Ecosystems

Interdependence

Objectives

• Distinguish an ecosystem from a community.

• Sequence the process of succession

Ecology Vocab

• 1. Greenhouse Effect• 2. Sustainable

development• 3. Biodiversity• 4. Niche• 5. Commensalism• 6. Mutualism• 7. Symbiosis• 8. Parasitism• 9. Ecological Succession• 10. Carrying Capacity

• 11. Producer• 12. Consumer• 13. Decomposer• 14. Biological

Magnification• 15. Food chain• 16. Biotic factor• 17. Abiotic factor• 18. Competition• 19. Trophic level• 20. Community

Biotic and Abiotic Factors

Organisms interact with each other and their environment

• Habitat - place where a particular population of species live.

• Community - all the different species that live together in a habitat.

• Ecosystem - a community and all the physical aspects of its habitat.– Abiotic factors-physical, nonliving factors.– Biotic factors-all living things in habitat

Ecosystems Change over Time• Succession - regular

progression of species replacement

• Pioneer species - the first organisms to live in a new habitat and are small fast growing plants– 1. Lichens-symbiotic

relationship between algae and fungus

– 2. Mosses-add nutrients to soil

– 3. Grasses– 4. Shrubs– 5. Trees- can take 100’s of

years

• Primary succession - succession that occurs where plants have not grown before

• Secondary succession - succession that occurs where there has been previous growth(abandoned farm fields and fire).

• Initial conditions and chance play a role in succession.

• Examples: species competition, sudden climate change

Primary Succession

https://www.google.com/search?q=moss&biw=1440&bih=805&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=DNxdVYDZHuuwsATA4ICABQ&sqi=2&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAQ#tbm=isch&q=primary+succession+stages&imgrc=UiyUrY5Ao1PqkM%253A%3BKrD1EYXyol35DM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fvisityellowstonenationalparkyall.weebly.com%252Fuploads%252F1%252F9%252F1%252F2%252F19128651%252F4659793_orig.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fvisityellowstonenationalparkyall.weebly.com%252Fsuccession.html%3B851%3B425

Glacier Bay

• A receding glacier is a good example of primary succession because land is continually being exposed as the glacier moves back.

Glacier Bay

Secondary Succession

Review Questions

• 1. What is the difference between a habitat, community and an ecosystem?

• 2. How important is biodiversity?

• 3. Explain how primary succession would progress, starting with bare rock.

• 4. Which takes less time, primary or secondary succession?

Objectives

• Distinguish between producers and consumers

• Compare food webs with food chains

• Describe why food chains are rarely longer than three or four links

Energy Flow in Ecosystems

• 1. The primary source of energy - the sun– A. Producers - convert energy from the sun

into starch and sugars1) autotrophs - make their own food

– a. photosynthesis– b. Chemosynthesis

– B. Consumers - obtain nutrients by consuming plants or other organisms

– C. Decomposers - breakdown dead plants and animals and return nutrients to the ecosystem

The Players in a Food Chain

2. Food chain - a series of organisms through which food energy is passeda. Producers - capture’s suns energyb. Herbivores - eat plants or other primary produce c. Carnivores - animals that eat herbivoresd. Omnivores - animals that are herbivores and carnivorese. Decomposers - bacteria and fungi - cause decay

• Food Web - an interconnected group of food chains

A Typical Food Chain

A Food Web

http://www.absc.usgs.gov/research/seabird_foragefish/marinehabitat/images/Food_Web3.gif

Name the Abiotic Factors

• 3. Energy is Lost in a Food Chain– A. During every energy transfer within an

ecosystem, some energy is lost as heat• Heat is not a useful source of energy to do work in

biological systems

– B. About 10% of the energy taken in at any feeding level is passed to the next level

• 4. Trophic levels are limited– A. There are usually only 3 levels, 4 is rare– B. There is too little energy to keep transferring

up

Pyramid of Energy

Example of Energy Pyramid

http://www.oahunaturetours.com/pelagic/images/sbbfoodchain1.GIF

Review Questions

• 5. What is the difference between a producer and a consumer?

• 6. What job in the ecosystem do decomposer perform?

• 7.How much energy is passed from one trophic level to the next in the energy pyramid?

• 8.

Objectives

• Understand the importance of the water cycle and how it influences ecosystems.

• Identify the role of bacteria in the nitrogen cycle.

• Relate the importance of biogeochemical cycles in maintaining ecosystems.

