ecosystem interactions. esturay ecosystem photo by cbf member steve aprile,
TRANSCRIPT
Ecosystem Interactions
Esturay Ecosystem
Photo by CBF Member Steve Aprile,
Estuary – Where land and fresh water meet the sea
Estuary
Ocean
Nutrients wash into the
streams when it rains
Then flow into the estuary
Ocean water mixes in with
the freshwater
What is needed for a healthy ecosystem?• Producers need –
• Consumers need –
Energy (sun), water, gasses (O2 and CO2), space, mineralsEnergy (food), water, gasses (O2), space, shelter
Why do animals need O2?
Cellular RespirationHow do underwater animals (like fish) get O2?
Wave action, photosynthetic plankton,
underwater plants
Now begins the Notes at the bottom of page 10
Fertilizers – nitrates and phosphates
Rain washes fertilizers to the bay
Lots of fertilizer (nitrates) causesAlgal blooms
(another Algal bloom)
Algal blooms block the sun – Plants die. Algae also dies once the nutrients are used up.
Then, decomposers use up the O2
dissolved in the water
After all this algae dies, the decomposers will have lots and lots of food!
The increase in decomposers will use up all the oxygen, causing fish, crabs, oysters, and
other animals to die off.
Lack of Oxygen
DEAD ZONE&
Eventually, ecosystem
collapse!
CAUSE EFFECT Moderate amount of nitrates
Help the plants and algae grow
Too much nitrates Algae grows and reproduces out of control (Algal Bloom)
Too much algae in the water Block the sunlight – plants die
Too much dead plants and algae
Decomposers (bacteria) grow out of control
Too many decomposers (bacteria)
Use up all of the Oxygen
Not enough Oxygen in the water
Animals can’t survive
Too many dead plants and animals
Dead Zone – ECOSYSTEM COLLAPSE!
Videohttp://cbf.org/page.aspx?pid=433