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| Factors that affect an organism's ability to survive in its environment, such as the avaiability of water and food, predators, and temperature |
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| Common Limiting Factors Include: |
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| Sunlight, Climate, Temperature, Water, Nutrients & Food, Fire, Soil Chemistry, Space, & Other Organisms |
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The ability of an organism to withstand fluctuations in biotic and abiotic environmental factors
(A population will only survive according to its specific tolerance for environmental extremes) |
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The orderly, natural changes and species replacements that take place in the communities of an ecosystem
-Succession occurs in stages; at each stage different species of plants and animals may be present |
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| Takes place on land where there are no living organisms (lava) |
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| The first species to take hold in a place where there are no other living organisms (lichen) |
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| A stable, mature community that undergoes little or no change in species |
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The sequence of changes that takes place after an existing community is severely disrupted in some way (fire or other disaster)
- It occurs in areas that previously contained life
- It occurs in less time than Primary Succession since soil is already present |
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| Large group of ecosystems that share the same type of climax community (stable) |
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-Marine Biomes
-Estuaries
-Freshwater (pond, lake stream, river) |
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| A coastal body of water, partially surrounded by land, in which freshwater and saltwater mix |
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| Shallow enough for sunlight to penetrate |
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| Deeper water that never receives sunlight |
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| The temperature variations in a pond or lake (from surface to bottom)are an abiotic factor that limits the kinds of organisms that can survive |
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Variations in climate and speciation occur throughout the earth and result in different Biomes such as
1.Tundra
2.Taiga
3.Desert
4.Grassland
5.Temperate or Deciduous Forests
6.Rain Forests |
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Term
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Definition
-Treeless land with long summer days and short periods of winter sunlight. -Temperatures never rise above freezing for long and only the top layer of soil thaws during summer
-Permafrost
-thin topsoil
-long summer days, short growing season
-grasses, dwarf shrubs, cushion plants
-hordes of mosquitoes and black flies, small mammals, snowy owls and foxes |
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Definition
-An almost coninuous belt of coniferous trees
-somewhat warmer than tundra
-long, severe winters/short mild summers
-Canada, Northern Europe, and Asia
-no permafrost usually
-More larger species of plants and animals |
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Definition
-An arid region with sparse to almost nonexistent plant life
-less than 25 cm of precipitation annually
-vegetation varies greatly according to rainfall
-Plants and animals have specialized adaptations to help them survive
-most animals are herbivores/some are carnivorous/reptiles |
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Definition
Large communities covered with rich soil, grasses, and similar plants
-insufficient water to grow large trees
-rich soil
-populated with large numbers of grazing animals (and burrowing) |
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| Temperate or Deciduous Forests |
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Definition
Dominated by broad leaved, hardwood trees that lose their leaves every year (lose foliage annually)
-Soil is rich in humus and other nutrients
-Vast diversity of plant and animal species |
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| Rain Forests - Temperate and Tropical |
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Definition
*Home to more species of organisms than any other biome on Earth
-Identified based on the amount of rainfall
-Tropical Rainforests have warm temperatures, wet weather, and lush plants
-Located close to the equator
-Average temp of 25 degrees Celsius
-Receive 200 to 600cm of rain every year
-Arranged into vertical layers (canopy, understory, and ground layer)
-Very rich soil but thin top layer |
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