factors:
Landform attributes
Landform attributes:
Slope steepness, aspect and position
Theory of Tolerance:
Each species is able to exist and reproduce successfully only within range of values for a particular environmental factor
R =
Plant grows and reproduces successfully
G =
Plant grows but cannot reproduce
S =
Plant survives or persists but cannot grow
