Ecology final test gr 9

Carbon cycle:

• The element carbon is found in seawater, the atmosphere, roots

• Carbon moves from different parts of the cycle

Fixtion (carbon cycle)

photosynthesis by land: taking CO2 into glucose

Consumption (carbon cycle):

• Most organisms cannot use CO2 directly

• They get it by eating other organisms

• Biological molecules are broken down and reused

• Cellular respiration (breaking down glucose realeases CO2

Aquatic Ecosystem (carbon cycle) :

• CO2 dissolves in water, allowing aquatic producers to photosynthesize

Humain impacts on CO2 (carbon cycle):

• Burning fossil fuels (realeasing CO2)

• Deforisation

• Acid accelerates CO2 realease from limestone

• CO2 levels are higher over the years

Nitrogen cycle:

Describes how nitrogen moves between the atmosphere, soil, plants, animals and bacteria

• Bacteria is the most important part in the cycle, helping the nitrogen change between states, found in soil

Nitrogen forms:

• N2- Atmospheric Nitrogen

• NH4-Ammonium, usually by some bacteria and plants

• NO2-Nitrite, middle step

• NO3-Nitrate, main form absorbed by plants

Processes in the nitrogen cycle:

Fixation: Bacteria converts N2→ NH4 (ammonium)

Nitrification: Bacteria that converts NH4→NO3→ NO2

Assimilation: Plants take in NO3 through routs

Ammonification (decomposition): Dead organisms → NH4 by decomposers (fungi, bacteria)

Dentification: Bacteria that converts NO3 back to N2 gas

Why nitrogen is important:

• Buils amino acids, DNA, proteins

• Needed for chlorophyll in plants for photosynthesis

• Essential for life on Earth

Human Impact: for nitrogen cycle

• Fertilizers add too much nitrogen to soil (clouds can also absorb, with rain bringing it other places)

• Release of nitrous oxide gas (from agriculture/industry

• Disrupts natural nitrogen balance

Eutrophication:

caused by leaching of nutrients into watershelds. This leads to a series of effects to the aquatic ecosystem.

• nitrogen and phosphorus

 The excess nutrients in the water promote the growth of aquatic plants, such as algae. When these species grow in such a level of abundance, they can rise to the surface, blocking off sunlight, as well as depleting the water’s oxygen.

Sequestration (carbon cycle):

when carbon from dead organisms trapped underground as fossil fuels

Decomposition ( carbon cycle):

bacteria, fungi breaks down dead plants and animals and returns carbon back into the atmosphere

Minerilization ( carbon cycle):

Dead organisms are transfferered into mineral form fossil form

Aquatic carbon cycle:

CO2 dissolves in water (dissoloution)

Biotic Elements in an Ecosystem

plants (trees, grass and seaweed)

animals (frogs, foxes, birds wolves etc.)

Abiotic Elements of an ecosystem

sunlight water soil wind temperature

Community

(ecology) a group of organisms living the same region and interacting with each other

Earths Four Major Spheres

lithosphere (land), Hydrosphere (water), Biosphere (living things) and atmosphere (air)

Lithosphere

contains all the cold hard solid land of the planets surface and the semi solid land underneath the crust

Hydrosphere

contains all the solid liquid and gaseous water of the planet

ranges from 10km to 29km below earths surface

ninety seven percent of the earths water is salty

Biosphere

contains all the planets living things

includes all the microorganisms plants and animals

living things form ecological communities based on the physical surrounding of an area

Atmosphere

contain all the air of the earth

extends 1m below the earths surface and 10,000 km above

creates the weather on the planet

Ecosytems

All the interacting parts of a biological community and it’s environment

carbon+water(+light energy) = glucose and oxygen

photosynthesis

gluscose+oxygen = carbon dioxide+water (+energy)

cellular respiration

Herbivore

animal that wats plants or other producers

Carnivore

animal that eats other animals

Omnivore

animal that eats both plants and animals

scavenger

animal that feeds on the remains of another ecosystem ( eats dead animals)

food web

a community of organisms where there are several interrelated food chains

why is it important for a species to be a part of a complex food web?

a complex food web is thought to be more stable

Pyramid of Energy

show that less energy reaches each sucessive trophic level beneath it because some of the energy at the lower level is used by the organisms to preform work, while some of it it lost

Primary Producers

organisms that make their own food by sunlight or chemical energy from deep sea vents

Primary Consumers

animals that eat primary producers; also known as herbivores

Secondary Consumers

eat primary consumers; can be carnivores or omnivores

Tertiary Consumers

eat secondary consumers; carnivores

Quaternary Consumers

eat tertiary consumers

Decomposers

organisms that break down wastes and dead organisms and return raw materials to the environment

After an organism dies...

it is eventually eaten by detrivores and broken down bt decompsers and the exchange of energy continues

Each trophic level has __ % less energy

10%

Most food chain have _____

no more than four or five links

Abiotic features such as ___, ___, ___ can affect an organisms ability to survive

temperature, light and soil

ecosystems require

temperature, light and soil to survive

Biotic factors such as ______ for food light space and mates can affect an organisms ability to survive

competition

an example of predators are

lynx prey on snowshoe hares

Why is Death necessary in Nature?

