All the living and non-living parts of an environment as well as the interactions among them

Presentation on theme: "What is an ecosystem?  All the living (biotic) and nonliving (abiotic) parts of an environment as well as the interactions among them  Ecosystems may."— Presentation transcript:

1 What is an ecosystem?  All the living (biotic) and nonliving (abiotic) parts of an environment as well as the interactions among them  Ecosystems may be aquatic (water) or terrestrial (land).  Interactions may include: - producers (obtain energy by making their own food; plants -photosynthesis) - consumers (obtain energy by consuming their food) - decomposers ( get energy by breaking down dead organisms and the wastes of living things); bacteria, fungi (mold, mushrooms,etc), some worms, termites, some beetles, etc.

2 Abiotic & Biotic Factors   Abiotic Factors (nonliving) - - water- shelter - - sunlight- soil - - rocks- nutrients - - oxygen/air, nitrogen - - temperature/climate - - space, salinity, pH   Biotic Factors (living) - - Food -grass -trees -animals, insects, -plants - - bacteria, fungi - - http://www.arkive.org/fungi//

3 In the diagram, 1.What are the decomposers? Producers? Consumers? 2.What organisms are competing for the same abiotic resources? 3.What is the source of energy that drives or sustains the ecosystem? Worms, termites, fungi (mold, mushrooms, etc.)

4 Arrows are pointing in the direction of what is being consumed.

5 ( With producers and consumers, 90 % of the energy available at each level is consumed/lost to the environment. Only 10% move up to the next trophic level. (The greatest amount of energy is available at the producer level.)

6 Produce food through photosynthesis The sun provides energy To sustain producers which are the foundation of all ecosystems. http://www.brainpop.com/games/foodchaingame/http://www.brainpop.com/games/foodchaingame/ “Food Chain Game” Only 10% of the energy moves up to the next trophic level. Consumers

7 If removed from the food web, which organism (s) would have the greatest impact on the overall food web? Explain.

8 1.What are the producers? primary consumers? secondary consumers? tertiary consumer? 2.What organisms are competing for the same abiotic and biotic resources? 3.If removed from the food web, which organism would have the greatest impact on the overall food web? Explain. Can you think of a situation where an organism could be both a primary and secondary consumer? (not shown on this food web)

9 Use the diagram to respond to each of the following. 1.Identify the decomposer. What are the benefits of decomposers? 2. What other decomposers may be in every ecosystem but are not shown on this diagram? 3. Identify the primary consumers. Show what is being consumed. 4. Identify the tertiary consumer for each food chain. What does this consumer eat? 5. Is this a terrestrial or aquatic food web? Explain. 6. What happens when two or more organisms coexist in the same niche? 7.Draw an overlapping terrestrial/aquatic food chain using at least one of the organisms shown on the diagram. Add an organism not on this food web. Food Web Analysis Some worms are primary consumers and others (in soil) are decomposers.)

10 From Atoms to Biosphere

11 Ecosystem Organization

12 Organism (single one of species) Mushrooms Polar Bears Snakes Mushrooms Polar Bears Snakes Coyotes Prairie Dogs Elephants Coyotes Prairie Dogs Elephants

13 4 Populations (same species)  Elk Population  Cacti Population  Elephant Population  Gorilla Population

14 Communities (many populations) What communities are present in each of these ecosystems? What communities are present in each of these ecosystems? Marine (aquatic) Ecosystem Freshwater & Terrestrial Ecosystems Marine (aquatic) Ecosystem Freshwater & Terrestrial Ecosystems Terrestrial Ecosystem Aquatic (estuary) Ecosystems Terrestrial Ecosystem Aquatic (estuary) Ecosystems

15 Ecosystems make up the biosphere. Earth is the only planet on which life exists. It consists of three components Lithosphere (Land), Hydrosphere (Water) and Atmosphere (Air). The life supporting zone of the earth where atmosphere, hydrosphere and lithosphere meet, interact and make life possible, is known as biosphere.

16 An Arctic Food Web Activity 1. What overlapping aquatic/terrestrial food chains are there in this ecosystem? 2. What population, if removed, would have the greatest impact on the overall food web? 3. If the water was highly contaminated, what organism/population would have the highest level of contamination? 4. Which organism contributes dissolved oxygen to the water? 5.Which organisms may compete for the same food source(s)?

