You are on page 1of 76

Environmental Disturbances

Environmental Disturbances
What is an Environmental Disturbance? An environmental disturbance is an event with the potential to harm the environment.

Types of Disturbances
There are two main types of Environmental Disturbances: Natural and Anthropogenic
Natural- naturally occurring disturbances. Anthropogenic- disturbances caused by human action.

Can you mention different examples of Environmental Disturbances?


Natural disturbances:
hurricanes, fire, drought, flooding, changes in temperature, predation.

Anthropogenic disturbances:
deforestation, mining, over fishing, air and water pollution.

Effect of Disturbances
Short term effect- the ecosystem immediate reaction to the disturbance. Long term effect- will depend on the ecosystem response and recovery to the disturbance.

Ho

to !rotect "esources

#onservation- efficient utilization of natural resources like fossil fuels, forest and water; avoiding depletion of natural ecosystem diversity and destruction of the environment. !reservation- resources are not exploited because there are not being used.

What is better Conservation or Preservation of the Environment?


It depends. There are some species that live in sensitive ecosystems and in order to maintain those species alive its better to leave the ecosystem untouched. However, we depend on natural resources for our daily living, in this case conservation is a better option.

Succession

!rimary Succession
The The establishment establishment and and development development of of an an ecosystem ecosystem in in an an area area that that was was previously previously uninhabited uninhabited
Lichens and mosses
Grasses And small shrubs

Large shrubs and small trees

Large trees

Surtsey: A #ase Study


The island of Surtsey formed by volcanic eruption off of the coast of Iceland during the period from 1963 - 1967

Surtsey $ !ost Eruption

Surtsey Today

Secondary Succession
The recovery of a damaged ecosystem in an area where the soil was left intact

Fireweed

Sequoia seedling

#ase Study: %ello stone National !ar& 1988 Devastating forest fires burn much of Yellowstone National Park.

Photo: National Parks Service

%ello stone National !ar&


1988 Park map showing areas (1.6 million acres) burned by the series of fires.

%ello stone National !ar&

1988 fires The immediate aftermath.

Photo: National Parks Service

%ello stone National !ar&


One year after the fires Note the appearance of fireweed

Photo: National Parks Service

%ello stone National !ar&


Ten years after the fires (1998)

Photo: National Parks Service

%ello stone National !ar&


Twenty years after the fires (2008)

#ase Study - #hernobyl


In April, 1986, a nuclear power plant in the former USSR experienced a core meltdown and a catastrophic release of radioactivity into the environment.

#hernobyl
Surrounding towns and villages had to be immediately, permanently abandoned.

#hernobyl $ T enty %ears Later

Chernobyl Twenty Years Later

Pripyat town square.

#hernobyl $ T enty %ears Later

Pripyat Soccer Stadium opened in 1986.

#hernobyl $ T enty %ears Later

A local highway.

Energy in Ecosystems

Food Chains, Food Webs and Energy Pyramids

Courtesy: www.lab-initio.com

!roducers 'Autotrophs(
Photosynthetic organisms
Capture energy from sunlight, CO2 and H2O Most producers are photosynthetic

Chemosynthetic organisms
Capture energy from chemical compounds in the surroundings

#onsumers 'Heterotrophs(
Herbivores
Eat only plants and fungi

Omnivores
Eat both plants/fungi and animals

Carnivores
Eat only animals

Detrivores
Eat dead organic matter

Decomposers
Break down organic matter into simpler compounds

)iotic Energy *ovement


Producers
Autotrophs (Photosynthesizers, Chemosynthetic organisms)

Primary consumers
Herbivores and omnivores that eat producers

Secondary consumers
Carnivores and omnivores that eat herbivores

Tertiary consumers
Carnivore eats another carnivore

Decomposers and Detrivores


Consume decaying producers and consumers

+ood #hain
Energy is lost in each step up a food chain Only 10 percent of the energy from one level on the food chain is available to the next level

+ood ,ebs
Many consumers and decomposers have more than one food source Movement of energy occurs in complex webs rather than in simple chains

Arctic Marine Food Web

A Sim li!ied Food Web"

Energy !yramid
Producers Producers comprise comprise most most of of the the mass mass of of the the biotic biotic part part of of an an ecosystem ecosystem
This This is is the the ONLY ONLY place place where where energy energy (solar) (solar) enters enters the the ecosystem ecosystem

Energy pyramids show the reduction of available energy at each higher trophic level

Energy Energy is is always always lost lost in in the the form form of of heat, heat, so so energy energy transfers transfers are are no no more more than than 10% 10% efficient efficient Each Each trophic trophic level level must must be be supported supported by by a a 10/1 10/1 energy energy ratio ratio below below it it

The -./ "ule

BIODIVERSIT Y #$%&$'()S$*+

BIODIVERSITY
refers to the variety of species in a specific area increases as one oves towar! the e"#ator $%&Y'(

Why is biodiversity im ortant"


)iodiversity boosts ecosystem productivity where each specie, no matter how small, all have an important role to play. A large number of plant species means a greater number of crops Greater species diversity ensures natural sustainability for all life forms Healthy ecosystem can better withstand and recover from a variety of disasters.

