Chapter 2: Nutrient Cycles and Energy Flow

What is an ecosystem?All the interacting parts of a biological

community and its environment System:

Eco:

Ecology:

A group of separate but related items that work together as a whole

Concerned with living things in relation to their environment

The study of how organisms interact with each other and their environment

In this context, sustainable meansTo endureTo support

What does that mean?

In this context, sustainable meansTo endure: to continue in the same stateTo support: to support a wide variety of

organisms

All organisms require sustainable ecosystems for survival

What about Easter Island?

Easter Island is in the South Pacific Ocean, about 1/3 of the way from South America to New Zealand.

Some organisms require more than one ecosystem for survival

Can you think of an

example?Canada geese

Some are enormousBoreal forest in Ontario

Large land mass Some are small

Rotting logPond

Every ecosystem has biotic and abiotic partsBiotic: living parts of an ecosystem

Ex: plants, animals, fungi, micro-organisms (protists, bacteria)

Abiotic: non-living parts of an ecosystem Ex: water, oxygen, light, nutrients and

soil

Includes all living things in the ecosystem and their interactions1. Symbiosis2. Predation3. Competition

Def: the interaction between members of 2 different species that live together in close association

Examples?

Amazing Cooperation!

Def: when one organism consumes another for food

The relationship between predator and prey can influence the population of both and can affect the entire ecosystemWhat happens when there are more

predators?

Excellent senses to find their prey and special abilities to capture the prey Sight and hearing – Predatory birds Smell – Mammals

Many predators are very fast, and use their speed to help capture their prey. Cheetahs Falcons Dolphins and barracudas

Most species are potential prey Even lions and wolves can fall victim

when they are very young.

Most species possess several lines of defense against predators Avoid detection - minimize noise and

visual cues Camouflage coloration - difficult for

visual predators Remain as still as possible

Def: when 2 or more organisms compete for the same resource, such as food, in the same location at the same timeDandelions amid grass

Block out light Soak up water, nutrients from soil

Competition can influence the population size and success of a group

Sometimes, one group will out-compete another group of the same organism

What are they? Water: Oxygen: Light: Nutrients: Soil:

Why are they important? Water: survival, body temp regulation,

excretion Oxygen: crucial for life processes Light: photosynthesis, crucial for

producers Nutrients: individual organism’s growth Soil: nutrients for plants, habitat for

micro- organisms

Head outside to investigate abiotic and biotic features:

You will work in groups of 3-4(max) You will need:

Lab sheet Pencil I’ll provide the rest!