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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