1 EVPP 110 Lecture

Instructor: Dr. Largen Fall 2002

Physical Environment:
Climates, Biomes
2 Ecosystems
4 Ecosystem
– a concept in which the physical and biological components of the environment are
considered as a single, interactive system
– two main categories
• terrestrial
• aquatic

3 Ecosystems & Biomes

4 Ecosystem
– similar physical environments lead to
• the evolution of organisms similar in form and function
• similar ecosystems
– this is known as the rule of climatic similarity
• leads to the concept of the biome
– which is a kind of ecosystem
4 Ecosystems & Biomes
4Biomes
– major communities of organisms that
• have a characteristic appearance
• are distributed over a wide land area
– defined largely by regional variations in climate
5 Ecosystems & Biomes
4 Biomes
– the strong relationship between climate and life suggests that
• if we know the climate of an area
– we can predict what biome will be found there
» approximate biomass
» approximate productivity
» dominant types of organisms
6 Ecosystems and biomes
4 distribution of biomes results from interaction of
– physical features of the earth
– two key physical factors
• amount of solar heat

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 • global atmospheric circulation
4 together these factors dictate local climate
– two most important climatic factors are
• precipitation
• temperature

7 Climate shapes the character of ecosystems

4 why are there variations in the earth’s climate?
– different parts of the earth receive different amounts of energy from the sun
• variations in the amount of energy received from the sun
– responsible for
» many of the major climatic differences on the earth
» and, indirectly, for much of the diversity in the earth’s biomes

8 Climate shapes the character of ecosystems

4 why the tropics are warmer?
– since the earth is a sphere, some parts receive more energy from the sun than others on
a per unit area basis
• tropics are warmer than temperate regions
– because they receive more sun energy per unit area
• poles are colder than other areas
– because they receive less sun energy per unit area
9 Climate shapes the character of ecosystems
4 key natural and physical elements
– precipitation
• all organisms require water
• on land, water is often scarce
• important aspects
– total amount per year
– form in which it arrives
– seasonal distribution
• ecosystem productivity increase with increased precipitation
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11 Climate shapes the character of ecosystems

4 key natural and physical elements
– precipitation
• generally low near 30° N & S latitude
– where air is descending & warming
• partly as a result of this, all the great deserts of world lie near 30° N or S latitude
• other major deserts are formed in the interiors of large continents
– where precipitation is limited because of the great distance from the sea, the ultimate
source of most moisture

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12 Climate shapes the character of ecosystems
4 key natural and physical elements
– precipitation
• precipitation is generally higher near equator and 60° north and south latitude
– where air is rising & cooling
» releasing moisture it contains as its ability to hold the moisture decreases as
temperature decreases

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14 Climate shapes the character of ecosystems

4 key natural and physical elements
– precipitation
• rain shadow effect can produce deserts
– some mountains intercept moist winds from the sea
» air encounters mountains & then rises
» as air rises, its ability to hold moisture decreases
– results in increased precipitation on the windward side of mountains (the side from
which the wind is blowing)
15 Climate shapes the character of ecosystems
4 key natural and physical elements
– precipitation
• rain shadow effect can produce deserts
– air descends the other side of the mountains (the leeward side)
» is warmed & moisture-holding capacity increases
» which tends to inhibit precipitation
– example, Sierra Nevada Mountains of CA
» eastern sides much drier than western sides & vegetation often very different

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18 Climate shapes the character of ecosystems

4 key natural and physical elements
– temperature
• most organisms are adapted to live within a relatively narrow range of temperatures
– won’t survive if temperatures are significantly warmer or colder
» ex., growing season of plants is influenced by temperature
• ecosystem productivity increases with increased temperature
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20 Climate shapes the character of ecosystems

4 key natural and physical elements
– temperature is affected by latitude
• tropical latitudes

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 – temperatures higher in tropics
» more sunlight falls per unit area
– highest mean global temperatures occur near equator
– there are no seasons in the tropics
» there is little variation in mean monthly temperature in tropical ecosystems
21 Climate shapes the character of ecosystems
4 key natural and physical elements
– temperature is affected by latitude
• temperate latitudes
– temperatures decrease as you move from the equator toward temperate latitudes
» less sunlight strikes earth per unit area
– temperature variations increase because of increasingly marked seasons
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23 Climate shapes the character of ecosystems

4 key natural and physical elements
– temperature is affected by elevation
• higher altitudes become progressively colder
– at a given latitude, air temperature falls about 6°C/1000m increase in elevation
– ecological consequences of temp varying w/elevation = temp varying w/ latitude
24 Climate shapes the character of ecosystems
4 key natural and physical elements
– temperature is affected by elevation
• higher altitudes become progressively colder
– in North America, a 1000m increase in elevation results in a temp drop ~ to that of an
800 km increase in latitude
– this is reason “timberline” (the elevation above which trees do not grow) occurs at
progressively lower elevations as one moves farther from the equator

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26 Figure: Vegetation, Latitude, Altitude

27 Figure: Temperature and latitude
28 Biomes
4 Biomes
– are terrestrial climax communities with wide geographic distribution
– concept is useful for describing in broad terms
• the general structure of the ecosystem
• the types of niches present
– of the same type from different areas will exhibit variations in the exact species present
– affected by two nonbiological factors
• temperature
• precipitation

