UNIT 9, PAGE 196: BIOSPHERE TO

ECOSYSTEM.
In this chapter we will study the way the biosphere
interacts with the atmosphere, lithosphere and
hydrosphere.
This will be followed by a description of the major
aquatic and terrestrial biomes in South Africa.
We will then learn about the abiotic and biotic
factors that make up an ecosystem and examine
how these factors interact.
This will be followed by a discussion on energy flow
and the different trophic levels in an ecosystem
that can be represented by either a chain, pyramid
or web.
Then conclude with how all the important nutrients
are cycled through the environment..
BIOSPHERE
Overview: The biosphere refers to all living
organisms on Earth, from plants to bacteria
to multicellular organisms and is often
called the global ecosystem.
The biosphere interacts with other spheres,
such as the lithosphere, atmosphere and
hydrosphere.
Each of these spheres will be discussed
briefly.
 HYDROSPHERE

Hydrosphere: is the
combined mass of water
found on, under and
above the surface of the
earth.
The hydrosphere is made up
of lakes, rivers and
oceans and can be called
freshwater and salt water.
The hydrosphere is home to
a wide diversity of aquatic
plant and animal life.
LITHOSPHERE
Lithosphere: refers
to the outermost
surface of the
Earth, the Earth’s
crust.
Is formed by rocks
and soil.
It is a source of the
ions which living
organisms need.
ATMOSPHERE.
Atmosphere: is the layer of
gases such as Oxygen,
Hydrogen, water vapor,
Nitrogen etc.. surrounding
the earth.
- The atmosphere’s ability to
absorb the ultraviolet rays
of the sun is what allows
life on earth to survive.
-Atmosphere helps in
Respiration,
Photosynthesis and
filtering the sunlight to
protect organism from
harmful or strong sun
rays.
BIOSPHERE AS A LINKED SYSTEM.
Study the picture below and explain how the three parts of the
biosphere are linked together as one system. (4 marks)
SOLUTION:
The three parts of the biospheres are linked together as one
system. For example, the rain from the atmosphere falls on
the land (litosphere) and flows into the rivers, lakes and
oceans (hydrosphere). This water then evaporates back to
the atmosphere where it condenses and falls as rain, to
repeat the cycle.
ACTIVITIES FOR BIOSPHERE.
Activity 1. page 198 (10 marks)
Activity 2. Page 199 (30 marks)
BIOMES.
Overview: The biosphere is divided up into a
number of biomes.
Biomes are regions or a large area with a specific
climate, soil, vegetation and animals.
The specific conditions of biomes determine the
plant and animal life found within them.
Biomes can be aquatic (water) or terrestrial
(land).
AQUATIC BIOME
Water covers a major portion of the Earth’s surface, so aquatic
biomes contain a rich diversity of plants and animals. Aquatic
biomes are divided into two main groups depending on the amount
of salt present in the water: freshwater and marine biomes.
1. Freshwater Biome: are defined by their low salt concentration
(usually less than 1%). Examples include: ponds, lakes, streams,
rivers and wetlands.
2. Marine biome: Marine bodies are salty, having approximately 35
grams of dissolved salt per litre of water (3,5%). Marine biomes
are divided into oceans, coral reefs and estuaries.
- The vegetation of the marine biome is made of the different types
of algae which is one the major source of oxygen in the world.
- The green algae also plays a role in the removal of carbon dioxide
from the atmosphere.
 OCEANS

Oceans are very large marine

bodies that dominate the
earth’s surface and hold
the largest ecosystems.
The open ocean or sea covers
nearly three-quarters of
the earth’s surface and
contain a rich diversity of
living organisms.
Examples of animals in the
ocean biome include
whales, sharks, octopuses,
crabs and crayfish.
 CORAL REEFS.

Coral reefs: are found in the

warm, clear, shallow waters of
tropical oceans around islands
or along continental coastlines.
Coral is a marine organism that
grows big, colourful and hard
clamps.
Reefs provide food and shelter for
other organisms and protect
shorelines from erosion.
South Africa has only one coral
reef in the subtropical ocean
waters north of Lake St. Lucia in
northern KwaZulu Natal.
 ESTUARIES.

