DO NOW Tuesday 5/20

What did you learn about systems (specifically ecosystems) in the Estuary Ecosystem activity yesterday?

Stamping:- Estuary Ecosystem Debrief WS

The Effect of:

• Japanese Mudsnail, a non-native, invasive species

• Shoreline Development

Food Web: Yellowstone National Park Ecosystem

1. What could happen if the elk population was removed?

2. What could happen if the strawberry plant was removed?

3. If the Idaho fescue was removed, what organisms may be directly affected? Indirectly affected? Why?

4. What could happen if the grizzly bear was removed?

Ecology, defined

Ecology is the study of how organisms interact with each other and their environment.

BBECPO

Biomes

“The world's major communities, classified according to the predominant vegetation and characterized by adaptations of organisms to that particular environment"

Ecosystem

All the organisms in a given area a well as the abiotic factors with which they interact. One more communities and the physical environment around them.

What can affect an ecosystem?

• Abiotic Factors are non-living conditions or things that may influence an ecosystem and the organisms living within it.– Examples:

• Biotic Factors are any living or once-living organisms that may influence an ecosystem and its organisms.– Examples:

Communities

A community refers to all populations (i.e., various species) living together in a shared space.– Think about a tropical rainforest/jungle. What are

some of the populations/species that exist there as one community?

Community Interactions

• Predator-Prey

• Competition

• Symbiosis sym = together bio = life/living

– Mutualism– Commensalism– Parasitism

Predators and Prey

Predation: an interaction between species in which one species, the predator, eats the other, the prey.

Predation is not to be confused with parasitism, in which one organism feeds on the cell contents, tissues, or body fluid of another species (the host). Parasites harm but usually do not kill their host.

Competition

An interaction in which 2 or more species compete for resources due to inhabiting a shared space. Think siblings! Both species tend to experience some disadvantage.

Whether it be for food, living space, shelter, or for girls attention at college parties.

Symbiotic Relationships

• Symbiotic– “sym” = together– “biotic” = life related

• Types– Predation + -– Commensalism + n/a– Mutualism + +– Parasitism + -

Mutualism

An interaction where both symbiotic organisms benefit.

Commensalism

An interaction where one organism benefits and the other is unaffected.

Parasitism

An interaction where one organism benefits (the parasite) and the other is at a disadvantage (the host).

Food Chains and Trophic Levels• The trophic level of an organism is the

position it occupies in a food chain.

• The word trophic derives from the Greek trophē referring to “food” or “feeding”.

• A food chain represents a succession of organisms that eat another organism and are, in turn, eaten themselves.

• Explain what is being shown here. Where might humans fit?

Connect back to…

• The Queen of Trees or Estuary Ecosystem

• List one member for each trophic level:– Primary Producer:

– Primary Consumer: – Secondary Consumer: – Tertiary Consumer:

Your Task

• Read textbook excerpt, Energy Supply Limits the Length of Food Chains

– Approximately how much energy (percentage-wise) is used or lost as heat as we move up the food chain?

– Why are food chains limited to only 4-5 trophic levels?

What would an appropriate title be, incorporating the terms energy and production?

Food Chains vs. Food Webs

Ecological communities with higher biodiversity form more complex trophic paths. The greater the biodiversity, the more stable the ecosystem. Why do you think this is the case?

What do you notice?

The concepts of bioaccumulation and/or toxic magnification is shown in the images. Make a statement that explains this phenomenon.

Keystone Species: a species in an ecosystem which has tremendous importance in stabilizing an ecosystem in spite of the fact that the species is not very abundant. Its removal has a cascade effect on countless other species in the ecosystem.

Removing the

keystone of an arch causes it

to collapse.

Populations

• One “population” refers to all members of the same species living together in a shared space.

• Things we examine in populations– Population Growth (graphs)– Population Density– Limiting Factors– Carrying Capacity

Populations

A group of members of a certain species (i.e., can interbreed and reproduce fertile offspring) that living in the same area. This is different from community, which describes multiple populations/species living in the same area.

“Whoa that is a huge population of Homo sapiens hanging out at Alderwood Mall on a Saturday”

Population Density

How many organisms of one population occupy one area.

“Whoa, the population density of Homo sapiens in Mill Creek is far less than that of the population density of Homo sapiens in China”

Calculate the population density of a town that is 25 square miles and has a population of 8,341 people.

General Data

Finish Predator-Prey WS (for #8)

Trends?

DO NOWObserve the 2 graphs showing different populations carrying capacity. What is the difference? What does this tell you about carrying capacities?