Aice Enviro Unit 4

Where does energy come from?

All energy within ecosystems comes from the sun

Populations vs communities

• Populations are comprised of the same species

• Communities are comprised of different species living in the same area.

Biome

A biome is a large group of ecosystems that share the same type of climax community.

• land biomes - terrestrial

• water biomes - aquatic

  • marine or freshwater

Climax communities

ecosystems that have similar kinds of stable communities can be grouped into biomes

Regions

Arctic regions

• Tundra

Subarctic regions

• Boreal forests

Temperate regions

• temperate forests, grasslands, desert chapparal

Tropical regions

• tropical forest, grasslands, desert

Climatic factors

shape and influence a biome climate

• Latitude - latitudinal line from west to east

• Altitude - elevation above sea level

• Precipitation - average yearly rainfall

Biome location based on lat and alt

Types of deserts

• tropical

• temperature - cactus, diff desert animals

• cold - China, Russia

Soil components

• 25% Water

• 25% Air

• 6% Organic matter

• 44% Parent material

  • Quartz - silicone

  • Calcite - calcium carbonate

  • Feldspar - silt

  • Mica - clay

Vegetation

-plants found in an ecosystem

• When ecologists study a biome, they look at the plants present in the climax community rather than the animals because the plants do not migrate and are more long term

Grasslands

Temperate: Prairie Tropical: Savannah

Characteristics: frequent fires, large animals, short (dry & hot) and tall (humid & wet) vegetation

Climate: rainfall seasonal 10-60in/yr, avg 20F Jan, July 70F

Location: central North US, central Asia, Africa, South America, Southern India, Northern Australia

Economic benefits: land with rich soil use for agriculture.

Hot Deserts

Characteristics: very dry, hot days, cold nights, scattered shrubbery, thin, porous soil, plant adaptations

Climate: rainfall <10 in/yr, avg temperature 64F

Location: North & South Africa, Middle east, Asia, Southwest U.S., Northern Mexico

Threats urban development, mining

Cold Deserts

Characteristics mountainous, animals with thick fur, rocks with lichen, few plants, often sandy, alkaline soil

Climate avg 1526cm precipitation, short summers

Location Antartica, Greenland, Iran, Turkestan, Northern & Western China

Threats climate change, overgrazing

Economic Benefits grazing land and carbon sinks

Tundra

Characteristics low growing shrubbery and grasses, 8-10 week growing period, thin soil underlain with permafrost, low biotic diversity

Climate Summer → 8-10 weeks, mild, avg temp 45-50F, Winter → avg temp -30-20F, rainfall 6in/yr

Location Greenland, Alaska, Northen Russia, Northern Canada, costal Arctic

Threats mining and drilling destroy land and species as migratory patterns and habits are disrupted, system is very fragile, and easily disturbed by small changes

Economic: all fields

Tropical Rainforest

Characteristics: High biodiversity, thin layer of fertile soil, many plants with unique adaptations

Climate hot and humid, 20-35C, 2m rain annually,

Location near equator, SA Africa, SE Asia, Madagascar, Pacific Islands

Threats deforestation, slash and burn, agriculture, poaching, damming, logging

Economic ecotourism, agriculture, regulate climate, sequester carbon.

Boreal Forests

Characteristics coniferous trees, thick furred mammals, acidic soil, many wetlands

Climate long winters, short summers, 25-30cm of precipitation

Location Northern latitudes, Canada, Russia

Threats Habitat loss and fragmentation, climate change

Economic logging, tourism, mining

Temperate Deciduous forest

Characteristics leaves fall seasonally; soils are fertile → leaf litter

Climate Warm summers, cold winters, summers average 21C and winters drop below 0C, 75-150cm of precipitation

Location Eastern Europe, Asia

Threats habitat loss from development, agriculture

Economic timber agriculture, prevent soil erosion, trees, moderate climate

Ecological Succession

Biological change in the structure of a community overtime

• intermediate stages of succession between the pioneer species and climax community

Primary succession

occurs on newly formed habitats with no existing community

ex. glacier recedes; volcano erupts.

