SNC1W Strand B: Sustainable Ecosystems and Climate Change Notes

Student Guide

• Unbolded Text: "Consider this." Read but don't copy into notes.

• Bolded Text: "Write this down." Important concept or definition.

• Bolded and Highlighted Text: "Do this." Complete the task asked.

Curriculum Expectations

• Assess climate change impacts on ecosystem sustainability and communities; describe mitigation strategies.

• Demonstrate understanding of the dynamic and interconnected nature of ecosystems, including matter cycles and energy flows.

Planet Earth

• Complete a 3,2,1 activity:

  • 3 facts/ideas already known.

  • 2 facts/ideas learned.

  • 1 fact/idea of interest for further learning.

A Story of Sustainability: The Lorax

• "The Lorax" by Dr. Seuss (1971) teaches about sustainability and environmental responsibility.

• The Lorax speaks for the trees against the Once-ler, highlighting the consequences of exploiting natural resources.

"Spheres" of the Earth

• Earth is divided into 4 spheres describing interactions within and between systems:

  • Atmosphere

  • Hydrosphere

  • Lithosphere

  • Biosphere

The Atmosphere

• Definition:

  • All gases surrounding Earth (nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide, water vapor).

• Function:

  • Stabilizes Earth's temperature.

  • Provides oxygen for breathing.

  • Protects from harmful solar rays.

The Hydrosphere

• Definition:

  • All water on Earth (oceans, lakes, rivers, ice, groundwater, water vapor).

• Function:

  • Moves heat around the globe.

  • Supports all life.

  • Home to aquatic life.

The Lithosphere

• Definition:

  • Earth’s outer layer (crust and upper mantle), including landforms.

• Function:

  • Provides land for habitation.

  • Contains minerals and resources.

The Biosphere

• Definition:

  • All living things on Earth (animals, plants, microorganisms).

• Function:

  • Balances oxygen and carbon dioxide.

  • Recycles nutrients.

  • Makes life possible.

Spherical Interactions - Start Here

• List two examples for each:

  • How plants (biosphere) use carbon from the air (atmosphere).

  • How rain (hydrosphere) helps form soil (lithosphere).

  • How volcanoes (lithosphere) change the air (atmosphere).

Learning Goals - Ecosystems

• Explain the Gaia Hypothesis as a scientific model describing Earth as a self-regulating, interconnected system.

• Identify and describe interactions between ecosystem components (producers, consumers, decomposers, abiotic factors) to maintain balance and sustainability.

An Introduction to Ecosystems - Biodiversity

• Create a two-column table:

  • Benefit to humans and ecosystems

  • Example

Biodiversity Benefits - Examples

Having A Stake in the Issue

• Groups of 5-6 people.

• Imagine a team with different jobs/interests; each person chooses a role.

• Read about the role and consider what someone in that role would say in a group discussion; write down 2-3 points.

• One person as "Facilitator" to keep the group on topic.

The Gaia Hypothesis

• A proposed theory that Earth, through interactions among the biosphere, lithosphere, atmosphere, and hydrosphere, behaved like a living organism.

• Suggests Earth can respond to environmental changes and maintain relatively constant internal conditions over long periods.

Gaia Hypothesis Skepticism

• The Gaia hypothesis is not widely accepted as a rigorous scientific concept.

• Thinking of Earth as a living thing may encourage a more caring attitude toward our planet.

Extra Credit: Exploring the Gaia Hypothesis

• Assignment on D2L.

• Consider whether thinking of Earth as a living organism inspires greater environmental care and if there are better ways to inspire climate action.

Spherical Interactions

• Overlapping and interacting spheres create a homeostatic environment.

• Atmosphere interactions:

  • With the Biosphere: Facilitates photosynthesis and respiration.

  • With the Hydrosphere: Drives the water cycle through evaporation and precipitation.

  • With the Lithosphere: Impacts weathering processes and volcanic gas exchange.

Spherical Concept Map

• Create a concept map showing interactions between the four spheres using pictures and words.

• Highlight the influence these spheres have on one another.

Ecosystems - Start Here

1. Define biodiversity and name 3 different ways in which biodiversity can help humans.

2. Match the terms and definitions below:

   1. Biodiversity A. An area with a high number of unique species that are under significant threat from human activities.

   2. Biodiversity Hotspot B. The process of restoring natural habitats and reintroducing species to help ecosystems recover.

