Vocab
Define Abiotic
Non-living factors in an environment
Ex: sunlight
Which biome receives the most precipitation?
What is a primary consumer?
A primary consumer is an organism that eats producers (a herbivore)
How does elevation affect temperature?
Temperature decreases with increasing elevation; higher altitudes are colder than lower altitudes.
T or F: Forests communicate with one another
Trees converse through an underground network names the "Wood Wide Web"
Define Omnivore
An organism that eats both plants and animals.
What biome is only found based on elevation?
Alpine tundra
What is a trophic level?
A trophic level is a position in a food chain or web (producers = 1st level, primary consumers = 2nd level, etc.).
How does latitude affect temperature?
Temperature generally decreases as latitude increases; regions near the equator are warmer, and regions near the poles are colder.
How many species are currently known to science?
The Biosphere is estimated to have 8.7 million species (currently known!)
Define Biome
A large region defined by its climate and dominant plant/animal communities
Which biome is found between 50-60 degrees?
Taiga
How are food webs different than food chains?
Food webs show multiple pathways for energy, while food chains show one pathway of energy between species.
What is climate? Is it different than weather?
Yes.
Climate is the long-term average of weather patterns (temperature, precipitation) over years or decades. Weather is the short-term atmospheric conditions (daily/hourly).
Who/what threatens the biosphere?
Humans!
--> Deforestation, pollution, and climate change
Define primary producer
Organisms that make their own food (autotrophs), usually by photosynthesis (plants, algae, some bacteria).
Which temperate biome receives the least precipitation?
Temperate Grasslands
What is the 10% rule?
About 10% of the energy at one trophic level is transferred to the next level; roughly 90% is lost to heat, movement, waste, and metabolism.
How does the rain shadow effect affect climate?
The windward side of a mountain gets more precipitation and is wetter; the leeward side lies in the rain shadow and is significantly drier and often warmer.
What does the biosphere regulate?
Earths Climate
The biosphere regulates Earth’s climate by cycling and storing carbon, controlling water and energy exchanges, and producing feedbacks that can slow or speed climate change
Define rain shadow
The dry region on the leeward side of a mountain formed when moist air rises on the windward side, cools and loses moisture as precipitation, then descends as dry air.
This biome has a pronounced wet season in winter, an extended dry season through late spring to fall, and consistently warm to mild temperatures (about 55°F–72°F) that support grasses with scattered trees. What biome am I?
Savannah
Draw a food chain that involves: a hawk, mushrooms, grass, a snake, a bird, and a grass hopper.
Label the Producer, Primary consumer, secondary consumer, tertiary consumer, apex predator, decomposer.
Grass --> grass hopper --> bird --> snake --> Hawk --> mushrooms
(Producer, Primary consumer, secondary consumer, tertiary consumer, apex predator, decomposer)
On the climatogram the bars differ from the line because they measure water in mm rather than air warmth
What do the bars measure?
Precipitation
What sport does both Mrs. Goodwin and Ms. Farrington play on the weekends?
Ice Hockey