Download Unit 3 Sustainable Ecosystems

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Unit 3 Sustainable Ecosystems
Day 1 : Using the powerpoint presentation complete the following introductory worksheet
1. Ecology -
The study of how organisms interact with their _______________ and _______________
2. Ecosystem - All of the __________________ parts of a biological community and its physical environment
within a specific area. It can be ________________or _______________, and temporary or
permanent.
3. Producer -
Organisms capable of making their own food from: ________, __________ & __________
4. Consumer - Organisms that must eat ___________________________ for food
5. Types of Consumers
a. Herbivore
An organism that eats __________________________ as ___% or more of its diet
b. Carnivore
An organism that eats ________________________ as ____% or more of its diet
c. Omnivore
Organisms that eat a mixture of fresh ____________ & ______________ materials
6a. Detritus - _______________ from plants and animals, including __________________________
6b. Decomposer -Organisms that consume ___________________
7. Pest - An organism that considered to be _________________ in a particular situation. e.g.
8. Food Chain -Sequence of organisms, one __________________ off another
9. Food Web - A pictorial representation of _______________________ among organisms in an ecosystem
10. Habitat -
Where an organism lives in its _____________________
11. Niche -
Everything an organism does to ________________ & ______________________
12. Species -
A group of organisms that ___________ in the natural world and produce fertile __________
13a. Biotic factors
The part of the environment that is _____________ or was once ________________
eg,
13b. Abiotic factors -
The part of the environment that was never __________________
eg.
14. Population - All of the members of one _________________ living in an area
15. Community - All of the different __________________ in an ecosystem
16. Ecotones - The _______________________ area between one ecosystem and another ecosystem
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Sustainable Ecosystems
-
an ecosystem that is capable of withstanding ____________ and giving __________ to a variety of
organisms
Sustainability
-
The ability to maintain ecological processes _______________________________________
__________________of an ecosystem is the ability of that ecosystem to maintain its _____________and
_____________________ over time in the face of external stress.
Biodiversity
-
The term “biodiversity” is a contraction of the phrase “_____________ _______________”.
Biodiversity means the richness and variety of life – of ___________, _________and______________.
The biodiversity of an ecosystem contributes to the _______________ of that ecosystem.
Higher/more biodiversity = ____________sustainable
Lower/less biodiversity = _____________ sustainable
High biodiversity in an ecosystem means that there is a great variety of _________and ___________ in
that ecosystem
Ecosystems – 2 Types
Terrestrial Ecosystems
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
___________________
Aquatic Ecosystems
____________________
____________________
____________________
____________________
____________________
Parts of an Ecosystem
-
biotic - the _________parts of an ecosystem ; The biotic parts of an ecosystem include plants, animals,
and micro-organisms
Biotic Interactions
-
#1.Decomposing plant and animal materials including their dead bodies as well as their wastes.
_____________ and _____________ living in the ecosystem help to break down the materials and recycle
these materials back to the plants.
-
#2.Disease which is the result if infection by _____________, ______________ and ________________.
Disease is an important biotic factor because it tends to reduce the number of organisms within the
community.
-
#3.Predator/prey interactions which helps to limit the size of populations within an ecosystem. A
__________________is an animal that kills and eats another animal for food. The __________is the
hunted animal. An example is the lion and the zebra. When a lion kills a zebra for food, the lion helps to
prevent the overpopulation of the zebra. If the number of zebra declines too much the lion will starve.
There is a balance between the number of predator and prey in any ecosystem.
-
#4.Competition which is a struggle for survival that occurs between two organisms either of the same or
different species. Birds often compete for nesting space. Lions and hyenas compete for common prey such
as antelope
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BIOTIC RELATIONSHIPS IN THE ENVIRONMENT
ENVIRONMENTAL
RELATIONSHIPS
ABIOTIC
BIOTIC
FACTORS
FACTORS
SYMBIOSIS
Parasitism
COMPETITION
Mutualism
PREDATOR-PREY
RELATIONSHIP
Commensalism

Symbiosis - a relationship in which two organisms of different species 'live together' for a period of time

Parasitism - a form of
in which one organism derives nutrients from the
second organism which suffers some harm but is usually not
(e.g. A tick is the
that feeds off a dog which is the
.)
- other examples include ________________________________________________________________
Mutualism - a form of symbiosis in which both organisms
each other (e.g.

) ; other examples include ____________________________________________

Commensalism - a form of symbiosis in which one organism helps the other organism, but there is no
nor harm done in return (e.g. A clown fish lives inside a sea anemone and is protected by
it. The sea anemone derives no benefit nor harm from the relationship.); other examples include
__________________________________________________________________________________________

Predator / Prey Relationships – the relationship in which one organism (predator) hunts and eats another (
) (e.g.
)

Competition – a relationship where two types of organisms compete for the same resource such as food,
,
(e.g. sheep and kangaroos compete for grass)
Watch video : how stuff works : The Web of Life: Symbiosis : Give examples below
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
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Day 2
Abiotic : the non-living parts an ecosystem
-
The abiotic parts of an ecosystem include_____________, __________, __________, ___________, and _____
Abiotic Characteristics






Space - or territory is needed to insure adequate resources for_____, _____, shelter, and mates.
Temperature - affect organisms. It may determine if whether or not an organism can live in a certain
area, that is, if it can tolerate the temperatures. It can also determine how well organisms seek out and
digest food once it is in their bodies.
Oxygen -is needed by organisms so that their cells can release energy from food. Organisms that live on
land obtain oxygen from the atmosphere as they breath (usually with lungs). Organisms that live in water
generally have gills and obtain oxygen which is ____________in the water.
Sunlight -is the ultimate source of energy for all green plants which in turn provide the resources for other
living things (in most ecosystems). Light also affects the development and behavior of many organisms.
Water - is necessary for all life. The ability to find water, to maintain water balance, and to conserve water
will help determine the habitat range for each species.
Soil Nutrients - include minerals such as_______________,______________ , potassium, magnesium
and a host of other minerals derived from rocks as well as decaying dead plants and animals.
Watch videos how stuff works : Make notes below
1.
Environment of Organisms: Abiotic and Biotic Factors
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
2.
Organisms in Their Environment: Ecology
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Ecology ( continued )