The Water Cycle is Driven by the Sun

• 1. Evaporated water vapor forms clouds.

• 2. Clouds rain-precipitation

• 3. Ground water-water that seeps into soil

• 4. Water evaporates again

The Water Cycle

The Carbon Cycle is linked to energy

• 1. Cycles between living organisms and the nonliving environment.– A. Respiration: use of oxygen to make

energy, carbon dioxide is a waste product.– B. Combustion: burning of wood and fossil

fuels.– C. Erosion: carbon from eroding limestone

returns to the atmosphere.

Nutrients are Cycled between the biotic and abiotic

The Carbon Cycle

The Nitrogen Cycle

• 1. Plants can get nitrogen from the soil– Nitrogen fixing bacteria.

• 2. Heterotrophs must consume to get nitrogen.– All organisms need them to make amino

acids

• 3. Nitrogen is the main component in fertilizer

The Nitrogen Cycle

Phosphorous Cycle

Biodiversity• The number of species living in an ecosystem.

• The more species in the ecosystem, the more stable the ecosystem.

Species Evolve in Response to One Another

• 1. Coevolution -interacting members of an ecosystem adjust to each other– A. bees and flowers– B. natural selection-

matched the characteristics of flowers and insects.

– Predator and prey• Why is a cheetah fast• He eats fast food!

https://biologyeoc.wikispaces.com/file/view/coevolution.jpg/32172853/coevolution.jpg

http://img.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2007/08_01/DandelionDM_800x665.jpg

http://neurosciencenews.com/neuroscience_images/bees-see-colors-vision-fred.jpg

Predators and prey coevolve• A. predation - one

organism feeds on another

• B. parasitism - one organism feeding on another and usually living inside.

http://universe-review.ca/I10-82-tapeworm.jpg

Symbiotic species are shaped by long-term relationship

• 1. Symbiosis - two or more species living together in a close long-term association

• 2. Mutualism - both species benefit.– A. aphids and ants– B. lichens– C. termites and

bacteria

http://www.ent.iastate.edu/images/homoptera/aphid/soybeanaphid/soybaphidants.jpg

Commensalism - one organism benefits, the other is neither

helped or harmed• A. pilot fish and

sharks• B. whales and

barnacles

http://www.nearctica.com/ecology/anemonefish.jpg

http://www.cbu.edu/~seisen/ExamplesOfCommensalism_files/image002.jpg

Common Use of Scare Resources Leads to

Competition• 1. Competition - when

two species use the same resource.

• 2. Niche -how an organism lives, the job it performs; how it interacts with biotic and abiotic factors– A. space utilization– B. food consumption– C. temperature range– D. moisture requirements– E. mating

Niches and competition

Exponential Growth: populations will grow exponentially if left

unchecked.• http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.science.org.au/nova/087/087img/bacteria.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.science.org.au/nova/

087/087box02.htm&usg=__1W_ObO9oJs7w68ezLyOvDFMfpY0=&h=210&w=277&sz=9&hl=en&start=5&zoom=1&tbnid=qdIJW6AuzSfMgM:&tbnh=86&tbnw=114&ei=ZLq7T_b3Iaam6gG9irDvBg&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dexponential%2Bgrowth%2Bof%2Bbacteria%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Dvss%26rls%3Dcom.microsoft:en-us%26rlz%3D1I7GGLL_en%26tbm%3Disch&itbs=1

Carrying Capacity

• Populations will grow exponentially if left unchecked.

• Carrying Capacity -The population size that an environment can sustain.

• Availability of resources like water and food can affect population size.

http://www.wildlife.alaska.gov/hunt_trap/trapping/trapping_images/cathare1.gif

http://www.alanandsandycarey.com/Wildlife/ACTION/images/CANADA%20LYNX,%20AFTER%20SNOW-SHOE%20HARE.jpg

http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2010/03/wolf-wars/wolf-illustration

Human Population Growth

7 Billion People

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sc4HxPxNrZ0

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4B2xOvKFFz4

http://s4.mcstatic.com/thumb/6092615/0/4/catalog_item5/0/1/7_billion_are_you_typical_national_geographic_magazine.jpg

http://s3.amazonaws.com/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-05-08/JiyeqgGDJjlsubcsequsJzrbezGkAbJrielrtaIvdJauupGDAqiewlEugAtC/World_of_7_Billion.png?AWSAccessKeyId=AKIAJFZAE65UYRT34AOQ&Expires=1306507146&Signature=q2XmuYOdzZ6FQBjOTpGE2xmkW9o%3D

