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SF Bay Estuary Ecology Notes

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Presentation on theme: "SF Bay Estuary Ecology Notes"— Presentation transcript:

1 SF Bay Estuary Ecology Notes

2 I. What is Ecology? A. Definitions: 1. Ecology- The study of the interactions of organisms with one another and their environment. 2. Ecosystem-a self-sustaining collection of organisms and their environment. 3. Estuary-a partially enclosed body of water where fresh river water mixes with salty ocean water.

3 II. The ABC’s of Ecology A=Abiotic Factors (non-living) 1. Factors in SF Bay include: Temperature Water Sunlight Wind Salinity: - varies from 0ppt to 35ppt depending on the location in the estuary. Rocks and soil Catastrophes: fires, floods, earthquakes

4 B. B=Biotic Factors (living)
1. Factors in SF Bay include: Plants, Animals, Protists, Fungi, Bacteria 2. Organisms are classified as follows: Producers- organisms that make their own food using photosynthesis Consumers-organisms that receive their energy from consuming other organisms herbivores-eat plants carnivores-eat herbivores and each other omnivores-eat both plants and animals Decomposers -organisms that obtain their energy from non-living organic matter

5 C. C=Cultural Factors (human impact) 1. Factors in SF Bay include:
Endangered plants and animals 30 species of endangered plants and animals use the Estuary during at least a part of their lives. Diversion of Fresh Water ~50% annual flow of fresh water is diverted for agriculture. Waste and Run-Off Almost 200 industry sites dump wastes into the Estuary each year-including 300 tons of trace metals. Urban runoff contributes even more pollutants. Destruction of Tidal Marshes - 97% of the tidal marshes have been destroyed or altered.

6 III. Energy in the Ecosystem
A. The Sun is the Source of Energy 1. Producers convert the sun’s energy into chemical energy through a process called photosynthesis. 2. Equation: Carbon Dioxide + Water = Glucose + Oxygen CO H20 = C6H12O O2

7 III. Energy in the Ecosystem
Food Chains and Food Webs 1. Consumers receive energy by eating producers or other consumers. 2. A food chain is a diagram showing the flow of energy through individual organisms. 3. Example: diatoms sea lion shrimp salmon Trophic level Source Producers 1º Consumers 2º Consumers Top consumers

8 III. Energy in the Ecosystem
Food Chains and Food Webs 4. A food web is a diagram illustrating the flow of energy through an entire ecosystem. 5. Example: *Arrows show direction of energy flow Figure 47-21

9 III. Energy in the Ecosystem
Ecological Pyramids -An ecological pyramid represents energy relationships among trophic levels. Pyramid of Energy Figure 47-16 10% rule: Only 10% of energy can be transferred to the next energy level! 90% of energy is used by organism or lost as heat

10 III. Energy in the Ecosystem
Ecological Pyramids 2. Pyramid of Biomass and Numbers Figure 47-16

11 IV. Questions to Consider
1. Suggest an explanation why there are fewer lions than zebras on the African plains. *90% of energy is lost at each level so there isn’t as much energy available for top consumers. Also, it is easier to get food as a producer so population numbers are higher. More agricultural land would be available to provide food for the growing human population if humans did not eat meat. Explain why. A person gets the same amount of energy from eating the same amount of either meat (cow) or grain. But due to the 10% rule, much more grain will be used if the person eats the cow for energy. Making more grain uses land and resources that could be available to feed more people. Person 1 Grain 10 or Cow 10 Grain 100


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