ECOLOGICAL PRINCIPLES NOTES
UNIT 1 RAMSEY, S.L. c2012
ECOLOGICAL PRINCIPLES
NOTE PACKET AND STUDY GUIDE
KEY LEARNING(S): ALL LIVING THINGS ARE INTERDEPENDENT WITHIN AN EVER
CHANGING ECOSYSTEM
CONCEPT PREVIEW:
1) Ecology
2) Population Dynamics
3) Flow of Energy
4) Materials cycle
5) Succession
6) Invasive, Endangered and Keystone Species
DIRECTIONS:
A. As notes are given, students should fill in blanks and label diagrams.
B. After notes are given, students should review their notes and fill in the questions which are
asked throughout the packet.
C. Use this packet to study for quizzes and exams.
D. Be able to answer the essential questions presented for each concept
E. You should be able to define, apply and explain by example the vocabulary in the packet.
F. At the end of the unit, this packet will be collected for points. It is required.
This packet belongs to: ________________________ Pd _______
CONCEPT 1: Organization of Living Earth
LESSON ESSENTIAL QUESTION: How are living things arranged on Earth?
KEY WORDS (11 words)
abiotic biome biodiversity ecology habitat species
biosphere biotic community ecosystem population
BIOSPHERE
_______________________________________________________________________
-it is highly organized
most fragile layer of the earth
10 miles thick (5 miles up into atmosphere, 5 miles down into ocean)
ecosystems exist within the biosphere
COMPONENTS OF A BIOME
Biomes are large geographic areas defined by:
-_____________________
-_____________________
-____________________
(plants determine animals)
Which division of the Biosphere contains all other divisions? _____________________
From looking at the picture above, write a definition of a community:
__________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
[pic]
Biome terms
Temperate-distinct seasons
Tropical-consistently warm
Deciduous-plants shed leaves
Coniferous-leaves are year round
ECOSYSTEM: __________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
energy is processed through the biotic components
interrelationships create stability
populations are the basis of ecosystems
BIOTIC: ___________________________ (plants and animals)
ABIOTIC: non-living (water, minerals, soil…)
POPULATION: the number of organisms of the same species
SPECIES: organisms that can interbreed and produce fertile offspring
Microclimates
HABITATS
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
must include essential abiotic components
BASIC REQIREMENTS: food, shelter, water, space, air
Habitat is the ________________
varies in size
habitats overlap between different species
varieties of habitats increase diversity
BIODIVERSITY: _______________________________________________________
DIVERSITY = STABILITY
survival of the ecosystem is dependent on its diversity
the greater the diversity, the more likely an _________could survive a cataclysmic event (like
an extinction, volcano…)
EDGES ARE VERY STABLE
the edge habitat (place where 2 habitats overlap) has the greatest diversity of plants and animals
edge is usually more stable than either of the 2 habitats it divides
edge shares species from both habitats as well as supporting edge only species
WHAT DO YOU KNOW? Concept 1 Quickie Quiz
_____ 1. The plant life that is characteristic of a biome depends upon:
A. the type of soil C. the amount and pattern of precipitation
B. the range of temperatures D. all of the above
_____2. The canopy created by the mature trees of a forest:
A. places for animals to hide from predators
B. produces shade that is a limiting factor for some tree species
C. produces both food and cover for some forest species
D. all of the above
_____ 3. The region of planet Earth that supports life is known as the:
A. biome C. ecosystem
B. biosphere D. edge
_____4. What is the biggest difference between an ecosystem and a community?
A. ecosystems do not include the biotic components
B. communities do not describe the abiotic components
C. ecosystems are less organized than communities
5. What are the 3 components which define a biome? ______________ ______________
_______________
6. What are Pennsylvania’s 6 nature symbols?
Animal = flower= fish=
Tree= insect= bird=
CONCEPT 2: POPULATION DYNAMICS
LESSON ESSENTIAL QUESTION: How do limiting factors affect population dynamics?
