Chapter 26 Lecture Enrichment Ideas
Show slides or films of different biomes, since it is very hard to appreciate the diversity of these areas without seeing pictures. Ask students to point out the differences in the characteristics of each.
Discuss why it would be reasonable to call the deep ocean a desert area.
Review the concept of the food chain (or web or pyramid) in the ocean or lake environment and how the plankton are the base of the nutritional interactions. Mention also how they are important in the generation of oxygen and the removal of carbon dioxide from the air.
Compare the different biomes according to altitude and latitude with respect to the diversity of organisms. Explain how organisms that fit into the same niche on two adjacent mountains are more likely to be different species than are organisms spread over a broad range of latitude. (The reason for this would be the isolation imposed by altitude that is not present with latitude.)
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