Introduction Phenomenon: Niche Partitioning

A guided activity to develop an understanding of how grazing animals share resources on the Savanna.

4-1 The Role of Climate

Weather: day-to-day condition at a particular place and time
Climate: average, year-after-year conditions in a region

Green House Effect: CO2, Methane, H2O vapor and other gases trap heat energy in the atmosphere.

The Effect of Latitude on Climate: Solar radiation strikes different parts of the Earth's surfaces at different angles.
This also causes SEASONS

3 main climate zones:

Polar = cold areas
Temperate = hot to cold seasons
Tropical = direct sunlight, always warm

Wind currents: air is heated near the equator and rises, reaches the cooler atmosphere and sinks back to land.
-- This creates a wind current.

Water Currents: Cold water near the poles sink, warm water near the equator rises. This creates a circular pattern of movement.

The warm and cold mix can also cause the circular movement associated with tornadoes

Photo: NOAA

4-2 What shapes an Ecosystem?

Biotic - ALL living organisms
Abiotic - non-living components (soil, rocks, sunlight, wind, rain)
Habitat - The place where a population lives

Niche - The physical and biological conditions in which an organism lives and the way in which the organism uses those conditions.
No two species can share the same niche in the same habitat

Succession - a series of species replacement that occurs when a new habitat is created or when an existing one becomes disturbed

Symbiosis - two species live closely together

a. Mutualism - both species benefit (insects pollinate flowers)
b. Commensalism - one member is benefits and the other is neither helped or harmed
c. Parasitism - one organism lives in or on another and harms it (blood sucking tick)