Ecology ppt as pdf - Woodland Hills School District –Part of an ecosystem with specific conditions. • a. Conditions are mostly dependent on the climate. Avg. temperature, Annual

Ecology

Introduction to Ecology

A. Defining Ecology

• 1. Ecology – Natural science of how nature

works together.

• a. Concerned with cycles of materials.

• b. Looks at how organisms interact with each • b. Looks at how organisms interact with each

other and their environment.

• c. Views human kind as part of the

environment.

A. Defining Ecology

• 2. Environmental Science – The effect of

humans on the natural world.

• a. A mix of natural science and social science.

• b. More political than ecology.• b. More political than ecology.

• c. Looks at man as an outside force.

B. Structure of Nature

• 1. Environment – Everything that an organism

can interact with

• a. Biotic factors – Living things; Plants,

animals, insects, etc.animals, insects, etc.

• b. Abiotic factors – Nonliving parts; Water,

sunshine, minerals, climate – temperature,

rainfall, seasons.


• 2. Biosphere – The parts of the Earth where

life can happen.

• a. Extends from about 4 miles below the

ocean to about 4 miles up.ocean to about 4 miles up.

• b. As we explore regions more, we expand the

range.


• 3. Ecosystem – The interconnected

relationships between the different parts of

the environment.

• a. Often refers to the life of an area.• a. Often refers to the life of an area.

• b. Can have many different sets of conditions.


• 4. Biome – Part of an ecosystem with specific

conditions.

• a. Conditions are mostly dependent on the

climate. Avg. temperature, Annual rainfall, climate. Avg. temperature, Annual rainfall,

etc.

• b. Conditions determine the kinds of plants

and animals.

• c. An ecosystem can have several biomes.


• 5. Habitat – Part of the ecosystem where an

organism lives.

• a. Some organisms are specific to a small part

of a biome.of a biome.

• b. Some organism’s habitat can cross several

biomes.


• 6. Niche – The role an organism plays in an

ecosystem.

• a. Ex. What it eats, What it provides,

Predator/Prey.Predator/Prey.

• b. An organisms niche may change during its

life.

• 7. Biodiversity – Different types of organisms

in an ecosystem.

C. Types of Biomes

• 1. Forests

• a. Tropical Rainforests

• (1) Wettest climate on Earth. (> 100 in. of rain)

• (2) Most diverse biome• (2) Most diverse biome

• (3) Found in the lowlands near the equator

C. Types of Biomes

• 1. Forests

• b. Temperate Rainforest

• (1) Pine forests of Pacific Northwest

• (2) Not quite as wet as tropical.• (2) Not quite as wet as tropical.

• (3) Usually found along the coast.

C. Types of Biomes

• 1. Forests

• c. Deciduous Forest

• (1) Typical biome of Western PA.

• (2) Gets 40-60 inches of rain per year.• (2) Gets 40-60 inches of rain per year.

• (3) Trees change with the seasons.

• (4) Deciduous trees lose their leaves.

C. Types of Biomes

• 1. Forests

• d. Boreal forest (Tiaga)

• (1) Found just below the Arctic Circle.

• (2) Gets 20-30 inches of precipitation per year.• (2) Gets 20-30 inches of precipitation per year.

• (3) Pine trees can survive the cold and snow

better than deciduous trees.

C. Types of Biomes

• 2. Chaparral

• a. Climate found along coast in warm

latitudes.

• b. 20-30 inches of rain, but only during the • b. 20-30 inches of rain, but only during the

wet season.

• c. Plants and animals must be able to endure

long droughts.

C. Types of Biomes

• 3. Grasslands

• a. Usually very flat, fertile lands.

• b. Gets between 10-25 in. of rain per year.

• c. Different types of grasslands based on • c. Different types of grasslands based on

temperature.

• d. Ex. Prairie (U.S.), Savanna (Africa), Steppes

(Central Asia), Pampas (South America)

C. Types of Biomes

• 4. Desert and Tundra

• a. Driest and least diverse biomes on Earth.

• b. Gets less than 10 in. of rain per year.

• c. Deserts occur in many climates.• c. Deserts occur in many climates.

• d. Tundra occur above the Arctic Circle.

C. Types of Biomes

• 5. Rivers

• a. Biome that can change drastically from

beginning to end.

• b. Moves fast high in the mountains, slow• b. Moves fast high in the mountains, slow

when it reaches its end.

• c. Changing conditions, changes the kind of

life we find.

C. Types of Biomes

• 6. Lake

• a. Abundance of life changes with depth.

• b. Most of the life is close to shore.

• c. Big lakes have similar characteristics to the • c. Big lakes have similar characteristics to the

ocean.

C. Types of Biomes

• 7. Ponds

• a. Smaller and more shallow than lakes.

• b. Diverse ecosystem due to good supply of

nutrients.nutrients.

• c. Because water is limited and doesn’t

circulate, it is very susceptible to pollution.

C. Types of Biomes

• 8. Wetlands

• a. Hard to define because they come in so

many forms.

