Interdependence of Living Things

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Interdependence of Living Things

• The Biosphere
• Ecosystems and Communities
• Populations
• Humans in the Biosphere

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The Biosphere
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What is ecology?

• Ecology study of interactions among and between
  organisms and their environment
• Biosphere contains the combined portions of the
  earth in which all life exists
• 8 km above Earths surface ? 11 km below the
  ocean surface
• Levels of organization
• Individual ? population ? community ? ecosystem ?
  Biome ? Biosphere

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Ecological Methods

• Use a wide range of tools and techniques
• 3 basic approaches
• Observing
• What species live here? How many?
• Experimenting
• Experiments can be set up in the laboratory or in
  nature
• Tests a hypothesis
• Modeling
• Mathematical formulas are used to make
  predictions about future events based on
  observations from the present

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Energy flow

• Producers
• Main form of energy on Earth sunlight
• Capture energy from sunlight (photosynthesis) or
  from chemical energy (chemosynthesis) producers
• Autotrophs capture energy from sunlight to make
  food (photosynthesis)
• Consumers
• Rely on other organisms for energy and food
  (cellular respiration) heterotrophs or
  consumers

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Feeding Relationships

• Energy flows from producers to various
  heterotrophs
• Food chain
• Energy is transferred by eating and being eaten
• Food web
• Links all the food chains in an ecosystem
  together
• Trophic level
• Each step in a food chain or web
• Producers are the first trophic level
• Consumers make up the 2nd, 3rd, or higher levels
• Each consumer depends on the level below for
  energy

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Energy Pyramid

• Only 10 of the energy available within one
  tropic level is transferred to the next
• The rest of the energy is used during cellular
  processes and escapes as heat!!!

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Biomass Pyramid

• Total amount of living tissue within each trophic
  level
• grams of organic matter/ unit area
• Potential food for each level

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Pyramid of Numbers

• Number of individuals at each trophic level

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Biomass Pyramid Food Chain Design

• On a piece of computer paper (use both sides)
• Create Biomass pyramid using the Biome you chose.
• Use the organisms found in the description of
  your biome (in book) PRODUCERS ? CONSUMERS
• Create a Food Chain using the Biome you chose
• Use the organisms found and start with a producer
  and finish with the highest level consumer!

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Recycling in the Biosphere

• Matter is recycled within and between ecosystems
• Matter is not used upit is transformed!!!
• Matter is recyled through biogeochemical cycles
• Water cycle
• Nutrient cycles (carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus)

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The Water Cycle

• Liquid ? gas (evaporation)
• Evaporation from plants transpiration
• Water is recycled through the Biopshere
• 1 water molecule ? 4000 years to complete one
  cycle

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Nutrient Cycles

• Living things need nutrients to grow and carry
  out essential life functions.
• Nutrients are often in short supply in an
  ecosystem
• Limiting Nutrients
• Recycling nutrients is vital to ecosystem health
• Prevents toxic concentrations of chemicals

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Nutrient Cycles

• Add group notes on the various nutrient cycles
  here!
• Requirements
• Summarize the biogeochemical cycle
• Describe a piece of research that shaped our
  understanding of the nutrient cycle assigned
  (focus on Biological research).

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Ecosystems and CommunitiesHomeworkChapter 4
(4-1 ? 4-3 only) vocab flashcards
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The Role of Climate

• Weather ? day-to-day local condition of Earths
  atmosphere
• Climate ? average, year-after-year condition of
  temperature and precipitation in a particular
  region
• Factors include trapping of heat by the
  atmosphere, the latitude, the transport of heat
  by winds and ocean currents, the amount of
  precipitation that results, the shape and
  elevation of landmasses
• Energy of sunlight is the ultimate driver of
  climate

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Biomes

• Each biome is defined by a unique set of abiotic
  factors (particularly climate) and has a
  characteristic ecological community
• Review Biomes Quick Solve
• Construct a climatogram for our area using local
  data
• Constructing a miniecosystem (Temperate
  Forest/Freshwater biome)
• What make this biome unique?

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Climatograms

• Create a climatogram using data from South
  Kingstown RI
• What biome do we belong to?
• Compare our climatogram to the Biome you have
  been working with.
• Prompt Compare the climatogram for South
  Kingstown (temperate forest biome) to the Biome
  you have been studying. How are they similar?
  How are they different? Use specific evidence to
  support your response.

