Concepts of Environmental Science

Hand-out # 4 : Environmental Systems: Biomes, Marine Environment, and Freshwater

Ecosystems
Prepared by : Euclid F. Infante

We live in a wonderful planet. When you go to the tropics, you see forests with large canopies,
vines, swarming insects, and peculiar flowers. When you go to the desert, maybe the place is too
dry for you, but it is not a problem for cacti and lizards. When you go to temperate countries, you
see the leaves change color and shed as the season changes. The Earth is composed of several
kinds of environment and each has a unique composition of biotic and abiotic factors. Thus, in
this lesson, we will discuss the different kinds of habitats of terrestrial and aquatic organisms and
appreciate their significance to the diversity of life.

Biomes
A biome is a large, relatively distinct terrestrial region that has similar climate, soil, plants, and
animals regardless of where it occurs. The kind of biome is very dependent on temperature and
precipitation it experiences. Thus, similar biomes are often found in places of the same latitude.

Kinds of Biomes
1. Tropical rainforest – temperatures are warm to hot with abundant rainfall all year
round; the soil is thin, acidic, and nutrient poor because of rapid decomposition and
recycling of nutrients; living organisms present include evergreen flowering plants,
epiphyte communities, insects, reptiles, amphibians, birds, canopy-dwelling mammals

2. Savanna – tropical grasslands; have rainy season but rains are less dependable; living
organisms present include grasses, sparse tree populations with fire-adapted features,
herds of herbivores (antelopes, giraffes, zebras, elephants) and large predators (lions,
hyenas)

3. Desert – low precipitation; the low water vapor leads to daily temperature extremes of
hot and cold; living organisms present include cacti, yuccas, Joshua trees, sagebrushes,
desert animals, insects, reptiles, estivating animals

4. Temperate grasslands – occur in midlatitude areas with enough rain; often converted to
farmlands because of rich organic soils; living organisms present include a mix of grasses
and herbaceous flowering plants, prairies, bison, wolves, coyotes, prairie dogs, falcons,
insects

5. Temperate forests – can be deciduous (leaf-shedding) or evergreen temperate forests;

mid-latitude forests experiencing four seasons; supplies wood for lumber and pulp; living
 organisms present include deciduous trees, large evergreen trees, epiphyte vegetation
(mosses, lichens, ferns), squirrels, wood rats, numerous bird species, mountain lions,
wolves, deer, bears, small mammals, birds

6. Boreal forests or Taiga – cold temperatures; often referred as the evergreen forests of
the north; living organisms present include conifers, pine trees, hemlocks, caribou,
wolves, bears, moose, rodents, rabbits, lynx, migratory birds, insects, few amphibians and
reptiles

7. Tundra – extreme northern latitudes; experiences below freezing temperatures;

permafrost often occurs; has low species richness and low primary productivity; living
organisms present include mosses, lichens, occasional dwarf willows and dwarf birches,
weasels, arctic foxes, gray wolves, snowy owls, mosquitoes, blackflies, migration of
waterfowl, shorebirds, terns, and songbirds

Marine Environment
Oceans cover ¾ of the Earth’s surface and several aquatic organisms depend on the salt-water
environment. The primary productivity in the marine environment largely depends on
photosynthetic organisms such as phytoplanktons and algae. The distribution and solubility of
nutrients are affected by temperature differences and ocean currents. The marine environment
has also varying depths that allows certain amount of light.

Kinds of Marine Environments

1. Open ocean – has benthic (bottom/sea floor) and pelagic (floating zones); relatively low
productivity but source of commercial fisheries; living organisms include free-floating
mats of algae, sea turtles, fish, sharks, whales, dolphins

2. Tidal shores
a. coral reefs – extraordinary biological productivity; need clear, shallow waters, with
sufficient light penetration; vulnerable to sea temperature rise; living organisms
include corals, algae, fish, seahorses, worms, crustaceans
b. sea grass beds – support rich communities of grazers like sea turtles, dugongs, snails,
and echinoderms
c. mangrove areas – composed of salt-tolerant trees; mangrove forests dissipate wave
energy; serve as nursing grounds for fishes; risk being converted to fishponds and
shrimp ponds; living organisms include crabs, fishes, insects, shrimp, even terrestrial
animals
d. estuaries and salt marshes – an estuary is where rivers and open seas meet; a salt
marsh is a wetland regularly flooded with seawater; spawning grounds of aquatic
organisms; living organisms incude crustaceans, molluscs, juvenile fish, and other
“seafood”

Freshwater Ecosystems
Freshwater ecosystems cover fewer areas compared to marine environments. However, they are
still significant especially in supporting terrestrial communities with water supply, in distributing
nutrients, and in moving organisms.

Kinds of Freshwater Ecosystems

1. Lakes – have vertical layers; different depths cater to diverse organisms; living
organisms include planktons, floating plants, insects, fishes, snails, worms

2. Wetlands – shallow ecosystems in which the land surface is saturated or submerged at

least part of the year; replenish groundwater resource, filter urban and farm run-off;
breeding and migrating birds
 3. Rivers and Streams – constantly changing environmental conditions; movement of
organisms, nutrients, and pollutants too

Summary
1. As living organisms are varied, their habitats too are diverse and unique.
2. Biomes are terrestrial ecosystems and the types of biomes are dependent on temperature
differences and rainfall amount.
3. Marine and freshwater environments are also important components of the biosphere and
cater to aquatic life forms.
4. Human activities have affected the natural landscapes and seascapes and now call for
conservation and protection.

Reference:
Cunningham W., Cunningham M. 2011. Principles of Environmental Science: Inquiry and
Applications. 6th ed. McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.