   3. Rewilding C. The variety of life in all its forms, including plants, animals, and microorganisms, and ecosystems they form.

Learning Goals - Living Things

• Explain the five characteristics that define living things and distinguish them from nonliving things.

• Classify biotic and abiotic factors in an ecosystem and describe how they interact with each other.

Components of Ecosystems

• An ecosystem is a system where living organisms interact with their environment, creating a network where every part affects the balance of the system.

• Name 5 different components of the ecosystem.

Biotic Factors

• Include all living things such as:

  • Plants

  • Animals

  • Fungi

  • Bacteria

• These living organisms interact with each other in various ways.

• What makes something living? Think about a tree, a person, a mushroom. What do they all have in common?

Characteristics of Living Things (Biotic Factors)

• Made of cells.

• Maintain balanced internal conditions.

• Produce offspring.

• Obtain and use energy from food.

• Pass down genetic information.

Abiotic Factors

• Nonliving elements that affect living organisms.

• Choose 3 examples to write down:

  • Climatic factors: Temperature, sunlight, and rainfall.

  • Chemical factors: Water quality, soil pH, and nutrients.

  • Physical factors: Landscape and geographical features.

Biotic vs Abiotic Activity

• Create a large Venn-Diagram in your notes.

• Sort through which item listed is considered biotic, abiotic or ones that you could argue are both or neither.

Spherical Concept Map - Continued

• Create a concept map showing interactions between the four spheres.

• Highlight the influence these spheres have on one another.

Spherical Interactions - Examples

Cycling Within Ecosystems: Matter and Energy

• To understand ecosystem dynamics, consider how matter (chemicals, compounds, elements) and energy move and change.

• Three distinct cycles:

  • Carbon Cycle

  • Nitrogen Cycle

  • Photosynthesis and Cellular Respiration

Cycling Within Ecosystems: The Carbon Cycle

• In this game you are a carbon atom.

• You are going to travel the carbon cycle stopping in many exciting locations - some of which you probably have never been to before.

• Remember: For each stop along your journey, remember to record where you went and how you got there.

The Carbon Cycle: Instructions

1. Write the name of your start location in the box below.

2. Flip the two coins to find out where to go next. Each station has instructions.

3. Write How I travelled in the Trip #1box.

4. Go to the next station (according to your coin flip) and fill out the “Trip #2” and “How I travelled” box.

5. Continue until you have travelled 8 times.

The Carbon Cycle: Start Here

1. What are the different forms of carbon that are found in the carbon cycle? Are there other compounds that were left out?

2. If humans extract and burn more fossil fuels than we do now, what do you think will happen to the carbon cycle? Think about what the next effects are and how they impact the environment.

Learning Goals - Carbon Cycle

• Identify and explain the function of each major part of the carbon cycle to show how carbon moves through Earth’s systems.

• Take part in a nitrogen cyclic simulation, gather and record evidence of the cycle’s key processes, and use that evidence to compare and contrast the nitrogen and carbon cycles.

Cycling Within Ecosystems: Components of The Carbon Cycle

• Carbon plays a pivotal role in various compartments of Earth's system, notably in:

  • Fossil fuels.

  • Animals.

  • Plants.

  • The sea.

  • The atmosphere.

Carbon Cycle Components: Fossil Fuels

• Carbon hides inside coal, oil, and natural gas.

• These fuels began as dead plants and animals that were squeezed and heated deep underground for millions of years.

Carbon Cycle Components: Animals

• Animal bodies store carbon in fats, proteins, and carbohydrates.

• When animals eat, some carbon builds new tissues; the rest comes out as carbon dioxide when they breathe.

Carbon Cycle Components: Plants

• Plants need sunlight and carbon dioxide to make sugar (glucose) in photosynthesis.

• This sugar powers all their growth and activity.

Carbon Cycle Components: The Sea

• Dissolved carbon: Carbon dioxide from the air mixes into seawater.

• Organic carbon: Tiny ocean plants (phytoplankton) use this carbon to grow. When they die, their remains drift down and become part of the sea‑floor sediments.