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The Greenhouse Effect

• Carbon dioxide, methane, water vapor, and other
  gases ?
• Trap heat energy
• Maintains Earths temperature range

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Effect of Latitude on Climate

• The Earth is tilted on its axis!
• Solar radiation strikes different regions of the
  Earths surface at an angle
• THUS, Earth has 3 main climate zones
• Polar zone ? very low angle (cold areas 66.5
  90 N and S)
• Temperate zone ? angle changes over the year
  (warm and cold areas 23.5 66.5 N and S)
• Tropical zone ? nearly direct angle (always warm
  - 0 - 23.5 N and S)

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Heat Transport in the Biosphere

• Unequal heating of Earths surface drives winds
  and ocean currents
• Transport heat throughout the biosphere
• Wind currents
• Warm air rises, cool air sinks
• The prevailing (global) winds affects the climate
  in a given region
• Ocean currents
• Warm water rises, cool water sinks
• The global ocean currents affects the climate of
  nearby landmasses
• Landmasses
• Mountain ranges can interfere with air mass
  movement
• Rain shadow effect ? one side is wet and the
  other dry

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Biotic and Abiotic Factors that Shapes Ecosystems

• Biotic Factors
• Biological influences on organisms within an
  ecosystem
• Includes the entire living cast of characters
  with which an organism might interact
• Abiotic Factors
• Physical or nonliving influences that shape
  ecosystems
• Includes temperature, precipitation, humidity,
  wind, nutrient availability, soil type, sunlight
• TOGETHER (Biotic and Abiotic factors)? Habitat
  of an organism

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The Niche

• The full range of biotic and abiotic conditions
  in which an organism lives and uses those
  conditions.
• Example Its place in the food web, the range of
  temperatures needed for survival, etc.
• No 2 species can share the same niche!!!

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Community Interactions

• Organisms interact constantly ? shapes ecosystems
• 3 main types
• Competition
• Predation
• Symbiosis
• Mutualism
• Commensalism
• Parasitism

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Competition

• Occurs when a resource is being used at the same
  time in the same place.
• Resource any necessity of life (water,
  nutrients, light, food, or space)
• Often results in a winner and a loser.
• Competitive Exclusion Principle
• No 2 species can occupy the same niche in the
  same habitat at the same time.

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ANALYZE THE GRAPH A red squirrel population is
competing with a grey squirrel populationWho
wins (the colors correspond to each squirrel
type)? How do you know (use evidence to support
your answer)?
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Predation

• Interaction where one organism captures and feeds
  on another organism
• Predator one that does the killing
• Prey one that is being eaten

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Symbiosis

• Any relationship in which 2 species live closely
  together (3 main types)
• Mutualism
• Both species benefit from the relationship
• Example flower pollination by insects
• Commensalism
• One member of the relationship benefits and the
  other is neither helped nor harmed
• Example barnacles on whales
• Parasitism
• One organism lives on (ectoparasite) or inside
  (endoparasite) another organism and harms it.
• Example fleas on a dog

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Ecological Succession

• Ecosystems constantly change in response to
  natural and human disturbances
• As an ecosystems changes ? older inhabitants
  gradually die out and new organisms move in
  ecological succession
• Primary succession
• Secondary succession

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Primary Succession

• Succession that occurs on surface with NO soil
• Example on newly formed volcanic rock or on
  bare rock exposed when glaciers melt
• 1st species to populate pioneer species
• Lichens (a fungus and an alga simbiont? can live
  on bare rock)
• When they die lichens help form soil that allows
  new organisms to move in
• Lichens ? mosses ? grasses ? shrubs ? trees
• What types of animals would you see at each stage?

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Bare rock with lichens
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Secondary Succession

• When a disturbance of some kind changes an
  existing community WITHOUT removing the soil
• Example land is cleared for farming, a wildfire
  burns a woodland
• Myth of the climax community (a mature, stable
  community that does not undergo further
  succession)
• No community is ever at this point
• Climate change and human disturbances are always
  at work.

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PopulationsHomework Ch.5 vocab flashcards
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How Populations Grow

• Characteristics of Populations
• Geographic distribution (range)
• The area or range inhabited by a population
• Population density
• The number of individuals per unit area
• Growth rate
• Determined by of births, of deaths,
  immigrated, emigrated
• Age structure
• The range of ages in a population

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Population Growth

• Factors that affect population size
• of births ? causes an increase in population
  size
• of deaths ? causes a decrease in population
  size
• Immigration (the movement of individuals into an
  area) ? causes an increase
• Emigration (the movement of individuals out of an
  area) ? causes a decrease

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Exponential Growth

• Exponential growth ? occurs when the individuals
  in a population reproduce at a constant rate
• Occurs only under ideal conditions
• Abundant space and food
• Protected from predators and disease
• J-shaped curve

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Logistic Growth

• As resources become scarce, the growth of a
  population slows or stops
• Birth rate may decrease, death rate may increase,
  immigration may increase, emigration may
  decrease, or any combination of these.
• Carrying capacity ? the largest of individuals
  that a given environment can support
• S-shaped curve

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Population Trends
1. Make a graph of each data table.
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Population Trends Data AnalysisAnswer the
following in your notebooks!!!

• What type of growth pattern is exhibited by the
  fruit fly population? Is it the same as the
  rabbit population? Explain.
• Does either graph indicate there is a carrying
  capacity? If sowhen? What is the maximum of
  individuals that can be supported at one time?
• What might happen if a group of predators moved
  into the rabbits habitat during the 10th
  generation and began eating rabbits?

