THE EARTH’S

BIOSPHERE
 BIOSPHERE
qThe part of the earth’s crust, waters and atmosphere that supports life
qThe thin mantle of life that covers the earth
qThe distribution of life
2
BIOSPHERE

It is interconnected with
three other spheres of
the physical
environment: the
lithosphere, the
hydrosphere and the
atmosphere.

3
 The gases of the atmosphere readily
exchange with those dissolved in water bodies (e.g. oceans,
lakes, etc.)
The atmosphere supplies oxygen and carbon
dioxide that form the basis of life processes (photosynthesis
and respiration).
Gases in the atmosphere react with water to
produce weak acids that aid in the breakdown of rock.
 Hydrosphere: Interactions with other Earth System
components
Water is transferred between the hydrosphere and
biosphere by evaporation and precipitation. Energy is also exchanged
in this process.

Water is necessary for the transport of nutrients and

waste products in organisms.

Water is the primary agent for the chemical and

mechanical breakdown of rock (weathering), to form loose rock
fragments and soil, and sculpts the surface of the Earth.
Geosphere: Interactions with other Earth System components

Atmosphere: volcanism spews significant amounts of gases

into the atmosphere. For example, volcanoes inject large amounts
of sulphur dioxide to the upper atmosphere, resulting in global
cooling.

Hydrosphere: The formation of many minerals involve incorporation

or release of water. Also, water speeds up chemical reactions that
produce or destroy minerals, and aids in the melting of rock.

Biosphere: Nutrients released from rocks during their breakdown

are dissolved in water (to be used by aquatic plants).
Biosphere: Interactions with other Earth System components
: Life processes involve a many chemical reactions
which either extract or emit gases to and from the atmosphere (e.g.
photosynthesis consumes carbon dioxide and releases oxygen,
whereas respiration does the opposite).

Evaporation of water from leaf surfaces

(transpiration) transfers water to the atmosphere.

The biosphere is connected to the geosphere through

soils (mixtures of air, mineral matter, organic matter, and water).
Plant activity (e.g. root growth and organic acid production) are
also for the mechanical and chemical breakdown of the rocks.
BIOMES
qBiological communities
that extend across vast
areas.

8
BIOMES
qIt can be as large as
continents, so large that
they encompass many
degrees of latitude.
qThe living material that
characterizes biomes is
primarily by geography,
climate and seasonality.

9
How are biomes formed?

Biomes are distributed across the Earth based

primarily on climate. Therefore, in areas that are far
apart, you will sometimes find similar plants and
animals because the climate is similar.
I
N
C
R - mountain ice & snow
E
A
S
- Tundra (herbs, lichens & mosses)
I
N
G
- Coniferous Forests
L - Deciduous Forest
A
T
I
- Tropical Forest
T
U
D
E
One factor affecting climate is latitude. Typically, the
farther you move north or south of the equator, the
colder the temperature gets. Another factor affecting
climate is elevation. The higher you go in elevation, the
colder the temperature gets.
 cold
Polar
Tundra

Sub polar
Coniferous
Forest
Deciduous CHAPARRAL Temperate
Forest Desert
Tropical GRASSLAND
Tropical
Rainforest Tropical Seasonal Savannah Desert
hot Forest Scrubland
equator
decreasing precipitation
WET DRY

Biomes usually found at cold latitudes far from the

equator are sometimes also found on high mountains at
low latitudes.
BIOMES OF THE
WORLD

TERRESTRIAL AND AQUATIC

14
TERRESTRIAL BIOMES
• Life arose in the waters of Earth more than 3 billion years ago;
multicellular organisms began moving to land just 425 million years
ago. One theory suggests that organisms were able to leave their
watery biome only after they acquired physiological ability to maintain
their own supply of water internally.

• Today the distribution of life one Earth continues to be shaped by the

availability of water in the form of seasonal rain and average annual
rainfall.

15
TERRESTRIAL BIOMES
Key factors that affect the size and species composition
of terrestrial biomes are:

qClimate
qThe quality of terrain
qThe availability of nutrients

16
 TERRESTRIAL
BIOMES
ØTUNDRA
ØGRASSLANDS
ØFOREST
ØDESERT

YOUR COMPANY NAME 17

AQUATIC
BIOMES
ØMARINE
ØFRESHWATER

YOUR COMPANY NAME 18

 TERRESTRIAL
BIOMES
ØTUNDRA
ØGRASSLANDS
ØFOREST
ØDESERT

YOUR COMPANY NAME 19

 TUNDRA
• The coldest and the driest of all
the biomes on Earth.
• It covers vast areas of northern
latitudes of the world.
• The term tundra comes from a
Finnish word meaning “treeless
plain”.