Carbon Cycle Components: The Atmosphere

• Most carbon in the air is carbon dioxide (CO₂).

• CO₂ enters the air when living things breathe and when people burn wood, plants, coal, oil, or gas.

The Carbon Cycle: Key Points

• The carbon cycle is nature's way of recycling carbon, an important element in all living things.

• Plants capture carbon from the air during photosynthesis.

• Animals consume plants, incorporating carbon into their bodies.

• Carbon returns to the air or ground through respiration or decomposition.

• The ocean also stores and utilizes carbon.

• This cycle helps maintain balance on Earth.

Cycling Within Ecosystems: The Nitrogen Cycle

• In this game you are a nitrogen atom.

• You are going to travel the nitrogen cycle stopping in many exciting locations - some of which you probably have never been to before.

• Remember: For each stop along your journey, remember to record where you went and how you got there.

The Nitrogen Cycle: Instructions

1. Write the name of your start location in the box below.

2. Roll the dice to find out where to go next. Each station has instructions.

3. Write How I travelled in the Trip #1 box.

4. Go to the next station (according to your dice roll) and fill out the “Trip#2 How you travelled box.”

5. Continue until you have travelled 8 times.

Nitrogen Cycle Options

• Nitrogen Gas: $N_2$ in atmosphere

• Nitrates: $NO_3$ in soil and fertilizer.

• Dissolved Nitrogen: $NO_2$ (aq) in surface waters, oceans and groundwaters.

• Proteins: $C<em>5H</em>{10}N<em>2O</em>3$ in live plants and animals.

• Ammonium salts: $[NH_4]^+$ in dead plants and animals and animal waste.

Nitrogen Cycle - Start Here

1. Carbon Cycle A. Breakdown of dead organisms, returning carbon and nitrogen to the soil.

2. Nitrogen Fixation B. The process by which bacteria convert nitrogen gas from the atmosphere into ammonia.

3. Photosynthesis C. The process by which bacteria convert nitrates and nitrites back into atmospheric nitrogen gas.

4. Denitrification D. The movement of carbon through the atmosphere, living organisms, oceans, and the Earth.

5. Decomposition E. Process where plants, algae, and some bacteria use sunlight to convert carbon dioxide into glucose.

• Match up the terms and definitions listed below

Learning Goals - Nitrogen Cycle

• Trace nitrogen through fixation, assimilation, ammonification, nitrification, and denitrification.

• Name organisms or abiotic forces driving each step and identify the chemical form of nitrogen entering and leaving every transformation.

• Compare carbon and nitrogen cycles by describing principal reservoirs, key processes, residence times, and major human disturbances.

• Explain how change in one cycle can affect the other, using an illustrative example.

Cycling Within Ecosystems: Components of The Nitrogen Cycle

• The nitrogen cycle is an important process that moves nitrogen between the air, land, and water ecosystems.

• There are 5 main components or steps involved:

  • Nitrogen Fixation

  • Nitrification

  • Assimilation

  • Ammonification

  • Denitrification

Nitrogen Cycle Components

• Nitrogen Fixation

  • Nitrogen gas from the air is converted into ammonia.

  • This process is done by special soil bacteria or lightning.

  • The ammonia becomes usable by plants.

Nitrogen Cycle Components - Nitrification

• Bacteria convert ammonia into nitrite, then another group turns nitrite into nitrate.

Nitrogen Cycle Components - Assimilation

• Nitrogen becomes part of living organisms.

• Plants absorb nitrates from the soil to build proteins and DNA.

• Animals get nitrogen by eating plants or other animals.

Nitrogen Cycle Components - Ammonification

• Decomposers break down dead plants, animals, and waste.

• This process releases ammonia back into the soil.

Nitrogen Cycle Components - Denitrification

• Bacteria convert nitrates back into nitrogen gas.

• This process releases nitrogen into the air.

Nitrogen Cycle Overview

• Nitrogen fixing bacteria produce ammonia ($NH<em>4$ and $NH</em>3$).

• Nitrifying bacteria convert ammonia to nitrites ($NO_2$).

• Denitrifying bacteria convert nitrates ($NO<em>3$) back to atmospheric nitrogen ($N</em>2$).

