Ecosystems on Land

“There is a deep interconnectedness of all life on earth, from the tiniest organisms, to the largest
ecosystems.” - Bryant McGill
◍ The biosphere is the part of the Earth that supports life.
◍ Spread around the biosphere are biomes; land-based ecosystems with
unique biotic and abiotic factors. 2
Abiotic Factors
Nonliving conditions that influence the type of
biome found in a geographic area.

3
◍ The two most
significant abiotic
factors in biomes are
temperature and
precipitation, which
are influenced by:
○ Latitude
○ Altitude
○ Prevailing winds
○ Nearby mountains

4
 ◍ Latitude is the distance from the equator, measured in degrees
north or south.

Arctic
65°N-90°N

Temperate:
30°-60°N

Tropics:
0°-23.5°N

Tropics: Equator: 0°
0°-23.5°S

Temperate:
30°-60°S
Antarctic
65°S-90°S
◍ Latitudes near
the equator
receive more
direct sunlight
and a greater
amount of
warming.

6
This is a picture of
a shadowless
parking bollard
taken at noon in
Costa Rica, near the
equator.

7
◍ As latitude increases, temperature
and primary productivity tend to
decrease.

8
 Latitude is an important abiotic
factor, but not the only one.

Rouen, France

49.4°N

Average January
St. Anthony, Canada
temperature: 37°F
51.2°N

Average January
temperature: 12°F

9
◍ Altitude is the elevation above sea level.
○ As altitude increases, average temperature and primary productivity decrease.

10
The ocean
conveyor is a
moving system
of deep ocean
currents that
circulate warmth
across the globe.

11
◍ Prevailing winds are
regions where the wind
tends to blow from a
certain direction.
○ Trade winds: From the
tropics southwest or
northwest towards the
equator.
○ Westerlies: From the
subtropics west towards
the midlatitudes.

12
 Lake
Superior

◍ Biomes located near

gan
bodies of water have

ichi
greater precipitation levels. Lake
effect

Lake M
○ Evaporation from the water
snow
fuels storm systems.
13
◍ Water does not gain
and lose heat as
quickly as air,
leading to:
○ Cooler temperatures in
the summer
○ Warmer teperatures in
the winter. 14
◍ The El-Niño-
Southern
Oscillation
(ENSO) cycle is a
periodic warming
and cooling of the
central/eastern
Pacific Ocean
caused by shifts in
trade winds.

15
 El Niño

"Warm” phase

More evaporation La Niña

from the Pacific
“Cool” phase
Warmer and more
rainfall in the western
Less evaporation
U.S.
from the Pacific

Cooler and less

rainfall in the
Western U.S.
◍ The rainshadow
effect is a
decrease in
precipitation on
the side of a

Leeward slope
mountain facing
away from
Prevailing

Win
prevailing winds. Winds

dw
○ Windward slope: (Westerlies)

a
rd S
Faces winds,
receives more

lop
e
precipitation. Lake
○ Leeward slope: effect
Reduced snow.
precipitation. 17
Climatographs

◍ Climatographs are
combination line/bar graphs
that show trends in
temperature and
precipitation over a typical
year in a biome.
○ Average monthly precipitation:
Bar graph
○ Average monthly temperature:
Line graph

18
◍ Climatographs tell you:
○ If temperatures are seasonal or
consistent. g htly l
S l i a
○ If precipitation is seasonal or e a son
s
consistent. Always above
○ If the climate is below freezing part the freezing line
of the year.
hly
Hig onal
◍ You can infer: se a
s
○ Latitude and geography of the
ecosystem.
○ Northern or southern hemisphere.
○ What type of ecosystem is present.

19
Deserts
Low precipitation, high temperatures.

Lowest net primary productivity of all

ecosystems.

20
◍ Subtropical deserts form
between the tropics and
equator.
○ As trade winds move towards the
equator, they heat up and dissipate
cloud cover.

21
◍ Rainshadow deserts are found on the leeward side of mountain
ranges.

22
◍ Coastal deserts are
the result of wind
currents that run
parallel a coastline.
○ May bring fog, but no
measurable
precipitation.

23
◍ Temperate deserts have seasonal temperature variations. 24
◍ Polar deserts are consistently cold and dry. 25
◍ Adaptations of desert organisms:
○ Ability to store water (e.g. succulents) or fat (e.g. camels).
○ Reduced growth rate and/or herd size.
○ Spikes and camouflage for defense.
○ Dormancy
○ Deep taproots 26
Grasslands
Moderate or seasonal precipitation.

Warm or seasonal temperatures.

Moderate net primary productivity.

