Sustainable Ecosystems Flashcards
Ecology
The branch of biology that deals with relations of organisms to one another in their physical surroundings.
Atmosphere
The layer of gases surrounding the earth.
Lithosphere
The earth’s solid outer layer.
Hydrosphere
All of earth’s water in solid, liquid and gas form.
Biosphere
The zone around earth where life can exist.
Ecosystem
All the living organisms and their physical and chemical environment.
Community
A group of interdependent organisms of different species growing or living together in a specified habitat.
Population
A group of individuals of the same species inhabiting the same area.
Producer
An organism that makes its own energy - rich food compounds using the sun’s energy.
Consumer
An organism that obtains its energy from consuming other organisms.
Herbivore
An animal that feeds on plants.
Carnivore
An animals that feeds on other animals.
Omnivore
An animal that feeds on both plants and animals.
Biotic factor
An living thing, their remains and features such as nests associated with their activities
Abiotic factor
The non-living physical and chemical components of an ecosystem.
Sustainability
The ability to maintain an ecological balance.
Ecological niche
The function a species serves in its ecosystem, including what it eats, what eats it, and how it behaves.
Scavenger
An animal that feeds on dead animal and plant material present in its habitat (EX. vulture)
Decomposer
Organisms that break down dead or decaying organisms (EX. bacteria)
Terrestrial ecosystem
An ecosystem found only on land
Aquatic ecosystem
An ecosystem found in a body of water
Food chain
A hierarchial series of organisms each dependent on the next as a source of food.
Food web
A systems of interlocking and interdependent food chains
Biogeochemical cycles
The movement of matter through the biotic and abiotic environment (carbon, water and nitrogen cycle)
Limiting factor
Any factor that restricts the size of a population
Tolerance range
The abiotic conditions within which a species can survive
Carrying capacity
The maximum population size of a particular species that a given ecosystem can sustain
Radiant energy
Energy that travels through empty space
Light energy
Visible forms of radiant energy
Photosynthesis
The process in which the sun’s energy is converted into chemical energy
Cellular respiration
The process by which sugar and oxygen are converted into carbon dioxide and water, to provide energy for the cell.
- Chemical energy is used to carry out cellular processes and create thermal energy, kinetic energy and chemical synthesis
Extinct
Refers to species that has died out and no longer occurs on earth
Extirpated
A species that no longer exists in a specific area
Endangered
A species facing imminent extirpation or extinction
Threatened
A species that is likely to become endangered if factors reducing its survival are not changed.
Non-native species
A species that have been introduced into new areas that have not historically been part of their native range
Invasive species
A non-native species whose intentional or accidental introduction negatively impacts the natural environment.
Broad-spectrum pesticide
A pesticide that is effective against many types of pests
Narrow-spectrum pesticide
A pesticide that is effective only against a few types of pests
Bioaccumulation
The concentration of a substance, such as a pesticide, in the body of an organism.
Bioamplification
The increase in concentration of a substance, such as a pesticide, as it moves higher up the food web.
Describe the atmosphere
- layer of gases that extend from the surface upwards for hundreds of kilometres
- gases are held close to the earth’s surface by the force of gravity
- composed of: 78% nitrogen, 21 % oxygen, and less than 1% mixture of aragon, water, vapour, carbon dioxide and other gases
- Moderates earth’s temperature (warmer at night, colder during the day)
Describe the lithosphere
- The crust of the earth
- Consists of rocks and minerals
- 50-150 km thick
Describe the hydrosphere
-All of the water above, on and below the surface of the earth
Describe the biosphere
- where life can exist on earth
- Most life exits on land and in water
- Some microorganisms can live deep beneath the earth’s surface
- All living things need space, water and nutrients
How do the earth’s spheres overlap each other?
