Understanding Ecosystems

1. Understanding Ecosystems Grade 9 Science

2. Sustainable ecosystems Big Ideas: • Ecosystems are dynamic and have the ability to respond to change, within limits, while maintaining their ecological balance. • People have the responsibility to regulate their impact on the sustainability of ecosystems in order to preserve them for future generations.

3. Looking Ahead Unit Task Preview: Ontario’s Species of Concern • You will select TWO contrasting species that are of concern in Ontario. You will choose one NATIVE species that is at risk and one species that is non-native and INVASIVE. • For each species you will investigate

4. The factors that have led to their current status. • How these factors are influencing species and the health of the ecosystem they live in. • Implications related to human interests. • Actions that could change the species status.

5. Key Question: How are organisms influenced by their living and non-living environment?

6. Unit B Sustainable Ecosystems Chapter 3 Natural Ecosystems and stewardship Chapter 4 Ecosystems by Design Chapter 2 Understanding Ecosystems

7. Key Concepts Life on Earth exists in the atmosphere, lithosphere and hydrosphere Photosynthesis and cellular respiration are complimentary processes in an ecosystem Energy passes through ecosystems, whereas matter cycles within ecosystems Terrestrial biomes and aquatic ecosystems are largely determined by their abiotic characteristics. Human activities influence biogeochemical cycles such as the water and carbon cycles Ecosystems are composed of biotic and abiotic components

9. It’s All Greek to me.... • Lithos - means stone • Atmos – means vapour • Hydro - means water • Bio – means life • Sphere - means ball

10. Life on Planet Earth • Terms to Know: • Atmosphere – layer of gases surrounding the Earth. • Lithosphere – Earth’s solid outer layer • Hydrosphere – all of Earth’s water in solid, liquid or gas form • Biosphere – the zone around Earth where life can exist.

12. Lithosphere, Biosphere, Atmosphere, Hydrosphere

15. Plants (biosphere) require minerals (lithosphere), water (hydrosphere) and carbon dioxide (atmosphere) to grow. • Think of another example related to the movie red crabs crazy yellow ants.

16. The Gaia Hypothesis • In 1960 James Lovelock advanced the Gaia hypothesis. He proposed that Earth through the interactions among the biosphere, lithosphere, atmosphere and hydrosphere behaving like a living organism. He proposed that the Earth is capable of responding to changes in its environment and maintaining relatively consistent internal conditions over a long period of time – just like a living cell.

17. Scale Model of Planet Earth. 11.8mm 108.66 0.13 1.57 Wrong = 11.8mm

18. Ecosystem Composed of populations of plant and animal species, abiotic and biotic environments

22. Word Associations

23. Abiotic & Biotic Factors • Abiotic– means non living such as • Air • Temperature • Rock • Water • Minerals

27. Biotic all living organisms their remains and their waste. • Plants • Animals • Bacteria

28. Symbiosis: the interaction between members of two different species that live in close association. Fungi receive shade and nutrition from the trees, mushrooms help the trees absorb water.

29. Predation: when one organism consumes another organism for food. The organism that is consumed is called prey. The one that eats the prey is called a predator. The relationship between predator and prey can influence the population of both the predator and the prey and affect the whole ecosystem in which they live .

31. Competition occurs when two or more organisms compete for the same resource such as food, space, light.

33. Energy Flow in Ecosystems • All energy on Earth comes from the Sun • Plants use solar energy to turn carbon dioxide and water into sugar. They need the green chlorophyll in their leaves to help them do this. This process is called PHOTOSYNTHESIS. • It means making food (synthesis) from light (photo).

34. Photosynthesis vs. Respiration • Photosynthesis: Green plants • Uses light energy from the sun, Carbon Dioxide and water • Makes sugar and oxygen.

35. Respiration: All living things • Uses food (sugar) and Oxygen • Makes Carbon dioxide and water, releases energy

37. CO2 = Carbon dioxide, H2O = water, O2 = oxygen

42. 2009 Carbon dioxide concentration in the troposphere.

43. "Present day" (1990s) sea surface dissolved inorganic carbon concentration (from the GLODAPclimatology

46. Producers • Because plants can use the energy from the Sun to make food they are called Producers. • Producers form the first link in all the food chains.

47. 254.3 25..43 2.543

48. Consumers • Animals eat plants or eat animals that eat plants. They are called Consumers. • Herbivores are consumers that eat plants • Carnivores: are consumers that eat herbivores. • Omnivores: Eat both plant and animal materials • Scavengers: are consumers that eat dead remains • Parasites: are consumers that feed on living organisms.

49. Each step in the food chain is known as a TROPHIC level. Plants are called Autotrophs – they make their own food. Animals are called Heterotrophs – they consume food made by plants.