Chapter 2 Resources
Ecology

Understanding Interactions in the Biosphere

Tree of Life,
Tree of Life Project
“The basic goals of the Tree of Life project are to provide a uniform and linked framework in which to publish electronically information about the evolutionary history and characteristics of all groups of organisms. To present a modern scientific view of the evolutionary tree that unites all organisms on Earth. To aid learning about and appreciation of biological diversity.”

The Pompeii Worm,
SERC,
The Pompeii Worm, this page from Microbial Life Education Resources highlights a fascinating example of marine symbiosis. There is explanatory information about the worm (Alvinella pompejana) and its bacterial companions and the extreme environment of the hydrothermal vents on the ocean floor where they live. There are pictures and extensive collection of links to further information available on the page.

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The Biosphere is a Dynamic and Open System

A Close Look at Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary,
Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary
Allows students to examine Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. After becoming familiar with a bathymetric/topographic map of the area, students select a transect along the seafloor to study some of the geological, biological, and physical features that are present. In this activity students use a bathymetric/topographic map as a tool for recognizing geobiological features of the sanctuary, create a depth profile from a topographic map, use a transect as a tool for quantifying geological, physical, and biological features along the seafloor, and correlate species with habitat type in Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Supporting data are provided.

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Levels of Biosphere Organization

Mapping the Biosphere,
Center for Sustainability and the Global Environment
The site is dedicated to the dissemination of global and regional environmental data. Downloadable data sets (in raster format) include base files covering water resources (runoff, wetlands, precipitation), ecosystems (soil organic carbon, soil pH, lakes and wetlands), landuse (built up land, croplands, irrigated lands), and human impacts (infant mortality, literacy rate, per capita oil usage). More detailed .jpg maps are also available for world regions like Europe, North America, and Asia but not in any GIS format.

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