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29 Biomes
4 Biomes
– major biomes of the world
• desert
• grassland
• savanna
• tropical rainforest
• temperate deciduous forest
• taiga or boreal forest
• tundra

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31 Biomes
4 deserts
– dry places where rainfall is <25 cm/yr
• so little that vegetation is sparse and survival depends on water conservation
• world’s great deserts are located in the interiors of continents
– Sahara in Africa
– Gobi in Asia
– Great Sandy Desert in Australia
32 Biomes
4 deserts
– organisms have evolved adaptations to help them survive
• restricting activity to times of the year when water is present
• avoiding high temperatures by living in deep, cool, & moist (sometimes) burrows
• emerging only at night when temperatures are lower, especially if active year round
• drinking large quantities of water when it is available (camels) &then survive long, dry
periods

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34 Figure 6.10a: Climagraph for Cairo

35 Figure: Desert biome and climagraphs
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37 Biomes
4 Grasslands
– also known as temperate grasslands, prairies, steppes
– widely distributed throughout temperate regions
• ~ halfway between equator & poles
– rainfall is ~ 25cm -75cm per year
– tend to be windy with hot summers, cold to mild winters

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 – grasses make up 60%-90% of the vegetation
38 Biomes
4 Grasslands
– once covered much of interior North America, were widespread in Eurasia & South America
• often highly productive when converted to agricultural use
– many of the agricultural lands of the US & Canada were originally occupied by
grasslands (prairies)
» roots of perennial grasses characteristically penetrate far into soil
» grassland soils, therefore, tend to be deep and fertile
39 Biomes
4 Grasslands
– temperate grasslands are often populated by herds of grazing mammals
• in North America, huge herds of bison and pronghorns once inhabited the prairies
– herds are almost all gone now
– most of the prairies have been converted into the richest agricultural region on earth

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41 Figure 6.11a: Climagraph for Tehran

42 Figure: Temperate grassland biome and climagraph
43 Biomes
4 Savanna
– great grasslands located in dry climates that border the tropics
– transitional between tropical rainforest and desert (on global scale)
– rainfall is 50cm-150cm /yr & occurs seasonally
• period of heavy rainfall followed by prolonged drought
– predominant plants are grasses
• with widely spaced, drought resistant trees
– landscape is open
44 Biomes
4 Savanna
– many of its animals and plants are active only during the rainy season
– fire is common and trees tend to be fire-resistant
– savannas are increasingly being converted to agricultural use
• causing the inhabitants of savannas to struggle to survive

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46 Figure 6.12a: Climagraph for Rangoon

47 Figure: Savanna biome and climagraph
48 Biomes
4 Tropical rainforest

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 – rainfall is >200cm/ yr
– temperatures are warm and relatively constant, no frost
– richest ecosystems on earth
• contain ~ half of all species of terrestrial plants and animals
– in 1sq mi of tropical forest in Rondonia, Brazil there are 1200 species of butterflies
» which is twice the number found in the U.S. and Canada combined
49 Biomes
4 Tropical rainforest
– communities are diverse
• each kind of organism is often represented in a given area by only a few individuals
– located near the equator
• South America, Africa, southeast Asia
– are being destroyed
• many of the species in rainforests have never been seen by humans
• during our lifetime, a quarter of the world’s species will disappear with the rainforests

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51 Figure 6.13a: Climagraph for Singapore

52 Figure: Tropical rain forest biome and climagraphs
53 Biomes
4 temperate deciduous forests
– rainfall is 75cm-100cm per year
– in areas with warm climates (warm summers and cool winters)
• plants grow actively for ~1/2 year
– found in northeastern US, eastern Canada, Eurasia
– often populated by deer, beaver, bear, raccoon
– generally have a lower number of species but a higher number of individuals per species
– trees are the major producers
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55 Figure 6.14: Climagraph for Chicago

56 Figure: Temperate deciduous forest
57 Biomes
4 Taiga
– rainfall is 25cm-100cm per year
• climate is humid due to low evaporation resulting from generally low temperatures
– winters are long and cold
• soil freezes in winter
– northern forests of coniferous trees such as hemlock, spruce, fir
• needle-shaped leaves limit moisture loss
• pyramid shapes accommodate snow
– is one of the largest ecosystems on earth

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58 Biomes
4 Taiga
– has very short growing season for farming so few people live there
– populated by many types of large mammals and carnivores such as moose, elf, deer,
wolves, bear, lynx
– has been used for fur trapping and lumber production
– located in a ring that extends across vast areas of Asia and North America
– also known as boreal forest, northern coniferous forest

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60 Figure 6.15a: Climagraph for Moscow

61 Figure: Taiga biome and climagraphs
62 Biomes
4 tundra
– located in the far north of the taiga and south of the polar ice
– rainfall is <25cm/yr
– soil layer is known as permafrost
• it is permanently frozen
– extremely cold and windy
– open, grassland that is often boggy
– enormous ecosystem that covers 1/5th of the earth’s land area
63 Biomes
4 tundra
– no trees grow in the area
– herbs are perennials that grow rapidly during the brief summer
– populated by large grazing mammals such as musk-oxen, caribou, reindeer and carnivores
such as wolves, foxes, lynx

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65 Figure 6.16a: Climagraph for Fairbanks

66 Figure: Tundra biome and climagraphs
67 Figure: World Biomes
68 Figure 6.8: Influence of precipitation and temperature on vegetation
69 The End