all members of the same species living in the same ecosystem or habitat are referred to as a ___________
all the populations of all the species in an ecosystem or habitat are called the _____________________
an organism can move back and forth between ecosystems because ecosystems do not have sharp
boundaries
there is a transition area between ecosystems, called ________________ in which organisms from both
ecosystems interact
the ecotones contain greater ____________________ (more species) than either ecosystem
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COMPARING NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL ECOSYSTEMS
Use the pictures on page 28 of your text, along with the tables showing values for abiotic and biotic
factors on page 29.
Question
Artificial Ecosystem
Natural Ecosystem
1. List the abiotic factors
common to both areas.
2. List some of the plants
found in the area.
3. Why would goldenrod be
found in the natural
ecosystem? Why would
it not be found in the
artificial ecosystem?
4. What is the major factor
which determines the
type of plants which are
found in each area?
5. Name the major animal
species found in each
area.
(see chart pg 29 + pictures)
6. Why would there be
more beetles and
spiders in the meadow
than in the city park?
7. Describe and account for
the differences in
temperatures between
the two areas.
8. Account for the
differences in nitrogen
and phosphorus levels in
the two areas.
9. Compare the soil litter
in each area and suggest
reasons for the
difference.
10. What is the role of the
human in maintaining
each ecosystem?
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Easter Island
Easter Island:
One of the world's most famous yet least visited archaeological sites, Easter Island is a small, hilly, now treeless
island of volcanic origin. Located in the Pacific Ocean at 27 degrees south of the equator and some 2200 miles
(3600 kilometers) off the coast of Chile, it is considered to be the world’s most remote inhabited island. Sixty-three
square miles in size and with three extinct volcanoes (the tallest rising to 1674 feet), the island is, technically
speaking, a single massive volcano rising over ten thousand feet from the Pacific Ocean floor. The oldest known
traditional name of the island is Te Pito o Te Henua, meaning ‘The Center (or Navel) of the World.’ In the 1860’s
Tahitian sailors gave the island the name Rapa Nui, meaning ‘Great Rapa,’ due to its resemblance to another island
in Polynesia called Rapa Iti, meaning ‘Little Rapa’. The island received its most well known current name, Easter
Island, from the Dutch sea captain Jacob Roggeveen who became the first European to visit Easter Sunday, April 5,
1722.
In brief, the prehistory of Easter Island is one of supreme accomplishment, flourishing and civilization, followed by
environmental devastation and decline. Although it is not agreed when people first arrived on Easter Island (with
estimates ranging from several hundred to more than one thousand years ago), consensus seems to be that the
first peoples arrived from Polynesia. Rather than being inhabited by mistake or chance, evidence has suggested
that Easter Island was colonized deliberately by large boats with many settlers -- a remarkable feat given the
distance of Easter Island from any other land in the Pacific Ocean.
The first islanders found a land of undoubted paradise -- archaeological evidence shows that the island was covered
in trees of various sorts, including the largest palm tree species in the world, whose bark and wood furnished the
natives with cloth, rope, and canoes. Birds were abundant as well, and provided food
for them. A mild climate favored an easy life, and abundant waters yielded fish and oysters.
The islanders prospered due to these advantages, and a reflection of this is the religion which sprouted in their
leisure, which had at its centerpiece the giant moai, or heads, that are the island's most distinctive feature today.
These moai, which the island is littered with, are supposed to have been depictions of ancestors, whose presence
likely was considered a blessing or watchful safekeeping eye over each small village. The ruins of Rano Raraku
crater, the stone quarry where scores if not hundreds of moai sit today, is a testament to how central these figures
were to the islanders, and how their life revolved around these creations. It has been suggested that their isolation
from all other peoples fueled this outlet of trade and creativity -- lacking any other significant way to direct their
skills and resources. The birdman culture (seen in petroglyphs), is an obvious testament to the islanders' fascination
with the ability to leave their island for distant lands. However, as the population grew, so did pressures on the
island's environment. Deforestation of the island's trees gradually increased, and as this main resource was
depleted, the islanders would find it hard to continue making rope, canoes, and all the necessities to hunt and fish,
and ultimately, support the culture that produced the giant stone figureheads. Apparently, disagreements began to
break out (with some violence) as confidence in the old religion was lost, and is reflected partly in the ruins of moai
which were deliberately toppled by human hands. By the end of the glory of the Easter Island culture, the
population had crashed in numbers, and the residents -- with little food or other ways to obtain sustenance -resorted sometimes to cannibalism and a bare subsistence. Subsequent raids by powers such as Peru and Bolivia
devastated the population even more, until only a few hundred native Rapa Nui were left by the last century.
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Today, Rapa Nui National Park is on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Its residents rely much on the tourism and
economic links to Chile and daily flights to Santiago. As with many native peoples, the Rapa Nui seek a link to their
past and how to integrate their culture with the political, economic, and social realities of today.
Easter Island features a sub-tropical climate influenced by winds and ocean currents, and an annual average
temperature of 20°Celsius. In the summer, the maximum temperature may reach 28°Celsius and the minimum may
fall to 15°C. February is the hottest month, whereas in winter (June to August), temperatures range between 14°C
and 22°C. On the island, rain falls steadily throughout the year, although showers are only sporadic and last a
short time. May is the month with the heaviest rainfall.
Learning Check
1.
Where did name Easter Island come from?
2.
What is the evidence is there that this once was a very flourishing ecosystem?
3.
Describe the ways in which the people’s use of trees on Easter Island was unsustainable.
4.
What is the two-part meaning of the word sustain?
Watch on youtube : Easter Island part 1 and 2 : make notes below
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Day 3 The Sustainability of the Ecosystem
Population (Reference pages 18 – 20)
Case of the Sea Otters
The story of the sea otters, page 18, shows how a change in a population in one part of a food web affects
the populations in other parts of the food web.
1.
What was the original cause of the decline in the population of the sea otters?
2.
How did the subsequent decrease in sea lions affect the populations in the food web?
3.
What two changes cause the population size of each species to be continuously adjusted?
Worksheets : Sustainable Ecosystems
________ is the study of ecosystems. An ________________is a group of organisms that interact with one
another and their environment (i.e. lake, forest, park, the prairies, jungle, field, etc.).
Ecosystems get their energy from the sun. ( pg 34 )
In an ecosystem we have:
1) ________________ – produce their own food from the sun
e.g. green plant
2) ________________– organisms that consume other organisms for food e.g. bear, human
3 types:
1.____________: only eats plants
e.g. grasshopper, cow
2.___________: only eat meat
e.g. coyote, wolf, lions
3.____________: eats both plants and meat e.g. human, bear, raccoons, chickens
3) _____________________– organism that breaks down decaying material e.g. maggots, worms, bacteria
FOOD CHAINS
Food Chains – a linear representation of feeding relationships
e.g
Sun
Grass
(producer)
Chicken
(primary
consumer)
= the transfer of energy
Human
(secondary
consumer)
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Trophic Levels – the organisms “feeding” level on the food chain
− shows how energy is moved through the ecosystem
First Trophic
Second Trophic
Level
Level
PRODUCER
PRIMARY(1st order)
(plant)
CONSUMER
(herbivores)
Grass
Third Trophic
Fourth Trophic
Level
Level
SECONDARY(2nd order) TERTIARY(3rd order)
CONSUMER
CONSUMER
(carnivore)
(top carnivore)
Caterpillar
Robin
Owl
FOOD WEB - a series of interconnected food ________________
Example of a food web
HAWK
BOBCAT
WEASEL
FROG
MOUSE
GRASSHOPPER
SEEDS
VOLE
GRASS
Identify an autotroph
Identify a primary consumer
Identify a secondary consumer
Identify a tertiary consumer
Identify an organism at the fourth trophic level [show how it is at this level]
Identify a decomposer
Identify an omnivore
FALLEN LEAVES
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INTERACTIONS WITHIN FOOD WEBS
HAWK
BOBCAT
WEASEL
MOUSE
FROG
GRASSHOPPER
SEEDS
VOLE
GRASS FALLEN LEAVES
Explain, what would be the effect on grasshoppers of fewer leaves
Explain what would be the effect on bobcats of fewer grasshoppers
Explain what would be the effect on hawk of fewer bobcats.
Explain what would be the effect on voles of fewer hawks
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Name: ___________________________ Date: _____________________
ENERGY IN ECOSYSTEMS
Refer to p.32-33 in Nelson Science 10
The source of all __________________ for ecosystems is the ______________.
Figure 1: Of the energy that penetrates into the lower atmosphere; ________________ is reflected by clouds or
the Earth's surface. The remaining 70%: ____________________ the atmosphere and the Earth’s surface (
______ %); heats; and ____________________ water ( ______%) and 0.023% is used by
____________________________________ for photosynthesis.
ENERGY MOVEMENT IN ECOSYSTEMS
Refer to p.34-39 in Nelson Science 10
Food chains and food webs show how ________________________ is passed through an ecosystem.
The most stable ecosystems, those with the greatest ____________________, have ____________________ and
____________________food webs. However, when ____________________ factors limit the number of
organisms, the webs look more like food chains. In the Arctic, there is limited biodiversity because there is less
____________________ from the Sun and temperatures are low. Therefore, producers cannot
____________________ as rapidly as they do in the south. Less energy is ____________________, so fewer
organisms can live in that ecosystem. This makes the ecosystem more vulnerable.
LIMITS ON ENERGY TRANSFER
Every time energy is ____________________ within an ecosystem, some of the energy ____________________
form. For example, some of the energy from the Sun is converted into chemical energy by plants as they
photosynthesize. Animals, in turn, rely on the ____________________ energy (food) produced by plants.
However, not all of the ____________________ energy that a plant creates can ____________________ the
animal that eats it. The plant uses most of the energy to ____________________ and to ____________________
the ____________________ it needs to grow. Once an animal takes chemical energy from a plant, it doesn't store
it all. Most of that energy is ____________________ to move, ____________________ , keep
____________________ and manufacture the ____________________ it needs to carry out its own life processes.
 Complete the following diagram; showing energy flow and loss in a food chain.
Producer
Herbivore
Carnivore
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Day 4
BIOMES OF CANADA
1. Read section 3.8 Major Biomes of Canada, page 77 to 85.
2. Use Fig. 3-11 on page 77 to list and identify those biomes found in Canada. Using pencil crayons, colour each
biome a different colour and draw a legend in order to identify each biome.
3. Using the information form the above reading, summarize in point form the abiotic and biotic (plants and
animal) for each of the biomes found in Canada. Use the chart provided to record this information.
CANADIAN BIOMES
Fill in the following table for each of the biomes based on the information in the textbook, p.88-93.
BIOME
TUNDRA
BOREAL FOREST
TEMPERATE
DECIDUOUS
FOREST
GRASSLAND
HEAT/LIGHT
MOISTURE
PLANTS
(examples)
ANIMALS
(examples)
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1.
a) Which biome receives the most sunlight/heat?
b) Which biome receives the most rain?
c) How does this affect the biodiversity of plant and animal life found there?
2.
a) Which biome receives the least sunlight/heat?
b) Which biome receives the least amount of rainfall?
c) How does this affect the biodiversity of plant and animal life found there?
3.
Answer questions on p. 93 (1-8)
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Watch animation ; teachers domain : biomes
What factors determine what biome a region of the world belongs to?
Compare and contrast the tundra and the desert. How are they similar and how are they different?
How does a biome differ from a habitat?
In what biome do you live? In what ways has your community adapted to living in this environment?
Can you think of examples of other locations in the world for each type of biome?
Pg 122 ( 1-5)
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Cycling of Matter and Earths spheres

