below is a much clearer picture of the ecosystems on a computer. C. Testing dive

Question

below is a much clearer picture of the ecosystems on a computer.

C. Testing diversity between ecosystems We will now look at the differences in biodiversity between different ecosystems. On the next few pages are pictures of the "organisms" in different "ecosystems". The numbers of "organisms" are representative of the biodiversity we would expect to be present in that ecosystem. Rank these ecosystems from most to least diverse: Grassland, desert, tropical rainforest, wheat field. 1. 2. Think of an example a local ecosystem where you might expect to find high biodiversity: 3. Where locally would you find low biodiversity or monoculture? Now, for each ecosystem, first "identify" the different species. Sort and describe them in a way that makes se nse to you - and record the number of individuals of each in the data table below each picture.

Explanation / Answer

Tropical forests, including evergreen rainforests, cloud forests, seasonal deciduous forests and mangrove forests, have the highest biodiversity of all terrestrial biomes. Tropical rainforests, in particular, cover less than 7 percent of the Earth’s surface but harbor an estimated half of all existing plant and animal species. A small plot can yield hundreds of tree species – as many as all North American temperate and boreal forests combined -- and one reserve in Peru has more than 1,200 different butterflies. Dry tropical forests contain some of the same species as rainforests but fewer species overall. Among the major temperate forest types (temperate coniferous, rainforest, deciduous and mixed forests), temperate deciduous and mixed forests -- which include both deciduous and coniferous species -- have the highest biodiversity. Some temperate coniferous forests consist of only a few tree species, but the chatter and songs of great varieties of birds often fill their borders.

Geography and Climate as Factors in Biodiversity

Primarily found within 28 degrees of the equator, all tropical forests experience consistently warm temperatures and strong and fairly uniform solar radiation year-round. Tropical rainforests benefit additionally from frequent and abundant rain, averaging six to 30 feet per year. All of these factors favor a multitude of invertebrates -- some estimates say as many as 30 million species -- as well as amphibians, reptiles, plants and other organisms that thrive in warm weather and available water. Temperate forests, usually found between 37 and 60 degrees latitude, experience cool-to-cold and warm-to-hot seasons as well as seasonally varied solar radiation and day length. Where precipitation is regular year round, deciduous forests dominate; drier coniferous forests, with their summer drought periods, have more limited biodiversity. Lush temperate rainforests, however, are also primarily coniferous. They experience more moderate seasons and high precipitation -- except during summer droughts -- because of their proximity to ocean and mountain range, and they possess the highest biomass of any forest ecosystem. For all temperate forests, cold to sub-freezing winter temperatures limit their biodiversity -- especially the diversity of cold-blooded species. Seasonal leaf drop in tropical dry and temperate deciduous forests and an extensive dry season in tropical dry forests also limit their productivity and biodiversity.

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