Secondary Succession

occurs on sites that have previously supported communities

ex. after a hurricane

Pioneer species

1st species to colonize

ex. Lichens are among the first organisms to colonize bare rock or other inhospitable environments. They help break down rock into soil, making the environment more suitable for other plants and organisms to establish.

Stages of Ecological Succession

• Pioneer Stage – Hardy species like lichens and mosses colonize bare land, breaking down rock and enriching the soil.

• Early Intermediate Stage – Small plants like grasses and ferns grow as the soil improves, attracting insects and small animals.

• Mid-Intermediate Stage – Shrubs and fast-growing trees (such as pines) establish, providing habitats for larger animals.

• Late Intermediate Stage – Slower-growing, shade-tolerant trees (like oaks and maples) begin to dominate as competition increases.

• Climax Community – A stable, mature ecosystem with diverse plants, animals, and a well-developed food web is established.

What does NPP stand for?

Net Product Production

is the carbon stored by plants after respiration. It represents the energy available to the ecosystem and is measured per day, week, or year.

• represents the energy available to herbivores and the rest of the ecosystem.

• refers to a per day, week or year

• NPP = GPP-R (respiration)

What does GPP stand for?

Gross Primary Production

• Total carbon absorbed by plants from the atmosphere through photosynthesis.

Respiration (R)

The amount of carbon plants use for their own energy needs.

Energy Loss through trophics

10% goes on, 90% lost

• lost through respiration, digestion, waste (urine & feces), movement, and reproduction

How are habitats lost?

• farming

• fragmenting

  • isolated patches due to human activities like deforestation, roads, or urbanization.

• degrading

  • pollution, climate change, invasive species, or resource overuse

Invasive Species

Introduced or non-native species which becomes established and spreads quickly, outcompeting native species.

• can be things like microbes, fungi, plants, or animals. Although they can cause little damage, others lead to big changes in ecosystems by displacing organisms and changing natural habitats

ex.

• Burmese Python in Fl Everglades

• Lion fish in Oceans

Native Species

A species that exists naturally in a geographic area

ex.

• Iguana

Biodiversity

refers to all the species within an ecosystem as well as all the variation within a species (genetic diversity) and the many different ecosystems in an area

Biodiversity measurement

There are good reasons for managing biodiversity of ecosystems. However, before biodiversity can be properly managed it needs to be measured

ex.

• quadrats

Drainage of Wetlands

Benefits of wetlands

• ensure shoreline protection, maintence of water quality, food control, recharging aquifers, and bio productivity

• also provide habitats and are a source of a variety of products such as wildfowl, fuel, fish, and fibers.

Drainage Threats

• drainage for agriculture, forestry and mosquito control

• use for disposal of waste created by road construction

• discharge of pollutants

• peat removal (process of extracting peat, a dense, carbon-rich material formed from partially decomposed plant matter in waterlogged conditions. This is typically done for)

• removal of groundwater

• dredging for flood protection (process of removing sediment, debris, and other materials from the bottom of rivers, lakes, or canals to deepen waterways and improve water flow.)

Intensive agricultural practices

• estimated that 75% of this occurs in temperate latitudes. The remaining 25% of loss has been within the topics

• in southeast Asia it is estimated that more than 80% of bird species have been lost as a result of clearing native land for the production of palm oil

• use of pesticides and fertilizers can have effects on habitats

  • agrochemicals used are soluble in water and can travel far from the farms

ex. fish in costal Mexico have been affected by waste in the Gulf of Mexico

Deforestation

• logging is the process by which wood is extracted from a forest and made into timber

• timber is needed by more economically developed countries for products ranging from luxury furniture to paper (high demand)

40% Pasture

20% Subsistence farming

20% commercial farming

10% logging

10% other such as space for house and mining

(80% farming)

Mineral Extraction

reserves of high value minerals such as gold, silver, iron ore, and copper can all be found in polar environments

Energy - Antarctica

Fossil fuels such as gas and oil are abundant in polar environments. Countries are looking to Antarctica as a possible location for new oil supplies and one of the largest coalfields in the world can be found under the ice cover of this continent.