• b. Must have standing water at least part of • b. Must have standing water at least part of

the year.

• c. Ex. Swamps, marshes, bogs, moors

C. Types of Biomes

• d. Very important ecosystem.

• (1) Birds rely on the food supply.

• (2) Fish use the calm waters for spawning.

• (3) Slow moving water is cleaned by the soil.• (3) Slow moving water is cleaned by the soil.

• (4) Provides an overflow area that reduces

flooding.

C. Types of Biomes

• 9. Estuary

• a. Place where a river meets the ocean.

• b. Mix of salt and fresh water.

• c. Diverse ecosystem, with many types of fish,• c. Diverse ecosystem, with many types of fish,

as well as lots of shellfish.

• d. In danger from pollution.

• e. Many large cities are built near estuaries.

C. Types of Biomes

• 10. Coral Reef

• a. Shallow ocean environment along the

coasts of tropical islands.

• b. Most diverse aquatic ecosystem.• b. Most diverse aquatic ecosystem.

• c. Very sensitive to changes in conditions.

• d. The coral is a living organism, but only on

the outer edges.

C. Types of Biomes

• 11. Ocean

• a. Most of life is near the shore.

• b. Only ecosystem to not rely on plants for

photosynthesis.photosynthesis.

• c. In the deep waters, small organisms, called

plankton, do the photosynthesis.

C. Types of Biomes

• 12. Polar Region

• a. Area of frozen ocean and glacier near the

poles.

• b. Even though much of the life is land-based, • b. Even though much of the life is land-based,

it is considered an aquatic ecosystem.

• c. The food chain relies on the ocean.

I. Environmental Issues

• A. Many environmentalists believe that the

root of all environmental problems is

overpopulation.

• 1. The current population of the Earth is over • 1. The current population of the Earth is over

7 billion.

• 2. It took until 1800 for human population to

reach 1 billion.

• 3. By 1930, the population reached 2 billion.


• 4. Environmentalists believe that we have exceeded the Earth’s carrying capacity.

• a. Carrying capacity is the maximum population that an area can support.

• (1) Depends on the available resources.• (1) Depends on the available resources.

• (2) Resources are anything that the organism needs to survive.

• (3) Examples would be food, water, shelter and other sources of energy.


• b. Some groups claim that Earth’s carrying

capacity is significantly lower than today’s

population.

• (1) One statistic said that the US needs to • (1) One statistic said that the US needs to

reduce the population by one third and the

world population by two thirds.

• (2) Others believe that we need to slow the

growth rate before we exceed capacity.


• c. Environmental groups want humans to be at

a zero-sum gain in population.

• (1) This means for every baby born, a person

dies.dies.

• (2) They have suggested putting limits on the

number of children.

• (3) Other more radical actions have been

suggested.


• 5. Over population leads to many of the problems we face today.

• a. We need to clear habitats for homes and farmlands.farmlands.

• b. Increased human activities leads to pollution of air and water.

• c. Need for food has lead to farming techniques that are not necessarily good for the environment.


• B. Air Pollution

• 1. Pollution increases rapidly with industrial

activities.

• a. Burning coal and oil produces carbon • a. Burning coal and oil produces carbon

dioxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides.

• (1) Many of these gases produce acid rain.

• (2) We burn these fuels in steel

manufacturing, generated electricity, etc.


• b. Driving cars also produces carbon dioxide.

• (1) Carbon dioxide creates the greenhouse

effect.

• (a) The gases hold in heat.• (a) The gases hold in heat.

• (b) It is believed that the greenhouse effect

will lead to global climate change.

• (2) Climate change could lead to many other

environmental issues.


• 2. Certain chemicals, called CFC’s, are

damaging the ozone layer.

• a. Ozone is a molecule of oxygen with three

atoms.atoms.

• (1) High in the atmosphere these molecules

gather into a layer.

• (2) The ozone layer protects use from harmful

Ultraviolet (UV) rays.


• b. CFC’s, used in aerosol cans and

refrigeration, have caused a thinning in the

ozone layer.

• c. Increased UV rays can have a serious affect • c. Increased UV rays can have a serious affect

on many organisms.

• d. This will greatly affect food webs.


• c. Air pollution is not limited to our

atmosphere.

• 1. Burning fuels can increase the level of

ozone at ground level.ozone at ground level.

• (a) When air is stagnant, the level of ozone

can make it difficult for some people to

breathe.


• 2. Air pollution can occur indoors.

• (a) Second-hand smoke can create a problem

for non-smokers.

• (b) Carbon monoxide from the furnace can • (b) Carbon monoxide from the furnace can

create a poisonous atmosphere.

• (c) Vapors from cleaning supplies and paint

products can be overwhelming without

proper ventilation.


• C. Water Pollution

• 1. Water pollution comes in three types:

Residential, Agricultural and Industrial.

• a. Residential includes lawn care chemicals, • a. Residential includes lawn care chemicals,

sewage, motor oil.

