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Transcript
Ecology And the Human Interaction with the environment Levels of Interaction Species – a group of organisms that can breed and produce fertile offspring Population – a group of organisms/ individuals of the same species that live in the same area. Communities – assemblages of different populations that live together in a defined area. Interactions con’t Ecosystem – biotic and abiotic factors together in one area (biotic – living factors) (abiotic – temp, amount of light, amount of water, nutrients available, etc) Biome – a group of ecosystems that have the same climate and dominant communities Ex. Tundra, taiga, rainforest, desert, deciduous forest What shapes and ecosystem Biotic vs abiotic – together these factors determine the survival growth of an organism and the productivity of the ecosystem in which the organism lives. The area they live is its habitat. Niche – the full range of physical and biological conditions in which an organism uses those conditions. (an organisms job in the environment.) Population Growth Factors that effect population growth Birth Death Immigration emmigration Exponential growth Occurs when the individuals in a population reproduce at a constant rate. Under ideal conditions with unlimited resources, a population will grow exponentially. Logistic Growth When resources become less available the growth of a population slows or stops. The number of organisms the environment can support is called the carrying capacity If a population exceeds the carrying capacity significantly the population will collapse. Biodiversity The sum total of the genetically based variety of all organisms in the biosphere. Biodiversity in one of Earth’s greatest natural resources. Species of many kinds have provided us with many kinds of foods, medicines, industrial products, etc. The more biodiversity in an area, the more stable the area. Community Interactions Competition Predation Symbiosis Mutualism Commensalism Parasitism Energy Flow We have a constant input of energy from the sun – This is the main energy source for all life on Earth. Autotrophs/ producers – use solar/ light/ inorganic energy and convert is to organic compounds. Photosynthesis/ chemosynthesis Consumers Heterotrophs Herbivores – eat only plant material Carnivores – eat only animals Omnivores – eat both plant and animals Detritivores – eat the remains and other dead matter Decomposers – break down organic material Feeding relationships Energy flows through an ecosystem in one direction from the sun to autotrophs and then to heterotrophs. Food chains Food webs Trophic levels – pyramid with autotrophs at the bottom Ecological pyramids Energy pyramid Biomass pyramid Pryamid of numbers Cycles of matter Water cycle Evaporation, transpiration/ root uptake Condensation/ precipitation/ runoff/ seepage Nutrient cycles Carbon Cycle Photosynthesis/ respiration Nitrogen cycle Nitrogen fixation/ denitrification Phosphorous cycle Nutrient limitation Primary productivity – rate at which organic matter is created by producers This rate is effected by the amount of available nutrients (if in short demand growth is limited) – thereby becoming a limiting factor When an ecosystem receives a large input of a limiting nutrient (ie fertilized field runoff into streams) can cause and immediate increase in populations (ie – algal blooms, red tides) Succession Ecosystems are constantly changing in response to natural and human disturbances. As an ecosystem changes, older inhabitants gradually die out and new organisms move in, causing further changes in the community. Primary succession – no soil exists to start Pioneer species – mosses and lichens (helps build up soils) Secondary succession A disturbance or change without removing the soil – like a wildfire and plowed land. Grasses Shrubs Small trees Forest (can take over ponds into land) The role of climate Weather is the day to day condition of the Earth’s atmosphere at a particular time and place Whereas climate refers to the average, year after year conditions of temperature and precipitation in a particular region. The effect of latitude on climate/ heat transport As a result of differences in latitude and thus the andgle of heating, Earth has three main climate zones; polar, temperate and tropical. Heat transport Ocean currents Wind patterns – trade winds and such Biomes Climate vs microclimate Major biomes – Aquatic ecosystems Freshwater ecosystems Flowing water ecosystems Standing water ecosystems Freshwater wetlands Biomes Estuaries Wetlands formed where rivers meet the seas Salt marshes are dominated by salt tolerant grasses above the tide line and by seagrasses underwater. Marine ecosystems Photic zone Aphotic zone Intertidal zone Costal ocean Coral reef Human threats to the Environment Overpopulation! Global Warming Hole in the Ozone Acid Rain Decrease in Biodiversity Treating renewable resources as non renewable resources. Foreign/ non native species Insecticides/ biomaginification What can we do?