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Sustainability of Ecosystems - Coggle Diagram
Sustainability of Ecosystems
Components of an Ecosystem
Ecology
the study of the relationships that exist between living things, and between living things and their environment.
Biotic Factors
Animals, birds;dogs;cows, ect.
Levels of Organization
A population
a group of organisms of the same species living in the same area at the same time
A community
is composed of all of the populations that live and interact with each other in a particular area
An ecosystem
all the living and nonliving parts of an environment
A biome
a large area of the world with similar climates and organisms
Biosphere
all of the living and nonliving things on Earth
Types of Ecosystems
Terrestrial
Forests
Croplands
Aquatic
Lakes
Rivers
Abiotic Factors
Relationships Between Organisms
Symbiotic Relationships
Parasitism (+)(-)
Tapeworm attach themselves to the insides of the intestines of animals such as cows, pigs, and humans. They get food by eating the host's partly digested food, depriving the host of nutrients.
Commensalism (+)(=)
A remora (small fish) attaches itself to the underside of a shark and feeds on pieces of food leftover from the shark’s meals.
Mutualism (+)(+)
A bright clownfish attracts prey to the stinging tentacles of a sea anemone. The clownfish is immune to the sting and receives shelter.
Other Ecological Relationships
Competition
Bobcats compete for prey with the endangered population of lynx on Cape Breton Island.
Predation
A lynx is a predator. Its prey includes rabbits.
Classification of Organisms and Feeding Levels
Organisms in Ecosystems: Producers
Producers/autotrophs
Apple Tree
Rose Bushes Watermelon
photosynthesis
a process in the cells of plants, algae, and some bacteria that
converts light energy from the Sun into chemical energy
-Uses carbon dioxide and water
-Produces glucose and oxygen
Organisms in Ecosystems: Consumers
consumers
Primary consumers/ herbivores
Butterflies
secondary consumers carnivores
Krill
Tertiary consumers/ top conivore
Foxes
Organisms in Ecosystems: Scavengers & Decomposers
Scavengers
Vultures
detritivores
earthworms
Decomposers
Bacteria
Flow of Energy Within Ecosystems
energy source for all ecosystems
The Sun
Food chain
aqueous
terrestrial
Food Webs
Biomes
Biosphere
the thin layer of air, land, and water at Earth’s surface where living things exist.
biome
a collection of ecosystems that are similar or related to one another, usually in the type of plants they support.
Terrestrial
Desert
Boreal forest
Tundra
Aquatic
ponds
lakes
rivers
Latitude
the distance north and south from the equator. Latitude influences both temperature and precipitation.
Factors that Influence Biomes
temperature and precipitation are two of the most important abiotic factors that influence which biome will be in an area.
snow
rainfall
mist
fog
Elevation
the height above sea level. Higher elevations have less air, so retain less heat. Windward sides of mountains are wet, leeward sides are very dry.
Ocean currents
carry warmth and moisture to coastal areas. Temperate biomes are found where warm currents meet land.
Climatographs
climate
the average pattern of weather conditions observed and recorded over a period of years.
climatograph
shows the average temperature and precipitation for a location over a period of 30 years or more.
Biomes of the World
deserts
Permanent ice
Tropical rainforests
Biomes of Canada
Temperate Deciduous Forest
Grassland
Boreal Forest
Tundra
Sustainable Ecosystems
Sustainability
Sustainable
Something that lasts a long time
Sustainability
use of Earth’s resources, including land and water, at levels that can continue forever
Unsustainable
a pattern of activity that leads to a decline in the function of an ecosystem
Sustainable Ecosystem
an ecosystem that is capable of withstanding pressure and giving support to a variety of organisms
Sustainable use
use that does not cause long-term depletion of the resource, or affect the diversity of the ecosystem from which the resource is obtained.
Threats to Biodiversity and Sustainability
resilience
the ability of an ecosystem to maintain a balance, even in the face of significant outside disturbances.
Threats to Biodiversity and Sustainability
Deforestation
clearing forests for logging or other human uses, and never replanting them
Draining Wetlands
building dikes to use the land for agriculture causes water loss
Alien species
a species that is accidentally or deliberately introduced into a new location.
carrot grass
Invasive species:
a species that can take over the habitat of native species
Zebra Musse
Overexploitation
the use or extraction of a resource until it is depleted.
swordfish
Bioaccumulation
Bioaccumulation
a process in which materials, especially toxins, are ingested by an organism faster than they are eliminated.
Factors Affecting Bioaccumulation
Some chemicals bind to certain sites in the body, like fat tissue, prolonging their stay in the body.
The longer an organism is exposed to a toxin, the higher the concentration rate of toxins in the body.
Chemicals that are immediately eliminated (usually water soluble) do not accumulate.
Bioaccumulation rates vary between species. Large, fat, long living species with low rates of metabolism will bioaccumulate more than small, thin, short-lived organisms.
EX. An old lake trout may have more toxins in its body than a young bluegill in the same lake.
Biomagnification
the increase in the concentration of a toxin as it moves from one trophic level to the next.
DDT
DDT was able to accumulate in living fatty tissue of organisms like birds.
High concentrations in some bird species caused their eggs to fail because their shells become too thin.
