BIOLOGY 9 Lecture Notes - Lecture 12: East Los Angeles College, Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, Microclimate
Document Summary
Microclimate: the conditions in a specific, localized area. Temperature and moisture may be different from the overall climate of the region. Conditions result in variations of ecosystems in a biome. For example, the greater yellowstone region is in the northern temperate forest biome. Soil and topography affect the availability of moisture. Oaks and hickory trees grow in rocky, sandy soils. Beech and maple trees grow on richer soils. Warm temperatures and rainfall are ideal for photosynthesis. Open oceans cover a large part of earth. Primary production is limited by scarcity of nutrients. Biogeochemical cycles: circular pathways of elements involving biological, geological, and chemical processes. The carbon cycle: starts with the reservoir of carbon dioxide in the air. Carbon is respired by plants and animals into the air or is deposited in soil. Photosynthesis in oceans moves co2 from seawater into organisms. Combustion of fossil fuels releases co2 to the air. Fossilization of dead plants and animals into coal.
