Chapter 4 Science Notes

Ecosystems and Biomes

Lesson 1 Cycles in Ecosystem  Water cycle- continuous movement of water between

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Earth’s surface and the air, changing from liquid to gas to liquid Evaporation- is the changing of a liquid into a gas condensation-changing of a gas into a liquid Precipitation- is any form of water that falls from the atmosphere and reaches the ground, such as rain, sleet, snow, or hail Runoff- precipitation that flows across the land’s surface and is not absorbed will flow into rivers, lakes, and streams

Water Cycle

Lesson 1 Continued Carbon cycle-the continuous exchange of carbon among livings things Nitrogen cycle- the continuous trapping of nitrogen gas into compounds into soil and its return to the air

Lesson 2 Changes in Ecosystems  Extinct species-when the last member of a species dies  Endangered species- when a species is in danger of

becoming extinct  Threatened species-species with low numbers that could become endangered

Quagga: half zebra, half horse (extinct since 1883)

EXTINCT SPECIES

Thylacine: the Tasmanian Tiger (extinct since 1936)

Tyrannosaurus Rex (extinct 65 million years ago)

ENDANGERED SPECIES

THREATENED SPECIES

Continued Lesson 2  Pioneer community- along with microorganisms, the

pioneer species make up this community. The first living community in an otherwise lifeless area ( for examplelichens and mosses)  Climax community- is the final stage of succession (trees)  Primary Succession- a community where few, if any, living things exist, or where earlier communities were wiped out

Pioneer community

Intermediate Community Climax Community

Lesson 2 continued…

 Secondary succession- is the beginning of a new community where a community had already

existed

Lesson 3: 6 major land biomes

Desert Tundra Taiga

Tropical Rain Forest

Grasslands

Biome- is one of Earth’s major land ecosystems with its own characteristic animals, plants, soil, and climate

Deciduous Forest

Global Biomes

Lesson 3: Biomes continued…  Desert- a sandy, rocky biome, with little precipitation and little plant life, the main

characteristic of a desert is lack of water *Desert animals: kangaroos rats, lizards, and other reptiles

 Tundra- a large treeless biome where the ground is frozen all year *Tundra animals: caribou, polar bears, musk ox, arctic hares, and foxes

lizard

Arctic hare

Lesson 3 continued…  Taiga- a cool forest biome of conifers found in the northern regions *taiga animals: snowshoe rabbit and wolverines

 Grassland-a biome where grasses, not trees, are the main plant life, prairies are one kind of grassland. The African grassland is called the

savanna. *grassland animals: insects, toads, worms, mice, and prairie dogs

Wolverine

Prairie dogs

Lesson 3 Continued…  Rain forest- a hot, humid biome near the equator, with

heavy rainfall and a wide variety of life • Rainforest animals- insects, frogs, monkeys, bats, snakes

• Deciduous Forest- a forest biome with four distinct seasons and deciduous tress • Deciduous animals- birds, squirrels, rabbits, raccoons, skunks, owls

squirrel

Monkey

Lesson 4: Water Ecosystems  Organisms in the water are divided into three main categories;

plankton, nekton, and benthos  nekton-an organisms that live in the water, nekton is the second group which includes the larger, active swimmers in a body of water. Fish, turtles, and whales are nekton.

Lesson 4 continued…  bathyal zone: home to large consumers like sharks and

squid  abyssal zone: dark and cold because the sunlight is completely blocked

Lesson 4 continued Ocean Ecosystem Zones:  intertidal zone: shallowest part of the ocean ecosystem  neritic zone: zone after intertidal-algae and kelp grow here

Lesson 4 continued…  estuary- the boundary where the fresh water feeds

into the salt water