DDT is a highly effective pesticide that was widely used until being banned in the Canada/USA in 1972.
Trophic Levels and Pyramids
Trophic Levels
Trophic Efficiency
Most of the energy that enters each trophic level is used by that organism just to stay alive. Some energy cannot be used and passes out of the organism as waste.
Only a small percent of energy remains stored in the organism’s body tissues. This energy is available as potential food for consumers in the next trophic level.
Trophic efficiency is a measure of how much of the energy in organisms at one trophic level is transferred to the next higher trophic level. Trophic efficiencies are usually quite inefficient—they average only about 10 percent and often much less.
Trophic Pyramids
the transfer of energy from one level of organism to the next within a food chain
Pyramid of Numbers
Pyramid of Biomass
Pyramid of Energy Flow
Inverted Pyramids
Biodiversity
refers to the number and variety of living things in an ecosystem. LOTS of DIFFERENT organisms means more biodiversity!
Why is biodiversity important?
May provide future medical or agricultural discoveries because of the available variety of DNA
Adds to the aesthetic appeal of an ecosystem → makes it “prettier”
A greater diversity increases the chance that at least some living things will survive stress in the ecosystem → increases the stability of an ecosystem
Human Impact
An example of a human activity which has decreased biodiversity is a monoculture in agriculture. A monoculture involves planting one variety of a species over a huge area, leaving the crop more vulnerable to predation or disease.
Humans can reduce biodiversity with their actions, either deliberately or by accident. For example, population growth, abuse of non-renewable fuels, pollution, etc.
The Earth Cycles
Nutrient Cycle
nutrient
protien
fat
mineral
corbohydrate
water
The pattern of continual use and re-use of the nutrients that living things need
Water Cycle
Nitrogen Cycle
Human activities affect the nitrogen cycle
EX. Not all fertilizer is used by plants and stays in the soil. When it rains or plants are watered, the nitrogen or phosphorus is carried into water systems.
Eutrophication
a process in which nutrient levels in aquatic ecosystems increase, leading to an increase in the populations of primary producers
Carbon Cycle
Excess CO2 in the atmosphere can increase the surface temperature which can:
Cause a loss of habitat or food source in an ecosystem
Change the frequency and intensity of extreme weather
Introduce new pests or diseases
Change the length of growing seasons
Excess CO2 in the ocean acts as an acid, reducing the pH, which can:
Reduce shell growth in organisms
Reduce reproductive success for fish
Photosynthesis
to convert radiant energy from the sun into food (chemical energy) for themselves and the animals in their ecosystem.
Photosynthesis is a process in the cells of plants, algae, and some bacteria that converts light energy from the Sun into chemical energy.
Cellular Respiration
he process in which cells break down molecules for energy. The cells use that oxygen you breathe in and produce carbon dioxide you breathe out.
Limiting Factors
Restrictions, factors that limit the growth, distribution, or amount of a population in an ecosystem
Populations are limited by:
The available food supply and the amount of predators.
The amount of energy, water and nutrients available.
Competition for resources
Interspecific competition
Intraspecific competition
The need for space.
Population Density
Density Independent vs Density Dependent Factors
Density Dependent Factors
food shortage
disease
predation
Density Independent Factors
fire
drought
Flood
Population Growth
a group of organisms of one species that lives in the same place, at the same time, and can successfully reproduce.
What four factors affect population size?
Mortality
number of individuals that die in one year
Immigration
number of individuals that move into an existing population
Natality
number of offspring born in one year
Emigration
number of individuals that move out of an existing population
How those factors affect population size?
Natality + Immigration – Mortality – Emigration
Types of Populations
Open population
Emigration and imigration can occur
Closed population
No emigration or imigration
Population Explosion
Called population explosion or exponential growth
This may occur when a new species is introduced into an ecosystem and it has:
Plentiful food supply
Abundant space
Few predators
Population Extinction
when an ecosystem experiences a rapid decrease in size
Caused by disease
Caused by increase in predation
Caused by destruction of habitat
Caused by lack of food
Normal Population Growth
carrying capacity.
The largest population that an ecosystem can successfully support
This is Normal population growth.
Ecological Niche
the way an organism occupies a position in an ecosystem
Paradigm Shifts
Paradigms & Paradigm Shift
Paradigm
EX. Copernicus’s heliocentric model of the solar system went against the paradigm that the Earth was the centre of the solar system
a view of the world or way of thinking about how the world works
Paradigm Shift
a significant change in the way humans view the world
Sustainability of Ecosystems
A shift involving the way people view the sustainability of ecosystems and the use of resources on Earth is occurring now.
Evidence of the Shift
Reduce, reuse, recycle
Promoting the use of public transportation
Reducing CO2 emissions into the atmosphere
Producing and promoting the use of alternative sources of energy
Ecological Footprint
measure of the impact of a human individual or population on the environment, including the land we need for living, to produce food and discard waste.
Climate Change
Greenhouse Gases
water vapor
CH4
CO2
Greenhouse Effect
The trapping of solar radiation by the Earth’s atmosphere, caused by the presence of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
Climate Change
Any substantial change in the Earth’s climate that lasts for an extended period of time.
