biosurf unit 9 Organisms and the Environment

CHAPTER 35: The Biosphere

35.1 CHARACTERISTICS OF THE BIOSPHERE

Biosphere 2 Center: Biosphere 2 once housed humans, animals, and plants in a giant glass terrarium as an experiment in sustainable living. No longer home to human experiments, the Biosphere 2 Center in Arizona has become an educational and tourist attraction, hosting ecology and earth science students from Columbia University who wish to study the self-contained biomes of the center. You can see the desert biome, intensive agriculture biome, marsh biome, ocean biome, rain forest biome, savanna biome, and the El Nino exhibit at the center's website.
The Living Edens: Did you know there are penguins in Africa? Or that there are glaciers in South America? This website features some of the most beautiful and biologically diverse areas of the world, including Denali National Park in Alaska, Patagonia in Argentina, and Namib in Africa. Take a look at the organisms, habitats, and climatological features that make up these beautiful areas.
Planet Diary: Fire Links: Here are several resources on wildfires, the effects of fire, prescribed burning, and up-to-date information on lightning strikes and fire hazards from Planet Diary.
The Contribution Of Fire In Dramatising The Australian Landscape: What role did fire play in shaping Australia's ecosystem? This report by an undergraduate earning his degree in forestry at Australian National University explores the adaptations Australian flora and fauna have made in response to fire.

35.2 CLIMATE

The Climate Hotlist: How is the ozone layer doing today? What do earth system models look like? All sorts of global graphical climate information can be found on this page from Rice University. Take a look at satellite images of temperatures, precipitation, and much more!
Planet Diary: Drought Links: How green is your state? Is it having unusually dry or wet weather? What causes extreme weather and climate events? The links on this Planet Diary page will take you to several valuable resources that deliver timely climatic information specific to your area.
Climate Visualization: What were the high and low temperatures in Ghanzi, Botswana last month? How many inches of rain did Louisville, Kentucky receive between January 1858 and December 1990? The amount of climate data available from the National Climatic Data Center will amaze you.

35.3 LAND BIOMES

Virtual Biomes: AThis is an exceptionally rich and colorful site that explores the tundra, taiga, rainforest, desert, grassland, and temperate deciduous forest biomes of the world. Find out where these biomes are located and the names of the plants and animals that live in them. The exhibit from the Missouri Botanical Garden is accompanied by many illustrations of the landscape and life of these biomes.
Okavango: Africa's Savage Oasis: Start on your cyber-safari by clicking the binoculars. You'll travel through this Botswanan delta where animals of the swamp and savannah live side by side. You'll have a chance to see a pangolin and view movies of cheetahs and crocodiles, as you travel through this National Geographic site.
Habitats: The Growth of a Forest: See what four stands of trees in West Virginia's Monongahela National Forest look like 2, 12, 41, and 86 years after they were cut. You can even see 360-degree views of each stand in the gallery, if you have set up your browser with the QuickTime plug-in. This online feature was created by National Geographic.
Explore the Fantastic Forest: Track down the animals and plants of this virtual forest, using the hints provided onscreen. This fun multimedia scavenger hunt was also created by National Geographic.