17 How would the removal of algae from this arctic food web affect both the biotic and abiotic factors? Abiotic Factors Affected - - dissolved oxygen decreases - - nutrients may go up or down - - more CO 2 in water - - water may be more turbid - - temp. may change Biotic Factors Affected - - animal plankton pop. decreases -silverside pop. decrease - - beluga whale pop. decrease - - cod pop. Decreases - - bacteria increase & use up dissolved oxygen **Every population is directly or indirectly affected

18 Biodiversity   A variety of species exist in all ecosystems. What are examples of biodiversity in our area? -plant biodiversity -insect biodiversity -animal biodiversity -fungi biodiversity -bacteria biodiversity

19 Limiting Factor  -environmental factors that limit population sizes in a particular ecosystem

20 Population Density - the number of people/organisms living per unit of an area (e.g. per square mile); the number of people relative to the space occupied by them _how full an area is: the concentration of people or things within an area in relation to its size

21 Population Density: measures the number of individual organisms living in a defined space High Population Density High Population Density China’s Qingdao Huiquan Beach

22 Density – Dependent FactorsCompetition -food -habitat/space -water -sunlight -mating (Concerns relate to genetic mutations, and the number of individuals competing for a mate.) individuals competing for a mate.) Spread of Disease: Overcrowding increases the possibility of diseases being spread in a population. Predation: Overcrowding interferes with the natural predator/prey relationship in an ecosystem. Parasitism: Overcrowding increases the possibility of parasites being spread.

23 Density-independent Factors  Limiting factors that occur regardless of how large the population is and reduce the size of all populations in the area; mostly abiotic - weather changes -temperature changes -human activities (pollution, urban sprawl, etc.) -natural disasters (volcanoes, fires, etc.)

24 Urban Sprawl How may this affect:  water quality (surface and ground)  habitats  soil quality  air quality  noise pollution

25 Limiting Factors in an Ecosystem  Density-dependent Factors -operate more strongly on large populations and disease -triggered by increases in population density (crowding) * Competition for food, water, shelter & space * Predation * Parasitism * Disease

26 A change in an abiotic or biotic factor may: - decrease the size of a population if it cannot acclimate/adapt to or migrate from the change. - increase the size of a population if that change enhances its ability to survive, fluorish or reproduce.

27 Disruptions to Ecosystems: The Human Factor

28 Disturbances to Physical (abiotic) or Biological (biotic) Components of Ecosystems  Disruptions lead to shifts in all populations. This changes the biodiversity of an ecosystem.  What disruptions may occur leading to a change in the physical (nonliving/abiotic) components in an ecosystem? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddlrGkeOzsIhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddlrGkeOzsI Lake Peigneur disaster 9:54 1.What affect did this disaster have on the aquatic ecosystems? Terrestrial? 2.What affect did this disaster have on the terrestrial ecosystems? ** Include both biotic and abiotic factors when answering these two questions. 3. How would this disaster lead to possible “population shifts”? Be specific.

29 Disruptions to Physical (nonliving/abiotic) Components *Volcanic eruptions * Pollution *Hurricanes* Clear cutting *Fires* Floods *Drought * Nuclear Bomb *Habitat depletion (human and natural) -i.e. urban sprawl How could these events change nutrients, water, light, salinity, shelter, soil, temperature, climate, etc. in an ecosystem?

30 Disruptions to Biological (living/biotic) Components *Volcanic eruptions * Pollution (land & water) *Hurricanes* Urban Sprawl *Fires* Clear Cutting *Drought* Introduction of exotic **Overharvesting (non native) species *Habitat depletion (human and natural) How could these events change the biological (living/biotic) components in an ecosystem?

