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ECOSYSTEMS & SUSTAINABILITY
ECOSYSTEMS
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Consider a moose in the woods, moving through spaces
between trees
The moose feeds on shrubs, trees and aquatic plants
around a small pond
A beaver dam has formed the small pond
The animals, plants and pond water are all part of a
complex system of living and non-living things
ECOSYSTEMS
This complex system, made up of groups of living
organisms and their non-living physical and
chemical environment, is called an ecosystem
 The components of an ecosystem are interrelated,
which means that changes in one component can
affect other components
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Add to
definitions
ECOSYSTEM
- All the living organisms in an area and their nonliving environment
- Interrelated – changes in one affects the others
ECOSYSTEMS
For example, when a forest is cut down, the trees
that were once home to insects, birds, and
squirrels are no longer there
 The animals will need to find a new place to live
 Ecology is the study of how organisms interact
with each other as well as with their
Add to
environment
definitions
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ECOLOGY
- The study of how organisms interact with each
other and their environment
ECOSYSTEMS
Practice:
1. Which of the are considered to be an ecosystem?
Explain your reasoning.
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
Pond
School yard
All of the cats in your neighbourhood
Tree
Vase of cut flowers
Yes
No
No
Yes
No
LIVING & NON-LIVING FACTORS
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Living organisms in an ecosystem
are biotic factors.
Biotic factors include organisms,
their waste, their homes, and their
remains.
 Insects, fungi, beavers, moose
droppings and shrubs are all biotic
Add to
factors
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definitions
BIOTIC FACTORS
- All living things and their remains
- Insects, feces, nests, milk…..
LIVING & NON-LIVING FACTORS
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The non-living features of an ecosystem
are abiotic factors.
This not only includes physical things
such as rocks, air and water but also
things that are measured like
temperature, hours of daylight and
saltwater concentrations
ABIOTIC FACTORS
- The non-living chemical and physical
characteristics of an ecosystem
- Temperature, wind, water, minerals….
LIVING & NON-LIVING FACTORS
NOTE!
It is the interactions of the biotic AND abiotic
elements that help keep ecosystems healthy and
sustainable
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PRACTICE
2.
Classify each of the following as either a biotic or
abiotic feature
a)
Temperature abiotic
Wind abiotic
Sunlight abiotic
Dead leaves biotic
Spiders biotic
Sand abiotic
Milk biotic
Hair biotic
Ice abiotic
plastic abiotic
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
g)
h)
i)
j)
PRACTICE
3. “Human activities change only the biotic features of
an ecosystem.” Is this statement true or false?
Explain why or why not.
False – we change both our abiotic environment (building, mining
etc) and biotic environment (hunting, fishing…) – both of which
affect the ecosystem
4. People living in northern environments are more
likely to suffer from seasonal affective disorder
(SAD), which is a form of depression associated with
low winter light levels. How is SAD an example of
the relationship between biotic and abiotic parts of
an ecosystem?
SAD is a form of depression (a biotic factor) associated with low light
levels (an abiotic factor)
POPULATIONS & COMMUNITIES
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In most ecosystems, there are many different species
A species is a group of similar organisms in an
ecosystem
Members of the same species that live in the same
ecosystem are a population
all the populations of different organisms in an area
form a community
NOTE:
Biodiversity is a term used to express the number of
different types of organisms in an area. Typically, the
more organisms there are, the healthier the
environment
POPULATIONS & COMMUNITIES
For example, the diagram below shows how ecosystems
are composed of individual organisms, populations,
communities and the physical surroundings in which
communities of organisms live
POPULATIONS & COMMUNITIES
SPECIES
- Group of similar organisms
POPULATION
- Members of the same species that live in the same
ecosystem
COMMUNITY
- All living organisms, from all populations, that live in
the same ecosystem
BIODIVERSITY
- Number of different organisms in an area
PRACTICE
5.
Does a population include abiotic features, biotic
features or both? Explain your choice.
Biotic (living) features only – species that live in the
same ecosystem
6.
Would you consider a large city to be a population or
a community? Explain your choice.
Community – all living organisms that live in the same
ecosystem (i.e. humans, cats, dogs, rats….)
DIFFERENCES IN ECOSYSTEMS
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Ecosystems are highly variable
They can differ dramatically in
size and in their biotic and
abiotic features
We generally think of an
ecosystem as a fairly large area,
such as a forest or lake
On a much smaller scale, the
community of bacteria and fungi
living in a rotting log is an
ecosystem.
Large ecosystems may include
many smaller ecosystems
DIFFERENCES IN ECOSYSTEMS
Whatever the size, every
ecosystem is characterized
by a distinctive set of
features
 For example. You could
describe a beaver pond
ecosystem by its organisms
or by its physical
characteristics, such as the
temperature range, or
water depth
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CHECK YOUR LEARNING…..
