- The study of how organisms interact with the biotic (living) and abiotic (nonliving) things around...
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Transcript of - The study of how organisms interact with the biotic (living) and abiotic (nonliving) things around...
- The study of how organisms interact with the biotic (living) and abiotic (nonliving) things around them
- Environment is all the living and nonliving thingss that surround an organism
Biotic factors Abiotic Factors
Ecosystem- A self-sufficient environment which has both a biotic community community and an abiotic environment
- Materials must be cycled cycled among organisms
- Materials can be reused by different living things
CommunityCommunity - all the different types of organisms living in an environmentPopulationPopulation- One type of organism in the
community
Limiting Factors - Determine what kinds and how many of various types of organisms can survive in an environment
Examples of Limiting Factors include:- Amount of sunlight
- Temperature
- Amount of oxygen
- Amount of Salt in water
- pH of water
- Amount of food available
Energy Flow Relationships
- Energy must flow from organism to organism in an ecosystemFood Chain- Transfer of energy through a series of
organisms
Food Web - Shows all the interactions between organisms
Producers – autotrophs conver sun energy into energy usable by the
community Decomposers
- Break down organic wastes and recycle them to the environment for other organisms to use
Consumers - Eat other organismsPrimary consumers - Herbivores (eat plants) Secondary consumers – carnivores (eat meat) Omnivores – eat plants and meats
Pyramid of Energy - More energy is available on the producer level than any other level
-each consumer level uses only a small amount of available energy form what it eat the rest is wasted as heat and unusable chemical energy
Pyramid of Biomass- The most biomass occurs at the producer level
- This keeps the ecosystem at homeostasis- The least biomass occurs at the carnivore level
Ex. If rabbit population gets to big then the fox population will grow which causes rabbit population to drop and on and on
Nutritional Relationships
Autotrophs - Synthesize their own food
Heterotrophs -must find other organisms to eat
Saprophytes - Organisms that eat dead or decaying matter
Ex. Fungi and bacteria
Herbivores - Consume only plants
Carnivores - Eat only meat
Predators - Hunt prey
Scavangers
- Eat animals they have not killed
Omnivores- Eat both plants and animals
Symbiotic Relationships
- Organisms that live together may affect each other
Commensalism - One organism benefits and another organism is not adversely affected (+,0)
Mutualism - Both organisms benefit (+,+)
Parasitism
- Parisite benefits but host is harmed (+,-)
Changes in Succession
- Ecosystems change until they reach a climax community which is stable
- The replacement of one community by another until a climax community is established is called ecological ecological successionsuccession
Pioneer Organisms - The first organisms to populate an area
Lichens - Live on bare rock and break rock down
- Slowly add soil to surface allowing new organisms to move into the area
- Eventually grasses will grow in area and replace the lichens- Shrubs and small bushes will then move in adding more soil and nutrients
Finally…A climax community will develop which has conifers, pines and firs (evergreen forest) OR maples, oaks, and beeches (deciduous forest)
-climax community will continue until a major change in a biotic or abiotic factor alters or destroys it
Ex. Fires, floods, disease, bug infestation
-succession will then start over again with pioneer organisms
Competition
- Members of the same and of different species in the same environment (habitat) will compete for limited resources
- The organism that is best adapted will then take over as the dominant organism in that niche
Niche - The role an organism has in the environment
Biomes
-various types of climax communities found on earth
Terrestrial biome - On land
- The type of biome is determined by the climate
- temperature, rainfall, solar radiation
Tundra - Frozen subsoil, lichens, mosses, grasses, caribou, snowy owl
Tiaga - Long cold winters, conifers, moose, blackbear
Temperate Deciduous Forest
- Moderate precip, cold winters, warm summers, leaves fall off in autumn, grey squirrel, fox, deer
Climates and biomes change with altitude and with latitude
Top of mountain in New York is like a tundra
Aquatic Biomes - Largest type on Earth