____________________ the regions of Earth where living organisms exist
Earths spheres



__________________ ( outer layer ) the hard part of Earth’s surface; extends 100 km down from the
surface(50 to 150 in thickness
_______________________all the water found on Earth, including lakes, oceans, and ground water
_____________________the layer of gases above Earth’s surface- made up of ____ nitrogen and ____
oxygen and other gases such as ________________________; acts like a blanket for
_____________________; blocks out _______________ radiation
Watch on youtube : The HoloGlobe Project
Levels of Organization in Ecology
_________________
– an individual living thing that is made of cells, uses energy, reproduces, responds, grows,
and develops
_____________
– a group of organisms, all of one species, which interbreed and live in the same place at
the same time
Biological_________– all the populations of different species that live in the same place at the same time
_______________
– populations of plants and animals that interact with each other in a given area and with
the abiotic components of that area
_____________
_– the portion of Earth that supports life
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Day 5 Cycling of Nutrients
Nutrients are chemicals that are needed by living things and are continually cycled through ecosystems. Examples
of nutrients include water, carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus.
Watch youtube video : What is the water cycle?
Label the terms below on the diagram above
Accumulation - the process in which water pools in large bodies (like oceans, seas and lakes).
Condensation - the process in which water vapor (a gas) in the air turns into liquid water. Condensing water
forms clouds in the sky. Water drops that form on the outside of a glass of icy water are condensed water.
(This term appears twice in the diagram.)
Evaporation - the process in which liquid water becomes water vapor (a gas). Water vaporizes from the
surfaces of oceans and lakes, from the surface of the land, and from melts in snow fields.
Precipitation - the process in which water (in the form of rain, snow, sleet, or hail) falls from clouds in the
sky.
Subsurface Runoff - rain, snow melt, or other water that flows in underground streams, drains, or sewers.
Surface Runoff - rain, snow melt, or other water that flows in surface streams, rivers, or canals.
Transpiration - the process in which some water within plants evaporates into the atmosphere. Water is first
absorbed by the plant's roots, then later exits by evaporating through pores in the plant.
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The Carbon Cycle(pg 62)
Watch video : how stuff works : The
Cycle Series: Exploring The Carbon Cycle
CYCLING OF MATTER IN ECOSYSTEMS
2.5 THE CARBON CYCLE
Refer to p.62-65 in Nelson Science 10
photosynthesis a process that changes solar energy into ___________energy
__________is the central player in photosynthesis, a process that is crucial to life on Earth. The terms
“chlorophyll” and “photosynthesis” are both built from ancient Greek words. Chloros means _______and
phyllon means _______Chlorophyll is a pigment that gives leaves their green colour.
Photo means__________, and synthesis means________ ___________. Photosynthesis refers to putting
something together using light
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_____________ is the key element for living things. During ____________________, plants use light energy to
combine ___________________ ______________ from the atmosphere and ______________________ from the
soil.
The photosynthesis reaction is:
Reactants
Products
____________ + ____________ + ____________  ____________ +____________
____________ + ____________ + ____________  ____________ + ____________
The opposite reaction to photosynthesis is ____________________ __________________ . In this reaction,
carbon is released back to the environment as carbon dioxide. The overall reaction for cellular respiration is:
Reactants
Products
____________ + ____________  ____________ + ____________
____________ + ____________  ____________ + ____________
Because photosynthesis and cellular respiration are ______________________ processes, and because carbon that
they use is repeatedly cycled through both processes, this relationship is often called the
_________________________________. This cycle is actually more complex than a simple exchange of carbon
dioxide. Most of the carbon that forms living things is returned to the atmosphere or water as
_______________________________ from _____________________________________ and when
________________________________________________________________. However, under certain conditions
the decay process is delayed and the organic matter may be converted into ______________________, or
_________________________________ such as coal, petroleum and natural gas. This carbon is then
______________________ to the cycle until it is released by processes such as ______________________ and
______________________, or by ____________________________________________. The burning process
(______________________) releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
When it is not in organic form, carbon can be found in three main reservoirs (storage areas): the
______________________, the ___________________, and the
__________________. Organic carbon is also held in reservoirs, the ______________
____________________________________________________________. However, all living things die, and
______________________ eventually returns the carbon to the cycle in inorganic form. One exception is
______________________, which store huge quantities of carbon in organic form. Carbon atoms remain locked
away in dead plant matter (______________________) for many years.
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Answer Understanding Concepts p.65 #1-6, 7a, c, d.
Carbon Cycle review
A. Air contains carbon in the form of carbon dioxide gas. Plants and algae use carbon dioxide to make
________which are energy-rich,carbon-containing compounds
B Organisms break down sugar molecules made by plants and algae to obtain energy for life and growth.
______________is released as a waste.
C. Burning fossil fuels and wood releases ________________into the atmosphere.
D. When organisms die, their carbon-containing molecules become part of the soil. These molecules are broken
down by fungi, bacteria, and other decomposers. During this decay process, ___________is released into the
air
E. Under certain conditions, the remains of some dead organisms may gradually be changed into ______
fuels, such as coal, gas, and oil. These carbon compounds are energy rich.
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Day 6 The Interaction of Living Things
MATERIALS:
2000 mL beaker
150 mL beaker
50 mL beaker
manganese dioxide powder
candle
scoopula
stopwatch
30% hydrogen peroxide
INQUIRY ACTIVITY
Relationship Between Chemical Reactions (Demo)
Demonstration 1: Place a candle on a 150 mL beaker and light. Cover the candle with a 2000 mL beaker and
start the stopwatch. Stop the timer when the candle is extinguished and record observations on the board.
Demonstration 2: Place about 15 mL 30% hydrogen peroxide in a 50 mL beaker. Add a very small amount of
manganese dioxide in the beaker and repeat Demonstration 1.
Hypothesis:
Design:
Independent Variable: ____________________________
Dependent Variable:
_____________________________
Controlled Variables:
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
Observations:
Experiment
1
2
Analysis and Conclusion:
Materials
candle
candle + hydrogen peroxide
Time (s)
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The Relationship Between Living Things
GOAL: To understand how plants and animal life are connected as part of a simple cycle.
KEY TERMS: Organic
Combustion
Inorganic
Photosynthesis
Cellular Respiration
BACKGROUND: Ecosystems are incredibly complex systems. All living things are composed of matter (atoms)
that move through food chains, but they must be constantly recycled back to the environment as waste products
or by decomposers. Organic substances are compounds that contain carbon, hydrogen and other atoms such
as oxygen and nitrogen. These are found in all living things. Inorganic substances do not contain carbon and
hydrogen together, such as water (H2O), carbon dioxide (CO2) and ammonia (NH3). Organic substances undergo
changes as they move through living things in an ecosystem and eventually return to the environment as inorganic
substances.
Studying ecosystems can be difficult, but by using carefully controlled experiments we can better understand how
living things are related. Joseph Priestley (1733-1804) was a famous chemist best known for his studies of gases.
He discovered oxygen using an experiment similar to one you have observed in class, as well as other gases such
as ammonia and carbon monoxide. Priestley also studied the relationship between living things and the gases he
discovered.
Priestley’s First Experiment: Priestley carried out an experiment with 2 sealed jars to study the relationship
between a burning candle and a plant (Figure 1). Examine the diagrams and answer the following questions on a
separate page.
`
A
B
a) Why did the candle in jar A go out after 3 minutes? _______________________________
b) Write a hypothesis (prediction and explanation) for what happened to the candle in jar B.
_________________________________________________________________________
c) Priestley observed that the candle in jar B burned for 5 minutes. What gas is produced by the plant?
_____________________________________________
d) What gases are produced by the burning candle? ____________________________________
e) Priestley was careful to control the variables he was not interested in. How would the time of burning be
affected by the following changes? Give a reason for each answer.
i) a larger bell jar was used (increased volume). ____________________________
ii) a larger candle was used ____________________________
iii) a larger plant was used _____________________________
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Priestley’s Second Experiment: Using three sealed jars, Priestley now studied the relationship between the
plant and two mice (Figure 2).
Both mice eventually died, but the mouse in jar E lived longer .
C
C
D
E
a) Why did the mouse in jar D die? ____________________________
b) Why did the mouse in jar E live longer?______________________________
c) After a long period of time, the plant in jar C appeared wilted and sickly. Write a possible explanation.
How could you test your hypothesis? ________________________________________________
d) In jar E, the mouse lived longer and the plant appeared healthier. What is a possible explanation for this
? ___________________________________________________________
e) To study living things, biologists often sacrifice the life of animals, particularly mice and rats. Do you
agree or disagree with using animals in experiments? Explain your reasoning.
___________________________________________________________________________________
We will now examine two processes that link plants and animals together.
Analysis Questions:
1. Which substances involved in photosynthesis and cellular respiration are organic? Which ones are inorganic
substances? _______________________ _____________________________
2. How is the candle in the first experiment and the mouse in the second experiment similar?
___________________________________________________________________________
3. One problem with space exploration is the need to bring oxygen for astronauts to breathe. How might
this problem be solved? ___________________________________________________
4. Within the biosphere, a balance between oxygen and carbon dioxide is maintained by the processes of
photosynthesis and cellular respiration.
Combustion also puts carbon dioxide and water into the
atmosphere. How could combustion affect this balance and how may ecosystems respond to this change?
______________________________________________________________________________________
Scientists often use living things in experiments. Write a set of rules that you would impose on scientists who
wished to use living things in experiments. __________________________________________________________
Learning Check
1.
What is chlorophyll?
2.
Write the word equation for photosynthesis. Indicate the source of each material.
3.
Given a diagram of a leaf, and label the stomata. If the stomata of a leaf are damaged, what are some
possible effects?
23
Day 7 The Nitrogen Cycle (66)
-
terrestrial ecosystem an ecosystem that is land-based - some soil bacteria convert nitrogen into
ammonium. Other types of soil bacteria convert the ammonium into_______. Plants absorb both forms of
nitrogen through their roots. Nitrogen is passed from one level of the food chain to the next as organisms
eat and then use nitrogen in their bodies.
-
aquatic ecosystems, cyanobacteria convert nitrogen into ammonium, which is then absorbed by plants.
Nitrogen, in the form of ammonium and nitrate, can also enter both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems
when humans fertilize soil. Bacteria, found on land and in water, convert nitrate back into nitrogen gas,
returning it to the atmosphere. As well, nitrogen is returned to the atmosphere during volcanic eruptions
and when fossil fuels are burned
THE NITROGEN CYCLE
Refer to p.66-69 in Nelson Science 10.
Life depends on the cycling of ______________________. Nitrogen atoms are required so that cells can make
______________________. Nitrogen is also required for the synthesis of deoxyribonucleic acids or DNA, the
______________________ material found in all living things. The movement of nitrogen through
______________________ , the soil, and the ______________________ is called the
__________________________________.
To be useful to organisms nitrogen must be supplied in another form the
____________________________________________ . Atmospheric nitrogen can be converted into nitrates, in a
process called _______________________________________. The first methods is _____________________, and
the second is _____________________ in the soil. ______________________ provides the majority of nitrates
found in ecosystems while ______________________ provides only a small amount.
Some bacteria that fix nitrogen live in the ______________________ and some in small lumps called
______________________ on the roots of legumes. Other bacteria convert ______________________, released
from decomposers, into nitrites and then still others convert nitrites into ______________________.
Denitrifying bacteria break nitrates down into ______________________, and the down further into
______________________ gas. The nitrogen gas is then released back into the atmosphere. This process is
called ______________________.
The Nitrogen Cycle ( pg 66 )



without nitrogen, life’s amino acids, proteins and nucleic acids could not be produced
N2 composes ___________ of the earth’s atmosphere but it is not a usable form for plants or animals
____________________(the nitrate ion) is the only form usable by living organisms
24
There are two ways atmospheric nitrogen (N2) can be converted into nitrates:
Lightning


causes nitrogen gas (N2) to react with _______________in the air to produce nitrates (NO3-)
the nitrates dissolve in water (rain), enter the soil and then the plants through their roots
Nitrogen fixation

nitrogen gas (N2) is converted (fixed) to NH3 by ________________living in the soil or some
plants
A __________________relationship is one where both organisms benefit, (the plant receives a suitable form of
nitrogen and the bacteria receive food).
Animals (consumers) obtain their source of nitrogen only through eating plants or other animals
Ammonification


as animals and plants die, decomposer bacteria convert protein and nucleic acids into ammonia
(NH3)
the nitrification bacteria then go to work reconverting the (NH 3) to (NO2-) and then to (NO3-)
Denitrification

