Characteristics and Components of an Ecosystem

1. Characteristics and Components of an Ecosystem Or everything I should remember from Biology class!!! AICE EM: Biosphere Key Content 1 MORE

2. What are the major abiotic and biotic factors, which drive and influence the distribution of different ecosystems? • The biotic and abiotic factors which control the distribution of the world’s major biomes as listed in the notes for guidance. • A survey of the global system followed by a study of the distribution of the following biomes: tropical rain forest, monsoon rain forest, tropical savannah, desert, temperate deciduous and high latitude tundra.

3. Parts of the earth's air, water, and soil where life is found Biosphere A community of different species interacting with one another and with their nonliving environment of matter and energy Ecosystem Populations of different species living in a particular place, and potentially interacting with each other Community Population A group of individuals of the same species living in a particular place An individual living being Organism The fundamental structural and functional unit of life Cell Chemical combination of two or more atoms of the same or different elements Molecule Smallest unit of a chemical element that exhibits its chemical properties Atom Stepped Art Fig. 3-3, p. 52

4. Habitats • Place where organism lives. • Small (termite intestine) • Large (ocean) • Includes abiotic & biotic features • “Natural address”

5. BIOMES • Biomes are major areas where interactions between abiotic & biotic factors occur. They are groups of similar ecosystems characterized by precipitation, and temperature ranges, soil properties, plant communities, and animal communities.

6. Natural Capital: Generalized Map of the Earth’s Current Climate Zones

7. Moist air rises, cools, and releases moisture as rain Polar cap Arctic tundra Evergreen coniferous forest 60° Temperate deciduous forest and grassland Desert 30° Tropical deciduous forest Equator 0° Tropical rain forest Tropical deciduous forest Desert 30° Temperate deciduous forest and grassland 60° Polar cap Fig. 7-6, p. 144

8. The Earth’s Major Biomes

9. Elevation Mountain ice and snow Tundra (herbs, lichens, mosses) Coniferous Forest Deciduous Forest Latitude Tropical Forest Coniferous Forest Tundra (herbs, lichens, mosses) Deciduous Forest Tropical Forest Polar ice and snow Biome Location Based on Altitude & Latitude Stepped Art Fig. 7-9, p. 147

10. Major Biomes along the 39th Parallel in the U.S.

11. Cold Polar Tundra Subpolar Temperate Coniferous forest Decreasing temperature Desert Grassland Deciduous forest Tropical Chaparral Hot Desert Savanna Rain forest Wet Dry Tropical seasonal forest Scrubland Decreasing precipitation Fig. 7-10, p. 147

12. Stepped Art Fig. 7-11, p. 149

13. Climatogram

14. Your Responsibilities • Research information pertaining to: • Temperature range: • Precipitation range: • Soil properties: • Plants: • Animals: • Other detailsabout the biome: • Refer to slide 2 for a list of required biomes. • Also look up the human impacts on Terrestrial Ecosystems (K 2) • Next slides discuss Aquatic Systems • Research influence of human activity on marine ecosystems: including coastal waters, oceans, and coral reefs.

15. High tide Sun Low tide Depth in meters Open Sea Coastal Zone Sea level 0 50 Photosynthesis Euphotic Zone Estuarine Zone 100 Continental shelf 200 500 Bathyal Zone Twilight 1,000 1,500 2,000 Abyssal Zone Water temperature drops rapidly between the euphotic zone and the abyssal zone in an area called the thermocline . 3,000 Darkness 4,000 5,000 10,000 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 Water temperature (°C) Fig. 8-5, p. 166

16. Sunlight Blue-winged teal Painted turtle Green frog Muskrat Pond snail Littoral zone Plankton Limnetic zone Diving beetle Profundal zone Northern pike Benthic zone Yellow perch Bloodworms Fig. 8-15, p. 175

17. Lake Rain and snow Glacier Rapids Waterfall Tributary Flood plain Oxbow lake Salt marsh Deposited sediment Delta Ocean Source Zone Transition Zone Water Sediment Floodplain Zone Fig. 8-17, p. 176

18. What are the main components and characteristics of ecosystems and how are they structured? • The characteristics of ecosystems in terms of their biotic and abiotic components (soil, temperature, rainfall, photosynthesis, net primary productivity, succession, biomass, biodiversity, trophic levels, food chains and webs, habitats and niches). • The interaction of these components to be illustrated through relative size of the flows and stores of nutrients between vegetation, litter and soil.

