APES Video Notes 1.2 - Terrestrial Biomes

Summary

This video covers the topic of terrestrial biomes, focusing on the global distribution and environmental conditions that define them. It explains how temperature and precipitation shape biomes and the adaptations of plants and animals to these climates. Major biomes like rainforests, deserts, and tundras are discussed in detail, including their unique climate conditions, nutrient availability, and the effects of climate change on biome locations. The video also highlights key ecological concepts and encourages viewers to think critically about the interactions between biomes and organisms.

Takeaways

• 🌍 The objective is to describe the global distribution and environmental conditions of land-based biomes.
• 🌳 Biomes are areas defined by their average yearly temperature and precipitation (climate).
• 🏞️ Major biomes include rainforests with high rainfall and warm temperatures, and deserts with low precipitation.
• 🐫 Organisms in biomes are uniquely adapted to their specific climate conditions, such as camels and cacti in deserts.
• 🌡️ The defining characteristics of biomes are temperature and precipitation, which determine their global distribution.
• 🗺️ Biomes are found in predictable patterns on Earth's surface, with colder, drier biomes near the poles and warmer, wetter biomes near the equator.
• 🌱 Nutrient availability in soil is crucial for plant growth and varies across biomes, affecting the types and abundance of plant species.
• ❄️ The tundra has low nutrient levels due to permanently frozen soil, limiting plant and animal species.
• 🌧️ Despite high plant growth, tropical rainforest soils are nutrient-poor due to rapid nutrient absorption by plants.
• 🌲 Boreal forests have nutrient-poor soils because low temperatures slow down decomposition processes.
• 🍁 Temperate forests have nutrient-rich soils due to broad leaves and moderate temperatures that promote decomposition.
• 📈 Climate change can shift the location of biomes, such as boreal forests moving further north as temperatures warm.

Q & A

What is the main objective of this lesson on terrestrial biomes?

The main objective is to describe the global distribution and environmental conditions of terrestrial biomes and explain how the plants and animals in each biome are adapted to that specific climate.

How is climate defined in relation to biomes?

Climate is defined as a combination of average yearly temperature and precipitation, which are the primary factors that determine the characteristics of a biome.

What are two key characteristics that define a biome?

The two key characteristics that define a biome are temperature and precipitation.

What distinguishes tropical rainforests from deserts?

Tropical rainforests have high rainfall and warm temperatures throughout the year, while deserts are characterized by very low precipitation and may also have high temperatures.

How are organisms in a biome adapted to their environment?

Organisms in a biome are uniquely adapted to survive the climate conditions. For example, camels store energy in their humps and have thick waxy coats to minimize water loss, while plants like shrubs have deep roots to regrow after wildfires.

Why do biomes follow predictable patterns based on latitude?

Biomes follow predictable patterns based on latitude due to the variation in temperature and precipitation. Colder and drier biomes like the tundra are found near 60° latitude, while warmer and wetter tropical biomes are concentrated around the equator.

Why is nutrient availability important in biomes?

Nutrient availability is important because plants need soil nutrients to grow. The availability of nutrients in the soil determines which plants and how many species can survive in different biomes.

Why does the tundra have low nutrient availability?

The tundra has low nutrient availability because the soil is permanently frozen, limiting the decomposition of organic matter, which recycles nutrients. This also leads to low water availability, further reducing plant survival.

What misconception might people have about the nutrient levels in tropical rainforests?

People might assume tropical rainforests have nutrient-rich soil due to the abundance of plant life, but in reality, the soil is nutrient-poor because the nutrients are quickly absorbed by the numerous plants competing for them.

How can climate change affect the distribution of biomes?

As the climate warms, biomes such as the boreal forest may shift further north as previously frozen soils thaw and allow tree growth in new areas. Meanwhile, the southern range of these biomes may shrink as temperatures become too warm for the trees to survive.

Outlines

00:00

🌍 Introduction to Terrestrial Biomes

In this introductory segment, Mr. Smith explains the goal of the video, which is to describe the global distribution of terrestrial biomes, their environmental conditions, and how plants and animals adapt to these conditions. Key biomes like rainforests and deserts are highlighted, along with their defining characteristics, such as precipitation and temperature. Mr. Smith stresses the importance of understanding climate's role in shaping biomes and provides examples of how organisms adapt to their environment, such as camels and cacti in deserts.