KEY TERMS (16 terms)
carrying capacity intraspecific competition limiting factor resource partitioning
commensalisms interspecific competition mutualism S-curve population
critical number invasive parasitism J-curve population
dynamic equilibrium
POPULATION DYNAMICS
______________________________________________________________________
Based on the idea that resources are limited (CARRYING CAPACITY)
All species (plants and animals) must have the BASIC REQUIREMENTS OF LIFE
-FOOD, SHELTER, WATER, SPACE, AIR
AND OF COURSE THE RIGHT CLIMATE
POPULATIONS
Members of the same species
Populations are limited in “range” by _____, ________, _________ and _____________
within their habitat
Tends to be maintained within the ________________ and ___________________
LIMITING FACTORS
_____________________________________________________________________
1. Food 6. Lack of any requirement of life
2. Competition 7. Climate
3. Predation 8. Disease
4. Geology/geography/topography
5. Human influences
CARRYING CAPACITY: ___________________________________________________
(provide basic requirements)
Example: The pond can support 25 frogs. What may limit the number of frogs? __________
_______________________________________________________________________
Consequences (of breaking CC)
breaking the carrying capacity will cause ________________________________
may lead to _____________________
may reduce _____________________
may just reduce numbers long enough for the habitat to ________________
Can Carrying Capacity Change?
__________
_____________________________________________________________________
* Decrease in abusive population
* Better weather promoting good food
_____________________________________________________________________
* Increase in populations above carrying capacity
* Cataclysmic event (volcano)
* Changes in climate (global warming?)
Critical Number
_____________________________________________________________________
* Set by nature to maintain genetic diversity
* Prevents in-breeding and passing on “bad genes”
Populations may stabilize
Stable populations will fluctuate between the _______________ and the ______________.
Most species with proper limiting factors will function along these lines
This is called DYNAMIC EQUILIBRIUM
These are called S-Curve populations
After hearing the explanation of Dynamic Equilibrium, write your own definition.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
S-curve Populations
(draw your own)
causes of stabilization
Emigration
Immigration These are
Death limiting factors!
birth
predator-prey
disease
J-curve Populations (draw your own)
Are not stable populations
Usually crash after they break carrying capacity
Due to lack of limiting factors or it has a special
reproductive strategy
* -many young with lack of parental
care such as fish
May be an invasive species (gypsy moth)
Species Interact with each other to maintain energy and population balances
Predator-Prey relationships
[pic]
How are the moose and the wolves limiting factors on each other?______________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Competition
__________________________________________________________________
limits population size between competitors
Categories of Competition
Interspecific:__________________________________________________________
List some examples---
Intraspecific:__________________________________________________________
-competition between members of the same species
-usually for mates or nesting habitat or territory
List some examples---
Interspecific competition shows how competition can be avoided by _____________________ (RESOURCE PARTITIONING). This guarantees that all species survive and increase diversity
[pic]
Parasitism: __________________________________________________________
-often host specific
-generally causes harm or death of host in extreme situations
List some examples---
Mutualism: ___________________________________________________________
-symbiosis arises through coevolution
List some examples---
Commensalism
one member of the relationship benefits
one member of the relationship gains nothing, but is not harmed
example: lichens growing on the tree benefit from the tree, but the tree is not harmed or helped by the lichen
WHAT DO YOU KNOW? Concept 2 Quickie Quiz
1. A lichen is an organism which grows on trees and rocks. It comes in many colors and styles. It is actually 2 organisms which live together. An algae which photosynthesizes, produces food for the main mass of the organism, a fungus. The fungus keeps the algae moist. Together they form the Lichen. Sometimes the lichen will grow on a tree. It does not hurt the tree, but it gains a place higher up in the forest for photosynthesis. In the space below, describe the species interactions that are going on.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. DIVERSITY = STABILITY Explain this equation using vocabulary.
3. Explain the relationship between carrying capacity, critical number and dynamic equilibrium.
CONCEPT 3: FLOW OF ENERGY
UNIT ESSENTIAL QUESTION: How does the environment transfer energy in different forms through food webs.
KEY TERMS
autotroph detritovore food web omnivore
biomass decomposer heterotroph parasite
carnivore energy pyramid herbivore scavenger
chemosynthesis food chain niche trophic level
FLOW OF ENERGY
Energy is processed
Feedback
input energy ecosystem output energy
-this allows the ecosystem to maintain an energy balance
NICHE = JOB
the way an organism makes a living in their habitat
niche describes how the organism gets it energy
* producer (autotrophs and herbivores)
* consumer (carnivores, scavengers)
* decomposers
|NICHE |WHAT THEY EAT |TYPES OF ORGANISMS |
|Autotroph | |Plants (the green guys) |
|Herbivore | |Bunnies, deer, bees |
|Carnivore | |Lions, anteaters, fox, bass |
|Predator | |Lions, anteaters, fox, bass |
|Parasite | |Ticks, tapeworms, fleas |
|Omnivore | |Bears, people, skunks |
|Scavenger | |Vultures, crows, crayfish |
|Detritivore | |Beetles, fungus |
|Decomposer | |Bacteria, fungus |
THE SUN IS THE SOURCE OF ENERGY FOR ALL LIVING THINGS (ALMOST)
photosynthesis in autotrophic organisms converts sunlight energy into carbohydrates called
they use ___________ to accomplish this
organisms are called photosynthetic ______________ (plants and algae)
BIOMASS: ______________________________________________________________
It accumulates in the food chain as processed energy
Energy can be “lost”
CHEMOSYNTHESIS (exception to the rule about the sun)
organisms make carbohydrates out of carbon dioxide, water and inorganic compounds (like
sulfur and nitrates)
organisms are called chemosynthetic autotrophs (deep ocean bacteria)
FOOD CHAINS
____________________________________________________________________
This process coverts one form of biomass to another
these levels are called TROPHIC LEVELS
TROPHIC LEVELS
_______________________
_______________________
_______________________
* After secondary you can call them “higher consumers” by referring to their trophic level (3rd consumer, 4th consumer…..)
