Changes in ecosystemsChapter 16 (Page 500)

Harm to Coral Reef

0.5ºC over next 100 years

and Arctic Ecosystems

All coral reefs bleached

1ºC over next 100 years

10% of global ecosystems transformed

Mass mortality in coral reefs

2ºC over next 100 years

1/6 of global ecosystems transformed

1/4 species committed to extinction

1/2 of nature reserves unable to meet conservation objectives

3ºC over next 100 years

1/5 of global ecosystems transformed

1/3 species committed to extinction

Could the damage be reversed?

Primary changes in ecosystems may produce a cascade of secondary changes that may not become apparent immediately.

What are the primary and secondary changes in the:

Panda example?

Temperature change example?

Frequency of change

Regular and predictable events (e.g. tides and seasons)

Sporadic (irregular) events (e.g. floods)

One-off events, planned or unpredictable (e.g. oil spill)

Examples of changes?

Activity! (20 minutes)

Split into 3 teams of 5-6 people. Each team will be given a scenario with primary change.

TASK: Create a strategic plan to restore the ecosystem back to it's original state.

In the plan you have to highlight : What is the primary change and how has it

impacted the ecosystem and the organisms that live there?

Identify the secondary changes that may occur. Can the damage be reversed? If so, how can the

balance of the ecosystem be restored?

UN Meeting on Climate Change

Primary change

Secondary changes

Can the ecosystem be restored? How?

Succession in ecosystems: The natural replacement over time of one community by another community with different dominant species.

Primary succession Secondary succession

Key ideas

Primary changes and secondary changes

Frequency of change?

Can damage of an ecosystem be reversed/restored?

Primary succession vs. Secondary succession

Invasive species Over-harvesting Fire = important

Invasive species + over-harvesting

Goats on trees found in Morocco.

Like to eat the fruit of the argan tree, which is similar to an olive

The argan tree slowly disappearing due to over-harvesting for the tree's wood and overgrazing by goats.

Interesting websites

The world’s 10 worst invasive species: http://webecoist.momtastic.com/2009/12/15/incoming-the-worlds-10-worst-invasive-species/

Invasive species specialist group: http://www.issg.org/

Invasive species database: http://www.issg.org/database/welcome/