Human Population: 2010

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_z9pk2QhSxmc/TNjV-LbCqaI/AAAAAAAAABM/bjgI6V1oexY/s1600/g-gpw-population-map.gif

Ecological Footprint

Biological Magnification

• When a pollutant is picked up by an organism and is not broken down or eliminated from its body.– Pollutant collects in

body tissues– Pollutants concentration

increases as it passes through the food chain

– Examples: DDT, mercury, and PCBs.

http://thesocietypages.org/socimages/files/blogger2wp/Miscscience-DDTforcontrolofhouseholdpests.gif

http://minneapolisparkhistory.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/ddt-spray-1950-arb.jpg

http://www.pophistorydig.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/aerial-spray-250.jpg

Global Change affects ecosystems worldwide

• 1. Burning high-sulfur coal creates acid rain– A. sulfur combines

with water vapor to make sulfuric acid

– B. acid rain -precipitation with this sulfuric acid

– C. 3.8 pH of snow and rain

– D. causes lake pH to fall to 5.0

http://www.anr.state.vt.us/dec/waterq/bass/images/bs_acidrainposter.jpg

http://www.oag.state.ny.us/images/cinergy2.gif

pH and Acid Rain

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.anr.state.vt.us/dec/waterq/bass/images/bs_acidrainposter.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.anr.state.vt.us/dec/waterq/bass/htm/bs_acidrain.htm&h=375&w=500&sz=58&tbnid=CcdZY8rEvGYlBM:&tbnh=95&tbnw=127&hl=en&start=7&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dacid%2Brain%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D

http://www.virtualglobe.org/en/info/env/03/images/3_05.jpg

http://www.greenfacts.org/images/glossary/acid-rain.jpg

Certain Manufactured Chemicals Promote Destruction

of the Ozone Layer• A. the ozone hole

over Antarctica• B. causes UV

radiation to hit Earth’s surface.

• C. cause skin cancer and cataracts

http://www.spacetoday.org/images/SolSys/Earth/OzoneHole_09_11_03.jpg

What is destroying the Ozone?• Chloroflurocarbons

(CFCs)– 1) used as coolants in

refrigerators, foam cups in spray cans

– 2) CFC’s breakdown ozone

http://ozone.gi.alaska.edu/anim/cfc_anm2.gif

http://www.petefreitag.com/images/blog/nocfcs.jpg

http://www.abc.net.au/science/news/img/health/fridge201004.jpg

Release of Carbon Dioxide and other Greenhouse Gases has

led to Global Warming• 1. Greenhouse

effect - warming of the atmosphere caused by gases that trap heat.

http://www.environment.sa.gov.au/sustainability/images/greenhouse_effect.jpg

http://www.solcomhouse.com/Greenhouse_Effect.gif

http://www.ecy.wa.gov/climatechange/images/greenhouse_effect2.jpg

Sources of Green House Gases

http://ecopolitology.org/files/2012/01/us-ghg-emissions.jpg

Almost All Power Plants

in U.S. are Powered by

Coal

http://imgs.sfgate.com/c/pictures/2009/07/27/ed-us_climate_bi_0500311749.jpg

Digging for Answers: The Science of Global Climate Change

http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01769/antarctic620_1769142b.jpg

http://serc.carleton.edu/images/NAGTWorkshops/climatechange08/bubbles_ice_core.jpg

As Carbon Dioxide increase, what happens to Global Temperature?

http://www.exo.net/~pauld/workshops/globalclimate/atmospherecarbondioxide.htm

Effects of Climate Change

Melting of permafrost above the Arctic Circle

2011

http://earthhopenetwork.net/andes_glaciers_before_and_after_melt.jpg

The glacier on Bolivia's Chacaltaya mountain

The Muir Glacier in 1941, top, and 2004, bottom.

http://www.gfdl.noaa.gov/pix/user_images/tk/quadrupling_co2/fig5.gif

http://media.mcclatchydc.com/smedia/2010/04/22/20/20100401_Acidic_OCEANS.large.prod_affiliate.91.jpg

http://www.blewbury.co.uk/energy/images/coral.jpg

• 2. Global warming - average global temperature is directly related with increasing concentrations of gases in the atmosphere– A. temperature rises with

carbon dioxdie levels.– B. causes sea levels to rise

and change in rain fall patterns

• Hurricanes• Storms• drought

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.solcomhouse.com/co2maapp.gif&imgrefurl=http://www.solcomhouse.com/globalwarming.htm&h=279&w=521&sz=13&tbnid=C-1shLdfG03IeM:&tbnh=69&tbnw=129&hl=en&start=3&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dglobal%2Bwarming%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D

It has become a political issue.

http://www.mindfully.org/Air/2005/Global-Warming-Approaching23jan05.jpg

Your Carbon Footprint

• How much carbon dioxide are you putting into the environment?

