8/8/2019 Notes - Unit 1-3

1/20

OUR PLANETOUR PLANET

Unit 1Unit 1--3a3aEnergy in the EcosystemEnergy in the Ecosystem

I Give Up. Whats black & white and read all over?

8/8/2019 Notes - Unit 1-3

2/20

H ow Do Ecosystems Work?

The Sun - The source of all energy on Earth *Without the sun, our planet would be cold and dark

without anything to eat and fresh water would be scarce!

Producers (Autotroph) Make their own food;Photosynthesis change solar energy into chemical energy

Without producers there wouldnt be any food for theConsumers (H eterotrophs) Obtain energy from otherorganisms; Ex: Animals, Fungi and many bacteria

Which are these?

Consumer Producers ???

8/8/2019 Notes - Unit 1-3

3/20

Types of Consumers

There are four different types of consumers

Why is a vegetarian still considered an omnivore?

Types ofConsumers Energy Source Examples

H erbivore producers cow, turtle

Carnivore otherconsumers snake, vulture

Omnivoreproducers &consumers people, bears

Decomposer decayingmatterfungi &

bacteria

8/8/2019 Notes - Unit 1-3

4/20

*Deep Ocean Ecosystems

Without the sun, life on earth could still exist due toChemotrophs Bacteria that get energy from hydrogensulfide which is released from deep ocean volcanic vents

These bacteria supportentire ecosystems thathave never seen the sun andsurvive tremendous pressure! This is the basis for the ideathat life could exist on Titan,one of Saturns moons, thatis almost 1 billion miles from the sun.A volcanic core appears to keep its ocean from freezing.

8/8/2019 Notes - Unit 1-3

5/20

Storing & Using Energy

What does a plant need to survive?Photosynthesis uses Water, Carbon Dioxide and Sunlightto create Sugar (energy stored as glucose) & Oxygen (waste)

H 2 O + CO 2 + Energy

C6 H 12 O6 + O 2 While plants use photosynthesis to create stored energy,plants & animals have another process to use the energy

Cellular Respiration Plants and animals use Sugar and

Oxygen to get energy, releasing water & carbon dioxideC6 H 12 O6 + O 2 H 2 O + CO 2 + Energy

What do you notice about these equations?

8/8/2019 Notes - Unit 1-3

6/20

Close Your Notebooks

What have you learned in this unit?1. Describe how energy from thesun can be used by a wolf.

2. Describe the four differenttypes of consumers.3. H ow is matter from producersrecycled in the environment?

4. H ow could life exist on one ofSaturns moons?5. Explain the similarities anddifferences between photosynthesisand cellular respiration.

8/8/2019 Notes - Unit 1-3

7/20

OUR PLANETOUR PLANET

Unit 1Unit 1--3b3bEnergy TransferEnergy Transfer

8/8/2019 Notes - Unit 1-3

8/20

H ow Energy Flows

Trophic Level Each step in which energy and matter aretransferred within an ecosystem; Ex: Energy pyramid

Most of the energy taken in byan organism at one trophic levelis used before that energy canbe passed to the next level.

Organisms use their energyto complete lifes processes.

Which level has the highestpopulation? Which hasthe lowest population?

8/8/2019 Notes - Unit 1-3

9/20

H ow Energy Flows

The 10% Law Only 10% of the energy at each trophiclevel is passed on to the next and 90% is used or lost.

Carnivores are found at the top.And the remaining ~50 Kcalare passed on to the lion.Next are the herbivores.And only ~500 Kcal arepassed on to the giraffes.

At the base of everypyramid are producers.They make ~5,000 Kcal

of energy/m2

each year.

8/8/2019 Notes - Unit 1-3

10/20

A Closer Look At Trophic Levels

Food Chain A specific diagram that shows how energyflows from one organism to another

Why are the bald eagleseggs breaking?Thin eggs were being crushed bythe mom before they could hatch.

A look at the food chain showedthat DDT, a powerful pesticide,became more concentrated as itmoved up each trophic level.

