Biology Notebook: 04.

02 The Biosphere
Objectives:
Identify factors that determine Earth’s climates
Explain how climate and seasonal variations affect Earth’s varying biomes
Describe biotic and abiotic features of Earth's six major biomes
Describe the habitats of coastal, freshwater, and estuary ecosystems

Key Questions and Terms Notes

Factors of Climate – Period 1
Define biodiversity. Biodiversity refers to the variety of life in a
particular habitat or ecosystem, including the
different species of plants, animals, fungi, and
microorganisms.
What is climate? Climate is the long-term average of weather
conditions in a particular region, including
factors such as temperature, humidity, wind
patterns, and precipitation, usually measured
over at least 30 years.
What is precipitation? Precipitation is any form of water, such as rain,
snow, sleet, or hail, that falls from clouds and
reaches the ground.
What is altitude? Altitude is the height of a location above sea
level. It affects temperature, with higher
altitudes generally being colder.
What is latitude? Latitude is the distance north or south of the
equator, measured in degrees. It ranges from 0°
at the equator to 90° at the poles and affects
climate and temperature.
What are the factors that affect climate? The main factors that affect climate are
latitude, altitude, ocean currents, distance from
the sea, wind patterns, and the presence of
mountains.

Describe the shape of Earth. Earth is an oblate spheroid, meaning it is

mostly spherical but slightly flattened at the
poles and bulging at the equator.
What is the equator? The equator is an imaginary line around the
middle of the Earth, equidistant from the North
and South Poles, dividing the planet into the
 Northern and Southern Hemispheres.
Describe the following areas: 1. The tropics are the regions of the Earth
Tropics located between the Tropic of Cancer and the
Tropic of Capricorn, characterized by a hot and
Temperate zones
humid climate.
Polar circles
2. The temperate zones are the regions located
between the tropics and the polar circles,
experiencing moderate temperatures and distinct
seasons.
3. The polar circles are the regions located at the
extreme northern and southern latitudes of the
Earth, characterized by extreme cold
temperatures and long periods of daylight or
darkness.
What is Earth’s axis? The Earth's axis is an imaginary straight line
around which the Earth spins once per day.
What does altitude affect? Altitude exposure may result in changes to
mood and personality and include decreased
perception, memory, judgment, and attention,
especially at extreme altitudes over 3,048 m.
What is elevation? The altitude of a place above sea level or
ground level.
How does elevation affect climate? High-altitude areas typically experience cooler
temperatures, more precipitation, strong winds,
and low air pressure and oxygen levels.
What is humidity? Humidity is the amount of water vapor in the
air. If there is a lot of water vapor in the air, the
humidity will be high. The higher the humidity,
the wetter it feels outside.
What is wind? Wind is the movement of air, caused by the
uneven heating of the Earth by the sun and the
Earth's own rotation.
What are convection currents and what do they Convection currents are heat-driven cycles that
affect? occur in the air, ocean, and mantle. They are
caused by a difference in temperature, often
due to a differing proximity to a heat source.
What is the Coriolis force? The invisible force that appears to deflect the
wind is the Coriolis force. The Coriolis force
applies to movement on rotating objects. It is
determined by the mass of the object and the
object's rate of rotation.
Earth’s Biomes– Period 2
What are biomes? Large geographical areas that have similar
climate and ecosystems.
What characteristics define a biome? Temperature range, soil type, and the amount
of light and water
What are the six major biomes? Marine
fresh water
desert
grassland
forests
tundra

What is topography? Influence the variation and distribution of

species within each biome.
What influences the distribution of species Species distributions are dependent
within a biome? on interactions with abiotic and biotic
factors in the environment. Abiotic factors like
temperature, moisture, and soil nutrients, along
with biotic interactions within and between
species, can all have strong influences on
spatial distributions of plants and animals.
Which biomes have higher diversity? Why?
What are the poles? Fropus of biomes terrestrial biomes and aquatic
biomes
What are the two major groups of biomes?
terrestrial and aquatic.
Terrestrial Biomes– Period 2
What are the 4 terrestrial biomes? Tundra, forests, grasslands, and deserts.
What differentiates the terrestrial biomes? By latitude, humidity, elevation, and
vegetation.
Describe the biotic and abiotic features of the Biotic features include vegetation and animals.
tropical rain forest. Abiotic features include sunlight, temperature,
and soil.
Describe the biotic and abiotic features of the Arctic and alpine tundra. Biotic features
tundra and the two main types of tundra. include vegetation and animals. Abiotic
features include soil and sunlight.
Describe the biotic and abiotic features of the Biotic features include sunlight and soil.
temperate grasslands. Abiotic features include vegetation and
animals.
What is permafrost? Something that is frozen year-round.
Describe the biotic and abiotic features of the Biotic features include vegetation and animals.
temperate deciduous forests. Abiotic factors include sunlight, temperature,
and soil.
Describe the biotic and abiotic features of the Abiotic factors include soil, temperature, and
deserts. sunlight. Biotic factors include little vegetation
and animals.
Aquatic Biomes– Period 3
What are some examples of aquatic biomes? Lakes, rivers, and oceans.
What do all aquatic biomes depend on to Depend on temperature, sunlight, and
support life? dissolved oxygen to support life.
What influences the amount of oxygen Temperature, sunlight, and salinity.
dissolves in an aquatic habitat?
What is salinity? The amount of dissolved salt in water.
What factors decrease dissolved oxygen? Water that is too warm has less oxygen
dissolved.
What factors increase dissolved oxygen? Cooler water allows for more dissolved
oxygen.
Freshwater Lake – Period 3
What are lentic ecosystems? Freshwater lakes and ponds.
What factors can affect the amount of The elevation.
dissolved oxygen in a lake or pond?
What is runoff? Wastewater that flows onto freshwater systems.
What is a tributary system? A stream that flows to a larger stream or other
body of water.
What is specific heat of water? The amount of energy it takes to raise water
one degree in temperature.
What is stratification? The layering of water at different densities and
temperatures.
In lakes, what causes stratification? Heat and water density.
What are microphytes? What is their role in a Tiny microscopic autotrophs oxygenate the
lake ecosystem? water and are a food source for many fish.
Coastal Habitats – Period 3
Coastal ecosystems depend on what factors? Depend on location, water, temperature,
salinity, and geography of the coastline and the
ocean floor.
What do ocean currents control? Control water temperature.
What type of water sinks and why type rises? Cold dense water sinks, and warm less dense
 water rises.
How do coastal ecosystems affect nutrients in They store and recycle nutrients from the
the ocean and pollutants in freshwater systems? ocean. Also, they filter pollutants from inland
freshwater systems and protect shorelines form
erosion.
What is global hydrology? A study of Earth's waters as a whole and
interconnected body of water.
How are coastal ecosystems a major source of Because of their high levels of phytoplankton,
oxygen for the rest of Earth’s waters? autotrophic organisms that make food from
sunlight, coastal ecosystems are a major source
of oxygen
Describe the biodiversity of coastal Has been a constant source of productivity for
ecosystems. humans.
Estuaries– Period 4
What is an estuary and what makes them Is a location where a freshwater stream or river
different from other aquatic ecosystems? empties into an ocean. They're different
because of their salinity, a mix of fresh and salt
water.
Describe how sediments reach estuaries and Freshwater carries sediment from its travel that
the importance of these sediments. sinks to the bottom of estuaries. It's nutrient
rich and creates a perfect environment for
vegetation.

When does salinity in estuaries increase and The salinity is greater at high tide, and when it
decrease? is low tide, the salinity is lower.