Ecology Flashcards
4 main spheres?
Lithosphere (Rocks)
Biosphere (Living things)
Atmosphere (air, gases)
Hydrosphere (rain, oceans)
Atmosphere?
Layer of gases around the earth (78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen)
Benefits of the atmosphere?
Helps to moderate the earths temperature and blocks solar radiation and UV light.
Lithosphere?
The rocky outer shell of earth. Consists of rocks and minerals. Ex Mountains, OCEAN FLOORS.
Hydrosphere?
All of the earths water in solid, liquid and gas form.
Biosphere
bio=life
List an example of the 4 spheres interacting
Rain (hydro) falls on the soil (litho) which causes grass (bio) to grow.
Gaia Hypothesis?
Proposed that earth behaves like a living organism due to interactions among the 4 spheres
How is earths mass related to its ability to have an atmosphere.
Earths mass creates a fore of gravity strong enough to hold gases near its surface. (bigger planet can maintain bigger atmosphere)
If earth is so large, why do scientists consider the biosphere to be weak.
Because the biosphere in comparison to the earth is very thin.
Birds are a part of the
biosphere
An event?
Smth that causes a change in 1 or more spheres.
A change?
A change in one sphere results in changes in others.
Spheres are affected by natural and human events on our planet such as
Volcanoes, Earthquakes, pollution, oil spills and storms.
An ecosystem
All the living organisms that share a region and interact with each other and their non-living environment.
Abiotic
Non living components on an ecosystem (TEMP,WIND, WATER AND ROCKS)
Biotic
The living components of an environment (Grass, animals trees)
Ecosystems can be divided into _ groups
2
Natural ecos
An ecosystem that has occurred overtime due to the effects of nature. Meadows, Forests, Ponds and Streams
Artificial ecos
An ecosystem that is planned and maintained by humans. (Park, zoos, farms and school yards.)
Aquatic Eco
An ecosystem that exists in a water body. (Pond,river,lake,swamps and streams)
Terrestrial Eco
An ecosystem that exists on land (mountain, grassland and urban/artificial.
Bio-diversity
Number of diff species in an ecosystem
Ecology
Study of how species interact with each other and their environments.
Community
Different populations that live in the same area.
Population
All the individuals of a single species that live in the same area.
Habitat
The place where an organism lives
Ecological Niche
When a species interacts with its environment and other species. (How it behaves)
Sustainability
An ecosystem is sustainable if it can maintain natural conditions without interruption, weakening or loss of biodiversity for long periods of time.
% of energy reflected by clouds or earths surface
30
% of energy absorbed by the atmosphere water and land
70
% absorbed by living organisms
0.023
Producers
Produce their own food by doing photosynthesis. (Plants)
Chlorophyll
A chemical in plants that absorbs light energy
Photosynthesis
Carbon dioxide + water + light energy= Glucose and oxygen
Consumers
Obtain energy by eating other organisms that contained stored energy. (Humans)
Cellular Respiration
The sugar and oxygen are changed into water and carbon dioxide, and energy is released. (Opposite of Photosynthesis).
Herbivore
Eats plant only
Energy is converted into diff forms BUT
never returns to its source
Water Cycle?
Condensation to Precip to surface runoff or groundwater to Ocean to evaporation and repeat
Condensation?
Condensation is the process by which water vapour in the air is changed into liquid water; it’s the opposite of evaporation.
Precipitation?
Precipitation is water that falls from the atmosphere to the Earth’s surface.
How much energy is passed through trophic levels
10%
True or false decomposers decompose dead things and it has no effect on the plants
false
True or false, a parasite that has a symbiotic relationship has a neutral effect on the host
false
Surface Runoff?
Surface runoff is precipitation that runs off the landscape.
Evaporation?
Evaporation is the process that changes liquid water to gaseous water (water vapor).
Nitrogen Cycle
During the carbon cycle, carbon moves between the
biotic and abiotic parts of ecosystems
Source of carbon deposits
It is stored in deposits such as coal, limestone, ocean
sediments, shells of marine animals, oil, and natural
gas
How do human activities change the carbon cycle
Auto Emissions and Deforestation.
Limiting factor?
A limiting factor is any factor
that restricts the size of a
population or where it can live.
Biotic limiting factors
Mutualism
Commensalism
Parasitism
Carrying capacity
the
maximum population size of a
species that a given ecosystem can sustain
Why is soil health important
Plants depend on soil for physical support and nutrients.
How do human actions deplete soil nutrients
Through intensive agriculture, human activity prevents the soil from regenerating as the same minerals have to be used continuously.
Positives of Fertilizer
Grows crops faster and bigger, cheap and easy to transport.
Negatives of Fertilizer
Can pollute bodys of water can deplete soil
Climate change
As greenhouse gas emissions blanket the Earth, they trap the sun’s heat. This leads to global warming and climate change. The world is now warming faster than at any point in recorded history
Effects of Climate change on aquatic ecos
A warmer climate will result in greater evaporation from water surfaces and greater transpiration by plants which will result in a more vigorous water cycle.
Effects of Climate change on terrestrial ecos
Spread of invasive species, disruption of food webs, Habitat loss and Wildfires
Biodiversity?
Variety of organisms in an area
Community
The collection of all the populations of all the species in an ecosystem.
Detritus
Waste from plants and animals, including their dead remains
5 human actions that can affect carrying capacity
- Hunting
- Polluting
- Deforestation
- Over exploiting
- Clearing farmland, fertilizer use
Sources of air pollution?
Fossil fuels, cars, burning wood, smoking, forest fires.
Sources of water pollution?
Litter, oil spills, chemical dumps, use of fertilizer and pesticides.
Ecological Succession?
The mix of species and habitat in an area change over time.
Worm burrows in ground
Bio to Litho
Rain in ajax
Hydro to Atmos
Sources of carbon in the abiotic environment
Soil, ocean and air
Sources of carbon in the biotic environment
Plants, humans
How is burning excess fossil fuels disrupting the carbon cycle.
Excess carbon is being released into the atmos and isn’t being recycled back into living things.
Why aerate your lawn?
TO help nitrogen reach the roots of the pants
Two abiotic factors that human action has disrupted in terrestrial and aquatic ecos
Fertilizer use, forest fires, plastic in oceans, thermal pollution.
3 biotic limiting factors
Diseases, food availability, predators and competition.
3 types of symbiosis (two species live near/on each other)
Commenilism - one wins and the other don’t care
Mutualism - both win
Parasitism - 1 lives on a host and feeds on it
Alternatives to excessive fertilizer use
Crop Rotation
No tillage
Polyculture planting
Crop selection
Crop rotation
Rotating crops
No tillage
Helps retain soil, reduces
water loss and erosion
Polyculture planting
Farms or forest managers choose to
plant multiple species together
Crop selection
Farms choose to plant species that
are best suited for the local
environment.
Require less added nutrients,
water, and herbicides