#$%&$'()S$*+
supports many basic natural services for humans, such as fresh water, fertile soil and clean air helps pollinate our flowers and crops, clean up our waste and put food on the table

,oss o! #iodiversity

*hreats to #iodiversity

-abitat ,oss

-abitat &e.radation

-abitat Fra.mentation
- where habitat is divided in to or broken down into smaller habitats.

(d.e (!!ect
- e!!ect o! lacin. side by side o osin. environments on an ecosystem.

Water Pollution

,and Pollution

(/otic S ecies

(/otic S ecies

Conservation o! #iodiversity
Conservation Biology study and implementation of methods to protect biodiversity Legal Protections of species Preserving habitats Habitat corridors - an area of habitat connecting wildlife populations separated by human activities or structures.

Conservation o! #iodiversity
Working with people (park rangers and the like) Reintroduction and species preservation programs Captivity Protecting plant species

Interactions in Ecosystems

Habitat

All of the biotic and abiotic factors in the area where an organism lives

Lion habitat

Ecological Niche
All All of of the the physical, physical, chemical, chemical, and and biological biological factors factors that that a a species species needs needs to to survive, survive, stay stay healthy, healthy, and and reproduce reproduce
Food Food Abiotic Abiotic conditions conditions Behavior Behavior

#ompetition
0 Com etition is when or.anisms com ete !or the same resources. *his is a ne.ative relationshi because both or.anisms are harmin. each other 1Cam bell2. 0 $nters ecies 0 $ntras ecies

%r.anisms com etin. can be !rom within the same s ecies !or e/am le3 two male elk !i.htin. !or a !emale mate. (le hants also !i.ht each other so that the dominant ele hant will .et to breed with the !emale.

Com etition can be also !ound in two di!!erent s ecies. A li4ard and a !ro. can com ete !or a similar !ood they eat such as a small insect. *his ty e o! com etition is only !ound when two di!!erent s ecies share an ecolo.ical niche that they must com ete over.

#ompetitive E0clusion
When When two two species species are are competing competing for for the the same same resources, resources, one one species species will will be be better better suited suited to to the the niche, niche, and and the the other other species species will will be be pushed pushed into into another another niche niche or or become become extinct extinct Invasive Invasive species species may may outcompete outcompete organisms organisms that that are are native native to to a a particular particular region region

!redation
The process by which one species captures and feeds upon another
Heterotrophs can prey on autotrophs and other heterotrophs

!redator $ !rey #ycles


Prey outnumber predators Increasing numbers of prey promote increases in predator populations

Symbiosis
A A close close ecological ecological relationship relationship between between two two or or more more organisms organisms of of different different species species that that live live in in direct direct contact contact with with one one another another Mutualism Mutualism Commensalism Commensalism Parasitism Parasitism

*utualism
An An interspecies interspecies interaction interaction in in which which both both species species benefit benefit
Flowers Flowers and and pollinating pollinating insects insects Humans Humans and and intestinal intestinal E. E. coli coli Clown Clown fish fish and and anemones anemones

#ommensalism
A A relationship relationship between between two two organisms organisms in in which which one one receives receives an an ecological ecological benefit benefit from from another, another, while while the the other other neither neither benefits benefits or or is is harmed harmed Many Many ecologists ecologists believe believe that that commensalism commensalism is is rare, rare, and and that that most most such such relationships relationships are are probably probably subtle subtle mutualism mutualism or or parasitism parasitism

!arasitism
A A relationship relationship in in which which one one species species benefits benefits while while the the other other is is harmed. harmed. Many Many parasites parasites have have complex complex lifecycles lifecycles involving involving more more than than one one host host

Seen 1Alien2 3

*he Parasitic ,i!e Cycle o! the *se-*se Fly

*a eworm li!ecycle

!arasitoidism
A parasitoid is an organism that spends a significant portion of its life history attached to or within a single host organism in a relationship that is in essence parasitic; unlike a true parasite, however, it ultimately sterilizes or kills, and sometimes consumes, the host.

a cicada killer wasp is paralyzing a cicada with a sting. The wasp will then lay eggs inside the abdomen of the still living cicada. When the larva hatch, they will eat their way out of the cicada.

*-AN5 +%67

You might also like