ecosystems

Question 1

in what order (smallest to greatest) are the ecological levels?

Answer 1

species, population, community, ecosystem, biome, biosphere.

Question 2

what is a population?

Answer 2

A population is a group of organisms of the same species living in the same area at the
same time.

Question 3

what is a community?

Answer 3

A community is composed of all of the populations that live and interact with each other in a particular area.

Question 4

what is a ecosystem?

Answer 4

An ecosystem is a community
of organisms interacting with
each other and with non-living
factors in their environment.

Question 5

what are the two types of ecosystems?

Answer 5

Ecosystems may be terrestrial (located on land) or aquatic (located in water).
Aquatic contains fresh water/salt water/estuaries.

Question 6

what is an abiotic factor and examples?

Answer 6

Abiotic factors refer to non-living things such as water, oxygen, light, temperature,
nutrients, soil, and salinity (the amount of salt).

Question 7

what is a biotic factor and examples?

Answer 7

Biotic factors in an ecosystem include plants, animals, and micro-organisms.

Question 8

what are the trophic levels of an ecosystem?

Answer 8

A trophic pyramid is a model that shows the transfer of energy from one level of
organism to the next within a food chain.

Question 9

what is photosynthesis?

Answer 9

Photosynthesis is a process in the cells of plants, algae, and some bacteria that
converts light energy from the Sun into chemical energy.
(takes in carbon from atmosphere and releases oxygen)

Question 10

what is the equation for photosynthesis?

Answer 10

carbon+energy+water = glucose (sugar)+ oxygen

6CO₂ + 6H₂O → C₆H₁₂O₆ + 6O₂

Question 11

what is cellular respiration and the equation?

Answer 11

Cellular respiration is a process in the cells of organisms that converts the energy stored in chemical compounds into usable energy.
(It’s essentially the opposite of photosynthesis, consuming oxygen and releasing carbon dioxide. )

oxygen + carbohydrate → carbon dioxide + water + energy

Question 12

what is a producer/consumer?

Answer 12

• A producer is any organism that gets the
  energy it needs by making its own food.
• A consumer is any organism that gets the
  energy it needs by eating producers or other
  consumers.

Question 13

what is a decomposer and example?

Answer 13

A decomposer is an organism that obtains energy by consuming dead plant and animal matter.
ex. bacteria, fungi

Question 14

what is a nutrient?

Answer 14

A nutrient is any substance that an organism needs to sustain its life.

All producers and consumers use nutrients to grow and to carry out their life functions. When organisms die, decomposers return the nutrients to the environment.

The pattern of continual use and re-use of the nutrients that living things need is called a nutrient cycle.

Question 15

food chains- how much energy is lost at each trophic level and why?

Answer 15

At each trophic level, approximately 90% of the energy is lost, with only about 10% being transferred to the next level. This energy is lost primarily as heat.

Question 16

what is the carbon cycle?

Answer 16

The carbon cycle describes the continuous movement of carbon atoms between the atmosphere, land, oceans, and living organisms on Earth. It’s a fundamental process for life and plays a crucial role in regulating Earth’s climate.

Question 17

what is the nitrogen cycle?

Answer 17

The nitrogen cycle is a natural process where nitrogen, a key element for life, is converted into different forms as it moves through the atmosphere, soil, water, and living organisms. This cycle is essential for life because it ensures that plants and animals can access the nitrogen they need to grow and develop

Question 18

what is the water cycle?

Answer 18

The water cycle, also known as the hydrologic cycle, is the continuous movement of water on, above, and below the Earth’s surface. It involves processes like evaporation, condensation, precipitation, runoff, and infiltration, all driven by solar energy and gravity. This cycle ensures the constant recycling of water, crucial for life and the Earth’s climate.

Question 19

what makes a sustainable ecosystem?

Answer 19

• Resilience and adaptation
• Biodiversity and interconnectedness (many different species, a wide variety of life, complex relationships betweeen species)
• self regulation

Question 20

what is an unsustainable ecosystem?