bacteria convert nitrate, NO 3-, back to _____________________
Watch video : www.howstuffworks.com
The Cycle Series: Exploring the Nitrogen Cycle
Make notes below :
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
25
THE PHOSPHATE CYCLE ( pg 68 )
Phosphorus is a key element in cell ______________________, in molecules that help release chemical
______________________, in the making of the long molecules of DNA, and in the calcium phosphate of
______________________. Phosphorus tends to cycle in two ways: a long term cycle involving the
_________________________________ ______________________, and the short-tem cycle involving
_________________________________________.
Living things divert phosphates from the normal rock cycle. Phosphorus is found in ______________________ in
the form of _______________________________________ combined with a variety of elements. Phosphates are
soluble in water and can be dissolved out of rock. While dissolved, phosphates can be absorbed by
________________________ ______________________ and passed into food chains. If the phosphates are in
rock form, they can stay there for millions of years before they are dissolved by water. If phosphates are in living
things, decomposers can recycle phosphates in the wastes and dead material back to soil.
Nutrients
Nitrates and phosphates are both ______________________. Nutrients are ____________
_________________________________________________________________________. The cycling of carbon is
also essential to life. Without these nutrients, ecosystems would suffer. Unfortunately, a lot of human activities
affect these cycles.
26
Answer Understanding Concepts p.69 #1-4, 6-9.
27
Review Questions
1. What is a sustainable ecosystem?
2. Draw a flowchart to show how the collapse of the forest ecosystem on Easter Island affected the human
population that lived there.
3. Identify and describe three abiotic characteristics of ecosystems.
4. Give an example of how each characteristic could be affected by a human activity.
5. Draw the nitrogen cycle. Explain the role that bacteria play in this cycle.
6. How can scientific research influence society to push for change? Include specific examples in your answer.
7. Farmers, fertilizer companies, governments, and consumers all play a role in helping to reduce nutrient
pollution of aquatic ecosystems. List positive actions that each group could take.
28
Day 8
29
Name: ______________________________
AGRICULTURE AND NUTRIENT CYCLES
Date: ________________________
AGRICULTURE
Refer to p.70-71 in Nelson Science 10.
When we harvest crops, valuable __________________________ and __________________________ in these
plants are removed and do not return to the field or orchard. The diversion of nitrates and phosphates from the
local cycles would soon deplete the soil unless the farmer replaced the missing __________________________ .
__________________________ are materials used to restore nutrients and __________________________
production from the land. Fertilizers have to be used carefully, because nitrates may result in an
__________________________ in the amount of __________________________ in the soil. Changes in the
acidity can affect all __________________________ living in the soil, including decomposer bacteria. Changes in
pH can have a devastating effect on food production.
The accumulation of ________________________ and ________________________ fertilizers produces
an __________________________ problem. As spring runoff carries ________________________________ and
__________________________ to streams and lakes, the nutrients allow __________________________ to grow
more rapidly in what is called an __________________________. When die, bacteria use _____________ from
the water to decompose them. Because decomposers flourish in an environment with such an abundant
_________________________, _________________________ levels in lakes drop quickly, so
_________________________ and other animals begin to die. Dying animals only make the problem worse, as
_________________________ begin to _________________________ the matter from the dead fish, allow the
populations of _________________________ to grow even _________________________.
Nitrates present another problem. _________________________ convert nitrates into
_________________________. These are dangerous to animals that have haemoglobin in their blood, such as
__________________________________________________ . Nitrites can attack to the hemoglobin in blood,
reducing its ability to carry _________________________ to
_____________________________________________.

Answer Understanding Concepts p 71 #1-3, 5
30
-
eutrophication a process in which nutrient levels in aquatic ecosystems increase,leading to an increase in
the populations of primary producers
31
32
Day 9 QUALITATIVE WATER ANALYSIS LAB
Names:_______________________________
Data Table:
Solution Test
(+) Control Colour
(-) Control Colour
A
Nitrate
Dark red with precipitate
Iron
Phosphate
Chloride
Ammonia
Hard water
Sulfate
Chlorine
pH
Dark orange or purple
Blue solution
White precipitate
Dark orange precipitate
Blue solution
White precipitate
Yellow solution
Water Samples
B
C
D
E
F
Orange solution with pink and
little precipitate
Clear solution
Yellow solution
Clear solution
No precipitate
Purple solution
No precipitate
Clear solution
Discussion Questions:
1. Which three ions would you expect to find in a water sample collected during spring run off from a creek
running through farmland? What two types of ions would you expect to find in a water sample collected
from a body of water running through an industrial complex with many factories (note you didn’t test for
these)? [5 marks]
2. Which sample tested highly positive for the chloride ion?
Given that this sample contained bleach, what chemical in the bleach was a source of this chloride ion? [2
marks]
3. What are the two main minerals that are responsible for making water hard?
[2 marks]
4. A big house near the creek was undergoing extensive window cleaning. A heavy rainstorm washed some
of the cleaning fluid into the creek. What ion would test positive in that water sample? [1 mark]
5. Aquatic organisms have a pH range between 6 and 8 for survival. Was there any water sample that was
either highly acidic or alkaline that would prevent organisms from surviving in that environment? [1 mark]
6. In general make a statement about how the quality of the water can affect the overall health of an aquatic
ecosystem. [2 marks]
33
Government Initiatives: Science and Social Policy
Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement
-
In 1972, both Canada and the United States signed the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement “to restore
and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the waters of the Great Lakes Basin
Ecosystem.
Environmental Farm Plans
-
Farmers volunteer to be part of a program in which particular environmental impacts of a family’s farm are
examined. Then a plan to reduce some of these impacts is developed. Since 1993, over 27 000 farmers
have participated in the program
Pesticides and By-Laws
-
In 2001, the Supreme Court ruled to uphold the anti-pesticide by-law. A similar situation occurred in 2005,
after the city of Toronto passed a by-law modelled after Hudson’s. Manufacturers of pesticides challenged
the by-law in court. Once again, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled to uphold the by-law.
Independent Research Name ___________________________________________
Evaluate the effectiveness of government initiatives in Canada (federal, provincial, municipal), and/or the efforts of
societal groups or non-governmental organizations, such as Aboriginal communities, environmental groups, or student
organizations, with respect to an environmental issue that affects the sustainability of terrestrial or aquatic ecosystems
(e.g.,wetland restoration, recycling programs, Canada–Ontario Environmental Farm Plans, stewardship of national and
provincial parks). Consider the issue : Landfill sites can have negative effects on adjacent ecosystems, attracting pests,
leaching toxic chemicals, and producing green house gases. Municipal recyling programs and composting programs
divert garbage, reducing the need for landfill sites. However many people particular rural residents and those in
apartment buildings may not be included in these programs. Answer the questions that follow :
1. What provincial or federal legislation attempts to protect special features or sensitive elements of terrestrial or
freshwater ecosystems?
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. How could such legislative be more effective?
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
34
3. How have the actions of local wetland-reclamation, municipal tree – planting, Aboriginal fisheries- management,
Great Lakes rehabilitation, organic farming, or other groups help to ensure ecological sustainability and what further
action could such groups take ?
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
4.
Watch videos on you tube Great Lakes Cleanup, Fishery Management. Make notes below
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
35
Day 10 Bioaccumulation and Water Pollution (pg 54)



