Managing Ecosystems

1. Identify that ecosystems consist of interdependent biotic and abiotic components

An ecosystem is a community of organisms and its environment. Rainforests, grasslands,

freshwater lakes and streams are all examples of ecosystems. Ecosystems have biotic (living) and
abiotic (non-living) parts. Biotic components are the organisms themselves and the relationships
between them, and abiotic components are the conditions and factors of the habitat. They are all
interdependent on each other (e.g, if one factor in the food chain increases or decreases, then it
will cause an imbalance in the entire system).

2. Investigate and record different abiotic and biotic components of an ecosystem

Abiotic Components
- Rain
- Wind
- Temperature
- Altitude
- Soil
- Pollution
- Nutrients
- Sunlight

Biotic Components
- All animals/living organisms
- Trees
- Plants
- Humans
- Bacteria (e.g, diseases caused by bacteria are biotic, diseases caused by viruses are abiotic)

3. State the law of conservation of matter. Draw diagrams to show how nitrogen, oxygen
and carbon are cycled through ecosystems

Matter cannot be created or destroyed. It can only be transformed

 Managing Ecosystems

Nitrogen Cycle
All living things need nitrogen as it makes up substances such as proteins. Special microorganisms
called nitrogen-fixing bacteria change the nitrogen in the atmosphere into a form we can use.
Some plants called legumes have nitrogen-fixing bacteria living on their roots. Lightning can also
change some of the nitrogen in the atmosphere.

Denitrifying bacteria return nitrogen to the atmosphere as nitrogen gas. Nitrogen is absorbed from
the soil by plants, and then into animals that eat the plants. When living things die, organisms
called decomposers break down the tissue of dead organisms and return the nitrogen back into the
soil again.
 Managing Ecosystems

Carbon-Oxygen Cycle
There are three major processes and one minor process in this cycle: photosynthesis, respiration,
combustion and decomposition.

Photosynthesis: green plants take in carbon dioxide and water using the chlorophyll in their leaves
and energy from the sun. They release oxygen, sugar and water vapour.

Respiration: Animals take in simple sugars and oxygen and release carbon dioxide, water and
energy

Combustion: This is the process of burning. When combustion occurs, CO2 is released into the
atmosphere. Natural combustion includes things such as volcanic eruptions.
However most problems occur because cars and factories release CO2.

Decomposition: Decomposition is when any organic matter (plants, animals) breaks down
chemically into all the simple elements that they are made of and these elements
return back to the environment.

4. State the law of conservation of energy and describe with diagrams to show how energy
flows through ecosystems via food chains and webs

Energy cannot be created or destroyed. It can only be transformed.

 Managing Ecosystems

e.g, food chain we can find at school: Grass -> Cow -> People

5. Describe with examples how the individuals within a species interact with each other
through collaboration, mating and competition

Collaboration
Win-win = collaboration. Collaboration occurs when organisms cooperate with each other in a way
that ensures their survival. This usually occurs in species that exist in large populations. For
example, wolves hunt in packs.

Mating
Mating between same-species partners produces viable offspring, thus ensuring the survival of the
species. All sexually reproducing species must come together at some stage in their life cycle. For
example, lions reproduce with each other.

Competition
Competition occurs when organisms use the same limited resources. Organisms will compete for
all possible resources if there is not enough for everyone. For example, seedlings from the same
plant species compete with each other for light and space as they grow.

6. Describe with examples how the individuals between species interact in an ecosystem
such as commensalism, mutualism, parasitism, predator-prey and inhibition

Commensalism
Commensalism is a relationship in which one organism benefits and the other organism is not
affected.

e.g. Cattle and water buffalo will flush insects out of the grass as they wander through. Birds such
as cattle egrets, feast on the insects and therefore benefit. However, the cattle are unaffected by
this relationship
 Managing Ecosystems

Mutualism
Mutualism is a relationship between two organisms in which both benefit.

e.g. Anemone fish hide from predators within the tentacles of the sea anemone. The sea anemone
is cleaned of algae and parasites by the fish.

Parasitism
Parasitism is a relationship in which one organism (the parasite) lives in or on the body of another
(the host). An effective parasite benefits and the host is harmed to varying degrees.

e.g. Ticks attach to the skin of dogs and slowly drink their blood. Bacteria from the digestive system
of the tick can infect the animals.

Predator-prey
Predator-prey is a relationship in which the predator organism eats the prey organism.

e.g. Eagles eating fish.

