SCIENCE 20

Ecology
Chapter 1: Biosphere of Life
Chapter 2: Changing Populations

Lesson 1.0: Introduction

The Biosphere
The biosphere is the area of the earth that
supports life.
It consists of the:
atmosphere or air
hydrosphere or water
lithosphere or land.

Ecology
Ecology is the study of the biosphere.
Study of the interactions of living
organisms with one another and with their
physical environment

Main interactions
in biosphere
The sun is the primary
source of energy
Producers change solar
energy into chemical energy.
Consumers eat producers & other consumers.
Decomposers break down the waste materials into
abiotic chemicals which can be used by plants.
Waste energy is released as heat or thermal energy.
Abiotic factors are non-living structures, while biotic
factors are living structures that interact in the
biosphere. The Habitat is all the biotic and abiotic
factors present in an area that encourage the
reproduction and survival of an organism.

The Organization of
Biosphere
Biosphere: Area that supports life
ie) Earth
Ecosystems: all the organisms &
interacting abiotic factors in an area
ie) Prairie grasslands
Communities: several populations
ie) deer and humans
Populations: Group of individuals
ie) herd of deer
Organisms: a single plant or animal
ie) deer

How is the energy from

the sun captured?
Plants & algae capture energy
from the sun during photosynthesis:
6CO2(g)+6H2O(g)+solar chloroplast C6H12O6 (s)+6O2 (g)

Plants make two vital components for life:

oxygen and glucose or food.
Since plants make their own food they are
often called autotrophs or self feeders.

How is energy stored

in glucose released?
Plants and animals release energy stored in
glucose during cellular respiration:
C6H12O6 (s)+6O2 (g) mitocondria6CO2(g)+6H2O(g)+Energy

NOTE: The Cellular respiration reaction is

the photosynthesis reaction backwards.

Trivia
1. Draw and label the three parts of the earth that
make the biosphere. (1 point)
2. Illustrate and label the source of energy for the
biosphere. (1point)
3. Illustrate and label a producer, consumer and
decomposer (1 mark)
4. Illustrate and label the difference between a
biotic and abiotic factor (1 point)
5. Illustrate and label the difference between a
community and a population (1 point)
BONUS: Illustrate the difference between
photosynthesis and cellular respiration (1 point)

Answers
1.

2.
3.
4.

5.

BONUS:

Lesson 1.1: Abiotic factors

What are abiotic factors?

Abiotic factors are the non-living components
that influence and shape an ecosystem.
They are classified into three general categories:
climatic, physiographic and edaphic.
They are vital to an ecosystem because they
affect the type and number of organisms that live
there.

Five Climatic Factors:

Light: The amount of light affects the rate of
photosynthesis, which determines the amount and type of
plants in the ecosystem.
Temperature: The temperature range of an ecosystem sets
limits to the type of organism that can survive. Life on earth
exists between 60oC to + 60oC.
Moisture: Water is necessary for life & influences the
adaptations plants and animals have to survive. In low
moisture areas, plants have waxy leaves and animals have
skin to hold in the moisture.
Wind: Wind affects the composition. Windy ecosystems
will encounter soil movement & water loss due to
evaporation & transpiration.
Fire: Fire causes major changes to ecosystems and may be a
necessary. Jack pine cones will only reproduce after a fire
and fire beetles mate and lay eggs under the burned bark.

Three Physiographic Factors:

Latitude: As the latitude increases (towards north &
south poles), temperatures decrease, greater variation in
light occurs and diversity of species decreases.
Altitude: At higher altitudes (higher up the mountain),
temperature decrease, precipitation increases, wind
increases and soil conditions worsen.
Topography (physical features of the land): The
physical features of land such as mountains, hills,
flatlands and valleys can affect factors of an ecosystem
such as precipitation. The Rocky Mountains creating dry
warm Chinook winds are an example of a topographic
factor affecting an ecosystem (look below).

Two Edaphic Factors:

Edaphic factors are factors related to the texture
and chemical composition of the soil.
FACTORS: Slope, organic content, age, particle
size, ionic content and minerals present
Edaphic factors determine what type of plant
growth can be supported. 4 Typical Layers
twigs and leaves.
dead and decaying material.
clay and minerals
Bedrock & glacier deposits

Trivia
One
Climatic
Abiotic
Factor

Another
Climatic
Abiotic
Factor

One
Physiographic
abiotic
Factor

One
Edaphic
Abiotic
Factor

Any
other
Abiotic
Factor

Trivia Answers
One
Climatic
Abiotic
Factor

Another
Climatic
Abiotic
Factor

One
Physiographic
abiotic
Factor

One
Edaphic
Abiotic
Factor

Any
other
Abiotic
Factor

Light,
Fire,
Temp,
Wind,

(Any
answer
on the
left)

Altitude, Soil
(any
Latitude, Texture, answer
on the
Topograph soil
composition left)
y

Lesson 1.2: Biotic Factors

What are biotic factors?

Biotic factors are the living interactions
between organisms in an ecosystem. There
are three main biotic factors symbiosis,
predation, and competition.

What is Symbiosis?

Symbiosis describes close relationships between two or

more species and a least one benefits. There are 3 types
of symbiotic relationships

Commensalism is a relationship where one organism benefits &

the other is unaffected.

Mutualism is a relationship where both organisms benefit.

Ie) cowbirds & bison the bison stirs up insects for the cowbird.
Ie) birds nesting in trees - the birds benefit and the tree is unaffected.
Ie) Prairie dogs aerate the soil and increase rich plant growth and the
buffalo compacts the soil (better burrows) and keeps the plants short
so the prairie dogs can see predators.
Ie) Another example is the crab (provides protection) and the
stinging anemone (provides larger feeding area).

