Human Impact on Ecosystems Algae Waste- water Bio- magnific ation Nitrogen cycle Air PollutionExotic Species All the marbles

Algae What is the trophic level of Algae? -producer

Algae How do algae and bacteria clean water? -bacteria breaks waste and dead things into nutrients - Algae absorbs nutrients and grows.

Algae How does algae support food webs (two ways)? -makes oxygen -base of food web (things eat it)

Algae What are some human activities that trigger a change in the eutrophication cycle. -Activities that add nutrients to surface water (fertilizer, farm waste, golf courses).

Algae When human trigger an algae bloom, what happens next? Bloom! Too much dead algae! Aerobic bacteria uses all O 2 Fish other organisms die (no O 2 ) Anaerobic bacteria makes water toxic!

Wastewater Stage I Aeration and Mixing: -O 2 mixed in to keep Aerobic bacteria -Eating the waste/ solids suspended

Wastewater Stage II Aeration and Settling: - O 2 mixed in for bacteria to eat waste Surface mixed so solids drop out Solids dried/landfilled

Wastewater Stage III Lagoon What’s left to clean? - UV kills pathogens - Bacteria still active - solids settle Nutrients are left to clean out!

Wastewater Stage IV Farming: - plants take out nutrients - soil traps solids - bacteria eats solids Water collected by drain pipes/sent to Muskegon River

Wastewater What happens if we don’t treat wastewater? - cultural eutrophication - human health problems - ecosystem destruction

Biomagnification The type of chemicals that build up in food webs. Give an example. - fat soluble chemicals - DDT/PCB/heavy metals

Biomagnification Fish are an important part of our diet. Why? - omega 3 fatty acids (proper brain development)

Biomagnification Chemicals enter the aquatic food web through _________________. - Phytoplankton (producers) as they filter water.

Biomagnification What level of the food chain has the highest chemicals and related problems? - top organisms (birds of prey/humans)

Biomagnification Explain how biomagnification works. -chemicals enter the food chain and build up. Every time an organism eats, all of the chemicals stay in the organism. Toxicity increases over time and up the chain.

Biogeochemical cycles Define biogeochemical cycle and give an example. - chemicals that cycle through soil, water, air and life. Ex: Nitrogen, phosphorus, Carbon, etc.

Biogeochemical cycle The most complex form of nitrogen. - protein in tissues of organisms (N- based)

Biogeochemical cycles The “fixed” form of nitrogen that functions a fertilizer. - Nitrate (NO 3 )

Biogeochemical cycles The form of nitrogen that is waste/toxic. - Ammonia (NH 3 )

Biogeochemical cycles The high protein plant that has nitrogen “Fixed” in roots. Explain the symbiotic relationship. - bacteria convert N 2 to NO 3 so unlimited fertilizer (protein for plant) - bacteria gets sugar from plant

Exotics The percentage of exotics that cause problems and why? - 10% b/c they overpopulate (no predator/parasite/disease).

Exotics Great Lakes exotics got here by ___________________. - ship ballast water

Exotics Zebra mussels are pushing out native clams b/c… - they share a niche and Zebra’s lack a predator.

Exotics Exotic plants out compete and replace food plants. Give two examples/explain. - purple loosestrife – chokes good plants. - Garlic mustard – uses chemicals in soil to drive out other species.

Exotics In the Great Lakes, the ecosystem is being disrupted. What part has taken the biggest hit and why is it important? - Plankton /zooplankton is eaten by all fish when they are young. It has been affected by zebra mussels and the exotic plankton. Asian carp could end it

Air Pollution The Greenhouse Effect is natural and supports life on the planet. If we are causing a temperature increase, then it is called _________________. - Global Warming

Air Pollution What are four of the greenhouse gases? How do they function? - CO 2, H 2 O vapor, CH 4, O 3. - Radiation is converted to heat by vibrations of bonds of gases.

Air Pollution What greenhouse gas absorbs the harmful UV radiation? What human- produced groups of chemicals are destroying it? - O 3 (ozone) - CFC’s (Chlorofluorocarbons)

Air Pollution Which human activities causes acid rain? What is the mechanism and definition of acid rain? -Burning fossil fuels (coal power, gas cars). -N and S oxides (impurities in coal) Rain w/ pH <5

Air Pollution What are the processes that are part of the Carbon Cycle? - Respiration, photosynthesis, combustion, decomposition, etc.