SNC 1W Ecology Unit: Sustainable Ecosystems Study Guide
Course Overview and Diagnostic Assessment (Lesson 03)
Context: This lesson encompasses the initial phase of the SNC 1W Ecology unit.
Diagnostic Assessment (Coursepack Pages 1-2): - Purpose: To assess the recall of concepts related to science and ecology learned in elementary school. - Focus: Foundations of biological and environmental sciences to establish a baseline for university-level study.
Introduction to the Ecology Unit (Lesson 04)
Coursepack Reference: Pages 3-8.
Case Study: The Northern Cricket Frog: - Focus: Understanding the factors leading to the disappearance of the Northern Cricket Frog in Ontario. - Implications: Investigating how localized extinctions signify broader environmental stresses.
Levels of Biological Organization: - Hierarchy: The classification of living things from the simplest to the most complex levels (Individual, Population, Community, Ecosystem, Biome, Biosphere).
The Biosphere and its Regions: - Definition: The global sum of all ecosystems; the zone of life on Earth. - Atmosphere: The layer of gases surrounding the planet where aerial life forms exist and essential gas exchanges occur. - Lithosphere: The rigid outer part of the earth, consisting of the crust and upper mantle, providing the terrestrial habitat and nutrient source for land-based life. - Hydrosphere: All the waters on the earth's surface, such as lakes and seas, including water over the earth's surface (clouds).
Fundamental Concepts of Ecosystems (Lesson 05)
Coursepack Reference: Pages 9-12.
Ecosystem Components: - Biotic Factors: Living components of an environment (e.g., plants, animals, bacteria, fungi). - Abiotic Factors: Non-living physical and chemical elements in the ecosystem (e.g., sunlight, temperature, soil composition, water, wind).
Levels of Ecological Organization: - Progression from individual organisms to populations, communities, and the entire ecosystem structure.
Sustainability and Ecosystem Services (Lesson 06)
Coursepack Reference: Pages 13-15.
Sustainability: - Definition: The ability of an ecosystem to maintain its health, function, and biodiversity over a long period of time without depleting resources.
Ecosystem Classification: - Natural Ecosystems: Evolved naturally without human intervention; typically high in biodiversity and self-sustaining. - Artificial Ecosystems: Created or managed by humans (e.g., urban areas, managed parks, monoculture farms).
Value to Humans: - Ecosystem Services: Benefits provided by natural ecosystems, such as water purification, pollination, and climate regulation. - Ecosystem Products: Physical resources harvested from nature, including timber, food, and medicinal plants.
Energy Flow and the Carbon Cycle (Lesson 07)
Coursepack Reference: Pages 16-21.
Energy Dynamics: - Distinction between different types of energy (e.g., potential, kinetic, radiant, chemical).
Metabolic Processes and Equations: - Photosynthesis: The process by which plants convert light energy into chemical energy. - Equation: - Cellular Respiration: The process by which organisms break down glucose to release energy. - Equation:
The Carbon Cycle: - Natural Processes: Photosynthesis, respiration, decomposition, and ocean-atmosphere exchange. - Human Impact: Influence of industrial activities, deforestation, and fossil fuel combustion on carbon storage and atmospheric $CO_2$ levels.
Energy Acquisition: Autotrophs and Heterotrophs (Lesson 08)
Coursepack Reference: Pages 22-29.
Ecological Roles: - Producers (Autotrophs): Organisms that produce their own food (e.g., green plants, algae, certain bacteria). - Consumers (Heterotrophs): Organisms that must consume other organisms for energy (e.g., herbivores, carnivores, omnivores, scavengers).
Energy vs. Matter Flow: - Energy: Passes through ecosystems linearly and is lost as heat; requires constant input from the sun. - Matter: Cycles within ecosystems (e.g., nutrient cycles) and is reused.
Analytical Tools: - Food Chains: A linear sequence of links in a food web starting from producer organisms and ending at apex predator species. - Food Webs: A complex network of interconnecting and overlapping food chains in an ecosystem. - Ecological Niche: The role and position a species has in its environment.
Factors Influencing Ecosystems and Population Dynamics (Lesson 09)
Coursepack Reference: Pages 30-33.
