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Guiding Questions
What factors determine the ecological niches of species, and by what means do species obtain nutrition? What factors govern the geographic distribution of species? What factors govern the distribution of aquatic life?
Environmental Differences
Tropical vs Polar - Terrestrial and Marine
Low vs High Elevation Shallow vs Deep Wet vs Dry
Hypsometric Curve
Curve showing the proportions of the Earths surface above and below sea level
Hypsometric Curve
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Climate
Climate
Controls distribution of species globally Has changed through time
Ecology
Ecology
Study of the factors that govern the distribution and abundance of organisms in natural environments
Habitats
Environments on or close to Earths surface inhabited by life
Terrestrial Aquatic
Marine Freshwater
Ecology
Ecologic niche
The way a species relates to its environment, including food, nutrients, physical and chemical conditions
Life habit
The way a species lives within its niche
Limiting factors
Naturally occurring, restricting condition (physical and chemical) Competition
Shared drive for limited resources
Predation
Competition
Arises because organisms share space
Predation also comes in here by possibly limiting or preventing another species from inhabiting a particular environment.
Ecosystem
Ecosystem
Organisms of a community and the physical environment they occupy
Population
Group of individuals that belong to a single species and live together in a particular area
Ecosystem
Ecologic community
Populations of several species living in a habitat
Producers
Photosynthesizing organisms; foundation of community
Consumers
Herbivores: feed on producers Carnivores: feed on other consumers
Ecosystem
Biota
Fauna: animals and protozoans of an ecosystem Flora: plants and plantlike protists
Food chain
Sequence of consumption for producers to consumers
Food Web
Food web
More complex than simple food chain
More common
Ecosystem
Parasites
Feed on living organisms
Scavengers
Feed on organisms that are already dead
Ecology
The movement of materials through an ecosystem. Components within ovals are consumers.
Biogeography
The distribution and abundance of organisms on a broad geographic scale.
Biogeography
Temperature Moisture Nutrients
Ecosystem
Diversity
The variety of species that live together within a community
Lower in more difficult habitats Predation influences diversity
Heavy can reduce diversity Moderate can increase diversity by reducing competition
Opportunistic species
Species that specialize in invading newly vacated habitats
Biogeography
Distribution and abundance of organisms on a broad geographic scale Limiting factors
Diversity increases toward equator Barriers can affect dispersal
Life Habitats
The mode by which an organism lives, feeds in an environment 1. Tropical vs. Polar 2. Low vs high altitude 3. Shallow vs deep 4. Benthic vs. Planktonic
Atmosphere
Regulates Earths temperature (-18C w/o atmosphere) Composition
N2, O2, CO2
B. O2 < CO2
C. O2 = CO2
The Atmosphere
Nitrogen -78%
Oxygen - 21% Carbon dioxide (CO2 ) - 0.037% or 370 ppm Methane (CH4) - 0.00018% or 1800 ppb
Solar Radiation
Daylight Which receives more hours of daylight? Equator vs Poles
The amount of daylight (# of hours) averaged over a year is the same at the poles as at the equator
Solar Radiation
Solar Radiation
Temperature difference is due to the angle of the sunlight and the albedo In the high latitudes, the sun hits at a low angle and therefore the unit energy of sunlight is spread over a large crosssectional area of the earths surface. In the tropics, the sun hits directly and therefore is much more concentrated
Solar Radiation
Solar Radiation
Albedo refers to the reflectivity of the Earths surface 1. Snow and ice is very reflective - much of the solar radiation is reflected by to the solar system 2. Water has a low albedo and absorbs a lot of the solar radiation
Solar Radiation
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Solar Radiation
Solar Radiation
When do we have summers?
True or False Summers on Earth occur when it passes closest to the Sun
Solar Radiation
Obliquity or Tilt (23.5) of the to Earths rotational axis
This tilt gives us seasons. Summer is when the northern or southern hemisphere is point towards the Sun
Atmosphere
Regulates Earths temperature Composition
N2, O2, CO2
Atmospheric Circulation
Net transport
Air sinks at the poles, rises at the equator Simplified model
No tilt No Coriolis effect
Rising Air
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As the air rises, the temperature of the air mass decreases (adiabatic lapse rate 5C/km)
Cold air holds less water vapor. Voila, rain and the tropical rainforest. Low pressure systems usually have rain because the rising air drop water as the air ascends and cools
Rising Air
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Atmospheric Circulation
Coriolis effect Earths rotation causes air and water masses to be defected to the right (clockwise) in the northern hemisphere
Counterclockwise for southern hemisphere
Atmospheric Circulation
If we reverse the direction and launch a rocket from Panama towards Washington DC, which way will it curve?
A = Right B = Left C = Not at all because Panama is close to the Eq.
