Ecosystems Review Biomes of the World Rainforest Desert

Ecosystems Review

Biomes of the World Rainforest Desert Grasslands Deciduous Forest Boreal Forest /Taiga Tundra Biomes are determined based on their climate-temperature and precipitation.

Changes In the Environment Ecosystems are always changing. Sometimes those changes are quite fast, like in the case of a natural disaster. A natural disaster like a flood, fire, earthquake, mudslide, hurricane or volcanic eruption can instantly change an environment and kill the communities that live there. If this happens, a new community will replace the old community over time. This is called succession. An example of succession is when a field is left untouched for a long time, it may turn into a forest. If a volcano wipes out a forest, it will eventually grow back.

What Else Changes the Environment? The Greenhouse Effect: There are gases in the Earths atmosphere that are known as greenhouse gasses. The gases let sunlight pass through and trap some of the sun’s heat so that the Earth stays warm. This is called the greenhouse effect. This is great for plants and animals to live, but too much greenhouse effect is a bad thing. Worldwide pollution caused by humans is creating more greenhouse gasses. Some scientists believe that this will increase the temperature of the planet, resulting in global warming. This warming may cause glaciers to melt and ocean levels to rise. Other scientists think that the Earth will become colder because the sun’s rays will be blocked by pollution. Either way, people should be more thoughtful of the Earth because it is our only home!

What Else Changes the Environment? Ozone Depletion The Earth is protected by the atmosphere. The atmosphere is the air that surrounds the Earth. It protects us from the sun’s bad rays. Ozone, a gas, absorbs most of the UV rays. Ozone protects people when it is high in the atmosphere, but it can hurt people when it is near the ground. Smog, is a foglike substance caused by pollution. It contains ozone that can harm people. Bad ozone formed on Earth, rises into the atmosphere and causes good ozone to break down. This thinning of the good ozone layer weakens the part of the atmosphere that protects animals, plants and humans from the sun. Again, humans creating pollution is bad for our planet!

What Harms Our Environment? Air Pollution: We pollute our air with factory pollution and car exhaust. Organisms, including humans need clean air to survive. Soil Pollution: We pollute our ground with chemicals, hazardous waste and garbage. These hazardous materials can get into our drinking water and harm us. Water pollution destroys life in the Earth’s freshwater ecosystems and oceans.

What Else Harms our Environment? Spraying pesticides and insecticides. It kills the bugs we don’t want, but what does it do to the environment? Deforestation is the cutting down of many trees and not replacing them. We use wood as a resource, but trees support plant and animal life. We must think about our future before cutting down acres of forests, without making plans to replace them!

What Else Harms Our Environment? Waste: People produce so much waste! Humans should be encouraged to follow the three R’s: reduce, reuse, and recycle! Many materials like plastic, glass, metal and paper can be recycled and re-used without causing more harm to our environment. Construction: Expanding the places where humans live harms the natural ecosystems. Life in those ecosystems must move elsewhere and some do not survive.

Extinction means the disappearance of a species. This is a natural process and throughout history, many organisms have become extinct, like the dinosaurs. Organisms that are in danger of becoming extinct are known as endangered species. Although extinction happens naturally, humans have a large role in endangering species. Our actions destroy the ecosystems and endanger the organisms that live in them. Species are more likely to become extinct if: They are naturally rare They are sensitive to changes in the environment They have “picky” food or shelter needs They have small numbers of offspring They interfere with people in some way

Key Concepts • What is ecology? • What basic processes keep us and other organisms alive? • What are the major components of the ecosystem? • What happens to energy in the ecosystem? • How do scientists study the ecosystem? • What are ecosystem services?

What is ecology? The study of how organisms interact with one another and with their nonliving environment. (oikos “place to live” of”) logos “study How nature is connected.

Universe Galaxies Solar systems Biosphere Planets Earth Biosphere Ecosystems Communities Populations Organisms Organ systems Realm of ecology Communities Organs Tissues Cells Populations Protoplasm Molecules Atoms Subatomic Particles Organisms

The Nature of Ecology Ecosystem Organization üOrganism -Any form of life

The Nature of Ecology Ecosystem Organization • Organism – Any form of life – Species • Group of organisms that resemble one another • Actually or potentially breed with one another • Produce live, fertile offspring

The Nature of Ecology Ecosystem Organization • Communities – Populations of the different species occupying a particular place – Biological community • Populations – Group of interacting individual of the same species that occupy a specific area a the same time. • Organisms – Any living organism

The Nature of Ecology Ecosystem Organization • Biosphere All of the earth’s ecosystems • Ecosystem A community of different species interacting with one another and their nonliving environment

The Source of Energy

Ecosystem Concepts and Components • Biomes – “By-ohms” – Land ecosystems – Distinct climate and specific life -forms • Role of climate – Long term patterns of weather – Determines what type of life will thrive • Aquatic life zones – freshwater – ocean or marine life

Ecosystems Use Sunlight As Their Source of Energy

Conservation of Matter and Energy Capture Photosynthesis 6 CO 2 + 6 H 20 C 6 H 12 O 6 + 6 O 2 Respiration C 6 H 12 O 6 + 6 O 2 6 CO 2 + 6 H 20

Trophic “Feeding” Levels • First Trophic Level Producers (plants) • Second Trophic Level Primary consumers (herbivores) – • Third Trophic Level Secondary consumer (carnivores) – • Fourth Trophic Level Feed directly on producers Feed on Primary Consumers Tertiary consumer – Feed on other carnivores

Trophic Levels • Omnivore – Eat plants and animals • Detritivores and Scavengers – Feed on detritus, dead organisms, and waste • Decomposers – Break down dead organic material – Release the resulting simpler compounds into the soil – Anaerobic respiration (absence of oxygen) • Methane, ethyl alcohol, acetic acid, hydrogen sulfide

Detritus feeders Bark beetle engraving Long-horned beetle holes Carpenter ant galleries Decomposers Termite and carpenter ant work Dry rot fungus Wood reduced to powder Time progression Mushroom Powder broken down by decomposers into plant nutrients in soil

Biodiversity: What is it and why is it important? The different life-forms and lifesustaining processes.

Biodiversity: What is it and why is it important? Kinds of biodiversity include: • Genetic diversity – Variety in the genetic makeup among individuals within a species • Species diversity – Variety among species found in different habitats of the planet • Ecological diversity – Variety of biological communities • Functional diversity – Biological and chemical processes or functions needed for survival

Connections: Food Webs and Energy Flow in Ecosystems Food chains – sequence of organisms each of which is a food source for the next.

Connections: Food Webs and Energy Flow in Ecosystems Food webs – a network of interconnected food chains