Organisms, Environment, and Climate Factors
Agencies and Environment
Organisms are categorized into domains:
- Bacteria: Unicellular and prokaryotic, most are surrounded by a cell wall. Some perform photosynthesis, primarily absorbing their food from the environment.
- Archaea: Prokaryotic and unicellular, many can survive in extreme conditions. Their method of feeding is by absorption.
- Eukarya:
- Protista: Eukaryotic, unicellular, may perform photosynthesis, ingest, or absorb their food. They often move using cilia or flagella.
- Fungi: Generally absorb food, which usually consists of dead bodies or debris. The food is digested with enzymes secreted outside the body. They are eukaryotic and multicellular.
- Plantae: Multicellular organisms that obtain nutrients through photosynthesis. They are eukaryotes.
- Animalia: Multicellular, with bodies containing specialized tissues and organs. They often move and respond quickly to stimuli.
Systematics and Taxonomy
- Systematics: The science of studying and reconstructing evolutionary history (phylogeny).
- Taxonomy: The science of naming organisms and placing them into categories based on their evolutionary relationships.
Scientific Name: The name of an organism is formed from the two smallest taxonomic categories: genus and species.
Aristotle was the first to attempt a standardized way to name living beings.
Carl Linnaeus established the foundations of the modern classification system, placing each organism in a series of hierarchical categories based on its similarity to other life forms. He introduced the scientific name of genus and species.
Darwin demonstrated that organisms are related through common ancestors.
Biodiversity is the total variety of species.
Factors Influencing Climate
Weather refers to short-term fluctuations in temperature, humidity, cloudiness, wind, and rainfall in a region over periods of hours or days.
Climate refers to the prevailing weather patterns in a given region year after year. It is calculated by considering solar light, water, and temperature ranges.
The Sun: Climate is driven by the energy arriving from the sun, which drives wind, oceanic currents, and global hydrological cycles. Sunlight is modified by the atmosphere.
Physical Factors Influencing Climate
Many physical factors influence climate, such as:
- Latitude
- Air currents
- Ocean currents
- The presence of continents and mountains
Latitude influences the amount of sunlight an area receives, which in turn affects the average annual temperatures. Air currents create climatic regions.
Coastal climates are moderated by ocean currents, driven by the Earth’s rotation, winds, and solar heating of water.
Necessary Living Conditions
- Constant nutrients for living tissues.
- Constant energy.
- Water for metabolic reactions.
- Suitable temperatures for carrying out life processes.
The distribution of resources is uneven; their availability limits the types of organisms that can exist.
Natural Distribution of Life
Life is limited by the availability of water and temperature, among other factors. Organisms adapt to the climate or region where they can find suitable conditions.
Biomes
Biomes are large land areas with similar environmental conditions and characteristic plant communities. The name of each biome is matched to the type of vegetation, which is influenced by rainfall.