In part, due to the damage caused by DDT, bald eagleswere on the endangered species list from 1973-2007.

8/8/2019 Notes - Unit 1-3

11/20

Seeing The Big Picture

Food Webs Shows multiple, interconnected food chains;Show more accurately how organismssurvive in an ecosystemEach year, 1-3 million people arekilled by a deadly disease known asMalaria! It is transmitted, personto person, by the mosquito.Wouldnt it be great if we couldkill all the mosquitoes in the world?How many other creatures wouldbe affected if mosquitoes vanished?

And who would fill its niche?

8/8/2019 Notes - Unit 1-3

12/20

Where Did All Of These Come From?

Invasive Species A foreign plant/animal that negativelyaffects an ecosystem; Species grow with few predators

Zebra Mussel Introduced by ballast water fromRussia, theyve caused $500 million in damage to pipelineseach year & as filter-feeders, they poison native species

Asian Long-H orned Beetle Arrived in wood from China,they burrow holes into the

center of Maple, Willow,Birch and Elm trees ultimatelykilling them; If you see themin New Jersey call

1-866-Beetle1

8/8/2019 Notes - Unit 1-3

13/20

Close Your Notebooks

What have you learned in this unit?1. What is a trophic level?2. Why does an energy pyramidtypically only have 4-5 levels?3. Which types of organisms arefound at each level of an energypyramid?

4. Give an example of when studyinga food chain would be important.5. Give an example of when studyinga food web would be important.

8/8/2019 Notes - Unit 1-3

14/20

OUR PLANETOUR PLANET

Unit 1Unit 1--3c3cSpecies InteractionsSpecies Interactions

8/8/2019 Notes - Unit 1-3

15/20

Whats A Niche?

Niche A species role in the environment including(Lets use squirrels for example)

Its habitat(Squirrels are common in forestsand build nests in trees)

Everything it needs to survive(It eats nuts, bird eggs and

other small organisms)Every interaction it has with other species

(It disperses nuts, limits other populations, its wastefertilizes the soil, & it is food for many predators)

8/8/2019 Notes - Unit 1-3

16/20

Overlapping Niches

Because squirrels are not the only species to live intrees, eat nuts, or hoard for the winter so this creates

Competition When species, or individuals, attempt touse the same limited resourceSometimes species dont even recognize their competition!

Indirect Competition Occurs even when the species maynever come into direct contact

Ex: An aphid during the day,may feed on the same plant

that is eaten at night by aspider mite.

8/8/2019 Notes - Unit 1-3

17/20

H ow Species Interact

There are four types of species interactionsPredator-Prey When one organism uses another as asource of food; Ex: Wolves and rabbits

Parasite- H ost A parasite lives on or in a host withoutkilling it immediately; Ex: Dog with ticks & heartworms

Why doesnt the parasite want to quickly kill the host?

8/8/2019 Notes - Unit 1-3

18/20

H ow Species Interact

Mutualism A relationship between two species in whichboth benefit; Ex: Acacia trees & ants

What are the benefits for the tree and the ants?

Commensalism One organism benefits but the other isnthelped or harmed; Ex: An orchid and trees

H ow does the orchid benefit by climbing the tree?

8/8/2019 Notes - Unit 1-3

19/20

Who Is Who?

Mimicry When two species have a similarity (in sound,scent, behavior, or appearance) that offers protection

Milk Snake H armless but shares the same colors asthe deadly coral snake; Red on black-Friend of Jack butRed on Yellow-Kill a Fellow Can you tell which is which?

Dead Leaf Mantis What do you thinkthis praying mantis

is trying to mimic?Can you see her?

8/8/2019 Notes - Unit 1-3

20/20

Close Your Notebooks

What have you learned in this unit?1. H ow big is your niche?2. What causes competition andwho benefits from it?3. Compare & contrast parasite-host with predator-prey.4. Describe the mutualisticrelationship between a termiteand the bacteria in its stomach.5. Why are there so fewexamples of relationships thatare purely commensalism?