bioaccumulation a process in which materials, especially toxins, are ingested by an organism at a rate
greater than they are eliminated
Biomagnification is the increase in the concentration of a toxin as it moves from one trophic level to the
next.
When DDT entered the environment in run-off from land, it was absorbed by algae in the water.
Microscopic animals ate the algae, and small fish ate the microscopic animals. At each trophic level in the
food chain, the concentration of DDT in the tissues of the organisms increased. At high concentrations, the
DDT affected reproduction in fish-eating birds. Following the ban on DDT in the 1970s, populations of DDTvulnerable birds slowly increased in numbers in Canada.
-
watch video how stuff works Aggravation of Accumulation: DDT and Bald Eagles
-
watch youtube video DDT and Pesticides ; DDT Awareness: Affects on Wildlifewatch video atScience.gc.ca ddt
-
complete case study pg 52-56
PESTICIDES
36
By studying _____________, we can see the flow of __________ through an ecosystem and investigate the
impact of __________ of _______________ and _____________
PESTICIDES
___________ that are designed to kill _________
PEST  An organism that people consider to be ____________ or _____________ (___________,
___________, _________ and ____________)
Pesticides are used to protect ___________ species from ______________ or ______________
WHY PESTICIDES ARE USED
About ______ of the annual crop in Canada is lost to __________ such as __________, _________ and
__________, _________, _________ and _________________
EXAMPLES
_____________ was responsible for the destruction of 3 million tones of wheat in the Prairies in 1954
The ___________________ carries a microbe which produces ___________ (major
killer in tropical areas)
Pest control measures ____________ the incidences of _____________ and
____________
FIRST-GENERATION PESTICIDES
Attempts to _____________ pests go back to about ___________
 __________ was used to repel insects
In the _____ Century, ___________, ________ and ___________ were applied to crops as
_______________ these substances were discovered to be highly ______________ to people and farmers
stopped this practice in the __________
In ________, French gardeners began using __________________ extracted from the ______________ to
kill ___________
Many __________ have developed ____________ defences against _______________
 when animals try to ______ the __________ or __________, they can die or become very ill
 they learn to __________ the plant in the future
SECOND-GENERATION PESTICIDES
Second-generation pesticides are chemicals made in a _____________
In _______, Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (_______) was discovered to be a potent insecticide
 Initially used to _________ troops fighting in __________________ during World War II
 Since then, thousands of ____________ have been developed (500 different chemicals are used in
Canada alone!)
About _______ of the pesticides are used in developed countries, ______ are used to get rid of pests in
___________, ___________ and ____________
37
BIOAMPLIFICATION
Pesticides containing ___________ (found in DDT) and __________ are ___________ in ______ but not
in __________
 these toxins cannot be ____________ from the body and _______________ in the
_________________ of animals
A __________ amount of pesticide enters the bodies of animals that are ________ in the food chain but it gets
worse as the toxin moves ____ the food chain into __________ trophic levels
Even though there is only a __________ amount of toxin in each ________, _____________ consumers
eat a _______________ of the poisoned prey the __________ level ______________ get all the toxins of
the prey plus those of all the other prey it eats! At each stage of the food chain, the concentration of the toxin
becomes ____________ this is ______________________
1P
1P
1P
1P
1P
1P
1P
1P
1P
1P
1P
1P
EFFECTS ON HUMANS
________ levels became _________ in humans who lived in areas where DDT was sprayed
on __________
DDT was ___________ in Canada in _______ but did not totally eliminate the problem
 Birds such as the _______________, ____________ and ____________________
head to Central America and Mexico where DDT is still used
MODERN CHEMICAL PESTICIDES
New chemicals are not stored in _____ tissue  they are __________ in ___________
Animals can remove them from their body because the __________ can break the chemicals down and is
_____________
The chemicals can also be broken down within the _______
DISADVANTAGES
New insecticides break down ___________ in the soil and must be applied to crops _______________
The insecticides cause _________________ to many animals and can result in death of many ________,
__________, ______________ and _________
Animals which have been ____________ or have _______ by the toxin put _______________________ at
risk through _______________________
38
RESISTANCE
Due to high rates of _______________, various _________ gradually become resistant to
_______________ and ________________
Insects which survive an application of a chemical have __________ which helped them survive pesticides on
kill insects which are __________________
After several generations of this selection process, _______ of the insects carry ___________ which will help
them survive an application of an insecticide eventually the pesticide becomes _____________ and chemists
must search for a ______ poison
QUESTIONS
1.In your own words define:
(a) Pesticide
(b) Pest
2. Using your own diagram, explain bioamplification
39
3.(a) During the 15th Century, Arsenic, lead and mercury were applied to crops as insecticides. What was wrong
with this solution?
(b) In 1939, it was discovered that DDT was a potent insecticide used to kill mosquitoes. What was wrong with this
solution?
(c) Modern insecticides are easily broken down in the body and soil and do not accumulate in fat tissues. What
dangers were created by this most recent technological solution?
4. List two advantages and two disadvantages of a pesticide that is low in toxicity and breaks down quickly.
Advantages:
Disadvantages:
5. Explain why humans can’t adapt to toxic pesticides as quickly as insects
40
Day 11
SNC 1D
Unit 1: Sustainable Ecosystems
Name: ___________________________
Date: ___________________________
Bioaccumulation
 is the process whereby a substance (often a toxin) is ingested by a rate greater than
it is eliminated
 in order to be bioaccumulated, the substance has to be fat soluble or lipophilic –
this means it dissolves in fatty tissue; because it is not water soluble, it is not flushed
out in urine
 can be either beneficial or devastating to the organism ingesting the substance
Example:
i)
Monarch butterflies eat milkweed. Milkweed contains poisonous toxins
that are stored in the butterfly tissues but do not harm it. This
bioaccumulation of poisons is beneficial to the butterfly because
many butterfly predators like birds have evolved to avoid Monarch
butterflies and their poison.
Biomagnification
 occurs when bioaccumulation leads to increasing concentrations of a substance
(usually a toxin) in the tissues of organisms as one moves up through successive levels
in a food chain.
 Example:
The heron eats 5 grasshoppers and ends up
A fat-soluble pesticide is sprayed at a low
with 500 ppm of the pesticide.
level (0.001 ppb or 0.001 g of pesticide per
1 000 kg of grass) on the grass in an effort
to control insects. Each grasshopper eats a
great many blades of grass. They
bioaccumulate the pesticide in the fat in
their bodies so that each grasshopper
contains way more pesticide than there is in
just one blade of grass. The heron eats 5 of
these grasshoppers and so receives all of
the pesticide that was in each one. The
pesticide has been biomagnified as it
traveled up the food chain so that now it
exists at a much higher concentration in the
heron, the top carnivore than in the trophic
Each grasshopper takes in
levels below.
100 ppm
Grass with 0.001 ppm
pesticide.
41
42
Assignment: DDT in a Food Chain
 DDT (dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane) is a man-made agricultural pesticide designed for killing
crop pests that was once used in North America. DDT spread on crop land ended up in water run-off
and was absorbed in the tissues of algae in aquatic ecosystems.
 Study the following food web. Below the name of each organism is a number that indicates the amount
of DDT in the organism’s tissues in parts per billion (ppb).
One part per billion = 0.001
g
(0.001 g of DDT per 1 000 L of seawater solution).
1000 L
Seabirds
2 800 ppb
Dolphins
5 200 ppb
Fish
43 ppb
Squid
22 ppb
Plankton (tiny water
plants) 1.7 ppb
Seawater
0.0001 ppb
Questions to Answer
1. Choose the correct phrase within the bracket to correctly complete this statement: When used as a pesticide,
DDT was normally spread (on cropland, in lakes and rivers, in the ocean).
2. How did DDT enter the seawater in the aquatic ecosystem in the diagram? How did it get into the plankton?
3a) Which organisms in the food web shown contain the most DDT?
b) At which trophic level(s) are the organisms you chose to answer 3a)?
c) What is the relationship between the trophic level of an organism and the concentration of DDT in
its body?
d) Will decomposers and scavengers likely end up with more DDT or less DDT in their tissues
compared to the dolphins in the diagram ? Explain.
e) Explain how the terms “bioaccumulation” and “biomagnification” can be used to describe what is
shown in the food web.
43
4. Use an example to explain how an organism living hundreds of kilometres from an area that had been
sprayed with DDT might get DDT in its body.
5. Vitamin C and many other vitamins are water soluble so excess amounts are eliminated in urine. Many other
substances, like DDT, are fat soluble (lipophilic) and end up staying in body fat rather than being eliminated in
urine. Does this characteristic of DDT make it more desirable as a pesticide or does it make it less desirable as
a pesticide? Explain.
6. The molecules of any of the pesticides used today break down reasonably quickly in the environment. In
contrast, DDT has a molecular structure that remains toxic for many years. Does this characteristic of DDT
make it more desirable as a pesticide or does it make it less desirable as a pesticide? Explain.
44
Day 12 Burning fossil Fuels ( pg 116 )
-
-
________________gases atmospheric gases that prevent heat from leaving the atmosphere, thus
increasing the temperature of the atmosphere
__________________effect the warming of Earth as a result of greenhouse gases, which trap some of
the energy that would otherwise leave Earth
__________________________describes the recent increase of Earth’s temperature as a whole. Earth’s
weather and climate is controlled by energy from the sun, which warms it’s surface as it, in turn, deflects the
energy back into space. Some of this deflected energy is retained within the atmosphere of Earth by
greenhouse gases which prevent the energy from passing into space, thereby preserving heat. It is this
process that results in Earth having a temperature which supports life. Global warming has occurred since the
1980's, and during this time, the seven warmest years in global meteorological history have been recorded.
If Earth's warming trend continues into the next decade Earth may enter a period of climate change unlike any
of the past. Changes in the concentration of heat-trapping gases called "greenhouse gases" have played a
major role, because these gases trap the heat and do not let it escape, therefore causing global warming or an
increase in climate temperatures.
45
What are the Greenhouse gases?
1.Water Vapor....
is a natural greenhouse gas which is added to the atmosphere by ______________of water and the
__________of fuels.
2.Carbon Dioxide....
is second to water vapor which is released through forest fires, burning fossil fuels, the natural rotting of plants,
and by respiration. When forests are cut down, less carbon dioxide is removed from the atmosphere.
3.Methane....
is another very effective heat-trapping greenhouse gas. Methane is released by ___________in cud-chewing
animals such as cows. It is also released by decaying material in swamps, sewage and landfill sites and by leaks
in gas pipes.
46
4.Ozone....
exists naturally and traps ________________________. Ozone near Earth’s surface is produced when sunlight
interacts with natural gases and emissions from industries and vehicles. Ozone is a major component of urban
pollution and is harmful to life.
5.Nitrous Oxides....
are emitted by industry, vehicles and part of the process of crop growing.
6.CFC's (Halocarbons)....
are the most effective heat-trapping greenhouse gases of all. They are involved in industrial and home uses.
CFC’s were used as a coolant such as freon in refrigerators and air conditioners. CFC’s are also used as an
insulating gas in foam plastics, as a propellant in aerosol sprays, and as a solvent. These CFC’s of halocarbon
molecules are released to the atmosphere during the manufacture and the careless use of these products.
Reducing Carbon Dioxide in the Atmosphere
The Kyoto Protocol is an international agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, which was signed by over
180 countries. To meet the terms of the Protocol, countries can reduce emissions or get credits for removing
carbon dioxide from the atmosphere by planting trees in non-forested areas. Since plants remove carbon dioxide
from the atmosphere, large areas of trees and other plants, such as forests, are known as carbon_________
Protecting existing forests
In July 2008, Ontario announced that roughly half of its boreal forests will be protected. The protected forests will
only be used for tourism and traditional Aboriginal purposes. About 225 000 km2 of forests will be protected from
logging, mining, and oil and natural gas exploration. Like other forests, the boreal forest in Ontario is a carbon sink,
absorbing about 12 million tonnes of carbon dioxide per year.
Recycling
Recycling helps to reduce carbon dioxide emissions because, in most cases, less energy is needed to make
something from recycled materials than from new materials. For example, energy input is reduced by 95 percent
when an aluminum product is made from recycled aluminum, rather than a raw material. In 1978,the Recycling
Council of Ontario was established in Toronto, Ontario. Through its programs, more than 2.3 million tonnes of
waste are recycled or composted each year.
47
Decision-Making Analysis: Assessing a Government Program—Recycling
Issue
Recycling programs divert wastes from landfills. Recycling was practically unknown only a generation ago. Now, all
municipalities in Ontario participate in some form of recycling program. It is not without its difficulties, and making
it possible to connect
everyone into a recycling network is still a major goal.
Background Information
Garbage disposal is a major issue for many municipalities across Ontario because the use of landfills only is not a
sustainable approach. Landfills have a tendency to fill up. Building new landfills is expensive, and local residents are
usually reluctant to have them near their property. Chemicals can leak out of an improperly constructed landfill.
Heavy metal contamination from old batteries and electronics is just one example. Blue and grey boxes, green bins,
and yard waste composting programs have generally been successful in Ontario . For example, in the City of
Toronto, 42 percent of residential waste is redirected from landfills through recycling programs. However,
apartment dwellers recycle only 13 percent of their garbage. Suppose that you have been hired by your local
council to create an action plan to increase participation in the local recycling program. The council wants you to
find out which groups cannot or will not participate in the current recycling program. They also want you to suggest
ways to increase participation. Be aware that some members of the council do not see the benefits of recycling. In
order to make the case for expanding the recycling program, you have to outline the benefits to them as well.
Analyze and Evaluate
1. ScienceSource On the internet, find information about the diversion of solid waste from landfills. Also look in
print materials for information on waste diversion from landfills.
2. Research your local recycling program. Find brochures, fact sheets, and newspaper articles to answer the
questions below.Who can participate in the program? Businesses, single-family dwellings, apartment buildings?
People in rural areas?
How does it work? Is there curbside pickup, or do residents have to take their recycling to a depot?
Is it difficult for some groups to participate? If so, which groups, and why?
48
Self Check
1. Explain the process of cellular respiration.
2. Describe the greenhouse effect.
3. Make a list of actions you could take to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide being released by the burning of
fossil fuels.
Day 13 Acid Precipitation(pg 116)
acid precipitation rain,snow, or fog that is unnaturally acidic (pH less than_______) due to gases in the
atmosphere that react with water to form acids; _______oxide and _______dioxide are produced when fossil fuels
are burned. When these gases combine with water in the atmosphere, _______acid and _______acid are
produced.
Effects of Acid Precipitation
Continued exposure to acid precipitation causes forest soils to lose valuable nutrients, such as_______. Although
________does not dissolve in water, it does dissolve in acids, so it can be washed away. On the other hand, acid
precipitation increases the amount of _________in soil, which interferes with the uptake of nutrients by trees
Acid precipitation can be even more devastating to aquatic ecosystems, because it can l_______ the pH of the
water, causing problems for fish, amphibians, and other organisms that live in the water
Reducing Acid Precipitation
acid precipitation has not disappeared. But improved technologies, such as ___________________to remove
undesirable gases from industrial emissions, as well as higher standards for motor-vehicle emissions, have reduced
the acidity of precipitation since the 1980s.
49
Populations and Sustainable Ecosystems(pg 77)
-
population all the individuals of a species that occupy a particular geographic area at
a certain time
exponential growth accelerating growth that produces a J-shaped curve when the population is graphed
against time
-
-
limiting factor a factor that limits the growth, distribution, or amount of a population in an ecosystem
50
Limiting Factors and Exponential growth (pg 78)
______________________the size of a population that can be supported indefinitely by the available resources
and services of an ecosystem
_________________________the balance between opposing forces
Limits on Populations (pg 77)
__________________________: represents the maximum number of offspring that a species could produce, if
resources were unlimited.
LIMITS ON POPULATIONS
Using p77-79 in of your textbook, fill in the following worksheet.
The population of all species within an ecosystem is limited by various factors.
Biotic Potential
Biotic potential is ___________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
Biotic potential is regulated by four factors:
Factor Affecting Biotic
Potential
Description
1
2
3
4
Limiting Factors
The environment provides _________________ that prevent _____________________ from attaining
their _______________ _____________________.
51
Factors that Limit Populations
Factors that cause a population to
increase
Abiotic
Factors that cause a population to
decrease
Biotic
Carrying Capacity
Communities tend toward stability. Stability is achieved when an ecosystem is at
__________________ , when none of the populations exceeds the ____________________
___________________ of the ecosystem.
The carrying capacity is ______________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
and is determined by _____________________________________________________________ .
Limits of Tolerance
Law of minimum: ___________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________ .
Law of tolerance: ___________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________ .
The greater the range of tolerance, ______________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________ .
Copy Figure 3 on p.79
52
Day 14 Density Dependent and Independent Factors
Density-independent factors: __________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________ . e.g. 1)
2)
Density-dependent factors: ____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________ . e.g. 1)

