ch2 systems
ch3 interactions
ch4 population
ch5 biomes
ch7 food
100
What could be some unintended consequences of using fertilizer?
which biochemical cycle does this effect?
algae blooms causing the depletion of oxygen in surface waters, pathogens and nitrates in drinking water, and the emission of odors and gases into the air. Nutrients from manure and fertilizers enter lakes and streams through runoff and soil erosion.
Nitrogen cycle
100
identify the 3 types of symbiotic relationships and provide and example.
parasitism. A relationship between two organisms where one benefits and the other is harmed. (ticks and humans)
commensalism. A relationship between two organisms where one benefits and the other is unharmed. (shark and ramora fish)
mutualism. A relationship between two organisms where both benefit. (honey bees and flowers)
100
Explain the two types of models used for population growth
Two types of population growth patterns may occur depending on specific environmental conditions: An exponential growth pattern (J curve) occurs in an ideal, unlimited environment. A logistic growth pattern (S curve) occurs when environmental pressures slow the rate of growth.
100
Which number would the artic tundra be?
https://jamboard.google.com/d/1b3LVtXNX1xyXs7eyxYn3z1cr6bu0KVTVkiGaM49XJUs/viewer?f=4
100
This is the development of crops (AKA high responders) that grow and yield well with increased use of fertilizer, irrigation, and pesticides
What is the Green Revolution?
200
The 6 properties of water?
Polarity - having a slight positive and negative charge on either end, water molecules are able to dissolve polar or ionic substances and carry materials to and from cell.
Only inorganic liquid occurring in nature in normal conditions at temperatures that are adequate for life.
Cohesiveness - water molecules stick together tenaciously. Water has the higher surface tension than other natural liquids and adheres to surfaces, leading to capillary action.This allows water and nutrients to move into reservoirs and through living organisms.
Crystallization - water expands and floats when it freezes because it is less dense than its liquid state. This creates and insulation for underlying layers in bodies of water- molecules in their liquid state and aquatic systems safe when temperatures are below freezing.
Vaporization - water molecules have a high heat of vaporization and use large amounts of heat to convert liquid to vapor. The evaporation allows organisms to shed excess heat (i.e. sweating).
High specific heat - large amounts of heat are absorbed before it changes temperature. Water’s slow response to temperature change aides in moderating global temperatures.
200
Why are black bears better able to adapt to human disturbances than panda bears in their habitats?
Black bears are generalists and pandas are specialist. They require specific environmental conditions for their niche.
200
What do you think are the maximum and optimum carrying capacities for humans? Is there a max number of humans or can technology increase the human carrying capacity? What other factors need to be considered?
9-10 billion but Humans have increased the world's carrying capacity through migration, agriculture, medical advances, and communication. The age structure of a population allows us to predict population growth.
200
What are the major threats to biodiversity, choose one of these threats and provide some detail on how it is a threat to biodiversity
HIPPO: H=Habitat Loss, I=Invasive Species, P=Pollution, P=Human Population, and O=Overharvesting
200
What are the benefits of eating/buying food locally?
More nutrition, lower carbon emissions, better biodiversity, higher quality soil, may taste better, higher local economy, better water quality
300
draw and label your favorite biochemical cycle
see Jamboard
300
Describe resource partitioning and give an example
Process of dividing up resources in an ecosystem so that species with similar needs (overlapping niches) use the same scarce resources at different times, in different ways, or in different places.
- Resource partitioning: when species divide a niche to avoid competition for resources.
- Interspecific competition: competition between species.
- Intraspecific competition: competition between individuals of the same species.
One common example is the distribution of lizards in the Caribbean islands. The lizards mostly eat the same types of food—insects. However, they can live in different microhabitats within the context of their larger habitat. For example, some lizards can live on the forest floor while others may live higher up in the habitat in trees. This differentiation and partitioning of resources based on their physical location allows the different species to coexist more effectively with one another.
300
What regions of the world are experiencing growth and are there regions where growth has slowed?
Middle East, Africa
Russia, Europe
300
What are some ways to protect biodiversity?
- Support local farms. ...
- Save the bees! ...
- Plant local flowers, fruits and vegetables. ...
- Take shorter showers! ...
- Respect local habitats.
- Know the source
300
Describe CAFOs + their pros and cons
These industrialized animal agriculture facilities are where livestock is (over)packed and raised in a large enclosure their entire life. The animals are fed a strict diet of corn, soy, and animal proteins. CAFOs are controversial because of the externalized costs including, but not limited to, overuse of antibiotics and runoff/damage to the environment from bacteria and chemicals. There are also ethical issues because of the genetic modifications operators are making to livestock to maximize their production. This technological and breeding innovation does have societal pros though, like efficiency, good taste, and lower prices
400
draw a four trophic level food pyramid. What is the amount of energy transferred between each level?