05:01

🌡️ Key Characteristics: Temperature and Precipitation

This paragraph delves into the defining features of biomes, specifically temperature and precipitation. Biomes are organized based on their climate, with detailed examples such as tropical seasonal forests, savannas, and temperate biomes. Mr. Smith explains how these factors predict where biomes are found on Earth, using examples like tundras and boreal forests at higher latitudes, and tropical biomes near the equator. He emphasizes that understanding these climate patterns is more important than memorizing specific organisms for each biome.

🌱 Soil Nutrients and Plant Survival

This segment focuses on how nutrient availability in the soil plays a vital role in determining plant survival within a biome. The tundra is used as an example, where frozen soil prevents nutrient recycling, limiting plant species. In contrast, tropical rainforests, despite having many plants, suffer from nutrient-poor soil due to intense competition. Other biomes like boreal and temperate forests are also discussed, illustrating how different temperatures and conditions affect nutrient decomposition and plant growth.

📉 The Impact of Climate Change on Biomes

Here, Mr. Smith discusses how biomes shift due to climate change. He provides an example of the boreal forest, which is predicted to move further north as soils in those regions thaw. The warming climate may also reduce the southern range of the boreal forest. Images comparing Arctic landscapes from 1962 and 2004 show evidence of this change. Finally, Mr. Smith encourages viewers to consider how these biome shifts will influence the plant and animal species within them.

📝 Final Reflection and Concept Practice

In the conclusion, Mr. Smith wraps up the lesson by encouraging students to reflect on one characteristic of a biome and explain how it influences the community of organisms in that biome. He thanks viewers and reminds them to subscribe for more educational videos on AP Environmental Science, also referencing the practice of 'thinking like a mountain' to approach environmental science with a holistic mindset.

Keywords

💡Biome

A biome is a large geographical area characterized by its climate, including temperature and precipitation, and the organisms adapted to live there. In the video, biomes are discussed as land-based regions like tropical rainforests and deserts, each with unique environmental conditions influencing which plants and animals can survive there.

💡Climate

Climate refers to the average yearly temperature and precipitation trends of a region. It is crucial in determining the type of biome found in an area. The video explains how temperature and precipitation levels define biomes and how organisms in these regions are adapted to specific climate conditions.

💡Tropical Rainforest

The tropical rainforest is a biome with very high precipitation and warm temperatures year-round. In the video, it is used as an example of a biome where competition for nutrients is intense due to the rapid absorption of nutrients by plants, resulting in nutrient-poor soil despite high plant growth.

💡Desert

A desert is a biome characterized by very low precipitation and, often, high temperatures. The video emphasizes how organisms in deserts, like camels and cacti, are specially adapted to conserve water and survive the harsh, dry conditions. Deserts illustrate the significance of precipitation in shaping a biome.

💡Adaptation

Adaptation refers to the traits that enable organisms to survive in specific environmental conditions. The video highlights examples such as camels' ability to store fat and plants in fire-prone areas developing deep roots. Adaptations are key to how species thrive in their respective biomes.

💡Nutrient Availability

Nutrient availability refers to the presence of essential elements in the soil that plants need for growth. The video explains that biomes like the tundra and boreal forest have low nutrient availability due to cold temperatures or permanently frozen soil, limiting plant and animal life.

💡Tundra

The tundra is a cold biome with permanently frozen soil, leading to low nutrient availability and limiting plant life. The video uses the tundra as an example to explain how the frozen soil slows down decomposition, making nutrients scarce and thus affecting which species can survive there.

💡Boreal Forest

A boreal forest is a biome characterized by cold temperatures and dominated by coniferous trees like pine and spruce. The video mentions how low temperatures slow the decomposition of organic matter, resulting in nutrient-poor soil, which restricts the plant species that can thrive in this biome.

💡Latitude

Latitude is the measure of distance north or south of the equator, and it plays a significant role in determining the climate and, therefore, the type of biome found in a region. The video explains how biomes like the tundra and boreal forests are found at higher latitudes, while tropical biomes are near the equator.

💡Global Warming

Global warming refers to the rise in Earth's average temperature due to human activities, and it is causing shifts in the location of biomes. The video discusses how biomes such as the boreal forest are shifting further north as temperatures rise, illustrating the impact of climate change on biome distribution.

Highlights

Objective: Describe the global distribution and environmental conditions of land-based biomes.

Biomes are defined by a combination of average yearly temperature and precipitation (climate).

Rainforest: High rainfall and warm temperatures year-round; Desert: Low precipitation with potentially high temperatures.

