Unit 8: Ecology Do Now: Objective: Define ecology, ecosystem, abiotic factor, biotic factor, biosphere, ecosystem, community, and population Identify four major impacts humans have had on the biosphere TASK: 1. What is ecology? What do you know about it already?

What is Ecology? the scientific study of the relations that living organisms have with respect to each other and their natural environment.

Ecosystems An ecosystem is a combination of all of the living and non-living things in a place. Examples: Chesapeake Bay Baltimore City A forest Earth A teaspoon of soil

Ecological Factors Things in an ecosystem are classified as biotic or abiotic factors Abiotic factors: non-living chemical or physical parts of the environment. Biotic factors: living parts of an ecosystem (organisms and groups of organisms)

Arctic Marine Ecosystem

How can this be proven scientifically? Earth at Night Drill: In 2007, a United Nations report completed by 2,000 scientists from over 100 countries made the following statement: “changes in climate are now affecting physical and biological systems on every continent.” How can this be proven scientifically?

New Era of Earth’s History? Ecology is the study of organisms and how they interact with the environment in which they exist. Humans are global organisms that are having a serious effect on ecosystems around the world.

Humanity’s Impact The human population has grown EXTREMELY large over past several hundred years. It only makes sense that as The number of people increases, so does the effect we have on Earth’s environments.

Major Effects Humans Have Had on the Biosphere 1: Changing the atmosphere, land, and ocean’s abiotic factors:

Major Effects Humans Have Had 2: Destroying ecosystems for human use.

WARNING: THE PLANET YOU ARE LIVING ON IS EXPERIENCING MASS EXTINCTIONS Species are becoming extinct at a rate faster now than any time In the last 65,000,000 years, when the dinosaurs died off. Current extinction rate: 10,000 – 100,000 species per year 100 to 10,000 times faster than normal Normal extinction rate from fossil record: 10 – 100 species per year

4: Global Warming

4: Global Warming

Effects of Global Warming

Ecology Example Walrus Odobenus rosmarus

The Abiotic parts Global Warming is changing the environment of the walrus by reducing the amount of arctic sea ice it lives on.

It’s Up to You. Will your children inherit a world without polar bears and many other species? Knowledge is power, and fixing these problems will be tough. What can you do?