Biodiversity
What is biodiversity?
The variety and variability of living things in an ecosystem.
What are the 2 types of succession?
Primary and secondary.
What is the greatest force of change on the planet?
Humans
List the 4 spheres we discussed
bio, geo, atmo, hydro
What is an invasive species?
A species not native to an area.
Why has biodiversity been beneficial for agriculture and medicine?
Gives us useful things.
Describe the differences between the two types of succession.
Primary starts with nothing alive. Secondary starts when the original ecosystem was disrupted.
What problem(s) might arise due to ocean acidification?
Death of shell-building organisms. Disruption of ecosystems.
Why are biogeochemical cycles considered cycles?
The material repeatedly moves through the processes in a cycle.
Describe the relationship between populations of predators and populations of prey.
Interdependent on each other.
What does high biodiversity do for an ecosystem?
Make it more stable.
A volcano erupts triggering this type of succession in the surrounding ecosystem.
Primary.
Describe how greenhouse gases contribute to climate change.
They trap heat in the atmosphere that would otherwise have radiated off into space.
What is a biological process that cycles carbon?
Photosynthesis, cell respiration
Describe an example of an invasive species and how it harms the environment it is in.
Ex. goldfish, eats all the food from native species.
What are 2 things a healthy ecosystem provides for us? (Ecosystem services)
Purify h2o, Food, Regulate pests, nutrient cycling, Store carbon, Buffer effects of weather
First ones to move into a baren area, ex. Lichens
How does ocean acidification occur?
CO2 dissolves in the ocean forming carbonic acid which makes the ocean more acidic.
Describe a specific result of excessive fertilizer usage and how that impacts the biosphere.
Causes algae blooms that kill fish.
Aspirin was derived from this.
Willow tree bark.
Describe why invasive species are a threat to biodiversity.
They can outcompete native species.
Explain what is wrong with the following statement: After a small fire, an ecosystem that was damaged regrows to be just like it was before the fire.
It is unlikely that the ecosystem will be exactly the same as before the fire.
Describe how humans actions have impacted the atmosphere and at least one other sphere due to our influencing of the carbon cycle.
Ex. Remove sequestered carbon from the geosphere, burn it, put it in the atmosphere increasing atmospheric carbon.
Describe how something in one cycle can impact other cycles.
Ex. Human farming clears a forest decreasing diversity in the biosphere and decreasing the amount of carbon stored there. That carbon is released into the atmosphere and the loss of tree roots increases erosion in the geosphere.