1. population can grow too big and create compition

2. dead organisms create better soil for plants which creates new life and better food

Biodiversity

refers to the variety of living species found in an ecosystem

more energy and nutrients =

greater biodiversity and population

sustainability

refers to an ecosystems ability to support life and maintain resources for future generations

greater the biodiversity

- greater the oppertunity to find food

- the more stable an ecosystem is

-greater is the oppertunity to find new forms of food + medicine

am autotroph

makes its own food; primary producer

a heterotroph

eats other organisms

Sustainible ecoststen

An ecosystem that is capable of withstanding pressure and giving support to a variety of organisms

Biotic interactions:

Symbiosis:

• Any interaction between 2 different species. Ex: bee gets nectar

Predation:

• when organism consumes another for food.

• The one that is consumed is called prey

• the one that eats is called predator

Competition:

• Competition between something : ressources…. at the same location and time

• Ex: two trees and sunlight.dandelions and grass

Dominant species:

• Species that are abudance and has the most total mass of any living organism (biomass)

• Removal can cause decrease biodiversity

Keystone species:

• Equally important as dominant species

• Can affect the population numbers and the health of an ecosystem

• Not abundant (large amount)

• Plants or animals. Ex: sea otter

Ecosystem engineer:

a species that causes such dramatic change to landscapes that it creates a new ecosystem

sucession in ecosystem:

series of changes in an ecosystem that ocurs over time following a disturbance

What does a food chain show

shows a single path of energy flow

What do the arrows in the food chain/ web show

it shows energy flow

What is prey

gets hunted

Parasite

lives of host for nutrients

Scanvanger

eats dead animals

Photosynthesis:

• Carbon dioxide, hydrogen, oxygen

• Happens in chloroplast using chlorophyll

• Convertts sunlight into glucose

• Stores energy as starch

captive breeding

the breeding of rare or endangered wildlife in a controlled setting to increase the population size (they are trying to bring back a specie sizespecially when it is endangered or close to extinction.)

• like zoos

How does monoculture farming affect energy flow?

Monoculture disrupts natural energy flow by reducing biodiversity and relying heavily on artificial energy inputs.

How does agriculture impact the water cycle?

Agriculture alters the water cycle through irrigation, runoff, and pollution of water sources with fertilizers and pesticides.

How does agriculture affect the carbon cycle?

Agriculture increases carbon emissions through fossil fuel use, deforestation, and soil disturbance.

How does farming impact the nitrogen cycle?

Excess fertilizer use adds nitrogen to ecosystems, causing runoff and harmful algal blooms.

What is monoculture farming?

Monoculture farming is the practice of growing a single crop species over a large area, often repeatedly each season.

What is a watershed?

A watershed collects rain and melted snow and sends it to one main body of water.

What is a biome?

A biome is a large area of the Earth with a certain climate, plants, and animals that are adapted to that environment.

water cycle:

The water cycle is the way water moves through the Earth and atmosphere over and over again.

What is an invasive specie

An invasive species is an organism that is not native to the ecosystem it is found in.

• Invasive species threaten native organisms as they compete for resources and often spread aggressively due to the lack of predators 

What is sublimation in water cycle?

Ice or snow turns straight into vapor, no liquid change

Condensation in water cycle:

Water vapor turns directly into clouds

Deposition in water cycle:

• Opposite of sublimation

• Water vapor turns into snow or ice

What is runoff in the water cycle:

Water flows over land into rivers, lakes

What is collection in the water cycle:

Water gathers in oceans, lakes, rivers

What is innfiltiration in water cycle?

Water soaks into the ground

What is precolation in the water cycle?

water moves deeper underground

What is plant uptake in water cycle?

roots take in water from the soil

Cellular respiration

• Occurs in the Mitochondria

• Converts glucose → ATP energy

• realeases stored energy

Abotic CO2:

• CO2 in the atmosphere

• CO2 in oceans

• Carbon in the Earth’s crust

Ways to stop climate change:

• Use solar, wind energy, instead of burning gas and coal

• Plant trees, protect forests

• Use less gas

• Save water and energy

• Coverments can make laws to protect Earth and people

Monocultural Farming Pros:

• Few resources required, low costs

• more efficient with machinery

Monocultural Farming cons:

• Higher risks of pests or diseases

• Depletes soil nutrition faster

• Reduces bioderversity, leading to decline of benefitial insects, esp pollinators

5 major biomes:

Grassland, Aquatic, forests, desert, tundra

Which watershed is RHSS located in?

Along the border of the Rouge River watershed and the Don river watershed

What is climate change?

Climate change is the long term shift in temperatures and weather paterns

• occurs naturally but increasing by human activities

• trap heat in atmosphere by holding the sun’s warmth

• ex: CO2, methane, nitrous oxide, ozone

• meaning the earth’s getting hotter, weather changes, and storms and droughts are more common

Alternatives of Monocultural farming:

Polyculture:

• Grows multiple crop species together

• Promotes biodiversity, improves resilence and reduces pest outbreaks

Cover cropping: crops that are grown to shade and protect soil, not to be harvesred

• Prevents soil erosian

• Ehance soil growth

Transpiration in the water cycle:

Plants realease water vapor into air