Food Chains
always contain: _________, __________________, _________________
primary producer are autotrophs
the arrow points _____________________________________________
always flows in one direction
reads as “is eaten by”
examples (draw the arrows in )
sun carrot rabbit bacteria
sun acorns squirrel hawk bacteria
sun grass deer bear human bacteria
some general rules
Large carnivores do not eat large carnivores
herbivores do not eat carnivores
organisms within an ecosystem may compete
for food sources
interacting food chains are called ____________
What is missing?
______________________
______________________
______________________
How many niches in the web?
List them:
How many trophic levels?
List the trophic levels and the organisms associated with that level:
ENERGY PYRAMID or PYRAMID OF BIOMASS Write in the other information
[pic]
-biomass decreases at each step in a food chain
-energy is lost at each step: bones not used, fur, energy expended in eating and metabolism,
feces….
larger organisms require _______ energy so there will be _________ at the upper levels
the shorter the food chain, the _______ organisms you can feed at the ______ levels
What do you think “EAT LOWER ON THE FOOD CHAIN” means? ____________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
[pic]
Summarize what the above diagram is telling us about energy in the ecosystem. ____________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
WHAT DO YOU KNOW? Concept 3 Quickie Quiz
1. List 3 Niche and an organism which fills that niche.
___________________ _____________________
___________________ _____________________
___________________ _____________________
2. List 3 trophic levels and an organism which fills that trophic level.
___________________ _____________________
___________________ _____________________
___________________ _____________________
3. Write 2 complete food chains using the organism listed above in questions 1 and 2.
4. Explain what the term BIOMASS means in a language that an elementary age child could
understand.
______5. How can energy be “lost” to the environment?
a. because the path it takes is not contained
b. because some is lost through metabolism and unused parts
c. because each step in a food chain gains 30% of the energy from below
______6. High level consumers rarely eat each other. Why?
a. because they do not taste good
b. because they can not eat organisms of their own species
c. because they use more energy obtaining their prey than they receive from eating them.
CONCEPT 4: MATERIALS CYCLE
UNIT ESSENTIAL QUESTION: Why does the earth recycle its’ resources?
KEY TERMS (11 terms)
Aquifer combustion nitrogen fixation precipitation
Biogeochemical cycles evaporation organic compounds transpiration
Condensation infiltration percolate
MATERIALS CYCLE IN ECOSYSTEMS (for every element, there will be a cycle)
Water Cycle
Water goes up: Evaporation- ______________________________________________
________________________________________________________
Transpiration- _____________________________________________
________________________________________________________
Water changes form: Condensation- _________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
Condensation nuclei- a small solid particle of matter in the atmosphere upon
which water will condense
Water comes down: Precipitation- ___________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
-could be solid or liquid
-occurs because the amount of water on the condensation nuclei becomes
heavy and gravity causes the drop to fall
Water can go 3 places once it precipitates back down to the earth
1. ___________ into rivers, lakes, streams, wetlands
2. ____________ into the soil and is _________________________
3. Percolates into the ______________
Percolate: to move into an area occupied by air and fill the molecular space
AQUIFERS
• The ___________________ occurs because water infiltrating the soil reaches an impermeable layer of rocks which it can not penetrate any further into the earth
• Water held in aquifers is know as
• The top of the zone of saturation is known as the WATER TABLE.
[pic]
The water table typically follows the form of the above ground topography.
- The water table _________________________
Drier =deeper wet areas =at or near surface
• Two main forces drive the movement of groundwater
– First water moves from _______________ elevations to __________elevation due to the effect of gravity
– Second, water moves from areas of higher ___________ to areas of lower pressure
– Third, water moves at a rate and amount related to the size and amount of spaces in the rock layer
Movement of ground water takes time—how much is variable, depending on the material it moves through and how deep you go.