Answer 20

An unsustainable ecosystem is one where human activities and consumption rates exceed the capacity of the environment to replenish resources and recover, leading to long-term harm and a decline in its health and ability to support life. This often manifests as a reduction in biodiversity, productivity, and overall resilience.

Question 21

what is climate?

Answer 21

Climate is the average weather in an area over 50 years. It includes temperature and precipitation (range, average, timing). Latitude (distance from the equator), altitude (distance above sea level), distance from the ocean, and location of mountain ranges control the climate of a location and therefore where we will find biomes. Temperature and moisture are the two climatic factors that most affect the distribution of terrestrial biomes.

Question 22

What biome in North America has the highest biodiversity?

Answer 22

tropical rainforest

Question 23

What biome in North America has the lowest biodiversity?

Answer 23

tundra

Question 24

What is the general trend of biodiversity in biomes as the latitude moves from the artic region towards the
equator?

Answer 24

biodiversity (number of species) increases as you get closer to the equator.

Question 25

what does the population size depend on?

Answer 25

Population abundance is equal to the number of births plus immigration minus the number of deaths and emigration. The abundance of a population increases when the number of births plus immigrations is greater than the number of deaths plus emigrations (gains>loss).

Question 26

what is exponential growth?

Answer 26

In ecology, exponential growth describes a population's expansion where the rate of increase is proportional to the current population size, meaning the population grows faster and faster as it gets larger. This occurs under ideal conditions with unlimited resources and no environmental limitations. Exponential growth might be observed in newly introduced species, populations recovering after a large disturbance, or in the short-term growth of certain organisms like bacteria.

Question 27

what is an example of a denisty dependent limiting factor?

Answer 27

A density-dependent limiting factor is any factor in the environment that depends on the number of members in a population per unit area (so the density!). These factors are usually biotic factors such as disease, parasites, predation, and competition.

Question 28

what is an example of a density independent limiting factor?

Answer 28

A density-independent limiting factor does not depend on the number of members in a population per unit area (so independent of density). These factors are usually abiotic and include natural phenomena, such as extreme storms, droughts, floods, fires, cold snaps, and heat waves, and human impacts, such as pollution of air, land, and water.

Question 29

what is carrying capacity?

Answer 29

The point when loss (death and emigration) equals gain (birth and immigration) there is no population growth, this is called the carrying capacity. Carrying Capacity is the size of a population that can be supported indefinitely by the resources of a given ecosystem. Beyond this carrying capacity, no additional individuals can be supported, at least not for long. If limiting factors change then the carrying capacity will also change. For example, if more food, nutrients, light or space were available then more individuals could be supported and the carrying capacity would increase.

Question 30

what is predatation?

Answer 30

one species (predator) eats the other (prey)

Question 31

what is competition?

Answer 31

2 or more organisms compete for the same resources in the same location at the same time

Question 32

what is ecological niche?

Answer 32

An ecological niche refers to the specific role and position a species occupies within its ecosystem. It encompasses how the species interacts with its environment, including its habitat, resources, and relationships with other organisms. Essentially, it's the "way of life" of a species within a community. Species with the same ‘role’ or ecological niche will result in competition.

Question 33

what is human niche?

Answer 33

The human niche refers to the role that humans play within their environment, encompassing both physical and social aspects. It's not just about where humans live (their habitat), but also their interactions with the natural world, other species, and each other, including the ways humans create and modify their environment.

Question 34

what is ecological footprint vs carbon footprint?

Answer 34

ecological footprint is the impact of a person or community on the environment, expressed as the amount of land required to sustain their use of natural resources. carbon footprint is a measure of greenhouse gas emissions (carbon dioxide and methane). Carbon footprint calculations can be included in the ecological footprint. Both are used to measure the impact that humans have on the environment.

Question 35

what are the categories of consumption

Answer 35

food, shelter, mobility, goods, services

Question 36

how can we improve our ecological footprint?

Answer 36

reduce and compost food waste, grow our own food, eat lesss meat/dairy products, use efficent lighting, carpool/walk/bike, reuse clothing, etc.