20
 TUNDRA
The short shrubby vegetation that
grows here is adapted to harsh
conditions:
• Very low temperatures
• Little precipitation
• Nutrient poor soil
• Minimal light in the winter
• Short growing season
It defines the limit of plant growth 21
 TUNDRA
• It defines the limit of plant growth.

• The top layer of tundra thaws when

the weather warms, but a
permafrost layer below remains
frozen year-round, which accounts
for the absence of larger plant life.

22
 TUNDRA
Other names:
• Arctic Tundra (high latitudes)
• Alpine tundra (high altitudes)

Climate: Arctic

Biodiversity: Very low

23
THE COMMON ANIMALS FOUND:

CARIBOU REINDEER LEMMINGS

24
VEGETATION PRODUCTIVITY IS RELATIVELY LOW.

COTTON GRASS SEDGE DWARF HEATH

25
 BOREAL
• A named after the biome in
Russia.
• A land dominated by
conifers, especially spruces
and firs.
• It is dotted with lakes, bogs
and marshes.
26
 BOREAL
• Other names: Taiga or
Northern Conifer Forest
• Climate: Sub-arctic
• Growing season: short
• Biodiversity: Low

27
 BOREAL
• Plants: Conifers such as cedar,
spruce, pine, mosses and
lichens

• Animals: Insects, birds (mainly in

summer and mammals such as:
rodents, rabbits, minks, moose,
raccoons and bears.
28
THE COMMON ANIMALS FOUND:

MOOSE
29
 GRASSLAND
BIOME
It feature few widely spaced
stands of trees within vast
sweeps of grasses.

30
 GRASSLAND
BIOME
Other names:
• Tropical Grasslands are
known as Savannas
• Temperate Grasslands are
known as prairies and
steppes.

31
THE COMMON ANIMALS FOUND:

BISON ZEBRA
32
 SAVANNAS
• A tropical grassland with a
scattering of shrubs and small
and large trees.

• It never gets very warm and

most of the time it doesn’t get
below freezing.
33
TROPICAL
SAVANNA FORESTS
• Dominated by grasses and
sedges with open stands of
widely spaced trees that are
frequently thorny.
• Some savannahs are created by
fire or by grazing and browsing
mammals.

34
 CHAPARRAL
• A type of shrub-land community
that is dominated by small-
leaved evergreen vegetation.
• Extremely resistant to drought
and weather events

35
 CHAPARRAL
Other names: Mediterranean
shrub Forest

Climate: Temperate

Soil Quality: Medium

36
 CHAPARRAL
Biodiversity: Medium

Plants: shrubs, small trees and

Oaks, Pines
Animals: Insects, reptiles, birds,
rodents and deers.

37
 SHRUBLANDS
• Distinguished by stable
(climax) or successional plant
communities.
• summers are very hot and dry;
winters are cool and wet

38
 DESERT
All life depends on water. It is the
biome where there is the least of it, and
where organisms are most sparse.

Organisms that live in deserts have

adapted both physiologically and
behaviorally to the lack of water.

39
 DESERT
• Climate: Temperatures typically
range between 20oC and 25oC but
some extreme deserts can reach
temperatures higher than 38oC and
lower than –15oC.

40
 DESERT
• Biodiversity: Low or None

• Plants: Plants adapted in dryness

such as cacti or sagebrush

• Animals: Insects, reptiles, and

birds; mammals: coyote and
rodents
41
 FOREST
• Relatively fixed, self-regulated
condition over a long period of time.
• Climate, soil and the topography of
the region determine the
characteristic trees of a forest.

42
CLASSIFICATION OF FORESTS
TEMPERATE
DECIDUOUS FORESTS
• It occupies the eastern half of
the United States and a large
portion of Europe.
• It shed their leaves in the
autumn.
• During the growing season, the
biome can be quite productive in
both natural and agricultural
ecosystem. 44
CHARACTERIZED BY HARDWOOD TREES

BEECH MAPLE OAK

45
CHARACTERIZED BY HARDWOOD TREES

HICKORY
46
THE COMMON ANIMALS FOUND:

DEER RACCOONS SALAMANDERS

47
DECIDUOUS
MONSOON FORESTS
• The climate is characterized by
heavy daily rainfall, seasonally
relieved by dry periods during
which the trees shed their
leaves.

48
NORTHERN CONIFEROUS
FORESTS
• This forest forms a worldwide
belt in subarctic and alpine
regions of the northern
hemisphere.
• Dominated by Gnarled scrub
trees on mountaintops.

49
DOMINATED TREES:

HEMLOCK LARCH PINE

50
TROPICAL RAIN
FORESTS
• The characteristic of central
Africa and the Amazon
watershed.
• The forest is active.
• Tree species are highly diverse
but usually have smooth, straight
trunks and large simple leaves.
• Large vines.
51
TEMPERATE RAIN
FORESTS
• Forest with broad-leaved
evergreen trees, common on
Mediterranean coasts.
• Rainfall may be low, but the
ocean-cooled air is moisture
laden, and fogs are frequent.