Estuaries: are partially

enclosed areas of fresh
water from streams or
rivers which mix with
salty ocean water.
Estuaries represent a
transition from land to
sea and from freshwater
to saltwater.
Estuaries are biologically
very productive areas and
provide homes for a wide
variety of plants, birds
and animals.
TERRESTRIAL BIOMES.
Terrestrial biomes occur on land and can be of many types.
They are usually classified based on the dominant
vegetation, climate, animal or geographic location/soil.
The location and characteristics of the various biomes is
mostly influenced by climatic conditions such as rainfall
and temperature.
The most recent classification of the terrestrial biomes in
South Africa divides the region into the following biomes:
- 1. Grassland.
- 2. Savanna.
- 3. Succulent Karoo.
- 4. Nama Karoo.
- 5. Forest.
- 6. Fynbos.
- 7. Thicket.
TERRESTRIAL BIOMES LOCATION IN S.A
LOCATION OF TERRESTRIAL BIOMES IN SOUTH AFRICA.
 GRASSLAND BIOME.

The grassland biome is made

up of large open areas of
grasses with very few
trees.
It has deep and dark soils
with fertile upper layers
which provide good
environment for grass to
grow.
Grasses are usually
maintained by grazing
animals such as antelope,
blesbok, black wildebeest,
eland, springbok and
sometimes frequent fires.
 SAVANNA BIOME.

‘Savanna’ refers to
vegetation that is mixed
grassland and trees.
The Savanna Biome is the
largest Biome in southern
Africa, occupying 46% of
its area, and over one-
third the area of South
Africa.
It is characterized by mixed
grasses and trees.
Wild animals such as
antelope, lion, buffalo,
leopard, cheetah, hippo,
giraffe, zebra and
elephant are found in
savanna.
SUCCULENT KAROO BIOME.
The Succulent Karoo
Biome is primarily
determined by the
presence of low winter
rainfall and extreme
summer.
The vegetation is
dominated by
succulent plants which
have thick fleshy
leaves to store water
and others with small
leaves and thorns to
reduce water loss
through transpiration.
NAMA KAROO BIOME.

The Nama-Karoo biome

is a semi-dessert
biome dominated by
dwarf shrubs with
grasses, shrubs and
herbs at varying
levels of abundance.
It dominated by sandy
soil with little
nutrition.
sheep-farming is the
main agricultural
activity.
FOREST BIOME.

The word forest

broadly describes an
area that has a large
number of trees
including
yellowwood, ferns
and mosses.
Climate in the forest
biomes is temperate
with rainfall all year
round.
It is the smallest
biome.
 FYNBOS BIOME.

Fynbos’ refers to the small

shrubs with fine leaves found
in this biome.
The biome is a World Heritage
Site. With at least 8 570
species of flowering plants, it
is one of the most diverse
floras in the world.
Fynbos vegetation is used for
grazing small stock and for
collecting and selling wild
flowers, proteas, rooibos tea,
veld flowers and thatching-
reed, and for growing table
and wine grapes, wheat, fruit
and olives.
It is found in the Western Cape
Province
 THICKET BIOME.

Most Thicket is found in

river valleys where
there is water and a
thick layer of rich soil.
thicket biome is a
characterized by a
diverse of plants
including shrubs,
trees, succulents,
vines, bulbs, and
grasses.
Most elephants are
found in thicket biome.
ACTIVITY FOR BIOMES.
Activity 3.
Page 208
ECOSYSTEMS
An ecosystem is a unit in nature in which living and non-living things
interact with each other.
It provides all the requirements that living organisms in the area
need to survive, such as food, water, air and warmth.
Ecosystem can also be artificial such as terrarium and an aquarium.
These are known as Artificial ecosystems.
AN ECOSYSTEM CONSISTS OF TWO
COMPONENTS/FACTORS:

1. Biotic factors 2. Abiotic factors.

> Are the living  These are the non
components of an living components
ecosystem. of an ecosystem.
 Examples of  Examples of abiotic
biotic factors factors includes:
includes:  soil factors.
 Plants.  Water.
 animals and  temperature and
 Microorganisms.  Sunlight.
RELATIONSHIP/INTERACTIONS.