Organisms in biomes must be uniquely adapted to survive the climate of that biome.

Camels and cacti are adapted to the desert: Camels store fat in humps for energy; cacti have waxy coatings to prevent water loss.

Biomes are characterized primarily by temperature and precipitation, which define their ranges and predict where they are found on Earth.

Biomes have predictable patterns: Tundra and Boreal forests are colder and drier near 60 degrees latitude, temperate biomes between 30-60 degrees, and tropical biomes around the equator.

Nutrient availability is a key characteristic of biomes, affecting plant and animal survival.

Tundra soils are frozen year-round, limiting nutrient recycling and water availability, resulting in fewer plants and animals.

Tropical rainforests, despite abundant plant life, have nutrient-poor soil due to fast absorption by competing plants.

Boreal forests have nutrient-poor soils because decomposers are less active in colder temperatures.

Temperate forests have nutrient-rich soils due to broadleaf trees dropping leaves, allowing faster decomposition.

Climate change can cause biomes to shift their locations; warming temperatures may push biomes like the boreal forest further north.

Example of biome shift: Aspen trees in boreal forests are moving northward due to thawing permafrost and warming temperatures.

Evidence of biome shifting is visible in photos comparing Arctic landscapes from 1962 and 2004, showing forest growth in previously too cold areas.

