Introduction
Community
Different popopulations sharing the same habitat
Interspecific Interactions
Interactions between different species of a community
Intraspecific Interactions
Interactions between members of the same species within a community.
Competition - Definition
Populations competing for shared resources, such as sunlight, water, and nutrients
Result of competition
negative impact on both species involved (-/-)
Example of competition
Plants in a forest competing for sunlight
Predation definition
One species eating another population
Herbivory predation
occurs when herbivores feed on plants, impacting plant populations.
Example of prredation
Cheetah hunting gazelle vs goat eating grass
Symbiosis definition
A close and long-term interaction between two different species.
is symbiosis always beneficial for both?
No, it can also be harmful to one
What are the three types of symbiosis?
Parasitism, mutualism, and commensalism
Parasitism definition
A relationship where one organism benefits at the expense of another.
Parasitism example
Lice feeding on human blood; benefits the lice, harms the host
Mutualism definition
Both organisms benefit from the relationship
Mutualism example
Clownfish and sea anemone; clownfish provide protection, anemone offers shelter
Commensalism definition
One organism benefits while the other is neither helped nor harmed.
Commensalism example
Barnacles on whales; barnacles gain mobility and access to food, while whales are unaffected.
Biome definition
A community of plants and animals living in, and adapted to, a certain climate.
Terrestrial Biomes
Heavily influenced by temperature and rainfall
Tropical Rainforest : location
Near the equator
Tropical rainforest : climate
high temperatures and rainfall all year round
temperate forests : location
30 to 60 degree latitudes north and south of the equator
temperate forests : climate
well defined seasons, distinct winter period
Deciduous
trees that shed their leaves seasonally
temperate deciduous forests : characteristics
cold dry winters, hot humid summers, deciduous trees that shed leaves in winter to conserve energy
temperate rainforests : climate
mild, frost free winters; consistent rainfall throughout the year
coniferous
forests characterized by evergreen trees that retain their needles year-round.
coniferous forests (taiga’s) : location
50 to 60 degree North of the equator
coniferous forests (taiga’s) : climate
short, warm moist summers, long cold dry winters
coniferous forests (taiga’s) : features
thin, needle like leaves, seed production in cones
deserts : location
often at 30 degrees north and south of the equator
deserts - climate
low and variable rainfall; warmer near the equator
deserts - adaptations
plants have developed ways to conserve water
grasslands - location
can occur at any latitude
grasslands - features
seasonal drought, fires, and herbivore grazing prevent overgrowth of trees and shrubs
Incudes savanna’s and temperate grasslands
temperate
forests, characterized by distinct seasons and a variety of deciduous and coniferous trees.
scrublands - location
western coastal regions between 30 and 40 degree latitudes off the equator
scrublands - climate
more rainfall than deserts and grasslands, less than forests; dominated by shrubs and short trees
tundra - location
primarily in the arctic
tundra - climate
cold and dry, short growing season, permafrost present
tunda - biodiversity
low, but supports specialized plant and animal species
biodiversity
the variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem, encompassing species diversity, genetic diversity, and ecosystem diversity.
Freshwater biomes include :
ponds, lakes, streams, and rivers, which are critical sources of drinking water
ponds
smaller, may be seasonal
lakes
larger and more permanent
four main zones of a lake
littoral, limnetic, profundal, and benthic
1 - littoral zone
shallow, near shore area with ample sunlight and nutrient inputs, supporting diverse life forms
2 - limnetic zone
the sunlit surface where photosynthesis occurs, supporting phytoplankton, zooplankton, and freshwater fish
3 - profundal zone
the deeper, dark water layer too dim for photosynthesis, cooler with less dissolved oxygen, home to fish adapted to these conditions
4 - benthic zone
the bottom layer inhabited by decomposers and organisms that feed on decay, able to survive in low oxygen conditions
Streams and rivers
serve as flowing bodies of water, draining landscapes and playing vital roles in erosion
three zones of streams and rivers
source zone, transition zone, floodplain zone
1 - source zone
headwaters where cold, fast moving water collects, rich in dissolved oxygen and low in nutrients, with limited plant life
2 - transition zone
where rivers widen, slow down, and warm, carrying more sediment and nutrients, supporting a larger variety of species
3 - floodplain zone
broad area near the river mouth that floods periodically, creating wetlands and temporary lakes, characterized by warm, nutrient rich waters that sustain high biodiversity
high biodiversity
refers to the variety and variability of life forms within a given ecosystem, including the number of different species and their abundance.
Carbon
an essential element that forms the base of all organic red - includes the bodies of living organisms - is a key component of fossil fuels
carbon dioxide (CO2)
a colorless gas produced by the respiration of animals and the combustion of fossil fuels, playing a significant role in the Earth's carbon cycle and greenhouse effect.
photosynthesis
the process b which energy from sunlight is used to transform carbon dioxide from the atmosphere into the organic matter that fuels food webs
cellular respiration
the metabolic process by which cells convert glucose and oxygen into energy, producing carbon dioxide and water as byproducts.
carbon cycle - definition
The series of processes by which carbon compounds are interconverted in the environment, involving photosynthesis, respiration, and decomposition.
carbon reservoirs
most of earths carbon is found in inorganic reservoirs such as rocks, water and sediments. Only a small portion is stored in organic reservoirs, such as in the bodies of living organisms
Biological carbon cycle
Quick flow of carbon between the atmosphere and ecosystems through biological processes
key processes of the carbon cycle
include photosynthesis, respiration, decomposition, and combustion.
biomass
the total mass of living matter in a given area or volume, including plants, animals, and microorganisms.
geological carbon cycle
The long-term movement of carbon through the Earth's crust, involving processes such as sedimentation, volcanic activity, and weathering.
weathering - carbon cycle
The process by which rocks are broken down into smaller particles, releasing carbon stored in minerals into the atmosphere or oceans.
dissolution - carbon cycle
The process in which carbon dioxide in water forms carbonic acid, leading to the breakdown of minerals and the release of carbon into solution.
human impacts on the carbon cycle
Human activities, such as burning fossil fuels and deforestation, significantly disrupt the natural carbon cycle by increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide levels, leading to climate change and other environmental issues.
nitrogen Is essential for ____
LIFE. It is a key component of DNA, RNA, and proteins.
What is the largest resovoir of nitrogen? And how much % does it account for?
the ATMOSPHERE. Nitrogen accounts for about 78% of air.
steps of the nitrogen cycle
nitrogen fixation, amonification, nitrification, and dentrification
nitrogen fixation
atmospheric nitrogen gas is converted into usable forms through two main processes
two main nitrogen fixation processes
lightning and nitrogen fixing bacteria
lightning - nitrogen cycle
energy from lightning converts nitrogen gas and oxygen gas into nitrate, which falls to the Earth in preciptation
nitrogen - fixing bacteria - nitrogen cycle
in the soil, these bacteria combine nitrogen gas with hydrogen gas to produce ammonia
ammonia
a compound of nitrogen and hydrogen, essential for plant growth and a key component in fertilizers.
ammonification - nitrogen cycle
the process by which organic nitrogen from dead plants and animals is converted into ammonia by bacteria in the soil.
nitrification - nitrogen cycle