- Animals (biosphere) live in oceans (hydrosphere)
- Ocean waves (hydrosphere) not the beach (lithosphere)
- People (biosphere) live on the lithosphere
- People take airplanes (biosphere) that fly in the atmosphere
- Clouds (hydrosphere) in the sky (atomosphere)
- Rain (hydrosphere) falls on mountaintops (lithosphere)
- Rivers (hydrosphere) flow on the crust (lithosphere)
- Volcanic ash (lithospere) erupts into the atmosphere
- Animals (biosphere) breath air (atmosphere) and drink water (hydrosphere)
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What are the starting and end materials of photosynthesis
Starting materials: carbon dioxide and water
Ending materials: sugar and oxygen
What are the starting and ending materials of cellular respiration?
Starting materials: Sugar and oxygen
Ending materials: Carbon dioxide, water and energy
Why are photosynthesis and celluar respiration considered complimentary processes?
The end products for one process are the starting materials for the other process
Do food chains exist in nature?
No
What do food chains illustrate?
- Who eats who in an ecosystem
- Energy flow in an ecosystem
Three types of ecological pyramids
Energy, Numbers, Biomass
What does each ecological pyramid represent?
Energy: The amount of energy available at each trophic level (as you go up energy availability decreases)
Numbers: The number of individuals of all populations in each trophic level
Biomass: The total mass of all individuals combined in each trophic level
Describe the carbon cycle and why is important
Plants and other producers extract gaseous carbon and using energy from the sun, convert it into glucose. Producers and consumers both use this glucose as a source of energy and a source of raw material for growth. As carbon moves through the food chain, much of it is released back into the atmosphere as CO 2 when consumers exhale. Whatever is not exhaled eventually accumulates in the ground when organisms die and decompose. Once in the ground it leaves carbon cycle forever except when humans extract it from fossil fuels and release it back into the atmosphere by burning it.
Carbon cycle is important because without carbon, producers would not have ways to use energy from the sun and no life would exist.
Describe the nitrogen cycle and why it is important
Nitrogen is found in the atmosphere however most organisms on earth are completely unable to use atmospheric nitrogen directly. In order to use nitrogen it must be converted into a useable form by nitrogen fixing bacteria in the soil. These bacteria live close to plants an plants take this fixed nitrogen and incorporate into their proteins. Nitrogen moves through the community as organisms eat and are eaten. After organisms die and decompose their nitrogen is released back into the atmosphere by bacteria.
The nitrogen cycle is important because a lack of nitrogen would eradicate life on earth.
Describe the water cycle and why it is important.
Water cycles through the atmosphere, soil, rivers, lakes, and oceans. Some water is stored deep in the earth and some on the surface.
The water cycle is important because it provides living organisms with what they need to grow and survive and its structures the physical habitat of an ecosystem and divides environments into different habitats.
List and describe abiotic factors
These determine where a species can live.
Key abiotic factors in terrestrial ecosystems:
- light availability
- water availability
- nutrient availability
- temperature
Aquatic ecosystems:
- light availability
- nutrient availability
- acidity
- temperature
- salinity
What do biotic factors determine?
These determine the species success and often involve the interactions with other organisms within the population and within the ecosystem
List the key biotic factors.
Competition, predation, mutualism, parasitism, commensalism
Describe competition
Individuals fight for food, space, light, mates, shelter.
- EX. Cheetahs and lions both feed on gazelles
Describe predation
One individual feeds on another
- EX. Bear feeds on salmon
Describe mutualism
Two individuals benefitting one another
- EX Bees and flowers - Bee provides flower with pollination. Flower provides bee with nectar they need to make honey.
Describe paratisiism
One individual lives/feeds on a host organism (the host is harmed)
- EX. Fleas on a parasite of cats and dogs
Describe commensalism
one individual benefits from its association with another organism (the other organism is not harmed) but does not benefit either.
- EX. Barnacles benefit from living on whales. Whales are neither harmed or benefit.
Describe several reasons why species may be at risk?
Pollution in their habitat, overfishing/overhunting, habitat destruction, introduction of exotic species, legal exploitation, natural causes, logging
What is the Canadian organization that identifies and helps at risk species?
