UNIT B: Sustainable Ecosystems

Chapter 2: Understanding Ecosystems

2.1: Life on Planet Earth:

Ecology: __________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________

Habitat: __________________________________________________________________________________
● Habitats may be terrestrial (on land) or aquatic (freshwater or salt water).

The Spheres of Earth: Atmosphere, Lithosphere, Hydrosphere & Biosphere

The Atmosphere: __________________________________________________________________________;

extending 100’s of kilometers upward
● Composition: 78% nitrogen gas, 21% oxygen gas, and < 1% argon, water vapor, carbon dioxide
and other trace gases.
● Importance: Without the atmosphere, life would not survive for the following reasons -

1) Provides ______________________for respiration and __________________________ for

photosynthesis.

2) It acts like a blanket and __________________________________________________________________.

● Without the atmosphere, the average temperature would drop from the current 15 C average to -18 C
(too cold to support life).On the other hand, it lets enough heat escape into space so that we don’t get
too hot.

3) Part of the upper atmosphere called the ___________________________________________________

(from the sun) from reaching the Earth’s surface.
● UV light is linked to skin cancer, and is damaging to plant and animal tissues.

3) Part of the upper atmosphere called the ozone blocks some ultraviolet light (from the sun) from reaching
the Earth’s surface.
● UV light is linked to skin cancer, and is damaging to plant and animal tissues.

The Lithosphere: ____________________________________________________________________________

The Hydrosphere: ___________________________________________________________________________
solid, liquid, and gas form (on, above and below Earth’s surface).
● Both the hydrosphere and lithosphere provide various habitats for life on Earh

The Biosphere: __________________________________________

(includes the atmosphere, lithosphere, and hydrosphere).
• The biosphere contains the resources necessary for life
(space, water, and nutrients).
All life on Earth competes for Earth’s limited resources, and this
places a limit on the number of individuals that can survive.

Practice Questions: Read pages 29 – 31

1) explain the Gaia Hypothesis
2) complete questions 1 - 5 page
2.2 – Introducing Ecosystems

Population refers to the number of_____________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________.
● Populations can fluctuate over time

● Example - In 2017, the population in Peterborough was 84 230

Community - _______________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________
- These interacting populations can influence each other
Example - A forest of trees, undergrowth plants, and the animals and fungi that inhabit it make
up a community

Ecosystem - _______________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________
An ecosystem is made up of living (biotic) and non-living (abiotic) components:

Biotic Factors - _____________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________
example: animals, plants, bird nest, milk, etc

Abiotic Factors - ___________________________________________________________________________

such as temperature, wind, water, minerals

Describing Ecosystems
Ecosystems vary in size, abiotic, and biotic features.
● Large Ecosystems include a forest or lake
● Small ecosystems may include the community of bacteria and fungi living in a rotting log

Therefore, ________________________________________________________________________________.
Ecosystems are characterized by a distinctive set of abiotic and biotic features: Examples SEE TABLE 1 page 34

Sustainability of Ecosystems

Sustainable ecosystems_____________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________
sustainability: the ability to maintain an ecological balance
 ● Most natural ecosystems are sustainable – they are able to maintain a relatively constant set of
characteristics over a long period of time.

Artificial ecosystems, ________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Many human activities are unsustainable – examples include ________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________All species,
including humans, are dramatically influenced by the biotic and abiotic features of the ecosystem that
surrounds them. Unsustainable practices can alter the environment and negatively impact the organisms that
live in it.

Read ch 2.2 page 32 - 35 and complete Practice page 35 #1-5

2.4: Energy Flow in Ecosystems

All living things require energy for life activities (e.g. movement, feeding, reproduction, growth etc.) and it
comes from their food.

● The original source of energy in food comes from the SUN.

● The sun emits radiant energy and it travels through space to earth
● THe sun’s radiant energy includes invisible forms of energy (ultraviolet and infrared energy) and visible
forms of energy (called light energy) that includes all the colours of the

Of the radiant energy that hits Earth:

_________________________________and
converted into thermal energy which keeps the
Earth warm, but cannot provide organisms with
the energy for life.

___________________________ back into

space

____________________is absorbed by living

organisms and used in photosynthesis

Photosynthesis: __________________________________________________________________________

Chemical energy is the energy stored in chemicals (molecules like sugar). This energy can be stored in cells
and then released when needed to perform life activities. As chemical energy is used it must be replaced.

Word/chemical equation for photosynthesis:

Photosynthesis occurs in Producers - ___________________________________________________________

→land producers - _______________________________________ are the main producers

→aquatic ecosystems - microscopic organisms that include _________________________________________

Consumers are organisms that

_________________________________________________________________ Virtually all of the chemical
energy contained in food was once light energy captured in the process of photosynthesis.

→ Much of the sugar produced in photosynthesis is used for energy, but some is used to build other molecules
essential for life.

Cellular Respiration: _________________________________________________________________________

Word/chemical equation for cellular respiration:

Photosynthesis/Respiration Comparison Chart:

PHOTOSYNTHESIS CELLULAR RESPIRATION

Absorbs light energy and converts it to Releases the energy stored in chemical energy
chemical energy which can be stored for life activities
Occurs in the day only Occurs day and night
Occurs in producers only Occurs in producers & consumers
• Photosynthesis and respiration are opposite chemical reactions. The reactants for one are the products for
the other. If one reaction stops so does the other.

• If photosynthesis stopped, consumers would be without food and oxygen.

• If respiration stopped, producers would run out of the carbon dioxide needed for photosynthesis.

Read ch 2.4 page 38 - 41 and copy figure 5 on page 40, answer # 1,2, 4 - 6 page 41

Ch. 2.6 - The Cycling of Matter in Ecosystems

Nutrients - Matter that is essential for _________________ and the _____________________________ of life.