Inhibition
Inhibition is a type of competition that occurs when one organism produces a chemical that
directly inhibits or hinders the growth and development of another. This is commonly seen in plants
and microorganisms.

e.g. A black periwinkle competes for food with the limpet on a rock platform. Both feed on algae
growing on the rocks. The periwinkle moves faster but feeds less efficiently than the limpet,
so both can survive as the periwinkles usually leave behind some algae for the limpets.
However, when the periwinkles are removed, the limpet population increases.

7. Investigate how population size is a habitat by different ways such as quadrats, line
transect and capture-recapture

Quadrats
Quadrats are most commonly used for population estimates. Theyre basically frames (e.g, 1m
by 1m) which are placed randomly or sequentially marked out in a designated area within
the ecosystem. Each individual is counted in each plot and its species is noted. Using this
information, as well as the area of the ecosystem, we can approximate the number of organisms a
species.

Quadrats work best if a large number of quadrats are used and the organisms are small and
relatively evenly spread.

Line Transect
 Managing Ecosystems
A straight line, often a measuring tape, is placed through an ecosystem. Any organism that
touches the line (including directly under or over it) is counted and its species noted. This
may be done along the whole length of a short transect or at regular intervals (e.g. every metre)
along a long transect. A number of parallel transects can be used to calculate an average of each
species at each distance along the line.

Capture-Recapture
Capture-recapture is suitable for small, mobile animals. They are captured, tagged/marked in some
way, then released. Then they are recaptured a few days (or nights) later. The number of animals
captured the first time is N1. The number of animals captured the second time is N2. The number
of animals captured the second time that were already marked/tagged is M2. An estimate of the
population is then obtained using the formula: (N1 x N2)/M2

8. Describe how natural factors and human intervention affect the population size in
ecosystems

Natural Factors include:

Limiting Resources
Only one resource needs to be limited to affect a population (e.g. nesting sites).

Seasonal Changes
- Birds and animals migrate to warmer areas when the weather gets cold
- Breeding seasons will cause an increase in population
- Plant life can decrease due to factors such as frost

Presence or Absence of Organisms of Other Species

Presence of predators/competitors or the absence of prey can affect the population size in an
ecosystem. (e.g. if there are foxes, the rabbit population might decrease - unless they are adept at
hiding).

Disease
Diseases can significantly decrease a population amount. The impact will be determined by the
cause of the disease and the species ability to fight it. Completely new diseases are likely to have
more of an effect on a population as they have yet to develop a successful immune response.

Extreme Natural Changes

Things such as bushfires, volcanic eruptions, floods, etc, can have a drastic effect on the
population size. (e.g. bushfires can produce ash containing minerals suitable for seed
germination).

Human Factors include:

Competition for Resources
Humans compete with animals for many resources (e.g. we compete with sharks for fish).
 Managing Ecosystems
Pollution
Human activity has severely polluted the environment (e.g. water pollution can kill off species living
in the water).

Enhanced Greenhouse Effect

Burning of fossil fuels is contributing large amounts of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. More
carbon dioxide means more trapped heat, causing an overall average increase in global
temperature. Regular seasonal changes are becoming less predictable. Organisms that cannot
adapt to these changes will either emigrate or die.

Introduced Species
Introduced species can greatly affect an ecosystem. Biological control is the carefully considered
and planned introduction of a native or non-native species to an area to control pests.

e.g. the cane toad was introduced to Queensland in an attempt to reduce the numbers of beetles
eating sugar cane crops. However, the toad instead preyed on other species. Now, cane toads are
outcompeting many other toad and frog species.

9. Assess how Indigenous Australians use their knowledge to conserve and manage
ecosystems

Indigenous Australians survived and managed their environments through periods of changing
climate. There is no doubt they changed aspects of the environment with the introduction of the
dingo and fire regimes, but they managed the environment sustainably and with great respect.

For example, Kakadu wetlands faced a problem after the removal of all feral Asian water buffalo in
the 1980s. The grass mudja that was previously being kept in check now was spreading and
choking wetland plants, restricting the feeding of water birds and limiting access for hunting and
food gathering. Their solution was to use traditional fire management practices.

10. Debate on Have we taken enough steps to balance human intervention and conserve
the sustainability of our ecosystem?

Steps weve taken:

- Recycling
- Reusing
- Earth hour
- Promoting alternatives to car transport
 Managing Ecosystems
- Researching, developing and promoting alternative sources of electricity
- Clean-up Australia Day
- Bush regeneration
- Installing water tanks
- Correctly disposing of liquid wastes
- Reducing wastage of water and electricity.

However, Australia still relies heavily on coal because of the decisions made by people high up.
Also, assuming we do not develop any new technology or change the way we live, if we keep going
at this rate, our planet will eventually no longer be habitable.

(This is opinion based so you cant actually get this wrong in a test)