Coriolis force
Deflection of moving objects to the right in the No. Hemisphere and left in the So. Hemisphere
Coriolis Force
Atmospheric Circulation
Actual pattern is more complex
Three circulation cells Trade winds, westerlies, easterlies
Temperature Variations
Atmosphere retains heat Solar radiation
Absorbed and turned into heat energy Reflected
6-10% ocean 5-30% forest 45-95% ice and snow
Trade winds
As the dry air descending around 30 begins to flow back towards the Eq. it is deflected to the right.
QuickTime and a TIFF (Uncompressed) decompress or are needed to see this picture.
Trade winds
As the dry air descending around 30 begins to flow back towards the Eq. it is deflected to the right.
QuickTime and a TIFF (Unco mpressed) de compressor are needed to see this picture.
Trade winds
The NE and SE trades converge on the latitude where the maximum in convection (rising air) is occurring. This is the warmest location. Today, this is between 4 and 10N and is termed the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ)
Terrestrial Realm
Vegetation follows climatic zone
Tropical rain forest Desert savannahs Temperate forests Polar tundra
Terrestrial Realm
Tropical Climates
1820 C (6468 F) 030 latitude
Rain forests
develop under the tropical low pressure systems. Rising air dumps lots of rain. Found within a few degrees near the equator
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Terrestrial Realm
Deserts
Dry trade winds remove moisture 2030 north and south of the equator < 25 cm rain/year Little vegetation
Savannah, grasslands
Too dry to support forests
(<10 inches of water per year) develop under the sinking dry air masses and under the dry Trade Winds. Usually found around 30 latitude.
Deserts
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Savannah Grasslands
found between Rain forest and Desert and receive seasonal rain falls. Not enough rain throughout the year to support woodland
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Tundra
- Arctic ecosystem where layer beneath soil remains frozen throughout the year.
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Terrestrial Realm
Poles
Defined by ice sheets and glaciers today Absent or reduced at times in the past
Terrestrial Realm
Glaciers
Ice in motion Glide and spread Present at high latitudes and high elevations near equator
Terrestrial Realm
Tundra
Limited water Grasses, sedges, lichens, shrubs dominate Cannot support tall trees
Terrestrial Realm
Temperate forests
Longer summers, slightly warmer Deciduous trees
Maples, oaks, beeches
Mediterranean climate
Dry summers, wet winters Common 40 N and S of equator
Californian, Mediterranean region
Climate
Altitude
Similar to latitudinal gradient At base
Deciduous forest
On slopes
Evergreen forest Tundra above tree-line
At top
Glaciers
Climate
Mountains Rain shadow
Prevailing winds bring moisture
Precipitation on windward side Aridity on leeward side
Climate
Seasonal Change
High heat capacity of water
Less change in ocean temperatures than on land
Monsoon Circulation
Summer winds flow onshore; bring rain Winter winds offshore
Temperate climates
Jagged margins
Marine Realm
Ocean currents
Wind driven Follow atmospheric patterns
Trade winds
Push waters west; form equatorial currents Equatorial countercurrents
Return flow
Gyres
Clockwise in Northern Hemisphere Gulf Stream
Marine Realm
Circumpolar current
Circles Antarctica Very cold
Marine Realm
Polar circulation
Sea ice leads to more saline water Cold, dense waters sink Antarctic waters
Flow north at depth
Arctic waters
Flow south at depth
Marine Realm
Ocean circulation
Waves
Surface waves
Wind driven Break when seafloor interacts at shallow depths
Tides
Cause major movement of water in oceans Due to rotation of solid Earth beneath bulges of water produced by gravitational attraction of the moon
Marine Realm
Continental Shelf
Submarine extension of continental landmass
Shelf break
Edge of shelf
~200 m w.d.
Marine Realm
Near shore
Barrier islands Marshes Epicontinental seas
Marine Realm
Photic Zone
Region of ocean where enough light penetrates to permit photosynthesis
Pelagic life
Plankton
Phytoplankton Zooplankton
Nekton
Benthic life
Suspension feeders Deposit feeders
Marine Realm
Marine Biogeography
Tropical Subtropical Transitional Subarctic
Marine Realm
Corals
Most require warm water Common in tropics
Reef builders
Coral polyp Builds coral cup Connected to other polyps
Marine Realm
Salinity
Limiting factor near shore Oceanic
35 ppt
Brackish
Lower than marine Bays, lagoons
Hypersaline
Higher than marine Hot arid climates
The portion of the temperature-depth curve in the ocean that shows maximum change is the thermocline.
Atmospheric Circulation
If we reverse the direction and launch a rocket from Panama towards Washington DC, which way will it curve?
A = Right B = Left C = Not at all because Panama is close to the Eq.