Transcripts

hey everybody its mr. smith's welcome to

video notes for topic one point two

which is terrestrial or land based

biomes our objective for the day is to

be able to describe the global

distribution and the environmental

conditions of land-based or terrestrial

biomes we'll talk about how the plants

and animals that live in a biome are

adapted to that unique climate will go

over major must-know biomes for apes

we'll talk about how the worldwide

distribution of biomes is subject to

change if our climate changes and

finally the environmental science skill

that we'll practice at the end of

today's video we'll be explaining an

environmental concept or process so

biomes are areas that share a

combination of average yearly

temperature and precipitation also known

as climate this is really important to

point out climate is just a combination

of average temperature and precipitation

trends over a year so we can look at

some examples of well known biomes we

have the rain forest of course this is

going to be a biome that over the course

of the year is going to have really

really high rainfall as well as really

really warm temperatures whereas the

desert is going to be a biome that's

characterized by very very low

precipitation now it may also have high

temperatures but that low precipitation

is the big distinguisher between the

tropical rainforest and the desert

really important to point out that the

community of organisms that live in

biomes are uniquely adapted to the

climate of those biomes so this is our

sort of thinking like a mountain

opportunity because instead of thinking

of the biome and trying to memorize what

organisms can survive there just

remember that any organism in a biome

must be uniquely adapted to survive

those climate conditions so we've got

some examples here we have camels and

cacti camels have hump which store

energy in the form of fat four times

when they are unable to find energy for

a long period of time I have thick waxy

cuticles or coats that basically prevent

water loss through evaporation so those

are both adaptations that allow those

organisms to survive the harsh dry

conditions of the desert we have shrubs

and wild flowers they're gonna have long

deep roots that store a lot of energy so

that when there's wildfires that

devastate the landscape of the

that they live in they're gonna be able

to quickly regrow because they've stored

so much energy deep in the ground in

their roots so again the organisms of a

biome are uniquely adapted to survive

the conditions meaning the climate of

that biome

now we'll talk about characteristics of

biomes the two most important

characteristics of a biome are its

temperature and precipitation in fact

they are the defining characteristics so

if we look at a graph here we'll see

that we have different ranges of both

temperature and precipitation foot so

for instance if we look at the tropical

seasonal forests also notice the savanna

will notice that they range in annual

precipitation from maybe 60 or 75

centimetres of annual precipitation all

the way up to maybe 280 and then if we

look at the temperature will notice that

those tropical seasonal forests are

gonna range from oh maybe 18 degrees or

so all the way up to about 29 degrees

Celsius so just keep in mind that all of

these biomes are defined by the range of

precipitation and temperature found in

them what we'll notice is that these

temperature and precipitation ranges

will also predict wäôre on earth we can

find the biomes so we can look at the

biomes mapped across Earth's surface and

we'll see that there's very predictable

patterns if we look at biomes such as

the tundra and the boreal forest if you

remember from our graph they're very low

in precipitation and they're also colder

biomes so we're gonna see them farther

away from the equator concentrated

around 60 degrees latitude now if we

look at the temperate biomes these are

gonna be things like temperate

grasslands temperate seasonal forests

we're gonna see them concentrated on the

middle latitudes between 30 and 60 this

is because these are latitudes that

receive a moderate amount of rainfall

and them have a moderate temperature

year-round so they're gonna be

reasonably warm but they're gonna get

somewhat cool in the winter and then

finally we have the tropical biomes so

this would be the tropical rainforest

and the tropical seasonal force or the

savanna and we'll notice that they're

concentrated around the equator and

that's going to be characterized by

really warm temperatures because it gets

the most direct sunlight and really high

precipitation so again instead of trying

to memorize all of these different

biomes we need

to think about how these patterns of

temperature and precipitation are

influenced by the distance that we are

from the equator and that's going to

tell us where we're gonna find different

biomes will see our colder drier biomes

up near 60 degrees and north so the

further away we get from the equator

will see our temperate biomes in those

middle latitudes around 30 to 60 degrees

and then we'll see our tropical are

really warm and are really brainy biomes

near the equator another very important

characteristic of biomes is their

nutrient availability now this is

because plants need soil nutrients in

order to grow so the availability of the

nutrients in the soil is ultimately

going to determine which plants and how

many species of plants can survive in

different biomes so we have a great

example here we can think about the

tundra now you could have memorized that

the tundra has a lot of snow and ice and

so it doesn't have as many plant species

but we want to try to actually

understand the reasoning behind that

so because the soil in the Tundra is

permanently frozen year-round

that limits the decomposition of organic

matter which recycles nutrients so

because those soils are so frozen for so

much of the year we don't recycle our

nutrients and so there are low nutrient

levels in the soil that's gonna also

lead to low water availability due to it

being frozen and then finally that's

gonna result in very few plants able to

survive these conditions so we can see

here that the active layer the layer of

the soil that thoughts out each year and

is available for plant growth is very

small compared to the permafrost again

that results in very few species of

plants being able to survive here and

therefore fewer animal species as well

now we can look at a few more examples

the tropical rainforest

even though it has a ton of plant growth

and you might think it has a really

nutrient-rich soil is actually going to

be quite nutrient poor and it's because

there are so many plants that are

competing for the nutrients that they

get quickly absorbed in the soil as soon

as they're made available then we have

the boreal forest boreal forest remember

our cold they're gonna be dominated by

coniferous trees like pine trees Aspen

spruce and they're going to also have

nutrient poor soils but for a different

reason it's because the temperature is

so low for much of

year that the decomposers like

earthworms and fungi are not going to be

able to break down dead organic matter

fast enough to cycle those nutrients

quickly then finally we have the

temperate forests those are the force

that you're used to seeing in West

Michigan and it costs much of the u.s.

they have very high nutrient levels in

the soil and that's because they have

broad leaves like Oaks and maples that

drop their leaves each fall that leads

to a lot of organic matter on the forest

floor and they're moderate temperatures

are gonna allow for a faster rate of

decomposition which makes those

nutrients available in the soil so this

is a great example of how another biome

characteristic nutrient availability

ultimately determines which plants and

which animals can survive in that biome

and finally we talked about how biomes

can shift in their locations that is

because climate is not stable on earth

climate is subject to human activities

that are changing it rapidly right now

and so as the climate continues to warm

that will shift biomes such as the

boreal forest further north as those

soils that used to be frozen for much of

the year are thawing out and able to

have the large tree species of a boreal

forest now grow in those conditions

they're also going to lose some of their

southern range as it becomes too warm

for the trees that dominate that boreal

forest biomes such as Aspen in screws so

we have here the current range from 1971

to 2000 of the Aspen which again is a

very characteristic tree species found

in the boreal forest versus the

predicted change in that biome from 2007

t1 to 2100 we noticed that the predicted

range is far further north again that's

due to these soils that were previously

frozen thawing out an enabling tree

growth further north and a lot of those

southern regions that we see in the

northern US and in southern Canada

becoming too warm for these tree species

we can see an actual picture of this

progress happening these are photos of

the same exact Arctic plot of land in

1962 and then again in 2004 and we can

see that the forest is slowly creeping

northward as global warming makes those

previously too cold soils warmer

for the boreal forest tree species to

survive in our practice up our queue for

topic 1.2 today will involve the skill

of concept explanation so I want you to

identify one characteristic of a biome

and then explain how that characteristic

determines the community of organisms

that are found in that biome alright

everybody thanks for tuning in today

don't forget to like this video if it

was helpful subscribe for future apes

video updates and check out other notes

over here to the side and as always

think like a mountain right like a

scholar