Unit 4 Lesson 12: Effects of Changing Conditions Flashcards
ecosystem
all the organisms in a given area along with the nonliving things with which they interact
sustainability
meeting the needs of organisms without affecting the needs of other organisms over time
What is an ecosystems sustainblity
An ecosystem’s sustainability is how effective it is at meeting the needs of the organisms that live in it.
biodiversity
or biological diversity, the variation among organisms in an ecosystem
What does it mean if the sustainablity of an ecosystem decreases
If the sustainability of an ecosystem decerases, this means it cannot continue to support the entire ecosystem.
Impact of the oil spill
Not only did oil cover the Gulf of Mexico beaches, significant amounts sank to the bottom of the ocean. Marine food chains—from the phytoplankton that form the base of the chain to the top predators—were impacted.
Deepwater Horizon oil spill
In 2010, an oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico exploded, releasing millions of gallons of crude oil into the water. This disaster, involving the Deepwater Horizon drilling platform, was so large it impacted almost the entire Gulf. Oil washed up on beaches from Louisiana to Florida.
impact of the oil spill on birds
Thousands of seabirds had their feathers covered with oil. Seabirds rely on their perfectly arranged feathers to add buoyancy when they paddle along the water’s surface, as well as to insulate and waterproof their bodies. Desperate to clean and rearrange their feathers, the birds preen furiously and in so doing inhaled and ingested oil particles.
When a storm knocks over a single tree, or disease (or even old age) causes a tree to fall, conditions change on the forest floor. What impact does this have
All of a sudden, there is a new patch of light hitting those plants living on the forest floor. They will bend and turn their stems in an attempt to grab as much light as possible while they can. This effort leads to competition. Even though light is in limited supply, it is unlikely the overall biodiversity of the rainforest (even in the immediate area) will change. This is because the space freed up by the falling tree will quickly be taken over by something else already living there.
species richness of a community
the number of species in a community
introduced species
a species not native to an ecosystem, but rather accidentally (or intentionally) transported to the ecosystem by human activity or other means
What do Red imported fire ants (Solenopsis invicta) and zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) have in common
Red imported fire ants (Solenopsis invicta) and zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) are two species that were introduced to the United States unintentionally and are having devastating impacts in their new homes.
green iguanas (Iguana iguana)
green iguanas (Iguana iguana) were brought to the U.S. as pets, but now have established non-native breeding populations in Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Texas, and Florida.
kudzu (Pueraria montana)
Another example is kudzu (Pueraria montana), which was introduced to the U.S. as a garden plant in 1876, but has earned the nickname of “the plant that ate the South.”
But only a small percentage of introduced species ever become invasive. How can an organims be considered an invasive species
In order to be considered an invasive species it must outcompetes native species in that area.
One of the flashier introductions of a now declared an invasive species in the Caribbean and southern Atlantic waters, is the lionfish (Pterois volitans).
The lionfish is a voracious predator, eating many other species of fish, crabs, shrimp, and even other lionfish. The spines on their dorsal side are tipped with toxins, and between those and their bright coloration, they have very few natural predators. Lionfish also breed extremely well, with females producing as many as 2 million eggs annually. While most of these will be eaten, if only 1 percent make it to adulthood, that equates to 20,000 new lionfish every year!
lionfish and climate chage
Climate change is also helping with the spread northward of the lionfish. As waters continue to warm, lionfish are able to migrate farther north to areas where they have never been before—in fact, they have been spotted in waters off New York. This adds to the unpredictability of their eventual impact.
How does the biology of lionfish encourage their success in their new habitat?
Lionfish produce millions of eggs per year. Without any natural predators in their new home, it is able to increase in numbers dramatically.
Why is the impact of an invasive species on biodiversity hard to predict?
Scientists never know when or where an invasion is going to appear. It is very difficult to see how an invasive species is going to impact an ecosystem because the effects might not be easily (or readily) seen. It might also take a significant amount of time before any impact is discovered.
How would a disease that kills one particular species of insect in the tropical rainforest impact the overall biodiversity of the ecosystem? Why?
The loss of a single species would likely have minimal impact on biodiversity in a given area. But that depends on the unique role the lost species played in the area. If that insect were the primary pollinator of a particular plant, the impact would be much greater.
Which type of ecosystem is being affected by the Burmese python invasion?
The Florida Everglades is a swampy freshwater wetland area that has a decidedly tropical feel.
