Unit 5 Bio

biotic

all living organisms

abiotic

nonliving organisms

population

• Members of the same species interacting with each other

• Rely on the same resources

• Affected by the same environmental factors

• Example: A population of flickers in the desert in Arizona

community

• Different species in the same area interacting with each other

• Desert Community

–Saguaro cacti

–Woodpeckers and flickers making nests in the cactus

–The Woodpeckers and flickers making nests in the cactus

–The insects they feed on.

–Hawks that feed on the birds and nest in the cacti

ecosystem

• Relationships between living organisms with each other and their nonliving (abiotic) environment

• The community of desert, including water and nutrients

food web

• Diagram of the relationships within a community

• Illustrates the flow of nutrients and energy

autotrophs

• Generates organic molecules from inorganic molecules

• Glucose is produced from CO2 during photosynthesis

• Includes plants, algae, some prokaryotes

• The organic molecules can be used as a source of carbon and/or energy by the autotrophs

• Heterotrophs can also use these organic molecules

heterotrophs

• Consume organic molecules produced by other organisms as their source of carbon

• May also use the organic molecules as an energy source

• Includes:

–Herbivores which consume plants

–Omnivores which consume plants and animals

–Carnivores which consume mainly animals

tropic levels

• Hierarchy of “who eats who”

-from producers to higher level consumers

photosynthesis

• 6CO2 + 6H2O + energy → C6H12O6 + 6O2

Carbon dioxide + water + energy from the sun → glucose + oxygen

cellular respiration

• C6H12O6 + 6O2 → 6CO2 + 6H2O + energy  (ATP)

 

• The products of photosynthesis are required for this to occur

• ATP is needed by autotrophs and heterotrophs to provide the energy for biological functions

energy and nutrients

these two things are passed up from producers to the consumers

anabolic

photosynthesis is this since it builds glucose from inorganic molecules (carbon dioxide and water)

glucose

photosynthesis produces this:

–An energy source

–A source of carbon for building other organic molecules

–A component for cell walls and other cell structures

90

__% of available energy is lost as you move up each trophic level

biomass

• Because 90% of energy is lost, there is less energy available to build this as you move up through the trophic levels. 

• e.g., If a population of zebra consumes 1,000 kg of grass, only 100 kg of zebra will be produced.

Biogeochemical Cycles

• Certain nutrients cycle through biotic and abiotic components of the ecosystem.

• Planetary recycling.

• Includes carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium, water and more

• Interference with these cycles prevents recycling and, possibly, permanent loss of resources

recycled

Nutrients (carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, oxygen, potassium, water, etc.) may be this but energy is not

photosynthesis, respiration

this uses CO2 and releases O2, while this uses O2 and releases CO2

first and second law of thermodynamics

this law says that energy can’t be created or destroyed but can be transferred from one state to another. this law says that as energy is transferred from one substance to another, the amount of energy avaialble for work decreases (rest lost as heat)

exponential growth curve

• Forms a J-shaped curve

--resources vs. organisms

lag phase and exponential growth

two phases of exponential growth curve

logistic growth curve

• Forms an S-shaped curve

• Begins with lag and exponential growth as with J-shaped curve

• When environmental resistance is met, growth slows = logistic growth

• Numbers reach stable equilibrium

lag phase, exponential growth, logistic growth, stable equilibrium

four phases of logistic growth curve

time and number of organisms

the x and y axes on both exponential growth and logisitc growth curve diagrams are…?

biotic potential

highest possible rate of natural increase for a population

carrying capacity

• Maximum number of a population that can be supported by the available resources

• Difficult to calculate for humans – we don’t all use resources at the same rate

• Higher carrying capacity for Less Developed Countries than for Highly Developed Countries

populations, resources

growth curves can be used to study _________ and manage ________

pollutant

• Substances that damage the environment and/or living organisms

• Some include: Greenhouse gases, heavy metals (mercury), organic pollutants (dioxin), Polycyclic Aromatic

Hydrocarbons – PAH’s (smoking), Volatile Organic Compounds - VOC’s (gasoline vapor).

acid rain

These gasses combine with water vapor in the atmosphere to form sulfuric, nitric and nitrous acid.

—are released when we burn fossil fuel

5

normal rainwater has pH of what?

CFCs

GHGs don’t cause depletion of the ozone layer but these do

ozone depletion

These are consequences of what?

• More UV radiation reaches the planet’s surface

• Human and Animal Health: –Skin cancer –Cataracts (clouding of the lens of the eye)–Suppression of Immune System

• Producers–Kills algae–Crop damage

acid deposition

These are consequences of what?

