Ecosystems

Ms. Romaniuk

2015-2016

Ecosystems Introduction

Note Frame 01

Key Terms

• Abiotic

• Autotroph

• Biotic

• Carnivore

• Cellular respiration

• Consumer

• Decomposer

• Detritivore

• Ecology

• Ecosystem

• Food chain

• Food web

• Habitat

• Herbivore

• Heterotroph

• Omnivore

• Photosynthesis

• Population

• Primary consumer

• Producer

• Pyramid of biomass

• Pyramid of energy

• Scavenger

• Secondary consumer

• Ecology – study of the interactions of organisms with each other and their environment

–Ecologist – scientist that studies small areas of earth – areas called ecosystems

Ecology

• Ecosystems is made up of two different groups of factors/influences:

• 1. Abiotic (non-living) - physical environment

–Ex: water, sunlight, oxygen, soil, nutrients and temperature

• 2. Biotic (living) - living organisms

–Ex: plants, animals, fungi, and bacteria

• Ecosystems contain populations of many different organisms

– Population – a group of the same species that live in the same place at the same time

– Each population has a place where it lives – called its habitat

matter cycle

input energy

(solar energy)energy lost

(heat energy)

ecosystem

Energy Flow

• Sun - the required source of energyfor all living things

• Producers – (plants) – use the sun’s energy to make organic compounds (food)

–Photosynthesis – process by which plants make food

CO2 + H2O + O2 sugar

C6H12O6

• Autotroph – organisms that make their own food

–Ex: green plants, algae, etc.

• Consumer – cannot make its own food, required to eat

–Cellular respiration – the process that breaks down food and releases the stored energy

+ O2 CO2 + H2OC6H12O6sugar

• Heterotroph – organism that uses cellular respiration to get energy

• Food chain – a feeding hierarchy of organisms in an ecosystem by trophic level

–Represents the flow of energy

• Food web – a model that shows the interconnectivity of food chains in an ecosystem

–Shows many food chains

Food Chains and Food Webs

• Primary consumers (herbivores) –feed directly on producers

–Ex: moose, cattle, grasshoppers, rabbits, etc.

• Secondary consumers – feed on primary consumers

• Tertiary consumers – feed on secondary consumers

• Carnivore – an animal that typically eats meat

–High level consumers are usually carnivores

• Omnivores – feed on both producers and consumers

Food web - Many food chains are connected in a complex relationship

Food chain – shows the relationship of feeding and energy transfer in organisms of an ecosystem.

Trophic level – each step (nutrition level) in a food chain

producer

primary consumer

secondary consumer

tertiary consumer

1st trophic level

3rd trophic level

2nd trophic level4th trophic level

bacteriamolecules

nutrientsdecomposing bodies

Cycling of Matter

• Detritivore – eats dead plant and animal remains, converts into reusable substances

–Recyclers of the ecosystem

1. Scavengers – carnivores that feed on dead animals

• Ex: vultures, hyenas, seagulls, ravens

2. Decomposers – bacteria and fungi

• Ex: mushrooms, mould

Ecological Pyramids

Pyramid of biomass - shows the total amount (mass) of living material at each trophic level.

Only 10% of the energy received from food is stored in the body – 90% is used to run your organs.

Pyramid of energy - the total amount of energy at each level in an ecosystem.

producer

primary consumer

secondary consumer

tertiary consumer

1st trophic level

3rd trophic level

2nd trophic level4th trophic level

herbivore

carnivore

carnivore

Create a Food Web

producer Primary consumerSecondary consumerTertiary consumerQuaternary consumerScavenger / decomposer

producer

primary consumer

secondary consumer

tertiary consumer

1st trophic level

3rd trophic level

2nd trophic level4th trophic level

herbivore

carnivore

carnivore

Biogeochemistry

Note Frame 02

Key Terms

• Biogeochemistry

• Carbohydrate

• Denitrification

• Fossil fuel

• Nitrogen fixation

• Nutrient

• Carbon cycle

• Nitrogen cycle

• legumes

• Biogeochemistry is the study of chemical, physical, geological, and biological processes in the natural environment

–Specifically: study of cycle of chemical elements (nitrogen and carbon) interacting with living things

Biogeochemistry

• Water cycle is important because all organisms need water to survive

–Drink

–Regulate body temperature

–Get rid of waste

• Water cycle is an abiotic factor affecting ecosystems

Water Cycle

run-off

absorption

decomposition

transpiration

Water Cycle

• Carbon cycle is a biogeochemical cycle that moves carbon throughout the ecosystem (ground, atmosphere, hydrosphere)

