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Environmental Science

Environmental Science. PS 6.3-6.6. B-6. 3 (14-5 in the textbook). Illustrate the processes of succession in ecosystems. Ecological Succession. E.S. is a series of changes in an ecosystem when one community is replaced by another community because of changes in biotic and abiotic factors.

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Environmental Science

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  1. Environmental Science PS 6.3-6.6

  2. B-6. 3 (14-5 in the textbook) Illustrate the processes of succession in ecosystems

  3. Ecological Succession • E.S. is a series of changes in an ecosystem when one community is replaced by another community because of changes in biotic and abiotic factors. • E.S. occurs in all ecosystems.

  4. Primary Succession • Takes place in an area that has not been inhabited before by plants and animals • Examples: rock surfaces formed by lava, rocks scraped clean by glaciers, and city streets

  5. Primary Succession • Begins with organisms that can grow without soil • Lichens and some mosses break down rocks into smaller species. These are examples of pioneer species. • When there is enough soil and nutrients small plants start to grow and break the rock down further which makes more soil. • Seeds from other plants and small trees grow. • As species grow and die their decomposed bodies add nutrients to the soil and even larger plants are able to populate the area.

  6. Lichen http://frankwinters.wordpress.com/2007/01/09/lettuce-lichen-and-henry-david-thoreau/ http://www.thbfarm.com/Gardens_for_Nature.html http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lichen_DSC00612.JPG

  7. Primary Succession

  8. Secondary Succession • Begins in an area where there used to be an community and has well-formed soil • Examples: abandoned farmland, empty lots, clear-cut forest areas, areas burned by forest fires.

  9. Secondary Succession • When something like a hurricane, wildfire, or human activities destroys a community secondary succession takes place. • It is like primary succession in the later stages after soil has formed. • When the disturbance is over, the ecosystem restores the original condition of the community.

  10. Secondary Succession • Occurs faster than primary succession because soil is already present • When disturbances happen often or are intense, the area will mostly have the species that are present in the early stages • When disturbances are moderate, the area will have habitats at different stages.

  11. B-6.4 (13-5 in the textbook) Exemplify the role of organisms in the geochemical cycles (including the cycles of carbon, nitrogen, and water).

  12. Biogeochemical Cycles • Is the movement of forms of matter through the living and nonliving parts of an ecosystem. • Matter changes forms but is never created or destroyed. • In biological systems matter is used over and over again in different forms.

  13. Carbon Cycle • Carbon is the major part of biochemical compounds. • Carbon is a major part of living things (proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, nucleic acids).

  14. carbon dioxide in air respiration combustion photosynthesis respiration photosynthesis decomposition of organisms carbon dioxide dissolved in water fossil fuels Carbon Cycle • Carbon is found in the atmosphere and in many minerals, rocks, and fossil fuels (gas, petroleum, coal). • Carbon is also in soil and aquatic sediments.

  15. Carbon Cycle • The following are ways organisms recycle carbon from one form to another: • Photosynthesis • Plants and other photosynthetic organisms use carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and turn it into simple sugars. • Respiration • Organisms (like us!) break down glucose in our bodies and carbon dioxide (CO2) is released into the atmosphere when we breath out.

  16. Carbon Cycle • Decomposition • When organisms die, decomposers break the bodies down into carbon compounds that enrich the soil and are eventually released into the atmosphere as CO2. • Conversion of biochemical compounds • Organisms store carbon as carbohydratess, proteins, lipids (fats), and nucleic acids in their bodies.

  17. Carbon Cycle • Other ways carbon may be released: • Combustion: Burning of wood or fossil fuels – this releases CO2 into the atmosphere. • Weathering of rocks: Bones and shells fall to the bottom of oceans or lakes and become a part of the rocks, such as calcium carbonate. When these sedimentary rocks weather, carbon is released into the ocean and eventually into the atmosphere.

