1. 1. The Biosphere
Life on Earth

2. The biosphere Regroups all living organisms on our planet.
**** Biogeochemical Cycles p
There exists a fine balance between all the spheres
E.g. biogeochemical cycles

3. a) Biomes
The interconnection of the spheres on our planet form distinct biomes.
Definition:
Large region of the world with distinctive climates, wildlife and vegetation

4. a) Biomes Factors determining terrestrial biome distribution: Latitude
Altitude
Temperature
Precipitation
Soil Type
Winds
Exposure to sunlight
Proximity to water

5. a) Biomes Factors determining aquatic biome distribution: Salinity
Turbidity (water clarity)
Temperature
Direction and strength of current
Presence of oxygen
Nutrients
Exposure to sunlight
Water depth

6. 2. Ecosystems

7. 2. Ecosystems Definition:
A community of living organisms interacting with one another and with the nonliving components of the environment they inhabit
In other words: how living things interact with their surroundings (both living and nonliving components)

8. a) Trophic levels
The main type of interaction has to do with an animals trophic level
Trophic level:
The feeding connections among living organisms in an ecosystem (a food chain)

9. a) Trophic Levels i) Producers
Create organic matter from inorganic matter (water, minerals, sunlight) of the ecosystem
In other words they are autotrophs; they can feed themselves without consuming others

10. a) Trophic Levels Ii) Consumers
Heterotrophic organisms that feed on other living organisms
Are all heterotrophs (incapable of producing food for themselves.
Different degrees of consumers
1st order: eats the producer directly
2nd order: eats the 1st order who ate the producer
3rd order: eats the 2nd order who are the 1st order who ate …. Well you get the picture

11. Consumer precision
Just because a creature is a 1st order consumer in one food chain, he might be a 2nd order consumer in another chain
Herbivore
Carnivore
Omnivore

12. a) Trophic Levels Iii)Decomposers:
Organisms that feed on the waste and remains of other living organisms
Breakdown organic matter into inorganic matter
Are also heterotrophs
E.g. bacteria, fungi,

13. 3. Material Transfer
These trophic networks (food webs) allows for a transfer of energy, a flow of materials and a chemical recycling.
Material and energy flow is the exchange of matter and energy between the living organisms in an ecosystem and between those organisms and their environment

14. 3. Material Transfer Chemical recycling:
Natural phenomenon by which decomposers make inorganic matter available in an ecosystem by breaking down organic matter

15. The complexities and links between the environment and its living creatures makes very easy to disturb.

16. More definitions Biomass Primary productivity of an ecosystem
Total mass of organic matter in an ecosystem at a given time
Primary productivity of an ecosystem
Definition:
The amount of new biomass generated by the ecosystems producers
Factors:
Amount of water
Amount of light
Amount of nutrients
Temperature

17. Disturbances

18. Disturbances Definition: Types:
Event that damages an ecosystem. It can lead to the elimination of organisms and alter the availability of resources.
Types:
Natural Disturbances
Triggered by environmental phenomena
E.g. ice storm
Human Disturbances
Triggered by human activities
E.g. logging

19. Ecological succession
Definition:
The series of changes that occur in an ecosystem after a disturbance and that continue until the balance of the ecosystem is restored

20. Ecotoxicology

21. Ecotoxicology Definition:
Study of the ecological consequences of polluting the environment with various contaminants
Contaminants:
Any type of substance or radiation that is likely to cause harm to one or more ecosystems

22. Ecotoxicology Types of contaminants:
Toxicity of a contaminant depends on:
Its concentration
The organism it comes in contact with
The duration of exposure

23. Ecotoxicology Toxicity Threshold
Level of concentration above which a contaminant causes one or more harmful effects in an organism
Lethal dose:
The amount of contaminant necessary to cause the death of an organism

24. Ecotoxicology Bioaccumulation Bioconcentration (or bioamplification)
Tendency among certain contaminants to accumulate over time in the tissues of living organisms
Bioconcentration (or bioamplification)
Phenomenon by which the concentration of a contaminant in the tissues of living organisms tends to increase with each trophic level.