27
◍ Savannas, or tropical grasslands, are located near the equator
between tropical forests and subtropical deserts.
○ Temperature: Consistent
○ Precipitation: Seasonal 28
◍ Prairies, or temperate grasslands, are found in midlatitudes.
○ Temperature: Seasonal
○ Precipitation: Moderate 29
◍ Tundras, or polar grasslands, have short growing seasons and
permanently frozen soil called permafrost.
○ Temperature: Consistently cold
○ Precipitation: Moderate 30
Adaptations of Grassland Plants
◍ Prairie plants have deep and
complex root structures that
allow them to recover from
drought, wildfire, cold
winters, and grazing
animals.
◍ Tundra plants are low-lying
due to permafrost and
mature rapidly in the short Missouri
Goldenrod,
Compass
Plant,
growing season. Solidago
missouriensis
Silphium
laciniatum
31
 Identify the type of grassland present in each climatograph:

Seasonal temperatures Seasonal temperatures Warm temperatures

Moderate rainfall Moderate precipitation Seasonal precipitation
Temperate Grassland Polar Grassland (Tundra) Tropical Grassland
(Prairie) (Savanna)
32
Forests
Consistent moderate-to-high precipitation that supports tree
growth.

Warm or seasonal temperatures.

High net primary productivity across multiple layers. 33

◍ The emergent layer is the uppermost layer in a forest.
○ Receives the most direct sunlight. Few plants reach this high.

◍ The canopy is the highest layer that most trees reach, and contains
most of the plant and animal life.
○ Highest net primary productivity area of any forest.
34
◍ The understory is the layer of vegetation below the canopy, where
only 5% of the sunlight reaches.

◍ The forest floor is the bottommost layer of the forest, and has a
community centered around decomposition. 35
 Broadleaf Trees

Wide, flat leaves that maximize

sun absorption.

Prone to moisture loss via

transpiration. Coniferous Trees

Shed in winters or prolonged dry Narrow, wax-coated leaves.

seasons.
Absorb less sunlight but
transpire less water.

Not shed during cold or dry

seasons.
◍ Tropical rainforests receive high rainfall and are consistently warm.
○ Broadleaf trees only.
○ Highest net primary productivity of all land-based ecosystems.
37
◍ Temperate rainforests also receive high rainfall but have seasonal
temperature changes.
○ Broadleaf or coniferous trees. 38
◍ Deciduous forests have moderate precipitation and significant
seasonal temperature changes.
○ Mostly broadleaf trees that shed their leaves each winter. 39
◍ Boreal forests, also called taiga, are the coldest
and driest of all the forest biomes.
○ Coniferous trees only.

40
◍ Mediterranean forests, also called chaparral, have highly seasonal
rainfall that mostly falls during the winter months.
○ Small coniferous trees and shrubs. 41
 Identify the type of forest present in each climatograph:

Warm temperatures Seasonal temperatures Seasonal/cold Warm temperatures

Seasonal precipitation Moderate precipitation temperatures High precipitation
Mediterranean forest Deciduous Forest Seasonal precipitation Tropical Rainforest
Boreal Forest (Taiga)

42
Islands
Subcontinental land masses surrounded by
water.

May also include natural areas surrounded

by human development, desert oases, etc.
43
◍ The theory of island
biogeography predicts that
the species richness or
biodiversity of an island
depends on two factors:
○ As island size increases, species
richness also increases.
(Positive correlation)

○ As distance from the mainland

increases, species richness
decreases.
(Inverse correlation)

44
Urban Ecosystems
Land converted for human development.

45
◍ Natural areas in urban ecosystems undergo a high degree of
habitat fragmentation that break them up into smaller areas.
○ Favors “edge” species that thrive where one habitat meets another.
○ Harms “interior” species that specialize inside one habitat.

46
◍ The urban heat island effect causes cities to be warmer than
surrounding areas due to the absorptive properties of building
materials such as pavement. 47
Urban areas also have higher amounts of air, water, noise, and light
pollution. 48
Biodiversity Hotspots
Areas with large numbers of species found
nowhere else.

49
◍ The 36 identified hotspots account for 2.4% of the Earth’s land
surface, but nearly half of its identified species.

50
◍ Species in interior habitats and biodiversity hotspots tend to be
specialists that are highly adapted for certain niches. 51
◍ Species in urban ecosystems and edge habitats tend to be generalists
that can survive a wide variety of environmental conditions.

52
Succession
Process of change in the abiotic and biotic
factors of an ecosystem over time.

53
◍ Primary succession occurs when a new ecosystem was created – no
prior life existed.
○ Example: Volcanic island 54
◍ The first stage of
primary succession
requires rock to be
weathered into soil.
○ Wind and water
○ Acidic rainfall
○ Growth of lichens and
mosses
◍ Lichens and mosses are
pioneer species because
they are the first to
appear in the new
ecosystem.
55
◍ The middle stages of primary succession are dominated by
grasses and wildflowers.
○ Seeds carried in by wind and animals.
○ Rapid growth, short lifespan.
○ Niche generalists.

56
◍ Late stages result in the formation of a climax community that is
highly stable and will remain until a disruption occurs.
○ Dominated by niche specialists that are slow-growing but long-lived. 57
◍ Secondary succession occurs when an existing ecosystem undergoes
a disruption – fire, flood, volcanic eruption, etc.
○ Occurs faster than primary succession because soil is already present.
58
 Primary Succession

New Soil must Climax community

ecosystem be formed takes centuries
 Secondary Succession

Disruption to Soil is Rapid transition to Climax community

existing ecosystem intact intermediate species takes decades