1. Populations and Biodiversity
Name:

2. An ecosystem is a community made up of producers, consumers, decomposers (biotic factors), as well as, abiotic factors. Components are regarded as linked together through nutrient cycles (Carbon, Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Water cycles) and energy flows (trophic levels). Ecosystems remain relatively stable (with variation) over time, this allows the ecosystem to remain relatively unchanged. However, a large enough disturbance may upset the balance of the ecosystem and change it permanently.
Biotic Definition:
Abiotic Definition:
Ecosystems

3. Ecosystem Scale Define Vocabulary: Community: Habitat: Population:
(Individual) Niche:

4. Initial Thoughts 1. 2. 3. 4.

5. Limiting Factors Please read
Ecosystem growth is limited by the availability of resources
This can be found at the front of the room.
Limiting Factors

6. Abiotic Limiting Factors
“Abiotic factors place physical limits on a population. The most important abiotic factors are light, water, soil, and temperature. Both the quality and quantity of these factors are important. Have you every tried to grow tomatoes or other vegetables in a backyard garden? The success of your garden depends on the amount of soil as well as its quality. Not all soil is created equal. Some soil has more nutrients and fewer toxins than other soil, making it easier to grow plants.
The same is true for water and light. The amount, or quantity, or water in an ecosystem determines how many organisms can live there. A small pond can support fewer fish than a large lake. Similarly, a desert ecosystem can support fewer organisms than a rainforest because deserts receive so little rain. The quality of water is equally important. If water is unclean or polluted, it doesn't matter how much is in an ecosystem.
Have you ever boiled water for tea? The steam that shoots out of the teapot is over 100° F. Most organisms cannot live in temperatures more than a few degrees above 100°F (37°C) or below 32° F (0°C). Temperature limits the organisms that can survive in a particular ecosystem. Polar bears, for example, could not survive the hot temperature of the desert. Their bodies are not designed to live in a hot ecosystem. Similarly, an iguana could not survive the freezing temperatures of the Arctic. The temperature of an ecosystem is a physical factor that limits population.” - LESOW
Abiotic Limiting Factors

7. Biotic Limiting Factors
Examples of food chains in an ecosystem. Competition, predation, and food are the most common limiting biotic factors. How might these 3 factors affect biodiversity (All of the living things) in an ecosystem?

8. Factors affecting deer carrying capacity for a given habitat.
Year
Deer
population
Plant biomass (kg/ha)
Wolf population
Ave. annual Temp (C)
2006 27 6 12 18
2007 26 14 17
2008 29 7 19
2009 35 9 13 20
2010 42 15
2011 44
2012 46 16
2013 21
2014 37 10
2015 31 8
Biotic & Abiotic limiting factors affecting deer population size: A Data Analysis.
Which factors are biotic, which are abiotic?
When did the deer population peak?
When did plant biomass peak?
When did the wolf population peak?
Suggest a reason for the pattern you see in 2,3,4.
What happened to each of these factors after their peak?

9. Predator and Prey Cycles

10. DATA TABLE
Year
Deer Population
1905
4,000
1910
9,000
1915
25,000
1920
65,000
1924
100,000
1925
60,000
1926
40,000
1927
37,000
1928
35,000
1929
30,000
1930
1931
20,000
1935
18,000
1939
10,000
The data table to the left and the graph above below shows the deer population of the Kaibab plateau of Arizona from 1905 to Interpret to help you answer the following questions.
Describe how the deer population of the Kaibab has changed over time.
In what year did the deer population peak?
Provide one hypothesis to explain why the deer population has changed over the given time period.
What additional evidence would you need in order to support or refute your hypothesis?

11. Chimpanzee Extinction Problems
“Chimps will eat the whole African Nutmeg to help them when they have an upset stomach. After they eat the nut, the nut will travel through their digestive system to strip off the fuzzy outer layer After the chimpanzee poops out the hard nut the nut can now grow into a seedling because the chimpanzee’s digestive system took off the outside of the seed.” - s/chimp_habitat.htm
With out chimps this species of plant would also go extinct. Then the animals and insects that feed off this plant would have trouble finding food and their populations would dwindle and possibly become extinct as well.
Chimpanzee Extinction Problems

12. Ecological Succession and Major Disturbances

13. Major Extinctions
How do major extinctions affect biodiversity on this planet?
How did this asteroid impact change the earth as we know it?