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Limits to growth

• Limiting Factors
• In context of populations
• A factor that causes population growth to
  decrease
• Density-dependent OR Density-independent
• Examples that affect population size
• Competition
• Predation
• Parasitism and disease
• Drought and other climate extremes
• Human disturbances

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Density-Dependent Factors

• Depends on population size
• Factor only becomes limiting when the population
  density reaches a certain level
• Includes
• Competition
• Predation
• Parasitism
• Disease

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Competition

• When populations get crowded, they compete for
  food, water, space, sunlight, and other
  essentials of life (resources become scarce).
• Major force behind evolutionary change!
• Can occur
• Between members of the same species
• Between different species

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Predation

• In nature, populations are often controlled by
  predators
• Predator-prey relationship
• Interactions that affect population growth of
  both predator and prey
• Example
• Remember the Wolf and deer population activity

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Parasitism and Disease

• Parasites range in size
• Similar to predators
• Take nourishment at the expense of the host
  (causing disease and/or death)
• Example
• WOW bug pets
• They lay their eggs on a larva
• The eggs hatch and consume the larva

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Density-Independent Factors

• Affects different populations the same way
  regardless of population size
• Examples include
• Unusual weather
• Natural disasters
• Seasonal cycles
• Human activity

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Human Population Growth

• The size of the human population has grown over
  time.

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Human Population Videos

• World Population growth from 1 A.D.
• Produced by Population Connection in 2000.
  Population Connection is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3)
  organization
• http//www.youtube.com/watch?v4BbkQiQyaY

• Exponential Growth lecture
• David Suzuki Forces of nature speaking about
  exponential growth
• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vQ9xoFCS33kg

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Patterns of Human Population Growth

• Demography
• Study of human populations
• The Demographic Transition
• When population growth in a country has slowed in
  response to industrialization.
• Transition is complete when birthrate falls to
  meet deathrate (population growth stops)
• More children survive to adulthood, more adults
  living to old age
• 3rd world countries have yet to undergo this
  process
• Age Structure
• Population profiles ( of people in different age
  groups)

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Humans in the Biosphere

• Ch. 6 vocab flashcards

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Earth as an Island

• We share a limited resource base
• We all depend on the natural ecological processes
  that sustain these resources
• Take the earth calculator test now
• How many earths do you need if everyone lived
  like you?
• Is it fair to use resources the way you do?
• What are some ways you could decrease your impact?

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Human Activities that have transformed the
Biosphere

• Hunting and gathering
• Subsistence hunting
• Agriculture
• Domestication of animals (overgrazing, increased
  water use)
• Traditional ? Modern Agriculture (increased
  irrigation, increased use of chemical
  fertilizers, new types of farming equipment)
• Green Revolution ? governments introduced new,
  intensive farming techniques to increase yields.
  
• miracle strains improved harvest
• Monoculture a single crop/species was planted to
  increase yield

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Industrial Growth and Urban Development

• Certain kinds of industrial processes
• Pollute air, water, and soil
• Dense human communities
• Produce wastes that must be disposed of
• Suburban sprawl
• Consumes farmland and natural habitats
• All place stress on plant and animal populations
  and on the biospheres life support systems!!!

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The Tragedy of the Commons

• Any resource that is open to everyone (air or
  ocean) will eventually be destroyed because
  everyone can use it but no one is responsible for
  preserving it.
• Constructed Response Prompt
• (On the provided handout - write approx. ½ - 1
  page)
• In your opinion is the tragedy of the commons
  true? Use evidence/quotes from the reading to
  support your answer.

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Renewable vs. Nonrenewable Reources

• Work with a partner.
• Using your book or the computer
• Generate a list of 10 renewable resources and 10
  nonrenewable resources.

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Sustainable Use

• With your partner choose one of the following
  resources
• Land
• Forest
• Ocean
• Air
• Water
• What are some ways to use these resources in a
  sustainable way?
• You have 20 minutes to put together a 1 minute
  presentation on the topic.

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Biodiversity

• Sum total of the genetically based variety of
  all organisms in the biosphere
• One of the Earths greatest natural resources
• Includes
• Ecosystem diversity
• Species diversity
• Genetic diversity

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Threats to Biodiversity

• Human Activity can reduce biodiversity by
• Altering habitats through development
• Hunting species to extinction
• Introducing toxic compounds into food webs
• Failing septic systems (our water quality lab!!!)
• DDT (biological magnification) Rachel Carsons
  book Silent Spring
• Introducing foreign species into new environments
  (invasive species)

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Charting a Course for the Future

• 2 major global phenomena affect the biosphere
• Ozone depletion
• UV light is a mutagen!
• Global Warming
• Caused by a natural warming trend AND Human
  activity!!!

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