Science Review Sheet: Sustainable Ecosystems 1. Carrying Capacity: The carrying capacity of a biological species in an environment is the population size of the species that the environment can sustain indefinitely, given the food, habitat, water and other necessities available in the environment. In population biology, carrying capacity is defined as the environment's maximal load, which is different from the concept of population equilibrium.
Population size decreases above carrying capacity due to a range of factors depending on the species concerned, but can include insufficient space, food supply, or sunlight.The carrying capacity of an environment may vary for different species and may change over time due to a variety of factors, including: food availability, water supply, environmental conditions and living space. 2. Lithosphere: -Solid outer shell of the earth -Made of rocks and minerals -50-150km thick Hydrosphere: all of the in solid, liquid and gas from on, above and below earth’s surface.
97% of earth’s water found in oceans Biosphere: the zone around earth where life can exist. Atmosphere: -the layer of gases surrounding the earth Consists of: 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, 1% (water vapour, CO, argon) . I couldn’t fiind anything in thee entiree book forr thiis question -. - 4.
Primary producers are those organisms in an ecosystem that produce biomass from inorganic compounds (autotrophs). (ex: Plants and bacteria) Primary Consumer: An herbivore is an animal that is adapted to eat plants. (ex. Butterfly, rabbit, squirrel) Secondary Consumer: a consumer that gets its energy from other consumers. These are often called carnivores (ex.
snake, frog, bird) Tertiary consumer: a high-level consumer, which is usually the top predator in an ecosystem and/or food chain (a carnivore that feeds on other arnivores) (ex. fox, eagle) 5. Measuring Biodiversity: Often indicator species are used as a way of measuring biodiversity. Using this method can be very useful but it introduces an aspect of how we value different components of biodiversity.
For example, we are more likely to use the abundance of birds or butterflies on a farm as a measure of biodiversity than the richness of microbes in the soil. 6. Biodiversity: Number of variety of organisms that are found in a particular region or ecosystem. 7.
Invasive species: Any species that has been introduced to an environment where it is not native, and that has since become a nuisance through rapid spread and increase in numbers, often to the detriment of native species 8. Carbon Cycle: Carbon is cycled from atmosphere to biosphere as CO and trapped by plants in Photosynthesis. CO is released by respiration of all organisms and from volcanoes, burning forests and factories (combustion) Sugar+ Oxygen carbon dioxide+ water+ energy Unlike photosynthesis, cellular respiration occurs continuously.No light energy is needed for cellular respiration. 9.
Biotic factors: living organisms that impact the growth, composition, and structure of the forest (ex. insects, herbivores, humans). Abiotic factors: these are the nonliving factors of an ecosystem (ex. rocks, soils, rivers, water. ) Effects on Population: If there are too many biotic factors in an ecosystem, there going to run out of abiotic factors. 10.
Predation: any animal that lives by preying on other animals Mutualism: the relation between two different species of organisms that are interdependent; each gains benefits from the otherCommensalism: the relation between two different kinds of organisms when one receives benefits from the other without damaging it Parasitism: the relation between two different kinds of organisms in which one receives benefits from the other by causing damage to it (usually not fatal damage) 11. Acid Precipitation: precipitation that has been made more acidic than usual by the combination of certain chemicals in with air with water vapour. Acid rain impacts terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. As rivers and lakes become more acidic, species decline in numbers and may disappear.
12.Ecological succession: The process in which the community of organisms changes over time as an unoccupied habitat progresses towards a stable community. How it changes disturbed ecosystems: The disturbed ecosystem will immediately begin a process of ecological succession. Plant species adapted to the sunny conditions and the broken soil will rapidly invade the site and will become quickly and densely established. 13.
Species at Risk: A species at risk is any native plant or animal that is at risk of extinction or extirpation (disappearing from a defined area). Species at Risk FactsOver 180 species at risk have been listed in Ontario with the stark majority being found in the Carolinian zone Species at risk include mammals, fish, reptiles, amphibians, birds, molluscs, mosses, vascular plants, and insects Species at risk can be listed in one of four classes: extirpated, endangered, threatened, or special concern - Extirpated: a native species that no longer exists in the wild in Ontario, but still exists elsewhere - Endangered: a native species facing extinction or extirpation - Threatened: a native species at risk of becoming endangered in Ontario - SpecialConcern: a native species that is sensitive to human activities or natural events which may cause it to become endangered or threatened 14. Trophic Levels: 15. Pesticides lead to bioamplification: All individuals are a part of a food chain. So toxins stored in the fats and oils of organisms at one trophic level are passed on to the organisms at the next trophic level.
The higher up the food chain, the more concentrated the pesticides become.This is called Bioamplification. 16. A few ways to make our ecosystem greener is by: Living closer together we can save resources, energy and space. Large apartment buildings occupy less space. They use fewer raw materials and less energy per person than single-family homes.
Transportation is more energy efficient when they have access to large public transportation systems.