Fishing and whaling

the polar oceans are increasingly attractive for commercial fishing. Massive amounts of krill are harvested from the waters around Antarctica.

Tourism

polar environments have seen a huge increase in the number of visiting tourists. Over 36,000 tourists visited Antarctica in 2014 to observe its wildlife and experience its beautiful wilderness.

Indigenous people

Antarctica does not have a permanent population (excluding science bases) but over 4 million people live north of latitude 60^*N

Scientific Research

Between 4-5000 people from over 14 nations live in scientific bases on Antarctica in the summer. (the # falling to around 1000 in winter). Scientists study weather patterns, geology, and past climatic changes.

Governments

governments play a key role in ensuring that technology is used responsibly in polar environments. They use the power to create laws which state new polar environments can and should be used. These laws can be supported by different countries through international agreements.

Conservation groups

many conservation groups believe the polar environments should be protected from all human exploitation so that they maintain in pristine condition.

Antarctica

• is a cold desert (as it hardly ever rains)

• The Antarctic Treaty:

  • signed on June 23 1961 by 12 countries

  • objectives:

    • to demilitarize this region, and make it free from nuclear testing and disposal of radioactive waster

    • to promote international scientific research

    • to set aside disputes over territorial sovereignty

Montreal Protocol

an international treaty designed to protect the ozone layer by phasing out the production of numerous substances that are responsible for ozone depletion.

Paris Climate treaty

Goal: Limit global warming well below 2°C, aiming for 1.5°C.
Applies to all nations (unlike Kyoto Protocol).
NDCs: Countries set & update emission targets every 5 years.

Objectives:

• Limit temperature rise to avoid severe climate impacts

• Boost adaptation & resilience for vulnerable communities.

• Provide financial & tech support ($100B/year for developing nations).

• Ensure transparency via global stocktakes.

• Promote cooperation (carbon trading, innovation).

Ecotourism

• responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment, sustains the well-being of the local people, and involves interpretation and education

The 8 Principles of Ecotourism

1. Minimize physical, social, behavioral, and psychological impacts.

2. Build environmental and cultural awareness and respect.

3. Provide positive experiences for both visitors and hosts.

4. Provide direct financial benefits for conservation.

5. Generate financial benefits for both people and private industry.

6. Deliver memorable interpretative experiences to visitors that help raise sensitivity to host countries’ political, environmental, and social climates.

7. Design, construct, and operate low-impact facilities.

8. Recognize the rights and spiritual beliefs of the Indigenous People in your community and work in partnership with them to create empowerment.

Ozone depletion

pollution from human activity has caused ozone to be destroyed in the stratosphere, leading to the hole in the ozone layer

• when ozone in the protective layer has been destroyed, it lets more UV reach the Earth. These harmful rays cause sunburns and skin cancer in people, damage crops, and harm marine life.

Eutrophication

is a process in which a water body becomes overly enriched with nutrients, leading to plentiful growth of simple plant life, such as algae and plankton. When occurring naturally, eutrophication is a very slow process in which nutrients, especially phosphorus compounds and organic matter, accumulate in water bodies.

ecosystem productivity

The rate at which biomass is produced within an ecosystem, essentially measuring how quickly new organic matter is created.

ICUN Red List

The IUCN Red List assesses the extinction risk of species worldwide, categorizing them from "Least Concern" to "Extinct." It serves as a critical indicator of biodiversity health, guides scientific research, influences environmental policies, supports conservation planning, and raises public awareness about species in need of protection.