These include ______________________________________________________________________________.

● Nutrients are a source of the building materials and chemical energy in living organisms. Water
provides the liquid component that makes up cells.
● Water and nutrients are composed of physical matter. You obtain matter from the food you eat, the
water you drink, and the air you breathe
● The particles of matter do not stay in your body forever. Every part of every cell in your body is
replaced over time. Scientists estimate that, on average, every particle in a human body is replaced at
least once every 7 years!
● SInce matter on Earth is limited, these important ____________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

biogeochemical cycle ________________________________________________________________________

Examples: the water, carbon and nitrogen cycles.

Human activities Change the Biogeochemical Cycles:

Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas - ___________________________________________________________

Due to human activities, the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is now higher than it has been
in at least the past 800 000 years. Activities that increase atmospheric carbon dioxide include:

1) __________________________________________ - stored carbon is released into the atmosphere.

2) _______________________________ - reduces the amount of carbon fixation into plant tissue. Also,
trees are often burned during deforestation increasing the production of carbon dioxide

Increasing greenhouse gases can lead to climate change and has the potential to alter the most critical abiotic
factors in the ecosystems: temperature and water availability.

● The increase in the average temperature of our atmosphere is _________________________________

_______________________________________________ , and disrupting ecosystems. Changing

climate can create __________________________________________________ that can further

disrupt ecosystems.

NItrogen compounds present in fossil fuels are converted into nitrogen oxides that are released into the
atmosphere when they are burned. These ______________________________________________________

_________________Acidic compounds can alter the pH of water and soil, and harm life living in these
habitats.

Humans are also disrupting the NItrogen cycle with the use of Fertilizers._________________ contain nitrogen
compounds that help crop growth, however they can collect in nearby aquatic ecosystems through
rains/spring runoff. This can create an ________________________ where algae grows out of control. The
algae then die increasing decomposers which depletes the water of oxygen, killing aquatic life.

Ch 2.5 - Food Webs - The Flow of Energy and Matter Through Ecosystems

food chain ____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

trophic level, defined by how many energy transfers separate it from the basic input of the chain.

TL 1 = ______________________

TL 2 = ______________________

TL 3 = ______________________

TL 4 = _____________________

detritivores— include earthworms, crabs, slugs etc. Feed on dead decomposing matter and break it apart
making it more available for decomposers.

decomposers, Include fungi and bacteria. These organisms that _____________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________

Energy transfer between trophic levels is inefficient

When an organism eats, energy enters the trophic level, and some of it is used for life activities (about

90%) The rest is stored as _____________________ (it becomes part of organisms' bodies - about 10%). This is
the energy that's available to the next trophic level since only energy stored as biomass can get eaten.

Therefore, at each level, ____________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________

Since the energy decreases along the food chain, they are usually limited to 3 or 4 levels.
In addition to limiting the number of trophic levels, this decrease in energy availability can also

contribute to ______________________________________________________________________________

Pyramid of energy for a forest ecosystem

Food webs ________________________________________________________________________________

Figure 5 A partial food web of the boreal forest. A

complete model of the interactions in this ecosystem
food web would show thousands of species

Food webs are useful tools to figure out what may

happen when a species is removed from or added to
an ecosystem. What would happen to the food web
show if the lynx was removed?
complex food webs are more stable than simple food webs - The large number of interactions tends to
reduce the vulnerability of any one species to the loss or decline of another species.

Read ch2.5 page 42 - 47 and complete questions

#1- 8

2.7 - Biotic and Abiotic Influences on Ecosystems.

What determines the size of a population? Ideal biotic and abiotic conditions allow a species to flourish.
However, poor conditions may lead to a species decline. The conditions that allow a population to flourish or
decline can be either biotic or abiotic factors.

Carrying capacity: ___________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________
● Populations are limited in size by limiting factors (Limiting factors keep populations in check)

Limiting Factor: ____________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________

Limiting Factors
limit population
Biotic Limiting Factors:

Abiotic Limiting Factors: ● Insufficient food

● insufficient water, light or oxygen ● lots of competitors

● Poor weather/temperature ● High number of predators

● Poor chemical environment ● Lots/strong diseases/parasites

(pollution)
● Little available habitat (space) and breeding grounds

Influence of abiotic factors on population:

Tolerance Range: ___________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________
•Near the upper and lower limits of the tolerance range, individuals experience stress. They become
less healthy and their reproductive rates decrease, causing the population to drop.

Optimal Range: ____________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________
In these conditions the species are healthiest and have the highest growth rate.

● Species with wide tolerance ranges tend to be widely distributed and are more likely to invade other
ecosystems.
● Species with narrow tolerance ranges may only be found in specific ecosystems. They are more at risk due

to habitat loss ___________________________________________________________________________

● If efforts are not made to protect ecosystems with unique abiotic conditions, some species may go extinct.

Examples of Abiotic factors and human actions in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems:
Influence of Biotic Factors:
Many key biotic factors involve interactions between individuals. Individuals are often in competition with
members of their own species and with other species. They compete for limited resources, such as food, light,
space, and mates. For example,
Competition between different species: a maple tree and a birch tree may compete for sunlight and soil
nutrients.
Competition within a species: Red squirrels compete with each other for pine cones and mates.

Table 2 – page 54 explains key types of species interactions

Relationship Definition Examples
competition Two individuals vie for
the same resource

predation One individual feeds on

another
mutualism Two individuals
benefiting each other

parasitism One individual lives on

or in and feeds on a
host organism

Commensalis One individual benefits

m and the other neither
benefits nor is harmed

Practice - Read ch 2.7 page 52 - 55 and answer the following

1) explain how lichen and barnacles/whales have a mutualistic relationship.
2) Complete questions 1 - 4, 8 page 55