Describe the flow of energy in an ecosystem, how do plants capture energy and what form is this energy?
see website
The sun is the main source of energy on earth its energy is captured by primary producers (green plants, algae, bacteria). (p. 36) Green plants use photosynthesis to convert radiant energy into useful high quality chemical energy in the bonds that hold together chemical molecules. (p. 37). The second law of thermodynamics states that whenever energy is transformed, there is a loss energy through the release of heat. This occurs when energy is transferred between trophic levels as illustrated in a food web. When one animal feeds off another, there is a loss of heat (energy) in the process.
400
Provide an example of how predation leads to adaptation in prey and vice versa
Predation has a powerful selective effect on prey, and the prey develop antipredator adaptations such as warning coloration, alarm calls and other signals, camouflage, mimicry of well-defended species, and defensive spines and chemicals. ... Predation has been a major driver of evolution. A common adaptation in both predator and prey is camouflage. Several examples are shown in Figure below. Camouflage in prey helps them hide from predators. Camouflage in predators helps them sneak up on prey
400
Describe the IPAT equation
IPAT is an acronym for the equation of model that links sustainability outputs to three causal factors. The letters represent the basic form of the model, which is: Impact = Population * Affluence * Technology.
400
benefits of biodiversity?
Biodiversity supports food security and sustained livelihoods through overall genetic diversity. Genes regulate all biological processes on the planet and increase the ability of organisms to cope with environmental stressors.
Humans have an immense impact on the environment and ecosystems with high biodiversity are able to recover from disturbances more quickly. Humanity depends on ecological services from other organisms like soil formation, waste disposal, air and water purification, nutrient cycling, absorption of solar energy, and the production of food and medicine. Nature is also aesthetically pleasing and regularly used for recreational activities. (pg. 111).
400
Give four reasons why soil fauna are crucial to soil
Soil organisms (fauna) are important because they can decompose and recycle organic material into available nutrients, help soil form structure and texture, create air pockets deeper in the soil, and can provide certain antibiotics
500
which cycle is affected by the burning wood, fossil fuels (such as oil, coal, and natural gas)?
What are some effects of burning coal?
The carbon cycle... but others?
Several principal emissions result from coal combustion:
- Sulfur dioxide (SO2), which contributes to acid rain and respiratory illnesses
- Nitrogen oxides (NOx), which contribute to smog and respiratory illnesses
- Particulates, which contribute to smog, haze, and respiratory illnesses and lung disease
- Carbon dioxide (CO2), which is the primary greenhouse gas produced from burning fossil fuels (coal, oil, and natural gas)
- Mercury and other heavy metals, which have been linked to both neurological and developmental damage in humans and other animals
- Fly ash and bottom ash, which are residues created when power plants burn coal
500
Describe the speciation process
Speciation occurs when a group within a species separates from other members of its species and develops its own unique characteristics. The demands of a different environment or the characteristics of the members of the new group will differentiate the new species from their ancestors.
Genetic drift is the drifting of the frequency of an allele relative to that of the other alleles in a population over time as a result of a chance or random event.
500
What factors affect population growth?
- Economic development. Countries who are in the early stages of economic development tend to have higher rates of population growth. In agriculturally based societies, children are seen as potential income earners. From an early age, they can help with household tasks and collecting the harvest. Also, in societies without state pensions, parents often want more children to act as an insurance for their old age. It is expected children will look after parents in old age. Because child mortality rates are often higher, therefore there is a need to have more children to ensure the parents have sufficient children to look after them in old age.
- Education. In developed countries, education is usually compulsory until the age of 16. As education becomes compulsory, children are no longer economic assets – but economic costs. In the US, it is estimated a child can cost approx $230,000 by the time they leave college. Therefore, the cost of bringing up children provides an incentive to reduce family size.
- Quality of children. Gary Becker produced a paper in 1973 with H.Gregg Lewis which stated that parents choose the number of children based on a marginal cost and marginal benefit analysis. In developed countries with high rates of return from education, parents have an incentive to have a lower number of children and spend more on their education – to give their children not just standard education but a relatively better education than others. To be able to give children the best start in life, it necessitates smaller families. Becker noted rising real GDP per capita was generally consistent with smaller families.
- Welfare payments/State pensions. A generous state pension scheme means couples don’t need to have children to provide an effective retirement support when they are old. Family sizes in developing countries are higher because children are viewed as ‘insurance’ to look after them in old age. In modern societies, this is not necessary and birth rates fall as a result.
