Ecology Unit 4- IB Bio

Anthropogenic

Related;or made by humans

List 5 main types of anthropogenic causes of extinction (Know how to describe)

Pollution, Climate Change, Habitat destruction, invasive species, and over harvesting

Giant Mua- organism loss

New Zealand, flightless bird, went extinct

Carribean Monk Seal- Organism loss

Carribean, went extinct fast

4 pieces of evidence for a biodiversity crisis

Population size, range, location, genetic diversity of populations

In situ method of conservation

Staying in their natural habitat, not relocating, like national parks (Yellowstone) however, it lacks a lot of control and there’s no fence to keep animals in and a lot of predators eat the animals

Disadvantages and advantages for using DDT as pesticide

DDT can help mosquitos disease not be spread to humans, but the downfall is that it can thin an eagle shell causing the population to go down.

Bioaccumulation

When chemicals or toxins build up inside the organisms. They are fat-soluble and lipids, and are hard to get rid of

Biomagnification

When the toxins are gradually building up as each trophic level gets higher.

Process of Eutrophication and its negative effects

When chemicals (nitrate and phosphate) get into the water supply, which causes harmful effects to us and the environment. It can cause an algal bloom which kills off a lot of animals and plants in the ponds

Keystone Species

Keeps ecosystems more stable than other organisms in species

Plant matter that is partially decomposed in waterlogged anaerobic and/or acidic conditions

peat

Carbon Flux

Movement of nutrients between pools

Examples of carbon fluxes

Photosynthesis, feeding, respiration

Carbon Sink

When the amount of carbon is increasing, it has a net uptake when photosynthesis exceeds respiration.

Carbon Source

The amount of carbon is decreasing, respiration rate exceeding photosynthesis

2 things the Keeling Curve shows

Annual fluctuations and long-term trends

What other elements cycle around an environment?

oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen

List and know how to describe 3 examples of carbon sequestration

Photosynthesis, Afforestation, rebuilding peat swamps

Where do reed-building coral obtain their carbon from

calcium carbonate

What is happening to the pH of the ocean and why is it affecting coral reefs

The pH of the ocean is slowly becoming more acidic; it went from 8.2 to 8.0. This is affecting the coral reefs because they can’t live in difficult ranges. This is making them lose their color because the zooxanthellae living in their tissues can’t survive.

Poleward

Moving up the poles, an organism can find a whole new habitat while doing this

Upslope

Montane species will do this to find colder climates up the mountain

Examples of organisms relying on landfast ice

Walrus’ and Penguin

Why are scientists worried that the Taiga is at the tipping point

The temperatures in the Taiga are slowly getting warmer, which will an increasing rate of cellular respiration, so the rate of decomposition rate is higher than the rate at which it collects. It is turning into a carbon source and having the positive feedback loop of permafrost and forest fires. 

What are some examples of positive feedback causing climate change to increase

Forest fires, permafrost, soluble gases, high albedo

Describe how the greenhouse effect works, including short-wave and long-wave radiation

Energy from the sun comes onto the earth, and the earth absorbs the short wavelengths. The long wavelengths bounce off the Earth and go back into space. But the short wave lengths can get trapped in the atmosphere, which will make it warmer.

Negative effects of plastic pollution

Macroplastics can be confused by food from marine predators. The degradation of marine plastics releases non-biodegradable contaminants that bioaccumulate in the food chain, it will affect the top predators

Distinguish between macroplastics and microplastics

Macroplastic is large debris that is easily visible, like water bottles, and micro is tiny plastic particles up to 5 mm in diameter.

Advantages and disadvantages for using DDT

DDT can help mosquitoes not infect other humans; it’s seen as a “good pesticide.” Its disadvantage is if it gets into the water, it can cause bald eagles to lay thin-shelled eggs, causing the population to go down. 

List advantages and disadvantages of in situ methods of conservation

1. A; They are well adapted, we don’t have to look after the animals, and it is inexpensive

2. D- very big, lack of control, no fences, rules have to be followed

Advantages and disadvantages of ex situ methods of conservation

1. A: Control, animals life expectancy is longer

2. D: Stress it causes on dolphins and whales, it can be costly and expensive

Describe ex situ method of germplasm

They freeze the organism to use their DNA, they do it with skin tissue and seeds from plant.

What are some requirements for an ecosystem to be stable

Energy, nutrient cycles, genetic diversity, species diversity, and climatic ranges must stay within a comfortable range.

The number of hummingbird species in South America has increased continuously as shown in the graph. What could be a reason for the increase in the number of hummingbird species during the period labeled Z

A wide range of unoccupied potential niches exists, leading to species spreading out among those niches

Discuss the Amazon Rainforest Tipping Point

It has been waterlogged. If there’s not a lot of trees, transperation won’t happen. Water evaporates from plants but when there’s less plants there’s less trees which leads to less water which then leads to less clouds which is less rain and then no water for trees to grow. It’s a cycle that can’t be undone and it can affect us all because rainforest has the highest range of biodiversity in the world and we could lose it all

Discuss sitatuins in which rewilding is necessary, then list and describe 4 different methods of rewilding

Rewilding can be necessary when environment is harming the organisms

1. Passive rewilding- letting nature recover itself by stopping human activities (farming)

2. Active Rewilding- Humans helping restore vegetation and habitats

3. Species reintroduction- Bringing back key animal species to have natural balance

4. Landscape connectivity- creating corridors and connection in natural areas so animals can move freely

5 main types of current extinction

overharvesting, habitat destruction, invasive species, climate change, and pollution

Changing of Ocean Currents

The current is decreasing as climate gets warmer, which means less cold water coming up from the bottom (upwelling) which means the water stays warm- positive feedback loop