52
TROPICAL SHRUB
FORESTS
• Usually occurs in regions of
slight rainfall, bordering wetter
forests.

53
AQUATIC
BIOMES
ØMARINE
ØFRESHWATER

YOUR COMPANY NAME 54

AQUATIC BIOMES
Aquatic biomes cover 75% of the
surface of Earth. Aquatic and terrestrial
biomes are similar in some ways that
are important on a biological level. In
both realms, the metabolic activity of
most life depends on the availability of
oxygen.

55
AQUATIC BIOMES
• There are four kinds of aquatic
biomes: shore, surface water, deep
water, and bottom.

• Within these categories are a variety

of marine and freshwater life zones
that often are designated as separate
biomes.

56
MARINE BIOME
Life zones in the ocean are
defined by their proximity to shore and
the depth of the water.

Ocean zones may be divided into

layers known as zones. The zone may
be horizontal or vertical.

57
HORIZONTAL ZONES divide the ocean from land to the sea. It is
consist of coastal zone and pelagic zone.
1. Coastal zone is the region in which sea bottom is
exposed during low tide and is covered during high
tide. Some animals have adapted to this environment
like sea stars, sea urchins, and some species of
coral.
2. Pelagic zone is located seaward of the coastal zone’s
low tide mark. This is always covered with water.
There are two divisions: neritic zone and oceanic
zone.
• Neritic zone lies above the continental shelf. It
extends from the low tide mark outward from the
seashore and extends to a depth of 200m. Sunlight
penetrates the water. Many sea animals are found in
this zone.
• Oceanic zone extends from the edge of the
continental shelf, over the continental shelf and over
the ocean floor. It is characterized by darkness.
58
Vertical zones begins at sea level and end in the deepest point in the ocean.
There are five zones. Each zone receives different amount of sunlight.

1. Epipelagic zones or the sunlight zone (0-200 m) is the zone that gets a lot of sunlight resulting to an
abundance of aquatic plants. Common animals found in this zone include seals, sea turtles, sea lions,
ray and sharks.
2. Mesopelagic zone or twilight zone (200m-1000 m) is characterized by dim light due to the limited
amount of sunlight it receives. Ono plants are found in this region. Lilly fish, octopus and squid are
found in this region.
3. Bathypelagic zone or the midnight zone (1000-4000 m) does not receive any sunlight. Animals that live
here lack eyes. Some animals can be found in this area like viperfish, anglerfish, stripe eel and tripod
fish.
4. Abyssopelagic or the abyss (4000-6000m) is described as deep sea. Most animals living in the area
are invertebrate like blind shrimps, small squids and hag fish.
5. Hadapelagic zone or the trenches (6000m -bottom) is the deepest part of the ocean. This zone is
mostly found in deep water trenches and canyons. Some animals exists here like sea cucumber and
tube worms.

59
60
COASTAL ZONE
CORAL REEF
• A coastal and oceanic ecosystem
renowned for its beautiful life forms
and for providing one of the most
biologically diverse habits on Earth.
• Tiny animals that live together in
colonies.
• Thrive only in clear saltwater where
sunlight can penetrate.

62
ZOOXANTHELLAE
• A symbiotic algae that corals
cannot exist without.

• It lives in a coral tissues and require

sunlight for photosynthesis.

64
TYPES OF CORAL REEFS
PATCH REEFS
• It occurs along a continental shelf
where mound-shaped hillocks on
the sea floor are close enough to
the surface to allow corals to settle
and grow.

66
67
FRINGING REEFS
• It occurs along a rocky coastline
where corals or coral remains
extend outward from the shore and
form an outermost line or ridge that
runs parallel to the shore.

68
69
BARRIER REEFS
• A large elongated structure far
offshore, they are separated from
the land by a lagoon.

70
71
ATOLL
• a large shallow bank with a
depression in the middle, typically
ring-shaped.
• It begin as fringing reef around
active oceanic volcanoes, when
volcanic eruptions cease, an island
remains.
• The volcanic island that sinks below
sea level forming a circular coral 72
73
BANK REEF
• A platform reefs, are built upward
from the seafloor by non-
photosynthetic coral. A single
species often builds these deep-
water reefs.

74
75
76
FRESHWATER
BIOME
Only 3% of Earth's water is
freshwater, and about 70% of that is
sequestered in polar ice. Freshwater
biomes include streams and rivers,
ponds and lakes, and wetlands. The
study of inland water ecosystems is
called Limnology.

77
ESTUARY
• It is where the nutrient outflow of a
river meets the ocean.
• The tidal area of the lower part of a
river.
• Most of the world’s freshwater
runoff encounters the oceans.

78