1. The Biosphere
Chapter 8

2. What is the Biosphere?
• Lithosphere – solid layer
• Hydrosphere – the water layer
• Atmosphere – layer of air
• Biosphere – layer of life!!!
• The layers overlap each other
• The is the layer around the Earth
that contains all living things.

3. 2 – Biochemical cycles
• A biochemical cycle is a set of processes by
which an elements passes from one
environment to the next and eventually return
to its original environment, in an infinite loop
of recycling.
Respiration (animals)  photosynthesis
(plants)

4. 2.1 – The Carbon Cycle
• Carbon is the basic element in complex
molecules that make up living organisms.
• Protein, lipids, carbohydrates
• Carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) are
two gases that contain carbon that are
present in the atmosphere.
• The carbon cycle is a biogeochemical cycle
involving all the exchanges of carbon on Earth.

5. • Human activities have upset the carbon cycle.
– Started with the industrial revolution
– Burning fossil fuels!!!
– Methane is released from the decomposition of
human waste!!

6. 2.2 - The Nitrogen Cycle
• Living things need nitrogen
– DNA!!!
• Bacteria fix atmospheric nitrogen into forms that
living organisms can use
– NH3 and NH4
– Occurs in both the lithosphere and the hydrosphere.
• The nitrogen cycle is a biogeochemical cycle
involving all the exchanges of nitrogen on Earth.

7. 2.3 - Phosphorus Cycle
• The phosphorus cycle is the biogeochemical
cycle involving all the exchanges of
phosphorus on Earth.
• Phosphorus is essential to life; as are C and N.
• Important component of DNA
• Important for the formation of bones, shells
and teeth.

8. • Human activities have also destabilized
this system.
– Heavy use of fertilizers, soap residue etc.
– Excess P in water causes eutrophication
– The oxygen concentration falls very low is
deep water because of excessive nutrients.
– Animals cannot live in eutrophicated water!!!!

9. 3 - Biomes
• Biomes are large regions of the world with
distinctive climates, wildlife and vegetation
• There are terrestrial biomes and aquatic
biomes
• The factors that determine a biome are shown
in Table 8.5 on page 262
• These factors deterine which plants and
animals can exist in certain biomes

10. Terrestrial Biomes Aquatic Biomes
Latitude Salinity
Altitude Turbidity (water clarity)
Temperature Temperature
Precipitation Direction and strength of
current
Soil Type Presence of oxygen and carbon
dioxide for respiration and
photosynthesis
Solar energy – exposure to
sunlight
Solar energy
Wind Nutrients (types)
Proximity to bodies of water Water depth

11. 3.2 – Terrestrial Biomes
• Temperature and precipitation are the two
factors that affect terrestrial biomes the
most.
– These affect plant species which then affect
animal species
• We will look at seven biomes:
1. Tropical forest 5. Arctic Tundra
2. Boreal forest 6. Dessert
3. Temperate forest 7. Alpine biomes
4. Grassland and
shrublands

13. Tropical Forests
• Found on either side of the
equator
• Between the Tropic of
Cancer and the Tropic of
Capricorn
• Temperature various
between 20 and 34 degrees
Celcius
• Great biodiversity!!!
• Help regulate the world’s
climate

14. Boreal Forest
• More than 25% of the world’s forest !!
• Cover most of Canada!!
• Composed mostly of conifer trees
• Diverse animals live here
• Source of timber

15. Temperate Forest
• Found in southern Canada,
the U.S. and Europe
• Quebec’s temperate forest
includes a mix of coniferous
and deciduous trees
• Further south it is made
mainly of deciduous trees
• Large portions have been
destroyed and the land is
used for farming.

16. Grasslands and Shrublands
• Can handle fire, drought, and mowing
• The roots of grasses are well developed!!
• Three main types:
1. Temperate grasslands
2. Savanna
3. Derived grasslands

17. Grasslands and Shrublands
• Can handle fire, drought, and mowing
• The roots of grasses are well developed!!
• Three main types:
1. Temperate grasslands
2. Savanna
3. Derived grasslands

18. Temperate grasslands
• Summers are hot and winters are long and
cold

19. Savannas
• Tropical or subtropical grasslands where it is
hot all year long

20. Derived grasslands
• “Artificial fields” of grass and grain that are
replacing natural grasslands.
• 90% of the prairies are now artificial
grasslands

21. Arctic Tundra
• North of the boreal forest
• Forms a ring of vegetation around the
North Pole
• Covers 6% of the world’s surface
• Permafrost is found here
• Short growing season
• Many migratory animals!!

22. Desert
• Cover 1/3 of the Earth’s land mass
• Less than 25 cm of precipitation
• Very high or very low temperatures
• Rare plant life
• Only a few animals

23. Alpine Biome
• Defined by altitude rather than latitude
• Rocky Mountains, the Andes and the
Himalayans

24. • Sub-mountain zone below 1300m.

25. • Montane zone between 1300 and 1800 m.

26. • Sub-alpine zone between 1800 and 2400
m.

27. • Alpine zone 2400 m and up.

28. • Nival zone - more than 3000m.

29. 3.3 – Aquatic Biomes
• Approximately 75% of the Earth is covered in
water.
– Freshwater 2.5% (<0.05% salt)
– Marine 97.5% (>3% salt)
• What are Quebec’s aquatic biomes?

30. Freshwater Biomes
Lakes
• Bodies of water surrounded by land and fed
by streams, river or precipitation
• Quebec has more than half a millions acres of
lakes!!!!
• The organism are in an interrelated system
and together they make it balanced.
• Watersheds are the areas where water drains
from to the lakes, rivers, and streams.

31. Rivers
• Streams and rivers form a permanent or
seasonal drainage channels for surface water.
• Plants and animals must be adapted to the
moving water.
• Water quality has been negatively affected by
agricultural and industrial practices.

32. Wetlands
• Areas permanently or temporarily covered in
water
• The plants found here grow in water
saturated soil.
• Maybe fresh or salt water
Three different types of wetlands:
1. Marshes – land covered with stagnant water
and without trees
2. Swamps – land covered with stagnant or
slow moving water in which trees and shrubs
grow
3. Peat bogs – Poorly drained soil covered with
moss

33. • 9% of Quebec and 14 % of Canada is covered
in wetlands
• There are millions of prairie potholes!!!
• Habitat for many plants and animals.
• Absorb water and prevent flooding and help
clean the water.
• 90% of the wetlands in rural quebec have
been destroyed

34. Marine Biome
• Saltwater environments
• Unit estuaries, oceans, seas, and coral reefs
• Vary in temperature, chemical composition
and depth

35. Estuaries
• Where the mouth of a river broadens and
empties into the sea/ocean.
• The mixing zone between freshwater and
marine environments
• Sediment builds up when the river water
meets the ocean
• The St Lawrence Estuary runs from Trois
Rivieres to Point des Monts.

36. Oceans and seas
• Wide variety of living conditions!!!
• Marine habitats are subdivided by depth
(3800m!!)
• Sunlight does not penetrate more than 200m
• Free living creatures and benthic creature
(live in of on the sea bed)
• Most bottom dwellers are found within 350
km of the shore
• 80% of fishing activity is done near the coast

37. Coral Reefs
• Very bio-diverse.
• Most are found in the tropics
• Corals form colonies of thousands of
individuals
• The coral produces calcium carbonate which
makes the reef.
• 20% of coral reefs have been destroyed by
pollution, overfishing, global warming and
increased human activity