Cycling Within Ecosystems: Comparing the Carbon and Nitrogen Cycles

• Create a KWL chart:

  • K: What they Know about carbon and nitrogen cycles.

  • W: What they Want to learn from the video.

  • L: Leave the L column for after the video.

Carbon and Nitrogen Cycles - Practice

• Draw a picture of a basic ecosystem with an animal and some plants and the sky and sun.

• Create a flow chart of the nitrogen and carbon cycles on the same picture to show their interconnectedness.

• Use the notes to ensure that you have all of the steps for both processes.

• If you are feeling exceptional, try to include the water cycle on the same diagram.

Nitrogen and Carbon Cycles - Start Here

1. What are the key steps in the nitrogen cycle, and what role do nitrogen fixing bacteria play?

2. What is denitrification and why is it important in the nitrogen cycle?

3. What could happen to lakes and rivers if there is too much denitrification?

4. What happens when plants and animals receive more nitrogen than they need? Discuss how excess nitrogen can affect ecosystems and water sources over time.

Energy Flow Within Ecosystems

• Organic substances ALWAYS contain Carbon and Hydrogen and OFTEN contain Oxygen and Nitrogen.

• Carbon is important because it is found in all the building blocks of cells:

  • Carbohydrates

  • Proteins

  • Nucleic acids

  • Lipids

• We as humans consume our carbon through the foods we eat.

Photosynthesis

• Some organisms are able to convert light energy into chemical energy through the process of photosynthesis.

• These organisms are called producers.

• 6 CO₂+6 H2O + Energy -> C6H{12}O6+ 6O_2

Cellular Respiration

• Organisms, called consumers, obtain energy and building materials by eating other organisms.

• To obtain usable energy from food, they undergo cellular respiration.

• C6H{12}O6 + 6 O2 -> Energy + 6 CO2 + 6 H2O

Photosynthesis & Cellular Respiration

• Photosynthesis and cellular respiration are complementary processes. The carbon that they use is continuously recycled.

• Cellular Respiration -

  • Uses Sugar and Water

  • Makes Carbon Dioxide and Energy

• Photosynthesis -

  • Makes Sugar and Water

  • Uses Carbon Dioxide and Energy

Photosynthesis vs Cellular Respiration

Photosynthesis and Cellular Respiration - Practice

• Draw a picture of a basic ecosystem with an animal and some plants and the sky and sun.

• Create a flow chart of the nitrogen and carbon cycles on the same picture to show their interconnectedness.

• Use the notes to ensure that you have all of the steps for both processes.

• If you are feeling exceptional, try to include the water cycle on the same diagram.

Photosynthesis and Cellular Respiration - Practice With Research

1. What are the primary products of photosynthesis and which organisms primarily perform this process?

2. Explain how cellular respiration is related to photosynthesis in a plant cell.

3. During photosynthesis, light energy is converted into chemical energy. Describe the role of chlorophyll in this process and discuss what happens to the energy absorbed by chlorophyll molecules.

4. Compare and contrast the efficiency of energy transfer in photosynthesis and cellular respiration. Why might one process be more efficient than the other in terms of energy conversion?

Photosynthesis and Cellular Respiration - Start Here

1. What are the similarities and differences between cellular respiration and photosynthesis?

2. How cellular respiration in animals and photosynthesis in plants are interconnected within the carbon cycle?

3. What might be the potential impact on the carbon cycle if a large number of trees in a rainforest are cut down? Consider the processes of photosynthesis and cellular respiration.

Introduction to Simulating Energy Flow

• Every organism relies on energy for growth, reproduction, and basic survival.

• Producers, such as plants harness solar energy and transform it into sugars through photosynthesis, effectively storing energy.

• Consumers, which include herbivores, carnivores, and omnivores, extract energy by consuming other organisms.

• Decomposers like fungi and bacteria derive their energy from deceased organisms, breaking them down to their fundamental components and recycling nutrients back into the ecosystem.

Overview of Simulating Energy Flow

• You will be assigned one of 4 roles: Producer, Herbivore, Carnivore or Decomposer.

• Each player will start with 2 beans in their bag indicating their energy.

• This is a freeze tag game with specific roles for each of the organisms.

Energy Flow - Role Details

• Producers:

  • Have to move away from herbivores.

