Ecology

Ecology – the study of how Organisms interact with their Environment. Environment – set of surroundings an Organism is in, includes living and Non living things.

Ecosystem – a portion of the Environment that consists of Living things that interact. Biotic factors – all the living things In the environment. Abiotic factors – nonliving things, Ex=gasses, minerals, water.

Habitat – specific environment a Species lives in. Ex=fields, forest, Desert.

Population = all the organisms of a Species that live in a specific area Ex= all the black ants in an anthill.

Community = all the populations.

Biosphere – the part of earth on Which life exists, includes land, Water and air

Competition – the struggle for Resources ( food, living space etc) Between organisms. Competition limits populations and The size of organisms.              

Limiting factors = limit size of Populations, some are biotic and Some abiotic. Abiotic limiting factors = amount Of O2 in pond or water, temperature , minerals, sunlight intensity, pH

Biotic limiting factors = numbers Of predators and prey.

Carrying capacity =the number of A species the ecosystem can Support.

Niche = specific role an organism Plays in the ecosystem. Only one Organism can occupy that niche or Competition results.

Producers = Autotrophs – make Their own food – photosynthesis- All the green plants – they provide All the energy for most other Organisms in a food chain – they Are the most numerous

Consumers = heterotrophs – must Go out and eat. Herbivores = eat only plants

Carnivores = eat other animals (meat eaters)

Omnivores – eat both plants and Meat.

Decomposers – break down the Remains of dead organisms. Ex.= mushrooms, bacteria, molds, Most fungi.

Other feeding relationships = Scavengers and parasites Scavengers = eat dead stuff, road Kill, natures clean up crew.ex= Vultures, crows eat carion

Parasites = live on or in another Organism (host). Ex=tapeworm, Tick.

Food Webs = show more complex Feeding relationships than a food Chain. Most organisms have more Than one food source.

Energy flow – all organisms use The energy from the sun(solar) For life processes and convert it To ATP. Energy is constantly lost in Organisms and as you move up Through the food chain .

Energy is lost as you move up the Food chain, the energy is lost as Living things use it for metabolism (life processes – breathing, heart- Beat etc.

Energy Pyramid – shows the Transfer of energy through a Food chain or food web.

Producers – largest amount of Energy.

Recycling of materials – things Like water, gasses(O2, CO2 and Nitrogen) must be recycled in Order for an ecosystem to Function. Decomposers like Fungi and nitrogen fixing Bacteria play important roles in Doing this.

Water Cycle – Evaporation  Condensation Precipitation

Ecological Succession = the Change of an environment over Time naturally - Ex. = a pond Fills in with sediment over time And becomes a swamp, then Grasses and shrubs grow and 150 years later a forest grows There.

Biodiversity = measures how much Species differ within the same Ecosystem. Ex. Some trees are resistant to a Disease and others die off.

This biodiversity allows an Ecosystem to remain stable for long Periods of time if no interruptions Occur ( 100’s or 1000’s of years) Usually humans interfere with this Or natural disasters like an earth- Quake occur.

Human interruptions to biodiversity Deforestation, pollution, clearing Land for farming, over hunting

Human Impact on ecosystems – As our need for more resources Grows due to expanding population And technologies we may change And or harm our environments. We must make everyone aware of The impacts and become Environmentally literate.

Resources – Nonrenewable resources – can not Be replaced once used, ex. = oil, Natural gas, coal (fossil fuels), Minerals ( silicon – computer chips Aluminum etc. We must conserve and or; REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE

Renewable resources – can be Replaced, ex. = sun, water, gasses Food, But they can be polluted or Over harvested ( food). Direct harvesting = destruction, Removal, extinction of a species Usually by mans actions.

Example = Deforestation of rain Forests reduces a source of Oxygen production, CO2 intake Animal habitats

Passenger Pigeon – extinct due to Over hunting = direct harvesting

Imported species – non-native Species takes over, usually a pest Or problem. Ex. = Japanese beetle, gypsy moth Purple Loostrife, Zebra Mussell

Technologies impact on Industrialization – created the Need for many more resources Which impact the ecosystem. Ex.= energy – fossil fuels, Must be burnt – greenhouse Gasses=global warming. Nuclear fuels – radioactive Water pollution, overpopulation.

Greenhouse effect – burning Things like fossil fuels builds up Layers of greenhouse gasses(CO 2) Around earth. These gasses let Heat in but not out = global Warming.

Acid Rain – caused by burning Fossil fuels – changes the pH Of bodies of water, soil forests etc. so Many organisms can no longer Live in their habitat.

The main source of acid rain is SO2 (sulfur dioxide) from Burning coal.

Ozone depletion = many gasses, Like chlorofluorocarbons (used in Spray propellants) CFC’S attack ozone (O3). Ozone filters out many of The high levels of harmful Radiation from the sun.Holes in Ozone allow more heat in, trapped By greenhouse gasses= warming.

Quality and quantity of agricultural products are falling.           State of the Environment, China '97                                                                                                                                                            Ozone Layer Depletion Numbers of persons suffering from skin cancer and cataract has increased. Quality and quantity of agricultural products are falling. Growth of plankton is adversely affected. Photochemical smog pollution increases.