Critical Features of Ecosystems and Biome Structure and Function

1. Critical Features of Ecosystems and Biome Structure and Function By Darkling Beetle University of Florida James Dunford

2. Hello • I’d like to start by telling you a bit about myself... I am Darkling Beetle • You may know me as Stink Bug due to the odour I emit when I am disturbed • You may know my larva as Mealworm

3. More about me • My family name is Tenebrionidae • I have about 15 000 cousins worldwide [different species] and I will introduce you to some of them throughout this presentation • Most humans do not like me as I infest different aspects of farming and even people’s houses in search of food • I am generally about an inch in length in both my adult and larval stages • I live from 3 to 15 years

4. Distribution • My family is found in pretty much every terrestrial biome in the World, so that is why I was chosen to share with you about the “Biomes of the World”

5. 1999 Troy Barltett • Before I get started explaining about the different Biomes and Ecosystems, I need to make sure we are clear on the basics…

6. Background Information • Definitions: • Biosphere, the skin of life on planet Earth. The biosphere forms at the intersection of air, water, and land • Extends from the bottom of the oceans, approximately 11, 000 meters below the surface, to the tops of the highest mountains, about 9000 meters above sea level • Most living things are concentrated in a narrow band extending from less than 200 meters below the surface of the ocean to about 6000 meters above sea level

7. Biosphere • 3 layers • Atmosphere • Hydrosphere • Lithosphere • 2 categories • Biotic • Abiotic http://www.eoearth.org/article/Biosphere?topic=58074

8. Hydrosphere http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/94/Water_cycle.png/300px-Water_cycle.png

9. Atmosphere http://room162y.edublogs.org/files/2010/12/atmosphere-rout1r.jpg

10. Lithosphere http://www.physicalgeography.net/fundamentals/images/earthcut.jpg

11. Definitions cont. • Biome: the land portion of the biosphere characterized by a distinct climate and particular assemblage of plants and animals adapted to it • http://www.realtrees4kids.org/images/6-8images/microhabitat.jpg

12. Definitions cont. • Difference between a Biome and an Ecosystem: • An ecosystem is much smaller than a biome. Also a biome can be thought of as many similar ecosystems throughout the world grouped together.  • An ecosystem can be as large as the Sahara Desert, or as small as a puddle.

13. Ecosystem http://www.scienceclarified.com/images/uesc_04_img0211.jpg

14. Ecosystems • Dynamic interactions between plants, animals, and microorganisms and their environment working together as a functional unit • Will fail if they do not remain in balance • No community can carry more organisms than its food, water, and shelter can accommodate • Food and territory are often balanced by natural phenomena such as fire, disease, and the number of predators • Each organism has its own niche, or role, to play

16. Energy Flow Through Ecosystems Dave McShaffrey –Marietta College

17. Human Impact on Ecosystems • Have affected ecosystems in almost every way imaginable!  • Drastically altering ecosystems through construction, mining, pollution and many other ways • Have disrupted the food chain, the carbon cycle, the nitrogen cycle, and the water cycle

18. Biomes • Contributing Factors • Abiotic conditions: • Soil type • Climate • Precipitation • Growing Season • Determine what plant communities that can survive • Thus determines what animals can survive

19. Tundra Mountains Taiga [northern coniferous forest] Temperate forest Temperate grassland Arid grassland, semidesert Desert Chapparal/ Mediterranean Tropical Scrub Forest Tropical Rainforest, Tropical Evergreen Forest Tropical deciduous forest Tropical savanna, thorn forest Biomes of the World

20. Caves Cities Swamp [wetlands?] Other Biomes http://robertfinkelstein.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/louisiana-swamp.jpg

21. America’s Biomes

22. Biotic & Abiotic • Biotic – the living part of the environment • Examples? • Abiotic – the “non-living” parts of the environment • Examples? • Sun, air, water, soil

23. Abiotic • Sun • All living things need energy to survive and to carry out their life functions • Directly or indirectly the sun is the source of energy for most living things on Earth • Green plants use light energy to make food • photosynthesis http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/4/2010/04/4526619322_a1b2576bdd_o.jpg

24. Abiotic • Water • Water cycle is an ever-changing & never ending cycle • Living things are made up mostly of water • Humans – 65% • Tomato – 95% • Water dissolves nutrients so that organisms can use them • Green plants need water along with sunlight and carbon dioxide to make food

25. Abiotic • Air • A mixture of mainly 2 gasses • Nitrogen and oxygen • Plants need nitrogen to grow • Plants and animals need oxygen to release energy from their food (cellular respiration) http://www.definebody.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/air.jpg

26. Abiotic • Soil • Provides plants with minerals and nutrients • Provides home and shelter for many animals • Contains both biotic and abiotic parts http://soilconservationistsalary.com/images/soil_conservationist2.jpg

27. Organisms & Habitat • Organism • Any living thing • Habitat • Where an organism lives • What is Darkling Beetle’s “habitat”?

28. ReferencesEncyclopedia Britannica • Chiras, Daniel D. Environmental Science: Creating a Sustainable Future. Jones and Bartlett Publishers, 2001. • Dunford, James C., Thomas, Michael C., and Choate, Paul M. Jr. retrieved on January 18, 2006. http://entnemdept.ifas.ufl.edu/teneb/intro.htm • Draper, Dianne. Our Environment: A Canadian Perspective. Nelson Thompson Learning. 2002. • Eastern Connecticut State University. Retrieved on January 18, 2006. http://koning.ecsu.ctstateu.edu/plant_biology/climate.html • Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved on January 19, 2006. www.britannica.com/ebi/article • Everything2 Webpage. Retrieved on January 23, 2006. http://www.everything2.com/index.pl?node=biome • Insectlore. Retrieved on January 18, 2006. http://www.insectlore.com/xlorepedia_stuff/darkling.html

29. References cont. • Marietta College. Retrieved on January 23, 2006. http://www.marietta.edu/~biol/102/ecosystem.html • McGill University. Retrieved on January 18, 2006. http://www.canadianbiodiversity.mcgill.ca/english/species/insects/insectpages/Tenebrionidae.htm • Murray, Tom. Retrieved on January 20, 2006. http://www.pbase.com/tmurray74/texas_beetles • PBS. Org. Retreived on January 19, 2006. http://www.pbs.org/edens/canyonlands/canyonlands.htm • Physical Geography.Net. Retrived on January 17, 2006. http://www.physicalgeography.net/fundamentals/9d.html • San Diego Natural History Museum. Retrieved on January 18,2006. http://www.sdnhm.org/fieldguide/inverts/coel-cal.html

30. References cont. • Think Quest. Retrieved on January 19, 2006. http://library.thinkquest.org/C0113340/main.php?section=biomes&topic=tundra&subtopic=climate • Troy’s Photo Gallery. Retrieved on Janaury 18, 2006 http://troyb.com/photo/gallery/040-27-Beetle.htm • Univeristy of Califrnia Berkley. Retrived on January 19, 2006. http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/glossary/gloss5/biome/aquatic.html • Virginia Polytechnic Insittute. Retreived on Jnauary 19, 2006. http://www.ext.vt.edu/departments/entomology/factsheets/darkling.html • Wayne’s World. Retreived on Jnauary 19, 2006. http://waynesword.palomar.edu/ww0502.htm