BIOB50H3 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Phytoplankton, Giant Tube Worm, Energy
Document Summary
We have life classified in biomes and these biomes are determined by vegetation which is determined by precipitation and temperature. Most precipitation is along the equator and driest tend to be at the poles. Dry portions are also not at the poles as well. Temperature & precipitation are the primary drivers of vegetation type, and thus determine biomes. Biomes differ in the amount of biomass, or living material. Dry cold areas have less biomass, and vice versa. Tropical rainforests: have the most npp with warm temperatures and precipitation throughout the year. Hot deserts: both cold and hot deserts, in contrast, tend to be unproductive. Marine ecosystems also differ in their total biomass: near shore marine ecosystems are more productive and vice versa. This is reflected in the map in powerpoint. Near shore along the coastlines tend to be most productive.