• b. Agricultural pollution includes pesticides,

weed-killers, and fertilizer.


• c. Industrial pollutants come from the

discharge from factories, air pollutants that

fall into the water and abandoned mine

drainage.drainage.

• (1) Fracking, or hydraulic fracturing, involved

in natural gas drilling is an industrial pollution.

• (2) This is main issue in the Marcellus Shale

debate.


• 2. Water pollution will affect aquatic food webs.

• 3. It spreads out because water systems are interconnected.interconnected.

• 4. It also affects the availability of clean drinking water.

• 5. It contributes to water shortages.

• 6. It often leads to deaths in poor areas of the world due to parasites and diseases.


• D. Habitat Loss

• 1. Increased population means an increased

need for land.

• a. Humans need land for homes and farms.• a. Humans need land for homes and farms.

• b. This need leads to the destruction of forests

and wetlands.


• 2. Deforestation is the clearing of large forest

areas.

• a. It happened in North America during

colonial times, during the expansion of colonial times, during the expansion of

America and into the early 20th century.

• b. Today, we see it happening in rainforest

areas, like Africa, South America and

Southeast Asia.


• 3. Wetlands destruction is more of a 20th

century problem.

• a. Most common wetland areas in the US are

Florida , Atlantic seaboard, and Gulf Coast.Florida , Atlantic seaboard, and Gulf Coast.

• b. Wetlands are usually very level and occur in

warm climates, which make them valuable as

real estate.


• 4. Problems of deforestation and wetland

destruction.

• a. Loss of biodiversity – many organisms will

lose population or go extinct.lose population or go extinct.

• b. Increased greenhouse effect – the plant life

in these habitats absorb carbon dioxide.

• c. Wetlands as a natural filter, cleaning the

water, and prevent flooding.


• E. Energy Usage

• 1. Our most common sources of energy are coal, oil, and natural gas.

• a. Classified as fossil fuels, because they form from dead organisms.

• a. Classified as fossil fuels, because they form from dead organisms.

• b. Process takes millions of years.

• c. They are considered nonrenewable.

• (1) Once we use them, they are gone forever.

• (2) They will eventually run out.


• 2. Acquiring enough of these resources is

becoming increasingly difficult.

• a. Resources in some areas are running low.

• b. Increased population has increased • b. Increased population has increased

demand.

• c. New methods of drilling or mining are

controversial.


• (1) Mining for coal underground is very

dangerous, but strip mining – digging down to

the coal – destroys the environment.

• (2) Drilling for Marcellus Shale can ruin water • (2) Drilling for Marcellus Shale can ruin water

supplies.

• (3) Off-shore drilling – drilling in shallow areas of

the ocean – can destroy very fragile ecosystems.

• 3. Burning fossil fuels creates pollution,

particularly the greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide.


• 4. Renewable resources are those that

naturally replenish themselves or will not run

out.

• a. Ex. Wind, Hydoelectric, Solar, Geothermal• a. Ex. Wind, Hydoelectric, Solar, Geothermal

• b. Advantages: The energy source is free, little

or no pollution.

• c. Disadvantages: Take up a lot of space, not

very efficient with current technology


• F. Biodiversity

• 1. Mass Extinction – The loss of a significant number of species from the Earth.

• a. Chief cause is loss of habitat.

• b. Invasive species – species in an area that they • b. Invasive species – species in an area that they are not native – kill many native species.

• (1) These species do not have natural enemies.

• (2) Native species may not view them as a threat.

• (3) Enter an ecosystem through accidental or purposeful action of humans.


• c. US enacted the Endangered Species Act to

protect species from extinction.

• (1) Restricts activities that can impact species

that are endangered or threatened.that are endangered or threatened.

• (2) Affects both civilian and government

projects.


• 2. Animal Rights vs. Animal Welfare

• a. Animal Welfare – Humans have the responsibility to not cause any undo sufferingto animals.to animals.

• (1) Animals can be used, but only if they are cared for properly.

• (2) If done properly farming, the dairy industry and raising animals for food is acceptable.


• b. Animal Rights – Animals should be allowed

to live their lives without human interference.

• (1) Animals have the same rights usually only

granted to people.granted to people.

• (2) Goes far beyond animal welfare.


• c. Common battle grounds

• (1) Animal testing – Testing medicines and

cosmetics.

• (2) Factory farms – Large-scale facilities that • (2) Factory farms – Large-scale facilities that

keep animals in small areas to maximize the

number of animals they can raise.


• d. Animals are friends not food.

• (1) Ovalactal vegetarians – do not eat meat,

but will eat eggs and dairy products that

come from animals.come from animals.

• (2) Strict vegetarians – do not eat any food

that comes from an animal.

• (3) Vegans – do not eat or use any product

that comes from an animal.

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Ecology ppt as pdf - Woodland Hills School District –Part of an ecosystem with specific conditions. • a. Conditions are mostly dependent on the climate. Avg. temperature, Annual