Chapter One Glossaryabiotic – non-livingalbedo – percentage of light reflected from a material, autotroph – producer or organism that produces its own food biodiversity - the number of species in an ecosystembiomass – mass of dry biological matter biotic - living carnivore – an animal that feeds on other animalscommunity – collection of all populations in an ecosystem consumer – a heterotroph or an organism that eats other organisms decomposer – an organism that feeds on detritus detritus – waste from plants and animals including their dead remains

ecological niche – the place or role of a species within an ecosystemecology – the study of the interaction of living things with each other and with the abiotic factors in their environment ecosystem – the set of relationships between biotic and abiotic factors in a defined area ecotone – a transition area between two ecosystems endangered – close to extinction extinct – no longer existsextirpated – no longer exists in one part of a range

food chain – a step by step feeding sequencefood web – a pictorial representation of feeding relationships among organisms in an ecosystem habitat – environmental conditions of a species herbivore – an animal that eats plants hetertroph – consumer or organism that eats other organisms omnivore – an animal that eats plants and animals pest – an organism that people consider harmful or inconvenient population - all of the members of a species living in an ecosystem primary consumer – a consumer that eats producers or autotrophs producer – an autotroph or organism that makes its own food

secondary consumer – an organism that eats primary consumersThermodynamics – study of energy transformationsfirst law – energy cannot be created or destroyed, it can only change form second law – each time energy is transformed in a system some of that energy is lost from the system trophic level – feeding level

The Silence of the Frogspages 10-13

Ecology is defined as the study of the interaction between living things with each other and with abiotic factors in their environment. When one considers the number of biotic and abiotic factors on Earth one should realize that ecology is a very complex area of study. The silence of the frogs illustrates some of this complexity.

Read the Silence of the Frogs and make brief notes. Generally this means one sentence per paragraph.

Extinction in the Modern World p. 16-19

The evolution of the peppered moth over the last two hundred years has been studied in detail. Originally, the vast majority of peppered moths had light coloration, which effectively camouflaged them against the light-colored trees and lichens which they rested upon.

However, due to widespread pollution during the Industrial Revolution in England, many of the lichens died out, and the trees which peppered moths rested on became blackened by soot, causing most of the light-colored moths, or typica, to die off due to predation. At the same time, the dark-colored, or melanic, moths, carbonaria, flourished because of their ability to hide on the darkened trees.

Since then, with improved environmental standards, light-colored peppered moths have again become common, but the dramatic change in the peppered moth's population has remained a subject of much interest and study, and has led to the coining of the term "industrial melanism" to refer to the genetic darkening of species in response to pollutants.

As a result of the relatively simple and easy-to-understand circumstances of the adaptation, the peppered moth has become a common example used in explaining or demonstrating natural selection to laypeople and classroom students.

The first carbonaria morph was recorded by Edleston in Manchester in 1848, and over the subsequent years it increased in frequency. Predation experiments, particularly by Bernard Kettlewell, established that the agent of selection was birds who preyed on the morpha carbonaria morph.

Creationists such as Jonathan Wells have criticized the use of peppered moth melanism as an example of evolution in action. Wells alleges that peppered moth studies, and in particular Kettlewell's experiments, were erroneous and fraudulent in his book Icons of Evolution. However, although various errors and oversights have been found in early experiments on peppered moth evolution, subsequent experiments and observations have confirmed the phenomenon and its initial explanation.

There are many reasons for species becoming extinct or endangered. Read p. 16-19 and summarize the natural reasons for extinction and the human made reasons. (go over diagram about extinctions or p. 17)

Thought Activity

You are shipwrecked on an island with a chicken (hen) and a large sack of bread crumbs. There is no food to consume anywhere else on or around the island. You have a plentiful amount of freshwater. How should you utilize your food sources so that you can survive the longest and have the best chance of being rescued alive?

ENERGY IN ECOSYSTEMSp. 32 - 39

The source of all energy for ecosystems is the Sun. Sunlight that reaches Earth has a variety of outcomes (see p. 32). Energy first begins to flow through living things when photosynthesis occurs in plants.

Plants are called producers or autotrophs and are the first trophic level. They provide the first level of energy to an ecosystem by converting the Sun’s energy to food.

Energy is transferred through the rest of the ecosystem by feeding. Consumers or heterotrophs cannot make their own food so they obtain it from autotrophs or heterotrophs. Consumers that feed on producers are called primary consumers. Heterotrophs that feed on other heterotrophs are called secondary consumers .

A food chain is a step by step sequence linking organisms that feed on each other.

All food chains begin with a producer (plant, algae, some bacteria). These organisms form the first trophic level. Primary consumers form the second trophic level while secondary consumers form the third trophic level. Higher trophic levels are also possible (tertiary, quaternary consumers). The consumer at the top of a food chain is called the top carnivore. (Organisms may change levels in different food chains.)

Each organism in an ecosystem is involved in many food chains. A food web shows the relationship of many food chains. Stable ecosystems have the greatest biodiversity. This biodiversity allows an ecosystem to withstand variations from year to year within an ecosystem.

Food Chain and Food Web ActivityUsing the information contained on pages 40 and 41 of the Insights 10 text book construct a food web with about half of the organisms present. The food web should be stopped when the number of lines present begins to make the web look far to confusing. The arrows on the food web (and food chains) point to the organism getting the food energy. Using the food web construct three food chains, one 3 member chain, one 4 member chain and a 5 member chain. The food web and food chains should be neat and potentially “dressed up” so a rough copy may be in order. This assignment can be done individually or in pairs. This assignment is due in two days. Some organisms are numbered but cannot be found.

Food Chain

Oak leaf Caterpillar Spider

Frog

SnakeEagle

Producer

First trophic level

Primary Consumer

Second trophic level

Secondary Consumer

Third trophic level

Tertiary Consumer

Fourth trophic levelQuaternary Consumer

Fifth trophic levelTop Carnivore

Sixth trophic level

Food Pyramids

A useful tool to quantify the relationships within a food chain is a food pyramid. Quantifying energy, numbers or biomass enables one to see how a food chain really functions in an ecosystem. Figures 6-9 starting on p. 37 give examples. These pyramids in general can only be 4 levels high since we have run out of energy for a higher consumer.

The energy pyramid is the most precise relationship to be used but it is also the most difficult to make.

The numbers pyramid is the easiest to make but it often doesn’t make a pyramid and show the proper energy flow.

The biomass pyramid is a very good compromise between the two pyramids above. It is not too difficult to make and it generally mirrors energy flow very well.

Comparing Ecosystems, p. 28, 29

Ecology is about much more than recycling or saying that everything should live in harmony. Ecology is about biotic and abiotic relationships and these relationships can be measured (scientists like measurement!). In this assignment you will answer questions based on measurements of two ecosystems.

In groups of 3 answer questions a-l and question 1b (use full thorough sentences)

Roles in Ecosystems, p. 40-44

Each species in an ecosystem tends to have a different role or ecological niche. This helps reduce competition between species for territory and resources.

Understand how hawks and owls occupy different niches yet have a similar diet. Take note how each species has adapted to its role.

New species are constantly introduced to ecosystems. This represents a disturbance to the ecosystem and the ecosystem will adjust to this disturbance. The new balance or equilibrium that forms may be similar to the old balance or quite different.

Understand the situation of the Zebra Mussel and all of its consequences for Lake Erie ecosystem.