[pic]
CARBON CYCLE
Carbon Cycles through
A. Food chains and Food Webs as biomass
B. Decomposers release carbon as both a gas and an element
C. Respiration of plants and animals
Natural Sources of Carbon include:
plants and animals, soil, fossil fuel deposits, atmosphere, humus…..
-any form of biomass will be a place of carbon storage
Man-made Sources of Carbon include: burning of fossil fuels and other organic materials
Carbon Sink -long term storage of carbon
3 long term carbon sinks
-_______________________________
-_______________________________
-_______________________________
Short term carbon sinks
-plants and animals
-atmosphere
NITROGEN CYCLE
[pic]
Nitrogen must be “fixed”
Nitrogen is made in nature in an elemental form N2
-most living things can not use this form
Nitrogen fixation -_________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
-____________________ and _____________are symbiotic organisms which fix N2
-fixed forms include ______________ (NO3-)
______________(NO2-)
______________(NH4+)
WHAT DO YOU KNOW? Concept 4 Quickie Quiz
On a separate sheet of paper, using only words, chemical symbols, and arrows, draw 2 of the 3 cycles presented above. Be able to explain how the materials cycle in each.
What are the components of the earth that all 3 cycles have in common?
CONCEPT 5: SUCCESSION
LESSON ESSENTIAL QUESTION: What kind of changes occur in an ecosystem over time?
KEY TERMS (5 terms)
Climax community primary succession secondary succession
maturity pioneer species
SUCCESSION CAUSES CHANGES IN ECOSYSTEMS
ecosystems are never static
ecosystems tend to move from less diverse to more diverse systems
low species diversity high species diversity
more energy available less energy available
less biomass more biomass
Primary Succession
_________________________________________________________________
uses pioneer species (lichens, moss) to form soils
begins on rock
often accompanies a cataclysmic event
Pioneer Species
small plant organisms like lichens and mosses
their “roots” will gradually break off small chips of rocks
as they grow and die, the organic material mixes with the chips of rocks
soils begin to form (200 years = 1 inch of top soil)
Secondary Succession
___________________________________________________________________
species who are opportunistic will begin process
opportunistic species are generally fast growing and have a high reproductive rate
[pic] [pic]
Maturity
ecosystems will become more complex
____________________________________________________________________
the higher the maturity, the longer the ecosystem will stay in that state
in general --fields become shrub lands
-- shrub lands become forests
-- ponds will become grasslands
as the ecosystem changes, the species composition changes
Fire Maintained Ecosystems
tends to halt/slow succession
_____________________________________________________________________
some species require fire for reproduction
fire is used as a management tool to maintain ecosystems
Climax Communities
all ecosystems tend to move toward an idealistic end state called a climax community
arguments occur about its existence
climax allows for very little change
WHAT DO YOU KNOW? Concept 5 Quickie Quiz
_____01. Starting on bare rock, what is the usual ecological succession of organisms?
(a) lichens ⋄ grasses ⋄ shrubs ⋄ trees
(b) grasses ⋄ shrubs ⋄ lichens ⋄ trees
(c) lichens ⋄ shrubs ⋄ grasses ⋄ trees
(d) shrubs ⋄ grasses ⋄ lichens ⋄ tree
_____02. The diagram represents a map showing different zones in an area once covered by a glacier.
This diagram best represents
(a) nutritional relationships
(b) a pyramid of energy
(c) a food chain
(d) ecological succession
Use the following diagram to answer the last questions
_____03. This sequence of diagrams best illustrates
(a) ecological succession
(b) organic evolution
(c) the effects of acid rain
(d) a food chain
_____04. If no human intervention or natural disaster occurs, by the year 2050 this area will most likely be a
(a) pond
(b) field
(c) forest
(d) desert
_____05. The natural increase in the amount of vegetation from 1840 to 1930 is related to the
(a) use of the pond for fishing
(b) increasing amount of sunlight
(c) decreasing water depth
(d) increase in the number of bottom dwelling organisms
06. What causes succession to take place? What can stop it?
CONCEPT 6: INVASIVE, ENDANGERED, AND KEYSTONE SPECIES
LESSON ESSENTIAL QUESTION: How do changes in biodiversity affect how ecosystems function?
KEY TERMS
Endangered invasive native trophic cascade
Endangered Species Act keystone species threatened
Invasive, Endangered, and Keystone Species
Invasive: _____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
Endangered: a species which are so close to the critical number that it may become extinct in the near future
Keystone: ______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
Invasive Species
Gypsy Moths introduced into this country in 1869 have devastated much of the eastern oak forests. Non-native species do not have limiting factors to control their populations. This causes elimination of native species.