Question 37

what is the greenhouse effect?

Answer 37

Greenhouse gases (CO2, H2O, CH4, N2O) prevent heat from leaving the atmosphere, thus increasing the temperature. This warming of the earth by greenhouse gases is called the greenhouse effect. This is natural and a needed process because without the greenhouse effect the earth would be frozen. Human activities that we mentioned above increase the greenhouse gases in our atmosphere and cause human enhanced greenhouse effect.

Question 38

what is a carbon sink and examples?

Answer 38

Carbon sinks are natural or artificial reservoirs that absorb and store more carbon from the atmosphere than they release. They play a crucial role in the carbon cycle, helping to regulate atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) levels. Examples include forests, oceans, and soil, as well as artificial systems like carbon capture and storage.

Question 39

what us equilibrium?

Answer 39

The carbon cycle is constantly changing, carbon is going in and out of the various sinks by various fluxes (the processes that move carbon between the sinks) . If the input and output balance each other we call this equilibrium.

Question 40

what are carbon fluxes?

Answer 40

the processes that move carbon between the sinks. Ex. photosynthesis, plant respiration, litterfall, soil respiration, volcanoes, ocean—atmosphere exchange, fossil fuel combustion, land cover change, and geological processes.

Question 41

what is an effect GHG (and climate change) has made to boreal forests?

Answer 41

boreal forests will be one of the Earths most affected areas by climate change. Dry, warm weather will make the forest fire season longer.

Question 42

what is an effect climate change will have on oceans?

Answer 42

Heat content and acidity. Water has a high specific heat capacity so it can absorb a lot of heat and only change it’s temperature slightly. The ocean is pulling and storing a huge amount of heat and the heat content is showing huge increase. This provides a buffer so our air is not retaining all that extra heat from the sun but our ocean will hold on to this extra retained heat and release that heat long after we decrease our CO2 production. Increasing atmospheric CO2 leads to an increase in CO2 in seawater. This leads to ocean acidification, threatening the survival of shell-building marine species and the entire food web of which they are a part.

Question 43

what is ocean acidification?

Answer 43

The ocean absorbs a significant portion of the CO2 released into the atmosphere, primarily from human activities like burning fossil fuels. When CO2 dissolves in seawater, it reacts with water molecules to form carbonic acid.

Question 44

what will happen to marine life due to ocean acidification?

Answer 44

Ocean acidification can harm marine life, particularly shellfish and corals, as the lower pH makes it difficult for them to build and maintain their shells or skeletons. It can also disrupt marine ecosystems and impact fisheries.

Question 45

what is eutrophication?

Answer 45

Eutrophication is the process of increased growth in microorganisms that results in oxygen depletion. The over enrichment of nutrients is normally due to runoff from the land, the excessive growth (or bloom) of algae and plankton in a water body are indicators of this process. This causes a dense growth of plant life and death of animal life from lack of oxygen.

Question 46

what is an algae bloom?

Answer 46

Algae are the main producers in aquatic ecosystems. Their population growth is usually limited by nutrient concentrations. When excess nutrients enter the aquatic ecosystem it no longer limits growth and the algae grows exponentially. We call this an algal bloom. The whole surface of the water can be covered by a thick green layer of algae and upset the natural balance of the whole ecosystem. We call this eutrophication.

Question 47

what are some ways to improve eutrophication?

Answer 47

Implementing sustainable farming practices, improving wastewater treatment, and enacting policies to encourage responsible nutrient management. (reducing the ways that nutrients, specifically phosphorus, can enter our aquatic ecosystems)

Question 48

what is biomagnification?

Answer 48

The amount of a chemical stored in organisms’ tissue is magnified at each level in a food chain.

Question 49

what is bioaccumulation?

Answer 49

A chemical is stored in the body of an organism faster than it can be “flushed” out, and increases in concentration (builds up) over time

Question 50

why are animals at the top of the food chain at a greater risk of poisoning than those at the bottom?

