Kinds of Ecosystems and Communities David Rude Kinds of Ecosystems and Communities Outline 61 Succession 62 Biomes Are Determined by Climate 63 Major Biomes of the World Succession Communities ID: 802674
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Slide1
Unit 4 - Chapter 6, Part 1
Kinds of Ecosystems and Communities
David Rude
Slide2Kinds of Ecosystems and Communities
Slide3Outline
6.1 Succession
6.2 Biomes Are Determined by Climate
6.3 Major Biomes of the World
Slide4Succession
Communities
proceed through is a series of regular, predictable changes in community structure over time
.
Activities of organisms change their surroundings
& make
the environment suitable for other kinds of
organisms.
Slide5Succession
Climax community
A relatively stable, long-lasting community that is the result of succession.
Not always
predictable
Ecological Succession of the Climax
Forest - video
Slide6Succession
Types of factors that determine the kind of climax community
Climate
Water
Substrate/soil
Colonizing organisms
Slide7Slide8Succession
Primary succession
Begins with
Total lack of organisms
Bare mineral surfaces or water
Slide9Succession
Primary succession
(continued)
Examples
Volcanic lava flow
Glaciers retreating
Lower of sea level
Takes a long timeFew available nutrients for plants
Slide10Succession
Secondary succession
Begins with
Disturbance of an existing ecosystem.
Much more commonly observed
Proceeds more rapidly than primary succession.
Slide11Primary Succession
Terrestrial primary succession
Pioneer community
A collection of organisms able to colonize bare rock
Lichens
Break down rock and accumulate debris
Helps to form a thin soil layer
Soil begins to support small forms of lifeMay take 100 years to grow as large as dinner plate
Slide12Primary Succession
Pioneer organisms
Slide13Primary Succession
Later Stages
Lichen community replaced by annual plants.
Annuals replaced by perennial community.
Perennial community replaced by shrubs.
Shrubs replaced by shade-intolerant trees.
Shade-intolerant trees replaced by shade-tolerant trees.
Stable, complex, climax community eventually reached.
Slide14Primary Succession
Primary succession on land
Page 111
Slide15Primary Succession
Successional (seral) stage
Each step in the process of succession
Sere
The entire sequence of stages
Slide16Primary Succession
Characteristics of climax communities
Maintain species diversity for an extended period.
Contain multiple specialized ecological niches.
Maintain high levels of organism interactions.
Recycle nutrients
Maintain a relatively constant biomass.
Slide17Primary Succession
The general trend in succession
Increasing complexity
More efficient use of matter and energy
Slide18Primary Succession
Aquatic primary succession
Except for oceans, most are considered temporary
All receive inputs of
Soil particles
Organic matter from surrounding land
Results in gradual filling of shallow bodies of water
Slide19Primary Succession
Early stages
In deeper parts only floating plants and algae
As water depth becomes less
Submerged plants establish roots in sediment
Roots and stems below water accumulate more material
Help to trap sediments
Slide20Primary Succession
As water depth becomes less
Submerged plants establish roots in the sediments
Elodea and algal mats
Emergent plants become established
Have leaves that float on the surface of the water or project into the air.
Water lilies and cattails
Slide21Primary Succession
Later Stages – Transition to Terrestrial Community
Wet meadow forms
Grasses & sedges that can tolerate wet roots
Sometimes sphagnum moss forms a thick floating mat
Bog
Eventually becomes dryer
Transitions to climax community typical of the area
Slide22Primary Succession
Primary
succession
from a pond to a wet meadow.
Page 112
Slide23Floating Bog
Slide24Bog
Slide25Rainforest Bog
Slide26Secondary Succession
Secondary succession
Occurs when an existing community is disturbed or destroyed
Much of the soil and some organisms remain
Soil and nutrients allow process to advance more rapidly than primary succession
Plants and organisms that survive disturbance can grow quickly and reestablish themselves
Slide27Secondary Succession
Nearby undamaged communities serve as sources of seeds and animals.
New climax community likely resembles the destroyed community.
Slide28Secondary Succession
Example of seral stages
Annual plants
Grasses and biennial herbs
Perennial herbs & shrubs
Pines
Oak & Hickory trees
Slide29Secondary Succession
Secondary succession on land
Page 113
Slide30Historical Perspective on
Succession and Climax
Original communities that European explorers found:
East – hardwood forests
North – evergreen forests
Central – grasslands
South - desert
Early ecologists saw these as the endpoint
Slide31Historical Perspective on
Succession and Climax
Settlers changed “original” ecosystems to agriculture
Poor farming practices destroyed soil
When farms were abandoned, began returning to its “original” condition.
New climax forest resembled original
Fewer species
Sometimes entirely different kinds of communities
Slide32Historical Perspective on
Succession and Climax
New species from other parts of the world changed the mix of organisms
Diseases removed species that were formerly dominant
Chestnut blight
Dutch Elm disease
Slide33Modern Concepts of
Succession and Climax
Not a fixed, pre-determined community for each part of the world.
Main difference
between climax community and successional community is its time scale.
Climate is only one of many factors that determine climax community
Slide34Modern Concepts of
Succession and Climax
Human activities that alter climax communities
Agricultural practices
Logging
Suppression of fire
Changing the amount of water present
Draining an areaIrrigation and flooding
Slide35Biomes Are Determined By Climate
Biomes
Terrestrial climax communities with wide geographic distributions.
Different communities within a biome will show differences in exact species present
General structure and the kinds of niches and habitats present are similar
Slide36Biomes: Major Types of
Terrestrial Climax Communities
Two primary non-biological factors that determine climax communities
Temperature
Patterns of precipitation
Total amount
Form – rain, snow, sleet
Distribution
Slide37Biomes: Major Types of
Terrestrial Climax Communities
Major Biomes
Rainforest
Tropical
Temperate
Slide38Biomes: Major Types of
Terrestrial Climax Communities
Major Biomes
Forest
Deciduous
Northern Coniferous
Dry
Slide39Biomes: Major Types of
Terrestrial Climax Communities
Slide40Biomes: Major Types of
Terrestrial Climax Communities
Major Biomes
Grassland
Savanna
American Prairie
Slide41Pampas – South America
Slide42Savanna - Tanzania
Slide43Biomes: Major Types of
Terrestrial Climax Communities
Major Biomes
Tundra
Caribou Crossing the Tundra
Slide44Tundra
Slide45Biomes: Major Types of
Terrestrial Climax Communities
Major Biomes
Desert
Hot
Cold
Slide46Northern India
Slide47Gobi Desert - Mongolia
Slide48Slide49Biomes: Major Types of
Terrestrial Climax Communities
Biomes of the world
Slide50The Effect of Elevation
on Climate and Vegetation
Temperature
Warmest near equator, cooler toward the poles
Temperature decreases as altitude increases
Moving from sea level to mountain tops
Possible to pass through a series of biomes
Similar moving from the equator to the North Pole
Slide51The Effect of Elevation
on Climate and Vegetation
Relationship between height above sea level, latitude, and vegetation.
Slide52The Effect of Elevation
on Climate and Vegetation
Other non-biological factors
Periodic fires help maintain some grasslands
Frequent strong winds prevent establishment of trees
Type of soil
Sandy soil dry out quickly
Hinders water demanding species such as treesWet soils only allow certain types of trees