• Carbon cycle is necessary to make life on Earth possible

–Carbon is an element that can form many, many different compounds

Carbon Cycle

• Carbon is found in:

–All animals – cells are proteins, protein is a carbon based molecule

–All plants – sugars (glucose), starches are carbon based molecules

–Earth – soils and minerals are carbon based

–Atmosphere – carbon dioxide (CO2)

–Oceans – dissolved in water, and found in living/non living factors

fossil fuels

CO2 + H2O C6H12O6 + O2

Photo

Cell Resp

Carbon Cycle Diagram

Processes of the Carbon CycleProcess How Carbon is Moved

1. Photosynthesis

•Plants use carbon from the air (CO2) with water and sunlight to make glucose (glucose is carbon based)•Plants can change glucose into proteins, fats, carbohydrates•Oxygen is by-product

Process How Carbon is Moved

2. Consumption

•Animals (consumers) eat plants (producers)•Carbon compounds are digested in the animals

•Cellular respiration –animals breathe in oxygen and breath out carbon gas (as CO2)

Process How Carbon is Moved

3. Decomposition

•Animals and plants die and decompose•Decomposers break down organic material to release carbon dioxideand methane (CH4)•Nutrients (carbon) is returned to the soil

•Plants use the nutrients and carbon dioxide

Process How Carbon is Moved

3. Decomposition

•Decomposers do not breakdown all organic material•Some will remain built up in the Earth to become fossil fuels

• Video – 01 – The Carbon Cycle 3D

Process How Carbon is Moved

Human Influence

•Air pollution contributes to damage to plants and soil –causing higher errosion and the ability to plants to do photosynthesis•Higher ocean temperatures lead to the death of coral reefs, limits ability of the ocean to absorb carbon

Process How Carbon is Moved

Human Influence

•Burning fossil fuels – transfers carbon directly from the Earth to the atmosphere•Deforestation – reduces ability to change CO2 to O2 through plant photosynthesis•Decreasing biodiversity –lowers ecosystem resilience and response to environmental stress

Increases the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere:

• Forest fires

• Volcanoes

• Deforestation

• Combustion of fossil fuels

Disturbing the Carbon CycleDecreases the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere:

• Tree planting

• Recycling

• Energy-efficiency

• Reducing carbon footprint

• Human activity and land use and land coverage change has contributed to a significant disruption of the carbon cycle

–The increase of carbon in the atmosphere increases the global temperature, because it traps heat energy and radiates it back to Earth

•Global Warming

• Nitrogen cycle is a biogeochemicalcycle where nitrogen is converted into different chemical forms in the atmosphere, hydrosphere, and in the Earth

–Occurs in living things (biological processes)

–Occurs in non-living things (physical processes)

Nitrogen Cycle

• Nitrogen is an element that all living things needs to survive

• Nitrogen can be found in:

–Atmosphere (air) is 78%

–Soil – as nitrates used by plants

• Nitrogen by itself is not useful – must be fixed (made into a biologically useful compound) before it can move through organisms in an ecosystem

N2

N2

N2

N2

NH3NO3

NO3NH3

legumes

Nitrogen Cycle Diagram

Nitrogen fixation

denitrification

Processes of Nitrogen CycleProcess How nitrogen is moved

1.Nitrogen fixation

•Bacteria changes nitrogenfrom the atmosphere (N2) into compounds•Nitrate = NO3

•Ammonia = NH3

•Bacteria is found in soil near roots of legumes•Beans, peas, peanuts, etc.

Process How nitrogen moves

1.Nitrogen fixation •Plants are main users of

nitrogen in the soil•After nitrogen is in the plants,it can be eaten by animals (consumers) and or decompose and return to the soil•Becomes used by plants again

Process How nitrogen moves

2.Denitrification

•Bacteria will break down nitrogen compoundsinto nitrogen gas

• Goes from plant and animal waste back to nitrogen gas

Vehicle exhaust – (NHO3) – causes acid rain

Agriculture (farming) – NO3, NH3 – pollutes water

• Animal manure

• Excessive fertilizer on crops

• Farming practices

–Ammonia and nitrates seep into the ground water

Disturbing the Nitrogen Cycle

• Water containing excess NO3 and NH3

have frequent algae problems (algae blooms)

–Produce dangerous toxins

–Can kill animals living in the water

•Ex: Lake Winnipeg

Video: The Nature of Things – Save My Lake:

http://www.cbc.ca/natureofthings/episodes/save-my-lake

Pollution and Bioaccumulation

Note Frame 03

Key Terms

• Pollution

• Biodegradable

• Bioaccumulation

• Biological magnification

• Pesticides

• Toxin

• Non-biodegradable

• If left undisturbed, an ecosystem is continually sustained by its nutrient cycle