Influencing Factors: - Biotic Influences: Interspecific and intraspecific competition, predation, and symbiosis. - Abiotic Influences: Availability of light, water, nutrients, and climatic conditions.
Population Growth: - Population Growth Curves: Mathematical models describing how populations change over time (e.g., exponential vs. logistic growth). - Limiting Factors: Factors that constrain the size of a population (e.g., food supply, space, disease, predation).
Biodiversity, Predator Dynamics, and Human Impact (Lesson 10)
Source: National Geographic Video: Predator.
Coursepack Reference: Page 34.
Core Concepts: - The critical role of biodiversity in maintain ecosystem resilience. - The relationship between top-tier predators and the structural integrity of food chains/webs. - Human Activity Impacts: Analysis of habitat destruction and over-predation on biodiversity loss.
Research Methods and the Tomatosphere Project (Lesson 11)
Coursepack Reference: Pages 35-37.
Academic Skills: - Introduction to research methodologies and proper referencing styles. - Primary References: Original materials or research (e.g., journal articles, raw data). - Secondary References: Interpretations or summaries of primary sources (e.g., textbooks, reviews).
Summative Assessment: Introduction to the Species Project.
Ecological Equilibrium and Succession (Lesson 12)
Coursepack Reference: Pages 38-41.
Equilibrium: - Ecosystems generally exist in a state of balance but are subject to change through disturbance.
Ecological Succession: - Primary Succession: Occurs in environments where no soil exists (e.g., after a volcanic eruption or on bare rock). - Secondary Succession: Occurs in ecosystems where soil remains following a disturbance (e.g., after a forest fire or agricultural clearing). - Analysis: Evaluation of the benefits (regeneration) and disadvantages (loss of habitat during transition) of succession.
Importance of Biodiversity and Threats (Lessons 13 & 14)
Coursepack Reference: Pages 42-45.
Biodiversity Metrics: - Variety: The number of different species in an area. - Abundance: The number of individuals of each species present.
Species at Risk (SAR): - Classification of species based on their level of threat (extirpated, endangered, threatened, special concern).
Drivers of Biodiversity Loss: - Non-native Species: Introduction of species to new areas where they may lack natural predators. - Pollution: Chemical and physical contaminants entering the environment. - Habitat Loss: Fragmentation or complete destruction of natural living spaces for human development.
Invasive Species and Engineered Ecosystems (Lessons 15 & 16)
Coursepack Reference: Pages 46-47.
Invasive Species: - Study of their deleterious effects on native biodiversity and ecosystem functionality.
Human-Centric Environments: - Engineered Ecosystems: Environments designed, created, and maintained by humans, including urban centers and modern agricultural farms. - Sustainability Impact: How managed ecosystems often require high inputs (energy, chemicals) and may reduce overall ecological sustainability.
Soil Management and Farming Impacts (Lesson 17)
Coursepack Reference: Pages 48-51.
Agricultural Alterations: - Impact of intensive farming on the water cycle and soil nutrient depletion.
Nutrient Management: - Natural Fertilizers: Organic matter (e.g., manure, compost) used to improve soil quality. - Synthetic Fertilizers: Chemically formulated nutrients (e.g., NPK) and their environmental risks (leaching, eutrophication).
Alternative Farming Techniques: Methods aimed at reducing environmental impact (e.g., crop rotation, no-till farming).
Pesticides, Bioaccumulation, and Biomagnification (Lesson 18)
Coursepack Reference: Pages 52-53.
Chemical Toxicity: - Pesticides: Substances used to control pests that can have unintended environmental consequences. - Bioaccumulation: The gradual accumulation of substances, such as pesticides or other chemicals, in an individual organism. - Biomagnification: The concentration of toxins in an organism as a result of its ingesting other plants or animals in which the toxins are more widely disbursed; toxins increase in concentration as they move up the trophic levels.
Unit Synthesis and Evaluation (Lessons 19-21)
Case Study: The Lorax (Lesson 19, Page 54): - Analysis of sustainability and the consequences of environmental neglect.
Unit Review (Lesson 20, Pages 55-59): - Comprehensive synthesis of all unit concepts including ecology, energy flow, biodiversity, and human impact.
Unit Test (Lesson 21): - Final assessment of knowledge and application for the Sustainable Ecosystems unit.