2)
Answer p.80 #1-3.
Limiting Factors: environmental factor that prevent populations from attaining their biotic potential
Factors that cause a population to increase. Factors that cause a population to decrease
Abiotic
 Favourable light
 Favourable temperature
 Favourable chemical environment
 Sufficient territory




Too much or too little light
Too cold or too warm
Unfavourable chemical environment
Insufficient territory
Biotic




Sufficient food
Low number and effectiveness of predators
Few or weak diseases or parasites
Ability to compete for resources




Insufficient food
High number and effectiveness of predators
Many or Strong diseases or parasites
Inability to compete for resources
pg 84(6,8,15,16,18)
53
SNC 1D
Populations and Resources
Some Definitions
Term
Population
Exponential growth
Name: ______________________
Date: ______________________
Definition
 all of the individuals of a species that occupy a particular
geographic area at a certain time
In South Africa’s Kruger National Park, elephants were hunted for
their ivory tusks until 1960. After that time, their population grew
exponentially, producing a J-shaped population growth curve
over time. In nature, exponential growth can only occur for short
periods of time.
Exponential growth is (sustainable, not sustainable) because
________________________________________________
________________________________________________
________________________________________________
Limiting factor
Carrying capacity
Equilibrium
Urban sprawl
Intensification
a factor that limits the growth, distribution or amount of
a population in an ecosystem (e.g. the availability of food
can be a limiting factor)
 the size of a population that can be supported indefinitely
by the available resources and services of an ecosystem
 When a population is maintained at its carrying capacity,
the size of the population is at an equilibrium or a
balance point so that the number of individuals added to
the population balance off the number of individuals that
leave or die.
 the growth of relatively low density human developments
on the edges of urban areas
 often reduces the ecosystem’s carrying capacity for many
species
 increases dependence on the automobile and decreases
farmland
 increasing human population density by requiring that
new development occur within existing urban boundaries
 development that reduces pressure on natural areas and
farmland
example:

Original Building
Intensification
54
Read the paragraphs about the Redside Dace below and answer the questions which follow.
About 25% of the people in Ontario live in the land around the west end of Lake Ontario (in
the areas of Toronto, Windsor, London). This area is often called the Golden Horseshoe. Urban
sprawl, resulting from over 200 years of development and industrialization, has greatly altered
the ecosystems of this area.
The redside dace is a colourful fish about 10 cm in length. It jumps out of the water to capture
small insects that fly just above the surface. Because this species needs cool water to survive, it
inhabits areas of streams that are shaded with overhanging vegetation. In Canada, the range for
this fish is small. Most inhabit streams in the Golden Horseshoe that flow into Lake Ontario.
As urban sprawl in the Greater Toronto Area increased during the 20 th century, development
led to changes in the abiotic and biotic factors in the streams inhabited by these fish. Two abiotic
factors, in particular, were affected. As trees were cut down to make room for human structures,
the amount of shade cover around streams decreased. Many streams also experienced an
increase in drainage from surrounding areas. These changes led to a reduced carrying capacity
for the redside dace. Many populations disappeared. Today, the remaining populations are found
in the upper reaches of streams in the area along Lake Ontario known as the Oak Ridges
Morraine. There is some residential and agricultural development in the Morraine area but it is
not nearly as intensive as it is in the urban areas downstream. Since the lower reaches of
streams are no longer suitable for the redside dace, however, the remaining populations are
isolated from each other by urban sprawl.
1 a) Identify two limiting factors for the population growth of the redside dace.
b) Describe how each of the 2 factors identified in part a) limited growth of the redside dace
population.
c) Identify one other limiting factor to the redside dace population that is not given in the reading. Explain how
this factor would limit the population.
2. When a new housing development begins in Greely or Metcalfe, we may call this an example of “urban sprawl”.
Would urban sprawl tend to increase or to decrease the carrying capacity for native organisms (like forest and
wetland species) in the area? Explain your answer.
55
3. One policy that Ontario has adopted to reduce urban sprawl is intensification. Assuming the area of the
Golden Horseshoe continues to develop, how might intensification help to maintain the carrying capacity of the
area for the redside dace?
4. One of the objectives of the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Act is to “ensure that only land and resource
uses that maintain, improve or restore the ecological and hydrological functions of the Oak Ridges Moraine Area
are permitted.”
a) Explain in your own words what this objective means.
b) Explain how this objective could help to maintain or increase the carrying capacity of the area for the
redside dace.
Today’s Big Ideas:
 Populations tend to increase exponentially when there are available resources.
 When resources that are needed by populations become limited, the carrying capacity of
an ecosystem has been reached.
 Human alterations of an ecosystem, such as through urban sprawl, often reduce the
carrying capacity of the ecosystem for other species.
56
Day 15 Interactions Among Species
ecological niche the way that an organism occupies a position in an ecosystem, including all the necessary biotic
and abiotic factors For the big brown bat, the biotic niche factors include all the insects that it eats, its competitors,
such as the common night hawk, and its predators. The abiotic niche factors include the places it uses for roosting
and hibernation, the time of night it hunts for food, the airspace it flies through when hunting, and the temperature
range it can tolerate.
predator an organism that kills and consumes other organisms
prey an organism that is eaten as food by a predator
Bottom-Up Population Regulation
A plant-eating species, such as a grasshopper, is the prey for a predatory carnivore, such as a shrew. If the
grasshoppers consume too many of the plants they eat for food, their numbers may eventually decline due to lack
of food to support the population. If the population size of the grasshoppers decreases, there will be less food for
the shrews. As the food that the shrews eat decreases, the number of shrews will eventually decrease too.
Top-Down Population Regulation
A population of prey, such as rabbits,increases in number. With more rabbits to eat, the population of predators,
such as coyotes, will also increase in size. As the coyote population increases, the coyotes consume more rabbits,
leading to a decrease in the rabbit population
57
Deer: Predation or Starvation Name __________________________
Introduction: In 1970 the deer population of an island forest reserve about 518 square
kilometers in size was about 2000 animals. Although the island had excellent vegetation
for feeding, the food supply obviously had limits. Thus the forest management
personnel feared that overgrazing might lead to mass starvation. Since the area was
too remote for hunters, the wildlife service decided to bring in natural predators to
control the deer population. It was hoped that natural predation would keep the deer
population from becoming too large and also increase the deer quality (or health), as predators often eliminate the
weaker members of the herd. In 1971, ten wolves were flown into the island.
The results of this program are shown in the following table. The Population Change is the number of deer born
minus the number of deer that died during that year. Fill out the last column for each year (the first has been
calculated for you).
Year
Wolf
Population
Deer
Population
Deer Offspring Predation Starvation
Deer Population
Change
1971
10
2,000
800
400
100
+300
1972
12
2,300
920
480
240
1973
16
2,500
1,000
640
500
1974
22
2.360
944
880
180
1975
28
2,224
996
1,120
26
1976
24
2,094
836
960
2
1977
21
1,968
788
840
0
1978
18
1,916
766
720
0
1979
19
1,952
780
760
0
1980
19
1,972
790
760
0
1. Graph the deer and wolf populations on the graph below. Use one color to show deer populations and another
color to show wolf populations.
58
Analysis
1. Describe what happened to the deer and wolf populations between 1971 and 1980.
2. What do you think would have happened to the deer on the island had wolves NOT been introduced?
3. Most biology textbooks describe that predators and prey exist in a balance. This "balance of nature" hypothesis
has been criticized by some scientists because it suggests a relationship between predators and prey that is good
and necessary. Opponents of this hypothesis propose the following questions:
Why is death by predators more natural or "right" then death by starvation?
How does one determine when an ecosystem is in "balance"?
Do predators really kill only the old and sick prey? What evidence is there for this statement?
What is your opinion of the balance of nature hypothesis? Would the deer on the island be better off, worse off, or
about the same without the wolves. Defend your position.
59
Day 16 BIODIVERSITY AND SUSTAINABILITY
Biodiversity ( see powerpoint )
Biodiversity also refers to the variety of ecosystems found on Earth. This includes human-made ecosystems, such
as farms, as well as the variety of naturally occurring ecosystems. Because different ecosystems provide different
services, it is vital that we maintain as many types of ecosystems as possible.
 Definition: Biodiversity is a _____________________________. It is often measured by counting the
number of _____________ in a specific habitat or ecosystem.
 Biodiversity is reduced by _____________ conditions. For example, there tends to be _________
species in areas that are very hot, very cold, very dry, or very acidic. High levels of ______________
can also reduce biodiversity because they benefit certain species while harming the majority.
 We, as humans, depend on biodiversity.
 Ecosystems :
 provide humans with many services. Ecosystems supply food, fuel, _____________, and
_______________.
 cycle ______________ and ____________________ wastes.
 contain animals that help ______________ crops and _______________ seeds.
 provide us with recreational activities to appreciate God’s creation.
 All the species contained in ecosystems contribute to the services listed above. Therefore, we ought to
be stewardly and put effort into maintaining biodiversity.
Human activity has caused all levels of biodiversity to decrease at an unprecedented rate. The five major causes of
this are:
• ______________ change
•___________________
• __________________
• __________________
• __________________
Habitat Change
When human alter habitats, the species with them either die or move to another place. Throughout the biosphere,
habitat change is the _____________ common cause of the reduction in biodiversity. Humans change habitat for
many reasons, including: ________________, ______________, and ____________ development. Southern
Ontario, where we live, used to be covered in deciduous forests. Now it is dominated by farms, small patches of
forest, and cities & towns.
Habitat change is the process by which humans alter a habitat enough so that the ___________ species can no
longer live there. Native species are species that normally live in that habitat. If their habitat changes, they either
die or move to another habitat. Throughout the biosphere, habitat change is the most common cause of declines in
the populations of many species.
Deforestation – the practice of clearing forests for logging or other human activities and never replanting them.
Overexploitation
 When we use resources faster than they can be replaced, we often cause many species to
become_____________. Around the world, many species of fish have been overfished, resulting in the
collapse of fish populations. In Atlantic Canada, the cod fishery collapsed and was closed in the early
1990s – it still has not recovered. Since the early 1950s, and estimated 90% of the world’s large fish have
been removed from the oceans.
 Water itself has often been overused and mismanaged as well. Many lakes around the world have dried up
because of overuse in farming. Rivers are often diverted from their natural flow causing other troubles for
ecosystems.
60
Pollution ( pg 134 )
Water can become polluted very easily. Pollution can enter water sources in different ways. ___________source
pollution come from specific, identifiable sources such as: oil spills, waste water from industries, and untreated
wastewater from sewage treatment plants. ____________source pollution enters water bodies indirectly, when
rain or snow travels over land picking up the pollutants such as fertilizers and pesticides, then dumps it into streams
or lakes. Salt runoff from roads is another example of non-point source pollution. Water pollution is obviously a
serious problem because all living things need water to survive.
Pollution is any substance added to the environment that produces a condition that is harmful to organisms. One
example of pollution is solid waste that cannot be recycled. The garbage you put out on the curb or take to the
landfill is solid waste. Currently, most garbage goes to landfills, where it is prevented from entering the
environment. Garbage that does not enter the landfill and litter contaminate ecosystems.
Another form of pollution is air pollution. One of the most important pollutants worldwide is human-produced
carbon dioxide gas. Automobiles, airplanes, power plants, and factories all emit carbon dioxide. Increased levels of
carbon dioxide have caused global temperatures to rise. This, in turn, is accelerating global climate change.
Water can become polluted very easily. Pollution can enter water sources in different ways .
_______________________pollution enters a body of water at a specific place from an identifiable source.
Oil spills from tankers, waste water from pulp and paper mills, and partly treated waste water released from a
sewage treatment plant are examples of point-source pollution.
_______________________________pollution enters bodies of water indirectly when water from rain or
snow travels over land and picks up pollutants from many different sources before entering a stream
or a lake. Fertilizer and pesticide run-off from farms and salt runoff from roads are both examples of non-point
source pollution. Since all organisms need water, all organisms are exposed to the pollutants water contains.
Climate Change