• Affect soil nutrients and symbiotic fungi results in decreased plant growth

• Run off to lakes causes fish death

• Thin bird egg shells - acid dissolves calcium and it washes away

• Acids also pull aluminum out of the soil – toxic to most aquatic organisms

• Burns leaves on plants

Extreme Weather, Melting ice and Rising sea levels, Loss of Fresh water, Species displacement, Environmental refugees, Extinction

consequences of climate change

CO₂

deforestation prevents uptake of this

evaporation

increased heat means increased this, adding more water vapor to the air, and precipitation

global climate change, water diversion, habitat loss, water contamination

primary causes of the loss of freshwater

loss of fresh water, eutrophication, water contamination

examples of the effects of human impact on water are?

eutrophication

• Agricultural run-off (fertilizer) animal waste and human waste (also spread of disease)

• This leads to an increase in aquatic plant life

• When the plants die, decomposition uses up the oxygen in the lake

• Pond “dies”

Shows the importance of:

• managing fertilizers and waste

• Keeping animals away from ponds

• Keeping ponds aerated (restore oxygen) when necessary

chemical waste

• Released by Industrial Processes, Household waste, Agriculture

• Effects include:

–Lead – Neurologic damage, miscarriage, hypertension

–Mercury - Neurologic damage, kidney failure

–Solvents (chloroform) - cancer

radioactive waste

• Caused by leakage from power plants and  storage facilities – Fukushima Daiichi

• Effects include:

–Cancer

–Mutation

–Death

agricultural waste

• Caused by runoff of fertilizers and pesticides

• Effects include:

–Damage to nervous system

–Death of beneficial plants and insects

biological magnification

• Pollutants can enter food web

• Concentration of pollutants becomes higher as you move up through the trophic levels 

• Mercury, DDT, PCB’s                                       

food webs, biogeochemical cycles, pharmaceutical, economic, intrinsic

importance of biodiversity is seen in value to these

Loss of Habitat, Introduction of non-native species, Climate Change, Chemical and other forms of pollution, Hunting, Pet trade

major causes of extinction

global, local, ecological

three types of extinction

captive breeding

this is an alternative to pet trade that reduces the number of organisms collected from the wild

7.8 billion

2020 World Population is around…?

330 million

2020 US Population is around…?

4.5

US is less than this percent of total population

zero population growth

• Stationary population growth

• Gained popularity in 1960’s as population growth was considered to be the driving force for

environmental and societal ills.

empowerment of Women, urbanization, access to reproductive control

birth rates decrease due to…?

death rates decrease due to…?

Improved medical care, sanitation, lack of conflict

consumption and waste produced

since reduction in population growth in LDCs will not solve the problem of increased resource use by HDCs, we need a reduction in these

renewable

can be used be regenerated by natural environmental processes.  These

resources may be used sustainably.

nonrenewable

can’t be restored by natural environmental processes.  Some may be

recycled by human processes but even recycling has a planetary cost.

renewable

examples of these resources include: solar energy (including wind), hydropower, plants, soil (if not excessively polluted)

nonrenewable

examples of these resources include: fossil fuels, biodiversity, metallic minerals (e.g., iron, copper, aluminum), nonmetallic minerals (e.g., salt, phosphate), fresh water from glaciers, petroleum for plastics and adhesives

water

Sustainable this

• Water conservation

–Reduce home water use

–Growing native plants (and crops)

–Reuse water such as using rinse water from laundry to water plants

• Desalination – removing salt from seat water

–Costly

–Uses energy

–Desalination plant in Israel

agriculture

sustainable this

–Locally grown – reduce transportation

–Native crops or crops that require less watering and fertilizer

–Polyculture– growing multiple crops in an area increases biodiversity and even production

–Reduced energy usage

benefits of sustainable living

• Environmental Health

• Human Health

• Resources available for future generations

• Human survival well into the future

green communities

• Sustainable building practices

• Crops selected for minimal environmental impact

–High yield

–Native – less water and fertilizer

• Renewable energy sources

• Living near to shopping and jobs

sustainable building practices

• STEM building

–Recycled materials

–Window placement

–Frit glass

–Dark tile floors

–Green Roof

biofuels

• Oils and alcohols produced by plants, algae, and bacteria

• Renewable

• Releases CO2 but plants and algae will utilize this during photosynthesis

sustainable building practices

–Recycled materials

–Window placement

–Frit glass

–Dark tile floors

–Green Roof

wind

• Renewable

• Clean

• Wind can be unreliable

• Can interfere with migratory routes of birds and bats

• Noise pollution

solar energy

• Renewable

• Clean, constant source

• Not available everywhere

• Installation is still expensive

• Passive solar energy

–Dark tiles to absorb heat

–Placement of windows to trap winter sun

nuclear energy

• No GHG, less air pollution

• Nonrenewable

• Expensive – low energy yield relative to cost and maintenance of facility

• Danger of accidents

–Chernobyl

–Fukushima Daiichi 

• Thermal Pollution 

• Radioactive waste

nuclear

this is a nonrenewable fuel source

solar, wind, hydroelectric, biofuels

these are renewable fuel sources

conservation and increased efficiency

these are key to sustainable energy usage

industrial agriculture

-Pros: High production and low cost

–Cons: High energy use, chemical pollutants, greenhouse gas emissions, loss of biodiversity