Pollution – anything that makes an environment harmful to the living things in the ecosystem

• Usually refers to dangerous chemicals

• Most pollution ends up in the water

Ecosystems and Pollution

Air Pollution

• Results: worsens Greenhouse Effect, acid rain

Ground Pollution

• Results: pollutes ground water, harmful to animals

Pesticides – chemicals that kill insects and other “pests”

• Bioaccumulating

• Non-biodegradable

–https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/

Fertilizers – nitrogen compounds, speed up the growth of producers (plants)

• New chemicals produced by human activity are not part of the nutrient cycle in ecosystems

Biodegradable – substances that can be broken down naturally by decomposers

• Examples: paper, cotton, wool, food

Chemicals in the Environment

Non-biodegradable – substances that can NOT be broken down naturally by decomposers

• Examples: mercury, glass, plastics, metals, construction products, electronics

• Non-biodegradable products remain in the ecosystem forever

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Se12y9hSOM0

The Story of Stuff

• Write down five ideas from the video

Bioaccumulation – when a toxin builds up in a living organism

Toxin – a pollutant that directly affects the health of living organisms

• Toxins build up in fat tissue

–Cannot be excreted

Bioaccumulation

How bioaccumulation happens:

• Producers constantly absorb small amount of non-biodegradablesubstances

• Primary consumers eat the producers

–The toxin moves up the food chain

Amount of toxin builds inside higher consumers.

Side effects of the toxin get worse.

Weakened, sick or die.

1

10

1000

100 000

10

1000

100000

10000000

Activity:Get into pairs (or by yourself), and pick ONE bioaccumulatedchemical from the list of 4 below;

DDT, dioxin, lead, mercury

Prepare a pamphlet or paper with the following information:

What is bioaccumulation?What are the sources of your problem?Where does it occur?What food chains are affected?What are the health concerns / risks?What can be done to avoid the problem?

Due next MONDAY. It is worth 16 marks in this unit.

Biodiversity and Sustainability

Note Frame 04

Key Terms

• Biodiversity

• Sustainable

• Carrying capacity

• Population

• Population ecology is the study of the way species populations change and interact with the environment

–Species population in ecology is the number of individual organisms that live in the same area and are able to interbreed

Population Ecology

• Population ecology is important because it provides a way to describe and predict what groups in the environment will do

–If they will get larger/smaller

• Important because maintaining biodiversity is important

• If conditions are ideal – lots of food, water, shelter, no predators – then populations will grow rapidly

Population Control

TIME

PO

PU

LA

TIO

N

Ideal population growth

• Environment sets limits on population growth – this is the carrying capacity

“Real” Population GrowthTIME

PO

PU

LA

TIO

N

• In reality, conditions are never ideal

–Populations cannot grow indefinitely

• Carrying capacity is the maximum population (average) of a species supported by the environment

–Populations fluctuate around the carrying capacity

Carrying Capacity

• There are 8.7 million different species that exist on the planet:

–Animals: 7.77 million (12% described)

–Fungi: 0.61 million (7% described)

–Plants: 0.30 million (70% described)

–Protozoa: 0.04 million (22% described)

–Chromists: 0.03 million (50% described)

Biodiversity

http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-14616161

• The number of different species in an ecosystem is called biodiversity

• Reducing biodiversity can cause a “domino effect”

–Leads to the collapse of an entire food chain or food web

• Human health is linked to the health of ecosystems

–Plant species used in modern medium

–Food security

• Reducing biodiversity means:

–Food supplies are more vulnerable to pests and disease

–Fresh water is in irregular or short supply

We are losing 20, 000 - 100, 000 species per year

• There is a biodiversity crisis

–Globally, 16,000 species are threatened with extinction:

•12% of birds

•23% of mammals

•32% of amphibians

Threats to Biodiversity

http://davidsuzuki.org/issues/wildlife-habitat/science/endangered-species-legislation/protecting-biodiversity/

• Causes of this crisis tend to be human impact from destruction of habit through:

–Land use and development

–Deforestation

–Pollution

–Climate change

• When a system can survive, function, and be renewed over time for future use is called sustainable

• Ecosystems rely on cycles of renew matter and maintain biodiversity to maintain food webs

Sustainability

• Sustainability is so important that there are government branchesdedicated to sustainable development

• From the Government of Manitoba Principles and Guidelines of Sustainable Development:

http://www.gov.mb.ca/sd/susresmb/principles-susdev/index.html

• The goal is to make sure that human development goals do not harm natural systems or ecosystems in the process

–Economy depends on natural resources

–Society depends on natural resources

–Ecosystems require their own natural resources