- Social and cultural factors. India and China (before one family policy) had strong social attachments to having large families. In the developed world, smaller families are the norm.
- Availability of family planning. Increased availability of contraception can enable women to limit family size closer to the desired level. In the developing world, the availability of contraception is more limited, and this can lead to unplanned pregnancies and more rapid population growth. In Africa in 2015, it was estimated that only 33% of women had access to contraception. Increasing rates would play a role in limiting population growth. (link)
- Female labour market participation. In developing economies, female education and social mobility are often lower. In societies where women gain a better education, there is a greater desire to put work over starting a family. In the developed world, women have often chosen to get married later and delay having children (or not at all) because they prefer to work and concentrate on their career.
- Death rates – Level of medical provision. Often death rates are reduced before a slowdown in birth rates, causing a boom in the population size at a certain point in a country’s economic development. In the nineteenth and early twentieth century, there was a rapid improvement in medical treatments which helped to deal with many fatal diseases. Death rates fell and life expectancy increased.
- Immigration levels. Some countries biggest drivers of population growth come from net migration. In the UK from 2000 to 2013, around 50% of net population growth came from net international migration. Countries like Japan with very strict immigration laws have seen a stagnation in the population.
- Historical factors/war. In the post-war period, western countries saw a ‘boom’ in population, as couples reunited at the end of the Second World War began having families. The ‘baby-boomer’ period indicates population growth can be influenced by historical events and a combination of factors which caused a delay in having children until the war ended.
500
Choose your favorite terrestrial and/or aquatic biome and describe the environmental conditions that controls its distribution
Elevation, oxygen, sunlight, temperature
Nine major types of terrestrial biomes:
Tropical moist forests (100)- characterized by ample rainfall and uniform temperatures. As the soil is poor in nutrients, 90% of nutrients are in the bodies of living organisms so the growth of the ecosystem depends on the rate of decomposition and recycling dead organisms. They are very vulnerable to deforestation. Specific types are:
Cloud forests in mountainous areas where heavy fog keeps things moist.
Rainforests are abundant with rainfall and are warm to hot year round.
Tropical seasonal forests (101)- characterized by having a distinct wet and dry season with consistently hot temperatures. Trees in dry forest are drought-deciduous and tend to lead into open woodlands and grassy savannas dotted with scattered, drought resistant trees. They have nutrient rich soil and are vulnerable to deforestation.
Tropical savannas and grasslands (101)- savannas are grasslands with sparse tree coverings that are dry most of the year. Plants have adaptations for the little rainfall, like deep roots for groundwater. They are vulnerable to fires and migratory grazers that lead to ersoion.
Deserts (101)- characterized by sporadic and low precipitation with extremely hot and cold temperatures Many organisms have developed adaptations for the harsh conditions. Deserts are vulnerable to overgrazing, slow plant growth damage, and slow solid recovery.
Temperate grasslands (102)- characterized by having enough rain for the growth of abundant grass and plants but not enough for forests. They can have extremely hot and cold temperatures and nutrient rich soil from winter accumulation of dead leaves decomposing.
Temperate shrubland (103)- AKA Mediterrainian because the hot season coincides with the dry season while there are cool, moist winters. There is increased plant growth after fires (CHAPARRAL) This is a relatively small biome but there is much biodiversity.
Temperate forests (103)- characterized by being temperate with a wide range of precipitation. There are two categories:
Deciduous-they lose leaves seasonally and change color in the fall. The low latitude drought-deciduous trees regrow quickly because of moist moderate climates. Extensive human impact makes this vulnerable to deforestation.
Evergreen Coniferous- (cone bearing) are where moisture is limited like cold, frozen winters and hot with seasonal droughts. Has sandy soil little moisture.
Boreal Forests (103)- AKA Taiga, a region of coniferous forest (such as pine, spruce, and fir) in the Northern Hemisphere that is located south of the tundra. Cold temperatures sloths growth as well as the short growing season. Region is vulnerable to logging.
Tundra (104)-characterized by having below freezing temperatures and very low biodiversity. Has a very short growing season and is threatened by global warming (melting).
500
What are GMOs and how do they hurt and help society?
Genetic engineering refers to the splicing of genes from one organism into the chromosomes of another to enhance the quantity and quality of food. Completely new organisms (GMO's ) have been built from borrowed genes and inserted DNA. This can be helpful, as these designer crops can produce and/or tolerate organic substances, tolerate harsh conditions, or provide strong crop yields. But genetic engineering can hurt the environment because monopolies on seed industries have formed as the GMO only produces once (sometimes). Among some health concerns, genetic engineering can also cause weeds and insects to become resistant and overall affect the biodiversity of an area.