Chapter 1 Cont. Introduction to Environ. Mgmt

Question 1

Biome

Answer 1

: A large-scale ecological community characterized by its climate, soil type, and vegetation, such as deserts, forests, grasslands, and tundra.

Question 1

Ecosystem

Answer 1

A community of living organisms (biotic factors) interacting with their non-living environment (abiotic factors).

Question 2

Population

Answer 2

A group of individuals of the same species living in a particular area.

Question 3

Community

Answer 3

All the populations of different species living and interacting in a specific area.

Question 4

Habitat

Answer 4

The specific place where an organism lives.

Question 5

Niche

Answer 5

The role and position of an organism within its habitat, including its interactions with other organisms.

Question 6

• Biotic Components:

Answer 6

Producers, Consumers (primary, secondary, and tertiary), and Decomposers. Examples: animals, plants, and fungi.

How biotic factors affect the number and diversity of organisms in an ecosystem
- competition for environmental resources
- grazing - too little leads to dominant plants outcompeting other species, too much reduces species numbers overall. Both decrease biodiversity
- predation - a reduction in predators can lead to an increase in prey. High numbers of prey can lead to overgrazing, which can reduce biodiversity
- disease
- food availability

examples of biotic interactions
- competition
- predation
- grazing

Question 7

Abiotic Components

Answer 7

Physical and chemical factors of the environment, such as temperature, humidity, water, oxygen, salinity, light, and pH.

Question 8

Photosynthesis

Answer 8

The process by which plants use carbon dioxide, water, and sunlight energy to synthesize glucose.

6CO2 + 6H2O → C6H12O6 + 6O2
carbon dioxide + water (+ light energy)
glucose + oxygen

• Chrorophyll captures light energy for photosynthesis
• availability of water and carbon dioxide and light are limiting factors in the rate of photosynthesis

Question 9

Aerobic Respiration

Answer 9

The process by which cells break down glucose molecules and release energy, carbon dioxide, and water in the presence of oxygen.

C6H12O6 + 6O2 → 6CO2 + 6H2O glucose + oxygen -> carbon dioxide + water

Question 10

Carbon cycle

Answer 10

The movement of carbon between the atmosphere, land, and oceans through processes such as photosynthesis, respiration, decomposition, fossilization, combustion, and more.

1. Photosynthesis
   plants intake carbon dioxide to produce energy and maintain growth, emitting oxygen in the process.
2. Respiration
   organisms use oxygen to convert food and water into energy, producing carbon dioxide as a result.
3. Feeding
   The carbon cycle involves the exchange of carbon between living organisms (biotic) and their atmosphere (abiotic).
   ** 4. Decomposition
   when complex, carbon compounds in dead organisms, urine and faeces are broken down into simpler carbon compounds by bacteria or fungi.
4. Fossilation
   **- if conditions are not favourable for the process of decomposition, dead organisms decay slowly or not at all. These organisms build up and, if compressed over millions of years, can form fossil fuels (coal, oil or gas.
   6. Combustion
   The burning of fossil fuels releases stored carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

Question 11

Food Chain

Answer 11

The transfer of energy and nutrients through a linear sequence of organisms, starting with producers and ending with decomposers.

Question 12

Trophic Levels

Answer 12

Feeding levels within a food chain, including producers, primary consumers, secondary consumers, tertiary consumers, and decomposers.

The first and lowest level contains the PRODUCERS, green plants. The plants or their products are consumed by the second-level organisms—the herbivores, or plant eaters PRIMARY CONSUMERS. At the third level, primary carnivores, or meat eaters, eat the herbivores SECONDARY CONSUMERS; and at the fourth level, secondary carnivores eat the primary carnivores TERTIARY CONSUMERS .

Question 13

Energy Transfer

Answer 13

Energy is transferred between trophic levels when one organism eats another and gets the energy-rich molecules from its prey’s body.

• When energy enters a trophic level, some of it is stored as biomass, as part of organisms’ bodies. Only about 10% of the energy that’s stored as biomass in one trophic level—per unit time—ends up stored as biomass in the next trophic level
• With each transfer, some energy is lost as heat.
• Inefficient energy transfer
• a significant amount of energy is dissipated as heat as organisms carry out cellular respiration and go about their daily lives.
• Some of the organic molecules an organism eats cannot be digested and leave the body as feces, poop, rather than being used.
• Not all of the individual organisms in a trophic level will get eaten by organisms in the next level up. Some instead die without being eaten.

Question 14

Ecological Pyramids

Answer 14

Diagrams representing the relative number, biomass, or energy at each trophic level in an ecosystem.

Question 15

Carbon Stores

Answer 15

Photosynthesis on land and in the oceans helps regulate carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere by storing carbon in biomass and other forms.

Question 16

• Invasive Species:
• Native Species:

Answer 16

• Invasive Species: Non-native species that are introduced to an ecosystem and have harmful impacts on the native species and the overall biodiversity.
• Native Species: Species that naturally occur in a specific ecosystem or region.