19. Range of Tolerance Higher limit of tolerance Lower limit of tolerance No organisms Few organisms Few organisms No organisms Abundance of organisms Population size Zone of intolerance Zone of physiological stress Zone of physiological stress Optimum range Zone of intolerance Low Temperature High Fig. 3-10, p. 58

20. NICHES: the role you fill • Trophic level • Producer / autotroph • Consumer / heterotroph • Herbivore, carnivore/omnivore, 3° consumer, decomposer • What do you provide/do for ecosystem/habitat • Pollinator • Provide shelter • Nutrient cycler • Trap soil • Absorb nutrients

21. Generalist species with a broad niche Specialist species with a narrow niche Niche separation Number of individuals Niche breadth Region of niche overlap Resource use Fig. 4-11, p. 91

22. Ruddy turnstone searches under shells and pebbles for small invertebrates Dowitcher probes deeply into mud in search of snails, marine worms, and small crustaceans Black skimmer seizes small fish at water surface Black skimmer seizes small fish at water surface Herring gull is a tireless scavenger Brown pelican dives for fish, which it locates from the air Avocet sweeps bill through mud and surface water in search of small crustaceans, insects, and seeds Flamingo feeds on minute organisms in mud Scaup and other diving ducks feed on mollusks, crustaceans, and aquatic vegetation Louisiana heron wades into water to seize small fish Oystercatcher feeds on clams, mussels, and other shellfish into which it pries its narrow beak Knot (sandpiper) picks up worms and small crustaceans left by receding tide Piping plover feeds on insects and tiny crustaceans on sandy beaches Fig. 4-13, p. 93

23. Energy • Photosynthesis • Net Primary Production • Biomass • Energy Diagrams • Food chain • Food Web • Energy Pyramid • 10 % Rule 6CO2 + 6H2O → C6H12O6 + 6O2 Draw a picture representing the molecules. Use colored pencils for each element. Translate this chemical formula into a sentence using words. Primary productivity is the amount of photosynthesis / time. NPP: Amount of biomass produced minus amount of energy lost to cellular respiration

25. Photosynthesis • 6 CO2 + 6 H20 → C6H12O6 + 6 O2 • Is two separate reactions • 1st Light reaction • Chlorophyl is located in thylakoid membranes • Light energy splits H20 and enters a photosystem, located in thylakoid membranes • Electrons move along photosystem • Oxygen is byproduct • 2 H20 → 4 H+ + 4e- + O2

26. Photosynthesis • 2nd reaction • Calvin Cycle (or alternative pathways) • Carbon fixation – CO2 is “fixed” into an organic molecule like C6H12O6 • Uses the H+ & energy from first reaction • Occurs in stroma • Rate of photosynthesis is dependant on light intensity, level of CO2, and temperature.

27. Ocelot Harpy eagle Blue and gold macaw Squirrel monkeys Climbing monstera palm Katydid Green tree snake Slaty-tailed trogon Tree frog Ants Bacteria Bromeliad Fungi Producer to primary consumer Primary to secondary consumer Secondary to higher-level consumer All producers and consumers to decomposers Fig. 7-16, p. 155

28. Word bank: closed, cyclical flowchart, open, straight line flow chart First Trophic Level Second Trophic Level Third Trophic Level Fourth Trophic Level Producers (plants) Primary consumers (herbivores) Secondary consumers (carnivores) Tertiary consumers (top carnivores) Heat Heat Heat Heat Solar energy Heat Heat Heat Decomposers and detritus feeders Flow of energy is __________ system and can be represented by a ____________ Flow of matter is a __________ system and can be represented by a _____________? Fig. 3-13, p. 62

29. Usable energy available at each trophic level (in kilocalories) Heat Tertiary consumers (human) 10 Heat Secondary consumers (perch) 100 Heat Decomposers Heat Primary consumers (zooplankton) 1,000 Heat 10,000 Producers (phytoplankton) Fig. 3-15, p. 63