  18. Carbon Cycle Summary • Carbon is a major part of living things (essential/key) • Carbon can be found as a solid/liquid/gas • The 2 simplest ways to transfer Carbon is through photosynthesis and respiration.

  19. Nitrogen Cycle • Nitrogen is needed to build proteins in organisms and is found in materials that compose soil and aquatic sediments. • Elemental nitrogen (N2) is found in the atmosphere

  20. Nitrogen Cycle • Organisms recycle nitrogen from one form to another in the following ways: • Nitrogen-Fixation • Nitrogen-fixing bacteria which live in the soil, roots of plants, and aquatic ecosystems, convert nitrogen from the air into forms that plants can use • Intake of nitrogen into organisms • Plants take in nitrogen through their roots in the form of ammonia and nitrate. This is how nitrogen enters the food chain.

  21. Nitrogen Fixation Bacteria live in these little nodules http://www.jic.ac.uk/corporate/about/publications/advances/issue_6.html A bunch of bacteria in a root nodule http://io.uwinnipeg.ca/~simmons/16cm05/1116/16monera.htm

  22. nitrogen in atmosphere nitrogen in atmosphere animals animals plant plant nitrates nitrates nitrogen-fixing bacteria in roots nitrogen-fixing bacteria in roots decomposers decomposers nitrifying bacteria nitrifying bacteria ammonification ammonification nitrites nitrites nitrogen-fixing bacteria in soil nitrogen-fixing bacteria in soil ammonium ammonium nitrifying bacteria nitrifying bacteria denitrifying bacteria denitrifying bacteria Nitrogen Cycle • Decomposition • When an organism dies or from animal waste, decomposers return nitrogen to the soil.

  23. Nitrogen Cycle • Denitrification • Denitrifying bacteria break down nitrogen compounds in the soil and release it into the atmosphere.

  24. Nitrogen Cycle Summary • Happens mostly underground. • Nitrogen fixing bacteria change Nitrogen into a useable form, which is taken up by plants & then consumed by other organisms.

  25. Phosphorus Cycle • NO atmospheric section. • Occurs mostly underground. • Comes from weathered rock. • Too much in H20 is bad! (Algal blooms)

  26. Water Cycle (Hydrologic Cycle) • water is necessary for all life processes in living things. • Water is in the atmosphere, surface of the earth, underground, and in organisms. • The water cycle is driven by the heat from the sun because it causes evaporation

  27. precipitation condensation transpiration evaporation surface runoff lake water storage in ocean groundwater seepage Water Cycle (Hydrologic Cycle)

  28. Water Cycle (Hydrologic Cycle) • Organisms recycle water from one form to another in the following ways: • Intake of water • Organisms use water to perform life functions • Transpiration • The release of water back into the atmosphere by plants • Respiration • Organisms produce water as a by-product of metabolizing food • Elimination • Organisms need water to help with eliminating wastes

  29. B-6.5 (16-5 in the textbook) Explain how ecosystems maintain themselves through naturally occurring processes (including maintaining the quality of the atmosphere, generating soils, controlling the hydrologic cycle, disposing of wastes, and recycling nutrients).

  30. Naturally occurring processes on Earth are needed to help ecosystems maintain the materials that organisms need. • The earth is made of 4 parts: • biosphere (inhabited by life) • Atmosphere • Hydrosphere • Geosphere • These systems must interact efficiently for an ecosystem to maintain itself

  31. oxygen photosynthesis respiration carbon dioxide Maintaining the Quality of the Atmosphere • Oxygen and carbon dioxide are cycled through the atmosphere • Plants use carbon dioxide in the air to make their food and give off oxygen as a waste product • Animals use the oxygen for respiration and release carbon dioxide as a waste product.

  32. Maintaining the quality of the atmosphere • The oxygen produced during photosynthesis is also used to make up the ozone layer which protects the biosphere from the Sun’s radiation. • Water also maintains the atmosphere • When water vapor condenses, dust and other particles are removed from the atmosphere and falls with the rain or snow. (The air gets cleaned!)