It would be a
good idea to
write these
down…..
1.
What abiotic factors may affect the growth of an
oak tree in an Ontario forest?
water, sunlight, temperature, pollution…..
2.
A stream is an aquatic ecosystem, but it can
also be part of a forest ecosystem at the same
time. Explain how this is possible.
it contains all of the living organisms in the
stream (fish , frogs etc.) and their non-living
environment (rocks, water….) but the stream
itself is part of a much larger forest ecosystem
(deer, trees, mountain….)
TEXTBOOK
Read pages 32 – 35, answers questions #1-7
SUSTAINABILITY
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Recap…… what happened on Easter Island?
SUSTAINABILITY
Sustainability is the ability to maintain natural
ecological conditions without interruptions,
weakening, or loss of value.
 However, many human activities often change
the biotic and abiotic features of an ecosystem
which can render a previously sustainable
ecosystem unstainable
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Add to
definitions….
SUSTAINABILITY
- The ability to maintain an ecological balance
SUSTAINABILITY
NOTE!
- Many cultures, especially those
with a history of living close to
the land, hold a deep respect for
the natural world
- For example, Cree and other
First Nations teach that the
members of each generation
must be careful stewards (or
caretakers) of the Earth to
ensure its survival for future
generations
- For this to be possible, the
natural environment must be
used in a sustainable way
FACTORS AFFECTING SUSTAINABILITY
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Human actions, such as cutting down trees or
introducing different plant species, can change an
ecosystem.
Oil spilled into an ocean can harm marine ecosystems
Natural events, such as forest fires or floods, can also
drastically change an ecosystem
Ecosystems may be able to recover from changes
Depending on the kind of change, recovery could take
from just a few years to thousands of years
FACTORS AFFECTING SUSTAINABILITY
SUSTAINABILITY FACTORS
- Human actions (cutting down trees, oil spill….)
- Natural events (forest fire, flood….)
NOTE!
The rate of recovery depends on the severity of
the change
MANAGING SUSTAINABILITY
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Keeping ecosystems sustainable means that if we cut
down trees, we must replace them by planting new
seedlings
We must limit the number of fish and other species
we take from the oceans so that their populations can
be maintained at an appropriate level
People must also respect biotic and abiotic features of
ecosystems to minimize our impact on the
environment
MANAGING SUSTAINABILITY
MAINTAINING SUSTAINABILITY
- Respect the environment in order to minimize
our impact:
Plant new trees
- Set limits on fish
- …….
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THE IMPORTANCE OF SUSTAINABILITY
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Humans are affected by and influence ecosystems
around them.
We use the resources around us to maintain an
economy
In Northern Ontario, the economy is based on forestry
and mining, which the economy of Southern Ontario
is based on manufacturing and agriculture
Tourism is important to much of the province
THE IMPORTANCE OF SUSTAINABILITY
Practice
1.
2.
Good idea
to write
these
down….
What would happen if forests in Ontario were
damaged or destroyed?
Catastrophic effect on ecosystem
Economic disaster in the forestry industry
Why is it important to protect natural
resources?
so that they are there for future generations
(sustainability)
NATURAL & ARTIFICIAL ECOSYSTEMS
Most natural ecosystems are sustainable
 Natural ecosystems occur in nature where
there is little human influence
 a remote forest and a coral reef are both natural
ecosystems that may have almost no human
influence
 A national park, on the other hand, is a ntural
ecosystem that is protected by humans
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NATURAL ECOSYSTEMS
- Ecosystem in which organisms are free to
interact with the physical and chemical
environment
- Remote forest, coral reef, national park…
NATURAL & ARTIFICIAL ECOSYSTEMS
Other ecosystems are artificially created and
maintained by human actions
 To create an artificial ecosystem, like an urban
park or farm, desired plants and animal are
introduced and maintained
 Artificial ecosystems are not usually sustainable
 They require management to maintain the biotic
and abiotic features deemed desireable
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NATURAL & ARTIFICIAL ECOSYSTEMS
ARTIFICIAL ECOSYSTEM
- Ecosystem planned and maintained by humans
- Park, farm, garden…..
ACTIVITY : BIOSPHERE II
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In groups
Read your portion of the article
 Summarize on a piece of chart paper
 Nominate somebody from your group to present
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FARMING
GREENERY
“OCEAN”
FRUIT TREES
DESERT
LIVING QUARTERS
CHECK YOUR UNDERSTANDING
1.
What are the characteristics of a sustainable
ecosystem?
an environment where populations of plants,
animals and other living organisms can
continue to interact and reproduce indefinitely
CHECK YOUR LEARNING…
1.
Textbook (if not completed previously)
- read pages 32-35, answer #1-7
2. Silence of the Frogs (handout)