Answer 50

They are consuming prey that have high concentrations of the poisons in their tissues from organisms at lower trophic levels. Biological magnification causes the amount of poison to increase rapidly in each step up the food chain.

Question 51

what did rachel carson write about in her novel Silent Spring?

Answer 51

She wrote about the effects of DDT (pesticide) to the enviroment and all living things. DDT affected birds and their ability to produce normal eggshells, the adult birds had accumulated DDT in their bodies from the fish they ate. The amount of DDT had accumulated in the bodies of organisms, moving through the food chain through biological magnification.

Question 52

What is an ecosystem service?

Answer 52

the benefits sustainable ecosystems provide to the earth and living organisms, including humans.

Question 53

what are the ecosystem services?

Answer 53

- ecological (photosynthesis, biodiversity, etc.) - economic (food, water, etc.) - cultural (recreation, well-being, etc.) - regulating (carbon storage, purifying water, etc.)

Question 54

what is ecotourism?

Answer 54

Sustainable ecosystems provide recreation and beauty to humans. Eco-tourism is a nature-based, sustainable form of tourism that now is a multibillion-dollar industry worldwide. Nova Scotians are keen to protect our province's natural beauty as we rely on eco-tourism.

Question 55

what is ecosystem connectivity?

Answer 55

The concept of linked ecosystems and the relationships between them despite being separated geographically is called ecosystem connectivity.

Question 56

what is a paradigm shift?

Answer 56

A significant change in the way humans view the world.

Question 57

what is a biome and biosphere? what are the differences?

Answer 57

A biome is a large geographic area defined by its climate, vegetation, and animal life. It's a community of organisms that have adapted to a specific set of environmental conditions (ex. tropical rainforest, tundra, etc.) The biosphere encompasses all regions on Earth where life exists, including the atmosphere, hydrosphere, and lithosphere where living organisms are found (ex. Earth)

Question 58

What is interspecific vs intraspecific?

Answer 58

Interspecific interactions happen between different species (competition, predetation) while intraspecific interactions occur within the same species (competition for resources, mating)

Question 59

what is a keystone species?

Answer 59

a species on which other species in an ecosystem largely depend, such that if it were removed the ecosystem would change drastically. ex. wolves

Question 60

what are kelp forests and otters connection to carbon sinks?

Answer 60

kelp forests are huge carbon sinks, when sea otters population decreased, the sea urchin population increased (otters main source of food is sea urchins) this led to a massive decline in kelp forests as the sea urchins were feeding on the kelp. When the otters population increased again, the sea urchins were being consumed more rapidly and in turn the kelp forests began to grow. This is helpful for our environment because the kelp absorbs carbon.

Question 61

what are trophic cascades? an example

Answer 61

powerful interactions that can control ecosystems that occur when predators limit the density of their prey or change the behavior of their prey. when wolves (keystone species) were reintroduced to Yellowstone park, the wolves changed the feeding behavior of elk and deer, which cause willow trees to regenerate, which beavers then used to build their dams, the dams even out seasonal runoff and provide habitat.

Question 62

how are the salmon connected to the forest?

Answer 62

the salmon are born in the forest and then go to the ocean where they live, and absorb large amounts of nitrogen-15 that is contained in the ocean. The salmon are then eaten by eagles, bears, etc. and there spreading the nutrients (nitrogen) to the forest. The salmon carcasses are then being fed on by maggots and then flies. As the birds are migrating they consume the flies that are now full of nitrogen from the salmon,

Question 63

what is the relationship between coffee and birds?

Answer 63

Sun coffee farms require clear cutting forests which destroy critical bird habitat. The conversion from shade-grown to sun-grown coffee has greatly contributed to the decline of Canadian bird species that overwinter in Latin America. This includes species at risk such as the Canada Warbler and Wood Thrush

Question 64

what are autotrophs, detritivores, and saphrotrophs?

Answer 64

Autotrophs are producers that make their own food, saprotrophs are decomposers that feed on dead organic matter using external digestion, and detritivores are consumers that eat dead organic matter using internal digestion.