The biotic factors interact amongst themselves,

and with the biotic factors. The abiotic factors
also interact in a similar way.
These interactions help to balance the energy flow
of the ecosystem.
Examples of these interactions/symbiosis are:
● mutualism – both organisms benefit;
example: flower and bee
● commensalism – one organism benefits, the
other is not affected; example: orchid and tree
● parasitism – one organism benefits
(parasite) and the other is harmed (host);
example: humans and tapeworms
(endoparasite) or mosquitoes (ectoparasite)
LIVING ORGANISMS – BIOTIC FACTORS
Living organisms can be grouped according to how they get their
food.
The groups are:
 producers.
 consumers and
 decomposers.
1. PRODUCERS.

Producers are organisms that make their own food from

substances they get from the environment (are called
producers or autotrophs).
Plants and algae are producers. The substances from the
environment that they use are sunlight, carbon dioxide (CO2 )
and water (H2O).
They turn these into food in the form of glucose during
photosynthesis.

Plants can be classified according to their dependence on water

and where they grow:
● Hydrophytes are plants that grow in water. e,g water
lilies.
● Mesophytes are plants that need a moderate supply of
water, light and temperature. Examples are marula, and mango
trees.
● Xerophytes are plants that grow in very dry regions. e.g
aloes.
2. CONSUMERS.
Consumers are organisms that cannot make their own food and have to
eat other organisms (are called consumers or heterotrophs).
Consumers are divided into three groups:
● Primary consumers are animals that feed only on plants. They are
called herbivores. Examples are antelope, zebra, wildebeest,
buffalo, rhino and sheep.
● Secondary consumers are animals that feed on primary
consumers. They are called carnivores. Examples are dogs, leopards and
snakes.
● Tertiary consumers are animals that feed on secondary
consumers. They are also carnivores. Examples are lion, hawks and
eagles.
● Omnivores are animals that eat animals and plants. This makes them
primary and secondary consumers. Examples are humans, pigs and
baboons.
● Predators catch live prey, kill and eat them. Examples are lion and
snakes.
● Prey are the animals hunted and fed on by predators.
● Scavengers eat what is left over by predators. Examples are hyenas,
crayfish and vultures.
3. DECOMPOSERS.
Decomposers are organisms that break down dead plant and animal
bodies, as well as animal wastes, are called decomposers
(saprophytes/saprovores).
Examples are fungi (mushrooms) and bacteria.
Decomposers play a very important role in ecosystems because they
return nutrients to the soil, which are then absorbed by plant
roots.
ACTIVITY ON ECOSYSTEM.
Work on your own. Give the correct term/name of the
following:

1. The study of the interrelationships of living

organisms and their environment is called?
2. All the living and non-living factors that act on an
organism and affect its chances of survival is the.
3. The area in which an organism lives is its
4. Another term that means ‘living’ is
5. Another term that means ‘non-living’ is
6. Ecosystem such as terrarium and an aquarium.
SOLUTIONS
1. Ecology
2. Environment.
3. Habitat
4. Biotic
5. Abiotic
6. Artificial ecosystem
NON-LIVING FACTORS – ABIOTIC FACTORS
Abiotic factors are the non-living things that
provide the basis of an ecosystem.
Living organisms depend on abiotic factors to
exist. Abiotic factors affect the growth,
distribution and behaviour of living
organisms.

Abiotic factors includes:

 Physiographic factors.
 Edaphic (soil) factor.
 Physical factors (Factors such as sunlight,
temperature, Air and water).
1. PHYSIOGRAPHIC FACTORS.
Physiographic factors in
ecosystems have to do with
the position and shape of
the area/land.
They include slope, aspect
and altitude.

 Slope – a slope (inclination)

refers to how steep or how
flat an area is.
- A steep slope results in fast
run-off of water, so soil
erosion may take place.
- Steep slopes usually have
shallow and infertile soil. Few
plants grow there and there
are few animals.
PHYSIOGRAPHIC FACTORS CONTINUES..

 Aspect – the aspect of a slope is the direction it

faces: north, east, south or west.
- The slope of one side of a hill may get more heat
than the other side. A north-facing slope receives
more direct sun rays than a south-facing slope.
- A north-facing slope is warmer and drier, and
evaporation is higher.
- Xerophytes are found on the warmer and drier north-
facing slope. Shade-loving plants are likely to be
found on the cool and moist south-facing slopes.
 Altitude – Is the height above sea level.
- Temperatures are lower, and there is less oxygen and
more intense sunlight at high altitudes, which affects
the types of plants that grow in these regions.
2. EDAPHIC (SOIL) FACTORS.

