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Environmental Disturbances
What is an Environmental Disturbance? An environmental disturbance is an event with the potential to harm the environment.
Types of Disturbances
There are two main types of Environmental Disturbances: Natural and Anthropogenic
Natural- naturally occurring disturbances. Anthropogenic- disturbances caused by human action.
Anthropogenic disturbances:
deforestation, mining, over fishing, air and water pollution.
Effect of Disturbances
Short term effect- the ecosystem immediate reaction to the disturbance. Long term effect- will depend on the ecosystem response and recovery to the disturbance.
Ho
to !rotect "esources
#onservation- efficient utilization of natural resources like fossil fuels, forest and water; avoiding depletion of natural ecosystem diversity and destruction of the environment. !reservation- resources are not exploited because there are not being used.
Succession
!rimary Succession
The The establishment establishment and and development development of of an an ecosystem ecosystem in in an an area area that that was was previously previously uninhabited uninhabited
Lichens and mosses
Grasses And small shrubs
Large trees
Surtsey Today
Secondary Succession
The recovery of a damaged ecosystem in an area where the soil was left intact
Fireweed
Sequoia seedling
#ase Study: %ello stone National !ar& 1988 Devastating forest fires burn much of Yellowstone National Park.
#hernobyl
Surrounding towns and villages had to be immediately, permanently abandoned.
A local highway.
Energy in Ecosystems
Courtesy: www.lab-initio.com
!roducers 'Autotrophs(
Photosynthetic organisms
Capture energy from sunlight, CO2 and H2O Most producers are photosynthetic
Chemosynthetic organisms
Capture energy from chemical compounds in the surroundings
#onsumers 'Heterotrophs(
Herbivores
Eat only plants and fungi
Omnivores
Eat both plants/fungi and animals
Carnivores
Eat only animals
Detrivores
Eat dead organic matter
Decomposers
Break down organic matter into simpler compounds
Primary consumers
Herbivores and omnivores that eat producers
Secondary consumers
Carnivores and omnivores that eat herbivores
Tertiary consumers
Carnivore eats another carnivore
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Energy is lost in each step up a food chain Only 10 percent of the energy from one level on the food chain is available to the next level
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Many consumers and decomposers have more than one food source Movement of energy occurs in complex webs rather than in simple chains
Energy !yramid
Producers Producers comprise comprise most most of of the the mass mass of of the the biotic biotic part part of of an an ecosystem ecosystem
This This is is the the ONLY ONLY place place where where energy energy (solar) (solar) enters enters the the ecosystem ecosystem
Energy pyramids show the reduction of available energy at each higher trophic level
Energy Energy is is always always lost lost in in the the form form of of heat, heat, so so energy energy transfers transfers are are no no more more than than 10% 10% efficient efficient Each Each trophic trophic level level must must be be supported supported by by a a 10/1 10/1 energy energy ratio ratio below below it it
BIODIVERSIT Y #$%&$'()S$*+
BIODIVERSITY
refers to the variety of species in a specific area increases as one oves towar! the e"#ator $%&Y'(
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supports many basic natural services for humans, such as fresh water, fertile soil and clean air helps pollinate our flowers and crops, clean up our waste and put food on the table
,oss o! #iodiversity
*hreats to #iodiversity
-abitat ,oss
-abitat &e.radation
-abitat Fra.mentation
- where habitat is divided in to or broken down into smaller habitats.
(d.e (!!ect
- e!!ect o! lacin. side by side o osin. environments on an ecosystem.
Water Pollution
,and Pollution
(/otic S ecies
(/otic S ecies
Conservation o! #iodiversity
Conservation Biology study and implementation of methods to protect biodiversity Legal Protections of species Preserving habitats Habitat corridors - an area of habitat connecting wildlife populations separated by human activities or structures.
Conservation o! #iodiversity
Working with people (park rangers and the like) Reintroduction and species preservation programs Captivity Protecting plant species
Interactions in Ecosystems
Habitat
All of the biotic and abiotic factors in the area where an organism lives
Lion habitat
Ecological Niche
All All of of the the physical, physical, chemical, chemical, and and biological biological factors factors that that a a species species needs needs to to survive, survive, stay stay healthy, healthy, and and reproduce reproduce
Food Food Abiotic Abiotic conditions conditions Behavior Behavior
#ompetition
0 Com etition is when or.anisms com ete !or the same resources. *his is a ne.ative relationshi because both or.anisms are harmin. each other 1Cam bell2. 0 $nters ecies 0 $ntras ecies
%r.anisms com etin. can be !rom within the same s ecies !or e/am le3 two male elk !i.htin. !or a !emale mate. (le hants also !i.ht each other so that the dominant ele hant will .et to breed with the !emale.
Com etition can be also !ound in two di!!erent s ecies. A li4ard and a !ro. can com ete !or a similar !ood they eat such as a small insect. *his ty e o! com etition is only !ound when two di!!erent s ecies share an ecolo.ical niche that they must com ete over.
#ompetitive E0clusion
When When two two species species are are competing competing for for the the same same resources, resources, one one species species will will be be better better suited suited to to the the niche, niche, and and the the other other species species will will be be pushed pushed into into another another niche niche or or become become extinct extinct Invasive Invasive species species may may outcompete outcompete organisms organisms that that are are native native to to a a particular particular region region
!redation
The process by which one species captures and feeds upon another
Heterotrophs can prey on autotrophs and other heterotrophs
Symbiosis
A A close close ecological ecological relationship relationship between between two two or or more more organisms organisms of of different different species species that that live live in in direct direct contact contact with with one one another another Mutualism Mutualism Commensalism Commensalism Parasitism Parasitism
*utualism
An An interspecies interspecies interaction interaction in in which which both both species species benefit benefit
Flowers Flowers and and pollinating pollinating insects insects Humans Humans and and intestinal intestinal E. E. coli coli Clown Clown fish fish and and anemones anemones
#ommensalism
A A relationship relationship between between two two organisms organisms in in which which one one receives receives an an ecological ecological benefit benefit from from another, another, while while the the other other neither neither benefits benefits or or is is harmed harmed Many Many ecologists ecologists believe believe that that commensalism commensalism is is rare, rare, and and that that most most such such relationships relationships are are probably probably subtle subtle mutualism mutualism or or parasitism parasitism
!arasitism
A A relationship relationship in in which which one one species species benefits benefits while while the the other other is is harmed. harmed. Many Many parasites parasites have have complex complex lifecycles lifecycles involving involving more more than than one one host host
Seen 1Alien2 3
*a eworm li!ecycle
!arasitoidism
A parasitoid is an organism that spends a significant portion of its life history attached to or within a single host organism in a relationship that is in essence parasitic; unlike a true parasite, however, it ultimately sterilizes or kills, and sometimes consumes, the host.
a cicada killer wasp is paralyzing a cicada with a sting. The wasp will then lay eggs inside the abdomen of the still living cicada. When the larva hatch, they will eat their way out of the cicada.
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