  • Can return to the sun at any time to receive more energy.

• Herbivores:

  • Have to move away from carnivores.

  • If they die, have to be decomposed before returning to the game.

• Carnivores:

  • Have to pursue herbivores to collect the energy.

• Decomposers:

  • Collect the other half of the energy from dead organisms.

Simulating Energy Flow - Game Rules

• If you are tagged, you must play rock paper scissors with the catcher, if you lose you give up half of your energy. You may not tag the same person back to back.

• To survive in the ecosystem you must collect 10 units of energy.

• After each round we will collect data on how many of each group has survived.

Energy Flow in Ecosystems - Practice

• Draw a picture of a basic ecosystem with an animal and some plants and the sky and sun.

• Create a flow chart of the nitrogen and carbon cycles on the same picture to show their interconnectedness.

• Use the notes to ensure that you have all of the steps for both processes.

• If you are feeling exceptional, try to include the water cycle on the same diagram.

Ecosystem Energy and Relationships - Start Here

1. Thinking back to yesterday’s activity:

   • How could the decomposers be more involved in the game?

   • What would make the game more engaging and incorporate ideas about energy flow within ecosystems?

2. What type of relationship is this:

   • A snake eats a frog in its natural habitat.

   • An orchid grows on the branch of a tree to get better sunlight but does not harm or benefit the tree.

   • A tapeworm lives inside the intestines of a cow, absorbing nutrients and potentially harming the cow.

Factors Affecting Sustainability

• Clean air and water are super important for plants, animals, and the land.

• Clean Air Helps By:

  • Making it easier for plants to grow and photosynthesis.

  • Keeps animals healthy.

  • Supports tiny organisms in the soil that keep it rich.

• Clean Water Helps By:

  • Keeps fish and other aquatic animals alive.

  • Keeps the soil wet and full of nutrients for plants.

Soil Health Factors

• Soil is full of life and nutrients that help plants grow.

• Why It Matters:

  • Gives plants nutrients.

  • Holds water.

  • Traps carbon.

  • Home to organisms.

Succession Factors

• Succession is how ecosystems grow after being damaged.

• Why It Matters:

  • Helps bring back plants and animals.

  • Makes the ecosystem stronger and more stable.

  • Improves the soil.

Biodiversity

• Biodiversity refers to the variety of life.

• Diverse ecosystems are more stable, resilient, and more adaptable to changes.

• Key Contributions:

  • Enhances ecosystem stability and resilience.

  • Supports nutrient cycling and soil fertility.

  • Promotes pollination and seed dispersal.

  • Helps with pest control and disease suppression.

How Species Interact

• Biodiversity can be described as interactions between individuals within the ecosystem.

• There are 5 different types of interactions we discuss in this class.

  • Competition

  • Predation

  • Mutualism

  • Commensalism

  • Parasitism

Competition

• Living organisms compete with each other to get the resources they need to survive and reproduce.

• Key resources they compete for:

  • Food

  • Water

  • Sunlight

  • Space

  • Mates

Competition - Types

• Interspecies Competition: Members of different species compete.

• Intraspecies Competition: Happens among individuals of the same species.

Predation

• A type of interaction where a predator hunts and eats another organism, called the prey.

• Predator gains food and energy.

• Prey may be injured or killed.

Mutualism

• A mutual relationship is when two species interact in a way that benefits both.

• Symbiosis: A close, long-term relationship between two or more species where they help each other.

Commensalism

• One species benefits, while the other is neither helped nor harmed.

• Key Difference Between Commensalism and Mutualism:

  • In commensalism one benefits, the other is unaffected.

  • In mutualism both species benefit.

Parasitism

• A relationship where one species (the parasite) benefits by harming the other (the host).

• Parasites rely on the host for survival but usually avoid killing it. If the host dies, the parasite must find a new one.

Interspecies Relationships - Start Here

• Match the Terms with the examples about different ways ecosystems can be made sustainable.

Examples of Sustainability with air and water quality

• Bees and birds pollinate flowers, which helps plants produce seeds and grow. This supports a variety of plants and animals. Animals like bats and monkeys eat fruits and spread the seeds, helping new plants grow in different areas.

