Ecology

Biodiversity

Habitats

Alterations to Habitats

Cycling of Materials in Ecosystems Make a list of anything you have used in the last week that had been previously recycled, or was made of recycled materials. After you have made your list, discuss what the item is recycled from, if known, and the advantages or disadvantages of recycling each item.

Ecology Living things depend on nonliving things for life. At the organism level living things depend on natural resources, and at the molecular level, they depend on chemical cycles.

Glacier Bay: An Example of Succession Primary succession will begin after the following: A) Glaciations (Continental glaciers & Alpine glaciers) - Plants and other life colonize the bare rock. B) Volcanic Lava Flows - Ex.: Hawaii, Columbia Basalts of ancient Oregon. C) Volcanic Explosions - Mt. St. Helens, Mt. Mazama (Crater Lake) D) Faulting raising sea floor - All of the above examples provide pioneer plants with bare rock or soil to begin succession with.

Causes of Succession

Glacier Bay: An example of Succession

Plant Succession

Water Cycle Water, carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and other elements are re-cycled back and forth between organisms and their environments. Water, carbon, and nitrogen are necessary for life to exist.

Carbon Cycle Carbon is acquired by plants (producers) by photosynthesis used by animals (consumers) for food and protein synthesis. Chemical recycling occurs through respiration, the excretion of waste products and, of course, the death of organisms.

The Nitrogen Cycle

Ecology All plant life are known as producers which means they capture the energy from the sunlight and convert it into chemical energy (carbohydrates)

Producers and Consumers An ecosystems producers (plants and photosynthetic microorganisms) are primarily responsible for the productivity Conditions that threaten the stability of producer and decomposer populations in an ecosystem jeopardize the availability of energy and the capability of matter to recycle in the rest of the biological community.

Decomposition Fungi and microorganisms are primarily responsible for recycling of organic matter

Flow of Energy Producers 1 consumers 2 consumers