• How can you offset your carbon footprint.– Go online and use a carbon calculator– Take steps to reduce carbon emissions.

Ten things you can do to stop Global Warming

1. Change a light!

• Replace on regular bulb with a compact florescent light bulb will save 150 pounds of carbon dioxide a year.

2. Drive Less!

• Walk, bike, carpool, or take mass transit.

• 3. Recycle More!

• You can save 2400 pounds of carbon dioxide per year by recycling just half of your household waste.

• 4. Check your tires!

• Keeping your tires inflated properly can improve gas mileage by more than 3%. Every gallon of gas saved keeps 20 pounds of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere!

• 5. Use less hot water!• It takes a lot of energy to heat water.

Use less hot water by installing a low flow showerhead (350 pounds of CO2 saved per year) and washing your cloths in cold or warm water (500 pounds saved per year).

• 6. Avoid products with a lot of packaging!

• You can save 1200 pounds of carbon dioxide if you cut down your garbage by 10%.

• 7.Adjust your thermostat!

• Moving your thermostat just 2 degrees in winter and up 2 degrees in summer you could save about 2,000 pounds of carbon dioxide a year.

• 8. Plant a tree!

• A single tree will absorb one ton of carbon dioxide over its lifetime.

• 9. Turn off electronic devices!

• Simply turning off your television, DVD player, stereo, and computer when you’re not using them will save you thousands of pounds of carbon dioxide a year.

10. Spread the Word!

• Share these ideals with your friends and family.

Alien Invasion!

http://www.allfantasyart.com/aliens/twoaliens.jpg

What is an invasive species?

• Invasive species evolved elsewhere and are purposely or accidentally relocated to new environments.

Burmese python in the Everglades

Michael Barron of the National Park Service took this picture of a carcass of an alligator as it protudes out from the body of a dead Burmese python in Everglades National

Park, Florida. The Burmese python is an invasive species -- 144,000 have been imported to the U.S. in the past five years for the pet trade.

http://www.mongabay.com/images/external/2005/gator051005183436.jpg

http://www.buzzle.com/img/articleImages/30122-37.jpg

A National Park Service officer holds on to a Burmese python captured in Florida's Everglades National Park. Agency officials worry that pythons released illegally in the park could threaten native endangered species.

Photograph by Bob DeGross/NPS http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/10/1028_051028_pythons.html

Purple loose-strife

http://gf.nd.gov/images/photos/purple-loosestrife.jpg

http://wildsofnorfolk.co.uk/images/flowers/purple-loose-strife.jpg

Eurasian Milfoil

http://www.cbf.org/images/content/pagebuilder/164665.jpg

http://www.co.stevens.wa.us/weedboard/other%20weeds/ew4.jpg

Zebra Mussels

http://www.invasive.org/images/3072x2048/1354035.jpg

http://www.epa.gov/glnpo/atlas/images/photo405.gif

http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/caer/ce/eek/critter/invert/images/zmussel2.jpg

Sea Lamprey

http://biology.usgs.gov/s+t/SNT/lrgimage/gl129f04.jpg

http://www.scar.utoronto.ca/~youson/images/lamprey.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/35/88853462_160d479ada.jpg

Snake Head Fish

http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/resourcecenter/teams/environment/eq_6_13.jpg

http://images.usatoday.com/news/_photos/2002-08-17-snakehead.jpg

http://www.wvdnr.gov/Fishing/fishinggraphics/snakeheadbowfin.jpg

List of some Invasive Species

• 1. Sea lamprey• 2. Zebra mussels• 3. Purple loose-strife• 4. Eurasian milfoil• 5. Water chestnut• 6. Buckthorn• 7. Honeysuckle

• 8. Gypsy Moth• 9. English Ivy• 10. Kudzu• 11. Nutria• 12. Asian long-horned

beetle• 13.Burmese python in

the Everglades• 14. Snake-head fish

How to stop the Spread of invasive species

• 1. Exotic pets• 2. from your property• 3. native species of

plants.• 7. native water ways.

Garbage Island

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8a4S23uXIcM&feature=related