-70% of earth- Temperatures are quite stable and therefore have very stable ecosystems
- Factors such as amount of dissolved oxygen, amount of sunlight, and temperature affect what types of organisms live in aquatic biomes
Marine biomes - oceans- Most stable biome
- Absorb and hold lots of heat and thereby keep atmosphere relatively stable
- Nutrients and dissolved salts are fairly stable- Habitat for many diverse organisms
- Most organisms live near coast because photosynthesis won’t happen where ocean is to deep
Freshwater biome
-ponds, lakes, streams, rivers
- Vary in size, temp, velocity of current, amount of dissolved gases, rate of succession - Small ponds and streams will eventually turn into terrestrial climax communities
Human Impact on Living Environment
Overhunting - Has caused extinction of dodo bird and carrier pigeon
- Some countries continue to hunt endangered species like the blue whale
Importation of Exotic Species
- Humans continually bring organisms from other areas into new ecosystems
- The imported species often have no natural enemies and cause disruption to an ecosystem
Snakehead fish Zebra mussels
Purple loosestrife
Exploitation - Using flora or fauna for their products or as pets-elephant and walrus for ivory
- Parrot for a pet
Poor Land Management- Caused by increased population and urbanization
Overcropping - Draining land of needed mineralsOvergrazing
Non use of covercrops - Allows depletion of topsoil
- If bad enough can lead to starvation – N. Africa
Loss of Biodiversity - As more organisms go extinct the ecosystems they live in become less healthy
Deforestation - Cutting of valuable ecosystems to make room for housing, retail and agriculture
Population Explosion- earth’s population is growing rapidly
Why?
- Few natural checks ( no major diseases wipe us out )Industrialization
- Move toward an industry based society
- Causes high demand for limited natural resources
Technological Oversights- Lead to unplanned consequences
Environmental Pollutants Natural - Volcanic eruptions, forest fires, pollen
- Can cause climate and weather changes
Human pollutants - Appear to have greatly disturbed the environmental equilibrium
Pollutants include solids, liquids, gases, organisms, and energy ( heat, light, sound, radiation )
Water Pollution
Major pollutants include:
Heat - From utilities, industries, and nuclear power plants
Sewage - Home industry and farm waste
Chemicals - Phosphates (detergents and fertilizers)
Heavy metals - used in industry
PCB’s - Carcinogenic manufacturing wastes
Oil Spills
Air Pollution
- Car, factory wastes
Major Pollutants include
1. Carbon Monoxide and Carbon Dioxide
2. Hydrocarbons
3. Particulates
- Nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxides combine with water to make acid rain
Biocides - Pesticides and herbicides
- DDT used in 60’s and 70’s messed up bald eagle and peregrine falcon populations causing them to become endangered
- Can cause cancer
Disposal Problems- Where do wastes go
- In past not much thought was given to disposal, creating problems like love canal
Global Impact-humans in one country can cause detrimental effects to another
Acid Rain - Wastes from Midwest industries and cars pollute air and fall as acid rain in Adirondack Mountains
- When to acidic animals and plants can not survive
Global Warming- Carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases trap heat in the atmosphere
Why worry? 1. Flooding on coastlines2. Saltwater contamination of coastal drinking water
5. More hurricanes
3. Coastal ecosystem damage
4. Changes in precipiation patterns
6. Food production problems
7. Serious loss of biodiversity
Global Cooling- Dust and other particles in air could cause temperature of Earth to go down and cause and Ice Age
Ozone Depletion- Ozone shield is stratosphere blocks harmful UV rays
- UV rays cause mutations and skin cancer
- As ozone sheild gets destoryed by aerosal’s like freon more UV radiation gets through
Individual choices and societal actions that have improved the environment
Population controls
- Countries have enacted laws, provided family planning and education for their populations
- Still a major problem in 3rd world countries
Conservation - Reforestation efforts
- Cover cropping
- Water conservation
- Recycling laws
-biodegradable packaging
- Benefits the environment, economy, employment, industry and government
Species Preservation - Habitat protection
- Wildlife management
Biological Controls - Using sex hormones to attract insect pests- Using natural pesticides