Ecology Flashcards
Atmosphere
Layer of gases surrounding Earth
Biosphere
Describes locations in which life can exist within the lithosphere, atmosphere, and hydrosphere.
Lithosphere
Earth’s solid outer layer
Hydrosphere
All water on, above, below Earth’s surface
Biotic
All living components
Insects, bears, micro-organisms
Abiotic
All non-living components
Temperature, Wind, Water, Minerals, Air
Photosynthesis
Water + CO —> Oxygen + Glucose
Cellular Respiration
Oxygen + Glucose ———> Water + CO
Food Chain
Chemical energy stored in producers passes through consumers
Food chain shows how energy passes through ecosystem
Water Cycle
Liquid water evapourates, forming water vapour moves through atmosphere.
Vapour condenses returning back to Earth as rain, snow, or hail.
Lands on lakes, rivers, oceans
Enters soil and groundwater
Water taken in by plant roots may be released from leaves in transpiration process
Carbon Cycle
Mostly occurs between carbon dioxide, photosynthesizing plants, micro-organisms
Most of Carbon not recycled, stored in carbon-rich deposits: fossil fuels (coal, oil, natural gas)
Nitrogen Cycle
Removed from atmosphere by soil micro-organisms undergoing nitrogen fixation and returned to atmosphere by denitrifying bacteria
Carry Capacity
Demand for resources increase as population increases
Factors result in reaching upper sustainable limit ecosystem can support
Limiting Factors Affecting Carrying Capacity
Predators & Diseases
Irrigation
Species Loss
Introduction to new species
Terrestrial Ecosystem Human Impacts
Light: Clear-cutting, fire
Water: Damming rivers, draining swamps/marshes
Soil: Farming practices
Temperature: Global Warming
Aquatic Ecosystems Human Impacts
Acidity: Acidic air pollution, Carbon dioxide emissions
Salinity: Salting highways and long-term irrigation practices
Light: Activities that increase erosion/stir up bottom
Soil: Nutrient runoff from agriculture & urban environments
Temperature: Industries & power plants
How limiting water affects population in aquatic ecosystems
Shallow waters nears shore are nutrient rich and support abundant life. Without those nutrients, it can’t support as much. Organisms extremely sensitive to water temperature, acidity, pollution
5 Products Derived from Environment
Maple Syrup Henna, Indigo Latex and chicle Waxes Digitalis
Importance of Biodiversity
Richer the diversity of life, greater opportunities
Planet’s most valuable source, can’t be restored once lost
Effects of Invasive Species: Ecological
Compete with/feed on native species, leading to population decline or distinction
Change ecosystem dynamics altering nutrient cycles & energy flow
Effects of Invasive Species: Economic
Damage to forests & agricultural crops causes financial losses
Competition w/ invasive species lowers crop yields
Diseases & pests may destroy livestock & crops, kill trees, and harm important species
Effects of Invasive Species: Tourism
Species loss & reduced water quality have negative impacts on wildlife viewing, fishing, water-based recreation
Waterways can become choked w/ invasive aquatic plants -impassable to boats
Effects of Invasive Species: Health
Disease-causing organisms lead to death
Pesticides used to control invasive species cause pollution and are health risks
Controlling Invasive Species: Mechanical Control
Controlled with physical carriers or removal
Invasive plants - cut down, burned, removed by hand
Invasive animals - hunted or trapped
Barriers constructed to protect wetlands, chambers sorted so only native species can enter.
Invasive Species Effects on Local Ecosystems: Brown Tree Snake
Pacific Island of Guam, accidental introduction around 1950
Caused extinction of 9 of Guam’s 12 forest birds and half of lizard species
Invasive Species Effects on Local Ecosystems: Kudzu
Eastern US, intentionally introduced as forage crop and for erosion control
Rapidly spreading vine that kills native trees by shading them
Bioremediation
Use of micro-organisms to consume/break down environmental pollutants
Some capable of feeding on oil
Sciences currently studying ways to speed up rate at which bacteria can break down the oil
Use of inorganic nutrients help
Engineered Ecosystem Vs. Natural Ecosystem: Engineered
Very limited number of species interact
Most cycles are directly altered by humans
More uniform abiotic features, lower biodiversity
Engineered Ecosystem Vs. Natural Ecosystem: Natural
Many species interact
Greater biodiversity, maintaining natural cycles
Sustain themselves over thousands of years
How engineered ecosystems affect flow of nutrients & water
Natural ecosystems replaced with land uses to support modern lifestyle due to population increase using tools
Humans able to drastically alter environment
Humans not able to change basic relationships between them and environment
To live sustainably, biotic and abiotic conditions needed to survive can’t be disrupted
Threatens biodiversity, alters climate patterns
Bioaccumulation
Concentration of a substance such as, pesticides in the body of an organism
How pesticides flow through food chain
BIOACCUMULATION
Some pesticides aren’t broken down/eliminated with other body wastes
If individual continues to eat food contaminated with the pesticide, it’ll accumulate in body
DDT
Bioaccumulates up food chain
Reduced spread of malaria from mosquitoes, but caused chain reaction
Killed wasps,
Killed cockroaches, later consumed by lizards damaging their nervous system making them easier preys for cats
Declination of predatory birds due to bioaccumulation in their bodies, interfered with calcium metabolism, female’s ability to produce strong egg shells
Controlling Invasive Species: Chemical Control
Use of pesticides
Mostly used on forest & agricultural pests because trees & crops have significant economic value.
Pesticides dramatically reduce crop damage however, it may kill non-target native species and cause pollution
Factors Affecting Terrestrial Ecosystem Sustainability
Size Proximity Connectedness Integrity Number
Factors Affecting Aquatic Ecosystem Sustainability
Replacing natural vegetation : habitat destruction, shoreline erosion
Commercial fishing
Draining wetlands for urban expansion & agriculture : loss of wetland habitats & associated species