30. Nutrient Cycles • Water • Carbon • Nitrogen • Phosphorus • Sulfur

31. Global warming Condensation Ice and snow Condensation Evaporation from land Evaporation from ocean Precipitation to land Transpiration from plants Surface runoff Increased flooding from wetland destruction Precipitation to ocean Runoff Lakes and reservoirs Reduced recharge of aquifers and flooding from covering land with crops and buildings Point source pollution Infiltration and percolation into aquifer Surface runoff Groundwater movement (slow) Ocean Aquifer depletion from overpumping Processes Processes affected by humans Reservoir Pathway affected by humans Natural pathway Fig. 3-17, p. 66

32. Carbon dioxide in atmosphere Respiration Photosynthesis Burning fossil fuels Forest fires Animals (consumers) Diffusion Deforestation Plants (producers) Carbon in plants (producers) Transportation Respiration Carbon in animals (consumers) Carbon dioxide dissolved in ocean Carbon in fossil fuels Decomposition Marine food webs Producers, consumers, decomposers Carbon in limestone or dolomite sediments Compaction Processes Reservoir Pathway affected by humans Natural pathway Fig. 3-18, p. 68

33. Processes Nitrogen in atmosphere Reservoir Pathway affected by humans Natural pathway Denitrification by bacteria Electrical storms Nitrogen oxides from burning fuel and using inorganic fertilizers Nitrogen in animals (consumers) Volcanic activity Nitrification by bacteria Nitrogen in plants (producers) Nitrates from fertilizer runoff and decomposition Decomposition Uptake by plants Nitrate in soil Nitrogen loss to deep ocean sediments Nitrogen in ocean sediments Bacteria Ammonia in soil Fig. 3-19, p. 69

34. Processes Reservoir Pathway affected by humans Natural pathway Phosphates in sewage Phosphates in fertilizer Plate tectonics Phosphates in mining waste Runoff Runoff Sea birds Runoff Phosphate in rock (fossil bones, guano) Erosion Ocean food webs Animals (consumers) Phosphate dissolved in water Phosphate in shallow ocean sediments Phosphate in deep ocean sediments Plants (producers) Bacteria Fig. 3-21, p. 71

35. Sulfur dioxide in atmosphere Sulfuric acid and Sulfate deposited as acid rain Smelting Burning coal Refining fossil fuels Sulfur in animals (consumers) Dimethyl sulfide a bacteria byproduct Sulfur in plants (producers) Mining and extraction Uptake by plants Decay Sulfur in ocean sediments Decay Processes Sulfur in soil, rock and fossil fuels Reservoir Pathway affected by humans Natural pathway Fig. 3-22, p. 72

36. Natural Capital: Major Components of the Earth’s Biodiversity

37. Species Diversity: Variety, Abundance of Species in a Particular Place • Species diversity • Species richness • Species evenness • Diversity varies with geographical location • Most species-rich communities • Tropical rain forests • Coral reefs • Ocean bottom zone • Large tropical lakes

38. Variations in Species Richness and Species Evenness

39. Relationships • Predator/prey • Can cause coevolution • Symbiosis • Commensalism • Mutualism • Parasitism • Competition • Drives evolution

40. Population curves Environmental resistance Carrying capacity (K) Population stabilizes Population size Exponential growth Biotic potential Time (t) Fig. 5-11, p. 111

41. 2.0 Population overshoots carrying capacity Carrying capacity 1.5 Population recovers and stabilizes Population runs out of resources and crashes Number of sheep (millions) 1.0 Exponential growth .5 1800 1825 1850 1875 1900 1925 Year Fig. 5-12, p. 111

42. Population Cycles for the Snowshoe Hare and Canada Lynx

43. Primary Succession Balsam fir, paper birch, and white spruce forest community Jack pine, black spruce, and aspen Heath mat Small herbs and shrubs Lichens and mosses Exposed rocks Time Fig. 5-16, p. 116

44. Secondary Succession Mature oak and hickory forest Young pine forest with developing understory of oak and hickory trees Shrubs and small pine seedlings Perennial weeds and grasses Annual weeds Time Fig. 5-17, p. 117