When climate change occurs in a region, average temperatures may rise or fall, the amount of rainfall may
increase or decrease, and even wind directions can be affected. For species to survive, they must adapt to
the new conditions. However, global warming is occurring rapidly and many species cannot adapt quickly
enough. In the arctic, species that rely on ice packs (such as seals and polar bears) are losing their habitat
and their populations are decreasing.
Invasive species ( Zebra Mussels ) pg 42-44.
 Increased international travel and trade have introduced non-native species to all parts of the world.
The Great Lakes are part of a very important shipping route. When the Welland Canal was built, ships
could bypass Niagara Falls and bring zebra mussels (which attached themselves to the ships) into all of
the Great Lakes. Until the building of the Welland Canada, Niagara Falls acted as a natural barrier to
invasive species. Invasive species such as the zebra mussel often tend to out-compete native species
because they have no natural predators in their new ecosystems.
-
alien species a species that is accidentally or deliberately introduced into a new location
invasive species a species that can take over the habitat of native species or invade their bodies
Complete pg 44 ( 1-3) pg 47(11,12)
61
Day 17 Name: _______________________________
Date: ___________________________
Invasion by a Foreign Species into an Ecosystem
Many plants and animals have been imported into a new ecosystem either by design or by accident. Many
arrive on ships, or in the packing of the crate containing a shipment and “come ashore” entering the new
ecosystem.
Purple Loosestrife
 Using the internet go to this site: http://www.ducks.ca/purple
 Go to the “Frequently asked questions” section to answer the following:
1. Is this species a producer, consumer, scavenger, or decomposer? ____________________________
2. Where did the purple loosestrife come from?
____________________________
3. When did it arrive in North America?
____________________________
4. How did it enter North America?
____________________________
5. What are some of the nicknames for purple loosestrife?
________________________________________________________________________________
6. What affect has this species had on the ecosystem that it has invaded?
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
7. How does it spread?
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
8. How can you get rid of it?
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
Whether an exotic species has been introduced to an ecosystem on purpose, or by accident, there are often natural
species that are endangered as a result.
The Zebra Mussel
 Use your textbook to answer the following questions. The information that you will need is on pages
42 – 44.
1. Is this species a producer, consumer, scavenger, or decomposer? ___________________________
2. Where did the zebra mussel come from?
____________________________
3. When did it arrive in North America?
____________________________
4. How did it enter North America?
____________________________
5. What effect has the zebra mussel had on other organisms in the water ecosystem?
 Pearly mussel
 Ducks
 Hydra
 Perch
 Algae
62
6. Zebra mussels remove pollutant from the water. Each adult mussel draws in __________ L of water daily,
retaining the ____________________ and expelling the water. So much water is filtered that Lake Erie is
_________% clearer now, compared to before the arrival of the mussels. The filtering of pollutants does not
come without a cost:
 The pollutants store in zebra mussels are
________________________________________________________________________
7. Ecologist are speculating about the negative effects of reducing the algae population:


Algae are ______________________________________________________ in the lakes.
Clearer water poses a threat because____________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
8. What cost has occurred because of the zebra mussel?
63
Independent Research : Biology Sustainable Ecosystems Name _____________________
Assess, on the basis of research, the impact of a factor related to human activity (e.g., urban sprawl, introduction of
invasive species, overhunting/overfishing) that threatens the sustainability of a terrestrial or aquatic ecosystem.
Consider the issue : the great lakes constitute an important shipping route. Foreign ships often empty their ballast
water, which can contain invasive species directly into the lakes. The goby, which was likely imported in ballast water,
is an aggressive fish that has been taken over the spawning grounds of some native species, threatening the balance of
the ecosystem. Answer the questions that follow :
1. How has suburban development of the Niagara Escarpment or the Oak Ridges Moraine affected local ecosystems.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
2.
How has the zebral mussel population in Lake Erie affected aquatic species and water quality
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
3.
How has commercial logging affected the sustainability of forests in Northern Ontario.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
4.
Watch video www.teachersdomain.org Biological Invaders.
a. What is meant by the term "biological invader"? How do these invaders travel from their native areas into new
ones?
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
b. Why are Hawaiian officials concerned about the brown tree snake? What evidence do they have to justify their
concern?
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
64
c. How can we fight biological invaders?
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
d. Discuss the following statement made at the end of the segment: "My suspicion is that of all the things we
have done to the planet so far ... that [which] will be the most visible in the fossil record in a million years is
going to be these biological invaders."
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
5. Watch 3 videos on www.howstuffworks : zebra mussels. Watch video on you tube Zebra Mussels, Gobi Fish,
and the Great Lakes. Make notes below.
65
Hotspots in Ontario

A biodiversity hotspot is a place where there are an exceptionally large number of species in a relatively
small area. Two hotspots in Ontario are the Carolinian Canada and the Georgian Bay Biosphere Reserve.
The Carolinian Canada ecosystem, of which Hamilton is a part, represents only 1% of Canada’s landmass,
but it has more species than any other ecosystem in Canada.

It is home to approximately 2200 plants and 40% of Canada’s breeding birds. Some hotspots are given
special status as World Biosphere Reserves which protects them from development. The Niagara
Escarpment and Long Point on Lake Erie are two of Canada’s areas designated as World Biosphere
Reserves. They are home to a variety of wetlands, species of ducks and migrating shorebirds.
Wetlands

Wetlands such as bogs and marshes are a very important part of freshwater ecosystems. They are large
areas of shallow water or saturated soil. They are nutrient rich and support a large variety of fish,
amphibians, insects, and birds. Wetlands act as huge sponges and play a very important role in filtering
water in the water cycle. They cover about 6% of Earth’s surface and Canada is home to approximately
24% of the world’s wetlands. They have often been drained for agriculture and building homes, but
scientists are realizing the importance of protecting them as we learn more about their role in nature.
Watch video teachersdomain :
The Value of Wetlands
What are some characteristics of wetlands?
What types of animals depend on wetlands?
What can humans do to protect and restore wetlands?
What do you think is the most convincing argument in favor of people's need to preserve wetlands? Explain your
answer.
How did the disappearance of wetlands contribute to the damages caused by Hurricane Katrina?
66
Day 18 Name: _______________________________
Date: _______________________
Canada's Endangered Species and Extinction
Refer to pages 14-19 in Science 10.
Complete the table on the following page based on the Table 1, p.14 and the examples given on the map
on p.14-15.
Answer Understanding Concepts #2 p.15.
Species
Wood Turtle
Classification
Explanation
Furbish's
Lousewort
Greater Prairie
Chicken
Add the species in the question to the examples column of the table.
Complete the following concept map as a class on the causes of extinction:
Natural
Extinction
Human
Effects of Extinction
The _________________________ of _________________________ in an ecosystem is described as the biological
diversity or _________________________ of the ecosystem. Because every organism in an ecosystem is
_________________________ to all the other organisms, the _________________________ in
_________________________ caused by the extinction of a single species can cause a "
_________________________ _________________________."
67
Overhunting of sea otters along the Pacific coasts of Asia and North America removed the
_________________________ of the _________________________. Predictably, the number of sea urchins grew
rapidly. Sea urchins eat _________________________, a form of seaweed. As the number of sea urchins grew,
the amount of kelp _________________________, and so did the fish that relied on the kelp bed ecosystem for
_________________________ and _________________________.
Answer Understanding concepts #2, p.19 in the following table:
Factor
Poor Reproductive Success
Example
Why could it lead to Extinction?
Competition from a Newly
Introduced Species
Change in Climate
Hunting by Humans
CLASSIFICATION
EXTINCT
ENDANGERED
EXTIRPATED
THREATENED
VULNERABLE
CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM FOR AT-RISK SPECIES
DESCRIPTION
EXAMPLE(S)
REASON FOR
DECLINE Hypothesize
POSSIBLE
IMPACTS ON
ECOSYSTEM
68
Complete the following table on an at-risk species of your choice. Use the website:
www.speciesatrisk.gc.ca
Species at Risk
Year of Designation
Risk Category
Range
Description
Causes for decline in
Population(s)
Efforts to protect and
recover population(s)

