2.  Found near the equator
 6% land surface
 50% world’s known terrestrial plant and animal
species

4.  ≥50% destroyed or disturbed by humans
 Cutting trees
 Growing crops
 Grazing cattle
 Building settlements

5.  Consequences of disappearing tropical
rainforests:
1. Decreased biodiversity as species become extinct
2. Accelerated global warming (why??)
fewer trees to remove carbon dioxide from the
atmosphere
1. Changes regional weather patterns: can lead to
increase in tropical grasslands

6. Fig. 3-1, p. 39

7.  The four major components of the earth’s life-
support system are:
 1. Atmosphere (air) 2. Hydrosphere (water)
 3. Geosphere (rock, soil, sediment)
 4. Biosphere (living things).

8.  1. Atmosphere – Air
 Stratosphere – ozone layer – blocks sun’s harmful UV rays
 Troposphere – consist of ………
 78% Nitrogen
 21% Oxygen
 1%greenhouse gasses –
(water, carbon dioxide,
and methane)

9.  Hydrosphere –
All of the water
found near or
on earth’s
surface.
 Ex – liquid, polar
ice, icebergs,
permafrost, and
water vapor

10.  Geosphere –
Rock / earth,
includes the
earth’s core.

11.  Biosphere – parts of the other 3
spheres where life is found.
 Goal of Ecology is to understand the
interactions that occur between these

12. Fig. 3-2, p. 41
Rock
Crust
Atmosphere
Vegetation
and animals
Biosphere
Mantle
Lithosphere
Soil
Geosphere
(crust, mantle, core)
Mantle
Core
Crust
(soil and rock)
Biosphere
(living organisms)
Atmosphere
(air)
Hydrosphere
(water)

13. 1. One-way flow of high-quality
energy from the sun
2. Cycling of matter or nutrients
through parts of the biosphere
3. Gravity

14. Solar
radiation
Radiated by
atmosphere
as heat
Reflected by
atmosphere
Most
absorbed
by ozone
Absorbed
by the earth
Greenhouse
effect
Visible
light
UV radiation
Heat radiated
by the earthHeat
Troposphere
Lower Stratosphere
(ozone layer)
Fig. 3-3, p. 41