Committee on the status of endangered wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) Uses data to monitor species at risk in categorizes as extinct, extirpated, endangered, threatened or special concern.
Recovery of national endangered wildlife (RENEW) prepares an action plan to ensure recovery of species placed in the endangered or threatened category.
List several impacts of introduced/invasive species
ecological, economic, tourism, health
Describe ecological impacts of invasive species
Invasive species compete with or feed on native species, leading to population decline or extinction.
Describe economic impact of invasive species
Damages to forest and agricultural crops causes financial loss, competition with invasive plants lowers crop yields, diseases and pests may destroy livestock and crops, kill trees, and harm important species such as honeybees
Describe the impact to tourism caused by invasive species
Species lost and reduced water quality have negative impacts on wildlife viewing, fishing and water based recreation. Waterways can become choked with invasive aquatic plants, rendering them impassable to boats.
Describe the health impact caused by invasive species
Disease causing organisms, such as the west nile virus, are introduced. Pesticides used to control invasive species cause pollution and are health risks.
List 3 methods of control for non-native species
- chemical, mechanical and biological
Describe the chemical method control for non-native species
Most widely used control method is pesticides used mostly on forest and agricultural pests because trees and crops have significant economic value. Dramatically reduces crop damage, environmental risks include killing non target native species and polluting the air, water and soil.
Describe the mechanical methods of control for non-native species.
Uses physical barriers or removal to control invasive species. Invasive plants can be cut down, burned, or even removed by hand. Invasive animals can be hunted or trapped.
Describe the biological methods of control for non-native species.
A challenging but effective method of controlling invasive species. Uses intentionally introduced organisms to control the invasive species although biological control rarely eradicates an invasive species but may reduce population sizes to equally tolerable levels.
Describe pests
- compete with or damage crops, reducing crop yield, eliminated to maximize growth of desired crop. Pests are a human invention.
What are the issues associated with pesticides?
- Often sprayed, therefore some may carried away by wind, doesn’t reach the pest
- a source of soil, air, water pollution
- Often kills species that are intended to kill; victims may be beneficial to the ecosystem
- may accumulate in the tissues or organisms
- pests may become resistant
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Describe bioamplification
-Pesticides may not be broken down and eliminated with
no other waste.
-If they are not soluble in water but are in soluble in fat, they will accumulate in tissues and the concentration will increase over time; this is called bioaccumulation
-see diagram
-Concentrations may become toxic for top carnivores
Describe bioaccumulation
If pesticides are not soluble in water but are soluble in fat, they will accumulate in tissues and the concentration will increase over time
Distinguish between tolerance range and optimal range
Tolerance range is the abiotic conditions within which a species can live. The optimal range is within the tolerance range. This is where the species is best adapted. The largest and healthiest populations of the species will occur when the conditions are within the optimal range. Outside the optimal range, the population will be stressed. Species are able to live outside the optimal range but cannot live outside the tolerance range.
Why do open oceans not support rich ecosystems and large numbers of fish?
They are nutrient poor and unable to support many photosynthesizing organisms therefore fish have no plants to eat.
Explain what it means when we describe a ecosystem as being an equilibrium
It means that their abiotic and biotic features remain relatively constant over time.
Distinguish between primary and secondary succession.
Primary succession is succession on newly exposed ground such as following a volcanic eruption while secondary succession is succession in a disturbed ecosystem such as following a forest fire
Describe how the loss of non target organisms leads to even great pesticide use?
Those non target organisms could have been predators of the pests. Therefore, with one less predator, there will be a higher population of pests and more pesticides is needed.
What is the importance of limiting factors?
Since limiting factor restricts the size of a population is stops the overpopulation of a particular species. This is important because if a species is overpopulated it has the ability to wipe out the species that it consumes. This can have a huge toll on the entire ecosystem.
What is the importance carrying capacity?
The carrying capacity ensures that the maximum number of individuals in a population stays at low rate so it can be supported by the ecosystem and the ecosystem remains sustainable. If the population were to increase in size the demand for resources would also increase.