Banff Longnose Dace
Using the internet, go to the following site to answer the questions below:
http://www.speciesatrisk.gc.ca/Species/English/SearchDetail.cfm?SpeciesID=71
1. Is this species a producer, consumer, scavenger or decomposer?
_______________________
2. What is the risk category of this species?
_____________________________
3. Describe this species:
___________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
4. Describe the habitat of this fish: _____________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
5. What were the three main limiting factors for this species?
1) __________________________________________________________________________
2) __________________________________________________________________________
3) __________________________________________________________________________
69
Watch video www.teachersdomain.org peregrine falcon
What physical characteristics of the peregrine falcon make it such an excellent hunter?
What was the primary environmental reason cited in the video for peregrines becoming an endangered species? How
did this cause a decline in bird populations?
Why do you think the repopulation of the peregrine falcon has been such a success?
What are the major characteristics of the peregrine's preferred habitat?
Day 19 Human Activities and Carrying Capacity
Urban sprawl is a term that is used to describe a city’s growth as its population increases. In urban sprawl, people
build new homes and new businesses near the outer edge of a city. Urban sprawl is one form of development that
reduces the carrying capacity for many species. Negative effects from urban sprawl include more dependence on
automobiles, decreased farmland as roads are built, and reduced carrying capacities for native organisms.
The Golden Horseshoe is the land around the west end of Lake Ontario. Urban sprawl, resulting from over 200
years of development and industrialization, has greatly altered the ecosystems in this area. The redside dace, looks
like an aquarium fish colourful and about 10 cm long. Because this species needs cool water to survive, it inhabits
areas of streams that are shaded from overhanging vegetation. In Canada, the range of these fi sh is small. Most
inhabit streams in the Golden Horseshoe that flow into Lake Ontario.
As urban sprawl in the Greater Toronto Area increased during the 20th century, development led to changes in the
abiotic and biotic factors in the streams inhabited by these fish. Two abiotic factors, in particular, were affected. As
trees were cut down to make room for human structures, the amount of shade cover around streams decreased.
Many streams also experienced an increase in drainage from surrounding areas. These changes led to a reduced
carrying capacity for the redside dace. Many populations disappeared. Today, the remaining populations are found
in the upper reaches of streams in an area that is known as the Oak Ridges Moraine, some residential and
agricultural development, but the development is not nearly as intensive as it is in the urban areas downstream.
Since the lower reaches of the streams are no longer suitable for dace, however, the remaining populations are
isolated from each other.
70
Questions
1.
Explain why exponential growth is not sustainable in nature.
2.
Some whiptail lizard populations have no males because the females only produce daughters. If one of
these whiptail lizards produces 10 daughters per year, and these daughters breed after one year, how
many whiptails will there be after two years? (Assume that no lizards die or move to other areas.)
3.
Identify two factors that limited the growth of the redside dace,and describe how they limited its growth.
Then identify one other factor, not mentioned in the section, and describe how it could limit the growth of
this species.
4.
One of the objectives of the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Act is to “ensure that only land and resource
uses that maintain, improve or restore the ecological and hydrological functions of the Oak Ridges Moraine
Area are permitted.” Explain how this objective could help to maintain or increase the carrying capacity of
the area.
71
72
73
74
75
URBAN SPRAWL
Read the Article: Nature at Risk: Urban Sprawl in Ontario and answer the following questions.
1) The best meaning for the word “sprawl” used in the article is
a) Compact growth
b) Urban renewal
c) More land use per person
d) Townhouses
2) Ontario’s population is expected to grow to 14 million primarily due to
a) Births
b) Deaths
c) Emigration
d) Immigration
3) Which of the following will not help Toronto curb sprawl?
a) Welcoming more compact row housing
b) Building more highways and sewer systems
c) Redeveloping abandon industrial areas along the waterfront
d) Introducing legislation to preserve rural areas around the city
4) What are three ideas behind smart growth?
5) What do you think Orillia should do to stop urban sprawl? Explain your answer.
76
Unit Review pg 160(1-14, 20)
Unit 3 Review
Multiple Choice
Identify the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.
____
1. Which term is best described as a complex, self-regulating system where biotic and abiotic factors interact with
each other?
a. biome
c. habitat
b. ecosystem
d. forest
____
2. Which of the following is considered to be a biotic factor in the environment?
a. moss
c. water
b. sunshine
d. gravel
____
3. Which Canadian biomes would you pass through if you started at Niagara Falls, on the south shore of Lake Ontario,
and drove north to the coast of Hudson Bay, just west of James Bay?
a. boreal forests, then deciduous forests, then tundra
b. deciduous forests, then temperate coniferous forests, then tundra
c. deciduous forests, then boreal forests, then tundra
d. deciduous forests, then boreal forests
____
4. Which component of the biosphere includes the marine and freshwater biomes?
a. taiga
c. lithosphere
b. hydrosphere
d. atmosphere
____
5. Which of the following describes the process of liquid water changing to a gas?
a. precipitation
c. condensation
b. evaporation
d. melting
____
6. The nitrogen in the air has to be converted to a different form before it can be used by organisms. What process
must occur to nitrogen found in the air before it can be used in this way?
a. a cycle involving bacteria
c. a cycle involving the Sun
b. nitrogen fixation involving the Sun
d. nitrogen fixation involving bacteria
____
7. What substance uses energy from the Sun to combine a component of the air with water so that plants can grow?
a. nitrogen
c. chlorophyll
b. ammonia
d. carbon dioxide
____
8. In the boreal forest there are several species of grasses that live amongst the trees. Grasshoppers eat this grass,
and become food for the frogs living in a nearby pond. Snakes from the forest will often catch these frogs near the
water’s edge.
Which organism in this food chain would be the primary consumer?
a. the snake
c. the grass
b. the frog
d. the grasshopper
____
9. In the boreal forest there are several species of grasses that live amongst the trees. Grasshoppers eat this grass,
and become food for the frogs living in a nearby pond. Snakes from the forest will often catch these frogs near the
water’s edge. Sometimes a hawk will dive down and eat the snakes caught out in the open.
What percentage of all the energy stored in the grasses does the hawk receive when it eats a snake?
a. 0.01%
c. 1%
b. 0.1%
d. 10%
____ 10. Hawks, owls, and wolves feed on mice but the mouse population has been decreasing. What term below describes
what will happen between the hawk, owl, and wolf?
a. competition
c. mutualism
b. predation
d. commensalism
____ 11. A jellyfish paralyzes a tiny fish with its poisonous tentacles. Which of the following describes the fish?
a. host
c. predator
b. prey
d. parasite
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____ 12. To maintain biodiversity, we need to use ecosystems in a sustainable way. What does it mean to use an
ecosystem in a sustainable way?
a. using all of the resources in the ecosystem to help energy flow
b. not overusing the resources in the ecosystem, so future land development can still occur
in those areas
c. using all of the resources in the ecosystem to help the natural cycles
d. not overusing the resources in the ecosystem, so future generations can also meet their
needs
____ 13. Habitat change, overexploitation, pollution, invasive species, and climate change are all caused by human
interference in ecosystems, and all result in a loss of what important aspect of Earth’s ecosystems?
a. biodiversity
c. abiotic elements
b. species populations
d. climate
____ 14. Pollution that enters ecosystems indirectly through snow melting or runoff are referred to by what term?
a. runoff
c. point sources
b. sewage
d. non-point sources
____ 15. Pesticides are most likely to be found in runoff from what source?
a. factories
c. farm fields
b. homes
d. roads
____ 16. The dog-strangling vine was brought to North America as a house plant. But it has now spread into wilderness
areas, smothering many native species and causing monarch butterfly populations to decrease. What term
describes the dog-strangling vine?
a. native species
c. non-point species
b. overexploited species
d. invasive species
____ 17. Which term describes a species at risk of becoming endangered if certain limiting factors to population growth are
not reversed?
a. endangered
c. extirpated
b. threatened
d. special concern
____ 18. Which level of risk for species in Canada could be best described as a “local extinction”?
a. threatened
c. extirpated
b. endangered
d. special concern
Completion
Complete each statement.
19. The ____________________ biome in Canada includes trees that lose their leaves in the winter.
20. The ____________________ is the most important system on Earth, and is composed of all the biomes. It is where
are life on Earth is found.
21. Nitrifying bacteria in the soil convert ____________________, which plants cannot use, into nitrites, then nitrates,
which plants can then absorb through their roots.
22. Consumers called ____________________, like earthworms and maggots, feed on wastes and the remains of dead
animals in order to obtain the energy and nutrients they need.
23. The amount of sunlight reaching the forest floor is an example of an abiotic _________________________, since a
lack of sunlight prevents many plant species from surviving in that area of the ecosystem.
24. Ships from faraway waters have often emptied their ballast tanks when reaching Canada, introducing marine
_________________________ like the zebra mussel and round goby to Ontario waterways.
25. _________________________ is currently causing climate change, as average temperatures increase and
biodiversity is lost and organisms cannot adapt fast enough to the changes.
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26. Acid precipitation occurs when emissions containing nitrogen and ____________________ are released into the
atmosphere through industrial, mining, and transportation processes.
Modified True/False
Indicate whether the statement is true or false. If false, change the identified word or phrase to make the
statement true.
____ 27. The deciduous forests biome has large trees with cones and needles, such as spruce and fir.
____ 28. Invasive species tend to outcompete native species because they do not have limiting factors like natural predators
to keep their numbers in check.
Short Answer
29. What term describes all the locations in the atmosphere, lithosphere, and hydrosphere where life exists?
30. Identify each type of symbiosis.
a) Oxpecker birds eat harmful ticks, a meal they enjoy, that live on the skin of a
hippopotamus.
b) Hawks build their nest on a cactus. The cactus is not harmed.
c) The velvet mite is a plant organism that harms or kills its host.
31. What is a pesticide? Give one example of a common pesticide.