[pic]
Endangered Species
California Condor--The largest bird of North America was brought to
the brink of extinction due to:
-over hunting
-habitat destruction
-egg collecting
-DDT (pesticide)
In 1987, the last wild condor was removed and placed with the remaining population in
captivity-there were 26
A captive breeding program is in effect and as of 2012 there were 405 birds in the wild (226
in wild and the rest in zoos)
Scientists question if they had reached the critical number as all 27 of the first breeding
population had originated from 14 birds
Keystone Species- organisms which are important in shaping the total ecology of an
ecosystem
Cray fish and Beaver are both keystone species in Pennsylvania. It is because they form habitats (like beaver) or are a major food source for many organisms. Either way they have major influence over their ecosystems.
Loss of _______________________________________________________________
The Endangered Species Act
• The law requires federal agencies, to ensure that actions they authorize, fund, or carry out are not likely to jeopardize the continued existence of any listed species or result in the destruction or adverse modification of designated critical habitat of such species.
• The law also prohibits any action that causes a "taking" of any listed species of endangered fish or wildlife. Likewise, import, export, interstate, and foreign commerce of listed species are all generally prohibited
Trophic Cascade
• Occur when an organism has a key role in the balance of the ecosystem
-removal causes changes throughout the entire ecosystem
-can be top down or bottom up
-often found after the removal of a top level predator
[pic]
Remove the top predator
• Removal of Wolves releases the coyote
• Coyote control more fox
• Less fox, more bunnies and squirrels
• More bunnies and squirrels, greater competition between herbivores
• Damage to autotrophic levels
• Decline of herbivores and then their predators
• Complete ecosystem collapse
WHAT DO YOU KNOW? Concept 6 Quickie Quiz
01. Make a T-Table with 2 columns on a separate sheet of paper, or the back of this page if available. Label one side Invasive and the other side Native. For each side, fill in the table for each of the following topics:
1. Definition
2. Specific examples (name 3) …you may have to do a little research for this one…
3. What type of population curve would you expect if you were asked to draw them?
4. List a limiting factor for each of the organisms listed in number 2.
5. What role will this organism play in the ecosystem? (niche and Trophic level)
6. Does this organism cause a problem in the environment? What?
7. Can this organism be a keystone species? Why or Why not?
-----------------------
[pic]
[pic]
[pic]
Climate is important in establishing ecosystems. How many different ecosystems can you find in the canyon pictured to the left?
What are the most influential factors in the differences?
1. _________________
2. _________________
[pic]
[pic]
What is the biome description here at Central Dauphin?
[pic]
[pic]
[pic]
Looking at the picture, how is energy lost?
1)
2)
3)
[pic]
Why?
[pic]
[pic]
1 human
300 trout
90, 000 frogs
27, 000,000 grasshoppers
1000 tons of grass
900 human
27, 000,000 grasshoppers
1000 tons of grass
Is this a food chain or a food web? How do you know?
[pic]
Are these S or J Curve populations?
How do you know?
[pic]
[pic]
Nitrogen cycles through:
A. Food chains and food webs
B. Decomposition of biomass
C. Water
Natural Sources of nitrogen: biomass, decomposition, lightning, volcanoes
Man-made Sources of nitrogen: fertilizers, industry, combustion of fossil fuels
There are natural patterns of succession.
-fields become forests
-ponds become fields
-ecosystems will change types of vegetation until maturity and the animals will follow according to the vegetation
[pic]
Rabbits introduced into Australia have devastated the native grasslands and endangered kangaroos and other native wildlife.
[pic]
Why are wetlands wet?
• Aquifers are underground layers of porous rock or sand that allows the movement of water between layers of non-porous rock (sandstone, gravel, or fractured limestone or granite).
• Water infiltrates into the soil through pores, cracks, and other spaces until it reaches the zone of saturation where all of the spaces are filled with water (rather than air).
Look back at the picture of microclimates. What are the main limiting factors? (select from the list above)
a. _________________________________________
b.__________________________________________
Could there be other limiting factors in the canyon?
List 2 more.
What is the difference between DIVERSITY and BIODIVERSITY?
[pic]
[pic]
In Minnesota wolves suppress coyote populations, which in turn releases foxes from top-down control by coyote
The fox then control the intermediate prey species (bunnies and squirrels)
This allows the competition between the herbivores to produce dynamic equilibrium in populations of herbivores
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