• Wolves keep deer populations in check. This prevents overgrazing and helps plants grow, creating a more balanced ecosystem.

• Fungi connect with plant roots and help them absorb nutrients from the soil. This relationship allows different types of plants to grow and thrive.

Continued examples of sustainability

• Plants and algae use sunlight to produce oxygen and remove carbon dioxide from the air. Forests and grasslands act as natural air filters, improving air quality.

• Animals like mussels and oysters filter water by removing small particles, which helps keep water clear and clean.

• Wetlands, such as swamps and marshes, act like natural filters. The plants and soil trap sediments and harmful chemicals, preventing them from polluting rivers and lakes.

Continued examples of sustainability

• Certain bacteria in the roots of plants like beans and peas turn nitrogen from the air into a form plants can use. This makes the soil richer and more productive for farming and natural plant growth.

• Organisms like fungi and insects break down dead plants and animals. This releases nutrients into the soil, making it fertile and healthy.

• Animals like earthworms and ants dig through the soil, creating small tunnels. These tunnels let air and water reach plant roots, improving soil structure.

Continued examples of sustainability

• Some plants, like mosses and lichens, are the first to grow in barren areas, such as on rocks or after a volcanic eruption. They make the environment suitable for other plants to grow.

• Larger plants often protect young seedlings from harsh sunlight or strong winds. For example, shrubs in deserts create shade for smaller plants to grow underneath.

• Animals like birds and elephants spread seeds by eating fruits and dropping the seeds in different places. This helps plants grow in new areas and increases plant diversity.

Interconected examples of factors in ecosystems

Imaginary Ecosystem

• Ecosystems rely on balanced factors and processes to sustain life.

• Biodiversity, air and water quality, soil health, and ecological succession are crucial elements of sustainability.

• Analyze how these components interact in a creative activity to contribute to a fictional ecosystem's health.

Imaginary Ecosystems - Instructions

1. Read about the organisms, understand their roles, and pick three ecosystem factors like biodiversity, clean air/water, healthy soil, or ecosystem growth to focus on.

2. Choose three organism pairs, describe how they work together, explain how they support your chosen factors, and add creative details to make their roles more interesting.

3. Make diagrams showing how the organisms interact, get feedback from others, and think about how your ecosystem compares to real-life examples.

Imaginary Species in example

• Imaginary Relationship #1

• Organisms Involved and Type of Relationship: Mutualism between the Brivolo (marine animal) and Lumidra (bacteria) Description of relationship and how it helps ecosystem sustainability: The Brivolo lays eggs on coral reefs, and Lumidra bacteria emit light that deters egg predators while attracting Brivolo mates.

• The Brivolo benefits by having its eggs protected, and Lumidra bacteria gain nutrients from the egg gel. This interaction promotes biodiversity by ensuring more Brivolo offspring survive and supports the food chain.

Identifying Ecosystem Sustainability

• While watching the episode of our planet, identify some of the different types of relationships that exist between species.

• If you’re feeling exceptional, write down the abiotic factors that are present in the environment as well.

Comparing and Contrasting and identifying factors

1. Look at the meadow and city park pictures. Which one has more kinds of plants and animals? What shows that there are more living things in one than the other?

2. In the meadow, animals like grasshoppers and earthworms help the ecosystem. In the park, animals like robins live there. How do the jobs these animals do help their ecosystems in different ways?

Environmental data of a Meadow vs City park

Introduction to Climate Change

• There is evidence to suggest that the climate is changing.

  • Rising Global Temperatures

  • Melting Ice and Shrinking Glaciers

  • Sea Level Rise

  • Changes in Wildlife Patterns and Ecosystems

• With all of this data collected there is still a lot of inaction among individuals and communities to try and change their behaviours and create meaningful changes to the overall climate.

• Today we explore why that is.

Preconceived Questions about factors influencing climate change

• Humans have always lived in harmony with nature, and it’s only in recent times that we’ve become unsustainable.

• Technological innovation is key to solving environmental problems and achieving sustainability.

• Economic growth and reducing environmental impact are fundamentally incompatible.

• Sustainability requires sacrificing modern conveniences and returning to simpler ways of living.

• Young people today have more reasons to be hopeful about the future than previous generations.

Climate Change - Problems and Solutions