31 Preventing Overharvesting  Hunting seasons - Laws (ownership)  Laws against poaching- Size limitations  Limit on Numbers- Organizations  License required- Size/types of nets  Specific places- Limits on gender  Wildlife Reserves/National Parks  Tagging/Monitoring Programs (remote sensing)  Breeding Programs  Identification of Endangered Species

32 How may volcanoes disrupt ecosystems?  Producers?  Consumers?  Biotic Factors?  Abiotic Factors? “The Eruption of Mt. Saint Helen”

33 Impact of Clear Cutting What are the impacts on biotic and abiotic factors?

34 Impact of Introducing Exotic Species: Kudzu Kudzu is a serious invasive plant in the United States. It has been spreading in the southern U.S. at the rate of 150,000 acres (61,000 ha) annually, "easily outpacing the use of herbicide spraying and mowing, as well increasing the costs of these controls by $6 million annually.“ Its introduction has produced devastating environmental consequences. What do you think?

35 Impact of Introducing Exotic Species: Burmese python in Florida This snake was found in the Everglades National Park, measuring 17 feet, 7 inches and over 165 pounds. She was pregnant with 87eggs. There is believed to be thousands thriving in the moist, hot climate of the Everglades perhaps released years ago by pet owners or from pet shops during Hurricane Andrew in 1992. Local ordinances prohibit the import of these reptiles and allow them to be hunted. How may this snake disrupt the natural food webs?

36 The Effect of the Brown Tree Snake in Guam _What led to the dramatic loss of birds on Guam? Sometime in the mid to late 1940s, brown tree snakes were introduced to the island probably by hitching a ride on a cargo ship after World War II. Because there aren’t many large predators on Guam, the snakes quickly took over the island. By the 1980s the birds were wiped out save for two colonies that continue to exist on a military base. To this day the snakes are still around (one of the attempts to control them involved dropping Tylenol-laced mice from airplanes). _What happens to spiders when you remove birds from a tropical island? The researchers found that during the dry season Guam had 2.3 times more spider webs than neighboring islands that still have birds. During the wet season the number of webs was a whopping 40 times higher on Guam. And the spider webs on Guam were much larger—50% larger—than those on the other islands. _What happens to spiders when you remove birds from a tropical island? The researchers found that during the dry season Guam had 2.3 times more spider webs than neighboring islands that still have birds. During the wet season the number of webs was a whopping 40 times higher on Guam. And the spider webs on Guam were much larger—50% larger—than those on the other islands. _Removing birds from the equation likely changed the Guam spider population in many ways including some (or all) of these scenarios: (1) since birds weren’t around to eat the spiders the spider population grew, (2) the spiders no longer had to compete with the birds to eat insects so more spiders survived and were able to reproduce, (3) the spiders didn’t have to keep spinning new webs because the birds weren’t there to mess them up anymore, so they built larger webs and put more energy into reproduction.

37 China’s Qingdao Huiquan Beach Low Population Density Compare this picture to the previous one. If these were animals,  How may the spread of disease and parasites be affected by the population densities?  How may competition for food, water, space and shelter be affected?

38 W  What is the relationship between the hare population and the lynx population?  What role does competition play in this predator/prey relationship?  Why is competition important in an ecosystem?

39 Ecosystem Poster Project *Design a poster that includes each of the following:   ProducersAbiotic Factors   ConsumersBiotic Factors   DecomposersCommunities   PopulationsOrganisms   Aquatic EcosystemTerrestrial Ecosystem   Overlapping Food Chains (Food Web) *All of the above must be labeled and illustrated.

40 Relationships Within Ecosystems: -Coexistence and cooperation -Competition (predator/prey) -Parasitism -Mutualism

41

42 Fungi http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-kQ_I6aSAA “introduction to Fungi” 15:25 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-kQ_I6aSAA 1.Eukaryotic (multicellular), nonphotosynthetic organisms 2.Most are multicellular heterotrophs (consume food); unicellular ones include yeasts, molds, and mildews 3.Reproduction: - most reproduce both sexually and asexually (producing spores) providing adaptive advantage; -with a favorable environment, rapid asexual reproduction ensures an increased spread of species; -during environmental stress, sexual reproduction ensures genetic recombination increasing the likelihood that offspring will be better adapted to the new environmental conditions. 4.May attack tissues of living plants and animals causing disease; food sources may also be affected creating competition between humans and fungi 5. Mold spores (airborne) can cause allergies in humans 6. Are decomposers (break down organic matter)

What is the interaction between living and non living things?

What are the living and non living components of an environment?

What is known for a place where living and non living things interact with one another such as forest and oceans?

What living and non living components are the most important components for your organism?