Soil is one of Earth’s most important resources. The main role of soil is to
provide a medium for plants to grow in. Soils are not all the same because
they are affected by different factors and all these factors are known as
Edaphic factors.
Edaphic factors are:
 Soil texture – refers to the different types of soils. There are three main
types of soil:
- Sand – low water retention; particles are large.
- Clay – high water retention; particles are very small.
- Loam – holds adequate amount of water; mixture of sand and clay; lots of
humus.

 Soil air – Is the air found in spaces between soil particles that are not filled
with water.
- The more air, the more oxygen there is for the plants. The amount of air
depends on the size of soil particles and the spaces between them.
- Loosely packed soil particles such as sand have large air spaces and much
air.
- Clay has small air spaces and little or no air.
- Loamy soils hold a moderate amount of air as humus provides the air
spaces.
EDAPHIC (SOIL) FACTORS CONTINUES..

 pH level – this means how acidic or alkaline the soil is.

- Acid soil – a pH of less than 7; sand is acidic.
- Alkaline soil – a pH of greater than 7; clay is alkaline.
- Neutral soil – a pH of 7; loam is neutral to alkaline.

 Humus content – This means how much humus there is in the soil.
Humus is dead and decaying plant and animal materials. Humus:
- makes the soil fertile.
- provides plants with nutrients.
- keeps oxygen in the soil.
- holds water.
- allows excess water to drain away.
ACTIVITY ON SOIL.
1. Copy and complete this table, which
compares the three different soil types:

2. Explain why loamy soils are usually

better than sandy or clay soils for growing
plants. (6)
3. PHYSICAL FACTORS.
Factors such as sunlight, temperature, Air and water that affect
ecosystems are called physical factors.

 Sunlight – the main source of light in the ecosystem

- Plants need sunlight for the process of photosynthesis.
- Light intensity means how bright the light is. Most plants grow
well in bright light; others do better in shady conditions.
- Photoperiodism means an organism’s response to day length
(photoperiod).
It affects plant growth and flowering; for example, there are short-
day plants (plants that only flower when days are shorter than
nights) and long-day plants (plants that only flower when days are
longer than nights).
It also controls the activity of some animals; for example: there are
nocturnal animals (active at night) and diurnal animals (active
during the day).
PHYSICAL FACTORS CONTINUES..

 Temperature – influences behaviour.

- Cold-blooded animals – cannot regulate their own
body temperature; are inactive in extreme
temperatures. Examples: fish, amphibians and
reptiles.
- Warm-blooded animals – can regulate their own body
temperature; maintain a constant body temperature;
can survive hot and cold conditions. Examples:
mammals and birds.
- Migration – movement from one area to another,
caused by seasonal changes. Example: swallows.
- Hibernation – reduced winter activity and winter
‘sleep’. Examples: snakes and rodents.
- Aestivation – summer inactivity and summer ‘sleep’.
Examples: snails and insects.
● Dormancy – Some plant species survive cold seasons
by becoming dormant (Suspend/Slow down activities).
Examples: Some plants die and leave their seeds. The
PHYSICAL FACTORS CONTINUES..
 Atmospheric gases and wind. We are surrounded by air. The
atmosphere is a blanket of gases that surrounds the Earth. The three
main gases in the atmosphere are nitrogen, oxygen and carbon
dioxide.
- Oxygen and carbon dioxide gas are important to living organisms. You
already know that living organisms need oxygen for the process of
respiration, and that plants use carbon dioxide for photosynthesis and
release oxygen as a product of photosynthesis.
- Nitrogen gas is not used directly by living organisms, except by some
bacteria. Nitrogen is need for the formation of proteins.
 Wind is moving currents of air. Wind plays a role in pollination and the
seed dispersal of some plants as well as the dispersal of some
animals, such as insects. Pollination is the transfer of pollen from the
anther to the stigma on a plant.
- Wind affects the loss of water by evaporation from the leaves of
plants, known as transpiration. Plants lose a lot more water th

- rough transpiration when it is windy. Wind also speeds up evaporation

from rivers, lakes and the sea. The water vapour in the atmosphere
condenses and forms clouds, which bring rain, snow and other forms
of precipitation.