Biomes

Goals

1. To understand the principles of global climate

2. To understand how climate determines the distribution of biomes

3. To become familiar with the major types of aquatic ecosystems, and how they differ in productivity

Outline

How does climate vary globally?

Patterns of temperature and moisture are governed by 5 "principles":

1. sunlight is not evenly distributed
2. hot air can hold a lot of moisture
3. hot air tends to rise
4. rising air cools and releases moisture
5. dry, descending air absorbs moisture

this sets up bands of temperature and moisture from equator to poles:

winds & ocean currents, mountains, and bodies of water can alter this global pattern locally, e.g., Gulf Stream, Cascades mountains of the Pacific Northwest

These patterns of temperature and moisture control the distribution of terrestrial organisms

There are 8 major Biomes (= major terrestrial community type), whose distribution is strongly influence by mean temperature and precipitation -- e.g., deserts are dry and found around 30° N & S

For more information on biomes, check this link

Aquatic ecosystems

Marine (the ocean)

Oceanic province -- open ocean

Neritic province -- over the continental shelf

Intertidal zone -- between high and low tide

rocky intertidal

sandy intertidal

salt marshes

mangrove forests

Inland waters

Lakes & ponds

Rivers & streams

Wetlands

Estuaries

How do these ecosystems differ in terms of productivity, and why?

Vocabulary

click here to go to Biome vocabulary