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An Introduction to Ecology and the Biosphere (The structure and…
An Introduction to Ecology and the Biosphere
Earth’s climate varies by latitude and season and is changing rapidly
Climate is the long-term, prevailing weather conditions in a given area
Macroclimate patterns are on the global, regional, or landscape level
Microclimate patterns are very fine patterns, such as the conditions experienced by a community of organisms under a fallen log
Climate patterns can be modified by many factors, including seasonal variation in climate, large bodies of water, and mountain ranges
Many features in the environment influence microclimates
Every environment on Earth is characterized by a mosaic of small-scale differences in abiotic, or nonliving, factors that influence the distribution and abundance of organisms
Biotic or living factors also influence the distribution and abundance of organisms
The structure and distribution of terrestrial biomes are controlled by climate and disturbance
Climate plays an important role in determining the nature and location of Earth’s biomes, major life zones characterized by vegetation type
A climograph plots the annual mean temperature and precipitation of a particular region
The canopy of a forest is the top layer, covering the low-tree layer, shrub understory, ground layer of herbaceous plants, forest floor (litter layer), and root layer
In ecological terms, disturbance is an event such as a storm, fire, or human activity that changes a community, removing organisms from it and altering resource availability
Tropical forests are found close to the equator
Deserts occur in a band near 30° north and south latitudes and in the interior of continents
Savanna is found in equatorial and subequatorial regions
Temperate grasslands exhibit seasonal drought, occasional fires, and seasonal variation in temperature
Temperate broadleaf forests have very cold winters, hot summers, and considerable precipitation
Aquatic biomes are diverse and dynamic systems that cover most of Earth
There is sufficient light for photosynthesis in the upper photic zone
Very little light penetrates to the lower aphotic zone
The photic and aphotic zones together make up the pelagic zone
The most extensive part of the open ocean is the abyssal zone, regions where the water is 2,000–6,000 m deep
The substrate at the bottom of an aquatic biome is the benthic zone
A major food source for benthos is dead organic material or detritus, which “rains” down from the productive surface waters of the photic zone
Many temperate lakes undergo a semiannual turnover of oxygenated surface waters and nutrient-rich bottom waters in spring and autumn
In lakes, the littoral zone is the shallow, well-lit water close to shore. The limnetic zone is the open surface water
The marine benthic zone consists of the seafloor below the surface waters of the coastal or neritic zone and the offshore pelagic zone
Interactions between organisms and the environment limit the distribution of species
Species dispersal contributes to the global distribution of organisms
The movement of individuals away from centers of high population density or from their area of origin is called dispersal
Biotic factors affect the distribution of organisms. Abiotic factors affect the distribution of organisms
Organisms can temporarily avoid stressful conditions through behaviors such as dormancy or hibernation
Environmental temperature is an important factor in the distribution of organisms because of its effect on biological processes