Biota- all of the living parts of the biosphere

Hydrosphere- all of the water in its various forms in the biosphere

Atmosphere- the air surround Earth’s surface

Geosphere- Earth’s surface and below

Year-to-year weather condition for a particular area Temperature and Precipitation Day-to-day conditions are called weather

Microclimate- small area with a different climate than the areas surrounding it ex: cave

Three Main Climate Regions (controlled by latitude) Polar Temperate Tropic

Latitude

Location on landmass (on coast or inland)

Proximity to land features like mountain ranges

Groups of ecosystems with similar climates and similar communities

Tolerance- range of conditions that plants and animals can survive

Terrestrial Tundra Taiga Deciduous

Forest

Aquatic Ocean Estuaries Wetlands

Marsh Swamp Bogs

•Rainforest•Grassland•Desert•Savannah

•Freshwater–Ponds–Lakes–Streams–Rivers

ColdVery short summersLow BiodiversityPermafrost- only top layers of soil thaw in summer

Evergreen forests

Very dryOrganisms adapted for water conservation

Very high biodiversity

Important nursery (spawning) ground for many marine speciesImportant food source of fish for humans

Study of the size of human populations

Human Carrying capacity Number is increasing with new technologies and medicines Cannot increase forever

Human population used to be low and relatively stable Limited by resources and disease

Past 500 years Exponential growth Occasional dips such as Middle Ages with Bubonic Plague

Non-renewable- cannot be remade (or only can be remade over a very long time period)

Renewable- can be remade

Amount of land needed per person to support their resource needs

Habitat Loss Deforestation

Habitat Fragmentation

Pollution

Introduction of Invasive species

Other Human Activities

All or part of habitat is destroyed

Organism move or die

Decreases biodiversity in the area

Deforestation (removal of forests) is an example

Smaller area usually hold less individuals and less species (less types of habitat in them)

A fragmented area = decrease in biodiversity

Water Chemicals, Trash,

Temperatures, Noise

Land Chemicals, Trash

Air Chemicals and Noise

Give clues to the health of the ecosystem

Very susceptible to pollution

Example: frogs in aquatic ecosystems Skin is water-permeable so toxins have direct access

Normal pH of Rain 5.6

Responsible for creating temperatures on Earth that can sustain life

Trap the sun’s heat through atmospheric gases like CO2

CO2 levels cycled in the past due to natural climate cycles

Rising levels of CO2 have created a greater greenhouse effect producing global warming

Caused by interaction of particles from fossil fuels and sunlight

Increase of UV radiation as ozone is lost

Chemical pollutant becomes more concentrated as it moves up the trophic levels within a food chain or web

Very dangerous for top level predators

Also called non-native species

Introduced to new habitat Often grows without check because of lack of natural predators or disease in the area

Outcompetes other native species for resources

Populations are depleted because of humans Overhunting or overfishing Over-collection

Otherwise renewable resources can become nonrenewable as population levels go down

Population Levels Decrease due to Habitat Loss Loss of Resources (through pollution or resource being

removed/damaged) Illness/Death (from pollution or lack or resources) Other Human Activities

As population levels decrease, genetic diversity goes down

Populations cannot adapt or respond to changes in their environment

Becomes unhealthy and more likely to become extinct

As numbers decline, organisms fall into these categories

Threatened Many elephant species Polar bear

Endangered Giant Panda Many Marine Mammals

Extinct Dodo Passenger Pigeon

As species are lost in an ecosystem, the ecosystem becomes less stable

The loss of one species affects other species as well

Using renewable resources in sustainable ways (sustainable development)

Protecting threatened and endangered species Reintroduction programs Conserving resources for their use

Minimizing pollution

Minimizing habit loss/habitat fragmentation Lowering ecological footprint Bridges between habitat fragments

Protection against introduction of invasive species

Controlling invasive species already introduced Removal Introduction of a predator

Keeping/increasing biodiversity in an area