GHY 104 1st Edition Lecture 23Climate has a very important influence on the distribution and abundance of life forms on Earth. Biogeography is the study of spatial patterns of biodiversity, how they change over time, and what causes these patterns. Biogeography draws on theory, knowledge, and methods of many other fields within and outside of geography, especially: - Ecology- Evolutionary Biology- Plant/Animal Physiology- Climatology- Geomorphology- PaleontologyThe study of biogeography began during the age of exploration. Europeans traveling to distant lands sought to catalog the diversity of plants and animals they saw.The first biogeographers called themselves naturalists or geologists.- Von Humboldt (1769 – 1859)- Wallace (1823 – 1913)- Darwin (1809 – 1882)They observed patterns (similar organisms in similar but distant environments), and sought explanationsfor the spread and diversification of organisms. Ecosystem Essentials One approach to studying life on Earth is to consider ecosystems. Ecosystem: The set of biotic (living) and abiotic (non-living)components of a given environment. Components of an ecosystem are linked through flows of nutrients and energy.Photosynthesis and Respiration - Everything begins with the soil (abiotic),followed by plants (biotic). Without these two, no life would exist on this planet. - Photosynthesis: this creates the stored energy = sugars.- Respiration: this burns the sugars to make energy- The difference between the two is called net photosynthesis = net primary productivity.- Net primary productivity produces biomass = stored carbohydratesNet Primary Productivity- Biomass is the net dry weight of all this organic material and its stored chemical energy. It can
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