  33. Greenhouse Effect • Carbon dioxide, oxygen, and water vapor trap heat energy to help maintain Earth’s temperature • Greenhouse gases do not let heat to pass through them very well, so heat that the Earth releases stays trapped • The amount of carbon dioxide depends on how much photosynthetic organisms are absorbing it.

  34. Greenhouse Effect

  35. Generating Soils • Soil is part of the geosphere – they are always being formed and eroded • Soil is made of: minerals, organic matter, water, and air • Soil is formed from by weathering of inorganic materials by wind, water, and ice and the decomposition of organic materials

  36. Generating Soil • Wind, water, and ice cause soil erosion and deposition which moves soil from one place to another • Plants help keep the process of soil production to be consistent with the process of soil erosion • Soil is needed for succession to take place.

  37. Controlling the Hydrologic Cycle • This cycle is maintained by the sun and weather • It purifies water: • Evaporated water has no impurities • Water that seeps through soil and rock is filtered of impurities • As water flow slows, heavier particles settle out which leaves purified water to travel to the ocean

  38. Disposing of Waste & Recycling Nutrients • Waste materials from organisms are decomposed by bacteria or other organisms • Nutrients cycle from organisms to the environment and back by the geochemical cycles

  39. B-6.6 (14-2 and 16-1 in the book) Explain how human activities (including population growth, technology, and consumption of resources) affect the physical and chemical cycles and processes of Earth.

  40. Human Roles in Geochemical Cycles • People depend on the resources and cycles on earth to provide clean water, clean air, and soil that can support crops. • Human activities such as population growth, technology, and using resources affect the cycles and processes on earth.

  41. Carrying Capacity • Energy, water, oxygen, and nutrients determine the carrying capacity of humans on earth. • In order for humans to have sustainability, there needs to be a balance between Earth’s resources and carrying capacity, the needs of humans, and the needs of other species on earth

  42. Factors that Affect Human Sustainability

  43. Population Growth • Population growth has grown exponentially • The population rate naturally slows as the Earth nears carrying capacity as the death rate increases and the birth rate decreases due to: • Food and water shortages • Pollution • Disease http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/05/world-population -growth-good-news-asia-pacific-rates-starting-to-decline.php myafrica.wordpress.com http://serc.carleton.edu/quantskills/methods /quantlit/popgrowth.html

  44. Increasing Population Problems • Clean water runs low if water is being used up faster than it can be purified • More waste is produced than can be managed. Can also be expensive to deal with • Fertile soil for agriculture is lost when land is cleared • Worldwide demand for land has led to deforestation

  45. Increasing Population Problems • Areas of the world with very high populations have low amounts of fertile soil, clean water, and available land. This affects the water, nitrogen, and carbon cycles as well as soil regeneration. http://www.bnvillage.co.uk/news-politics-village/101777-does-obama-administration-want-reduce-africa-s-population.html

  46. Technology • Technology applies scientific knowledge to find solutions and develop products that meet the needs of humans. Technology has helped humans, but has also caused pollution. • Now humans depend on technology to provide cleaner ways to deal with waste and to clean up pollution. • Technology agriculture and industry can either have a positive or negative impact on Earth.

  47. Agricultural Technology • Technology has improved the ability to grow crops to sustain a growing world population. • Sustainable practices can conserve fertile soil and reduce erosion

  48. Agricultural Technology • Farm machinery use nonrenewable resources and can contribute to erosion and air pollution. • Fertilizers, pesticides, fungicides, and livestock waste can change the soil and have both positive or negative effects on the different cycles we are learning about.

  49. Industrial Technology • Industrial technology has helped to develop communication, transportation, and industry. • Certain chemicals like CFCs can deplete the ozone layer. The ozone layer helps protect the earth form ultraviolet waves. • Getting rid of old technological equipment has become a problem. • Burning fossil fuels is needed for industry and transportation

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