Parasitism is a relationship where one organism benefits and the

other is harmed.

Ie) Cowbirds lay their eggs in the yellow warbler nests

Ie) The tapeworm benefits by eating the nutrients in the intestine,
while the individual suffers weight loss/sickness.

What is predation and

intrusion?

Predation: relationships where the prey (organism eaten)

becomes food for the predator (organism hunting).

ie) Lynx & hare are an example of a predator-prey relationship

ie) The Venus Fly Trap is a rare example of predation by a plant.

Occasionally, an intruder is introduced to a ecosystem

where there are no predators.

ie) Zebra Mussels or the West Nile Virus.

The prey population is

larger to provide the
predator with a better
chance of survival.
The delay is due to
time for reproduction.

What is Competition?

Competition describes relationships

where organisms compete for limited
resources, territory or members of the
opposite sex.

Ie) Two mountain goats fighting for a female

Ie) two coyotes fighting for food
Ie) Grass & wildflowers (coneflower)
compete for light, water & nutrients

Trivia
Write the type of relationship presented below
(commensalism, mutalism, parasitism,
predation, competition):
competition
1. Two peacocks display their feathers to a female
2. A lion attacks a wilderbeast
3. A ant provides protection; while a aphid provides
food
4. A tick sucks blood from a dog
5. A cowbird eats bugs on a cow; the cow is not
affected
BONUS: African Killer Bees introduced into North
America have no predators.

Answers
1. Competition
2. Predation
3. Mutalism
4. Parasitism
5. Commensalism
Bonus: Intrusion

Lesson 1.3: The Web of Life

How does energy flow?

Energy levels are called trophic levels
5th trophic level decomposers (present after each level)
4th trophic level 3rd order (tertiary) consumers
3rd trophic level 2nd order (secondary) consumers

2nd trophic level 1st order (primary) consumers

1st trophic level autotrophs or producers

How does energy flow?

Energy levels are called trophic levels
1st TROPHIC LEVEL: AUTOTROPHS
can trap and change light energy to chemical
energy; all other organisms depend on them.
Also called producers
Plants and algae are autotrophs

How does energy flow?

2st TROPHIC LEVEL: 1st CONSUMERS
feeds directly on a producer
are also called primary (first order)
consumers, herbivores, or plant eaters.
A cow grazing on grass, a caterpillar browsing
on leaves and a tadpole eating algae are
examples of herbivores.

How does energy flow?

3rd & 4th TROPHIC LEVEL: 2nd & 3rd
ORDER CONSUMERS
feeds directly on other consumers
are also called secondary & tertiary
consumers, carnivores, or animal eaters.
A fox which eats a bird is an example of a
carnivore

How does energy flow?

5th or LAST TROPHIC LEVEL:
DECOMPOSERS
feeds on the waste or dead material in the
tropic level(s) below
Recycles the nutrients for producers
Bacteria & mushrooms are examples of
decomposers.

What are food chains?

Food chains are an oversimplified means of
showing how the Sun's energy is passed
from one organism to another. All food
chains begin with a producer and have the
following basic format:
Producerconsumer(herbivore)consumer(carnivore)...
Energy flow

What are food webs?

A food web is
several food
chains
interconnected.
It is organized
with the trophic
levels in rows &
interconnected
with arrows, like
the one on the
right.

What are pyramids?

Pyramids are triangles or horizontal bar
graphs that illustrate energy loss, numbers
of organisms involved or biomass.
Three pyramids examined in this course
are:
Energy pyramids
Number pyramids
Biomass pyramids

What are energy pyramids?

Energy pyramids
are organized by
the amount of
energy available
in each trophic
level.
Rule: 90% of
energy is used
for life processes
or lost as heat;
10% of energy is
stored and
passed on to the
next consumer.

What are number pyramids?

Number pyramids
are organized by
the number of
organisms present
in each trophic
level. Due to
energy used for
live processes, it
takes a great
number of
producers to
supply the energy
needs of a primary
consumer.

What are biomass pyramids?

Biomass pyramids
are organized by
the mass of all the
organisms in that
trophic level.
Mass decreases as
energy flows up
the pyramid.

What is Biomagnification?
Biomagnification is also
known as biological
amplification.
Biomagnification occurs
when a chemical
increases in
concentration as it
moves up the food
chain/web because the
chemical becomes stored
in the organisms tissues.

TOPIC 1.4: Field Study

(See handout)

TOPIC 1.5: Recycling Matter

What is the hydrologic cycle?

The hydrologic (water) cycle is the movement of water
between the hydrosphere, lithosphere and atmosphere.
The energy that runs the water cycle comes from the sun.

What are the steps of the

hydrological cycle?
1. Evaporation (water turns into vapour) and transpiration
(plants and animals releasing water vapour during cellular
respiration) puts water vapour into the atmosphere.
2. The vapour condenses into clouds as the air rises & cools.
3. Precipitation (rain, snow, hail, dew or fog) returns water
to the hydrosphere and lithosphere.
4. Run-off pools water into rivers, lakes and oceans so
organisms can use it. Run-off also free minerals and
nutrients that are needed by organisms.
5. Underground aquifers return the ground water from the
lithosphere to the hydrosphere.

What human activities affect the

water cycle?
Wildfires produce a waterproof layer and remove trees
which increase run-off and erosion. Trees regulate
temperature and moisture
Potable water (water usable for human consumption) is
an ever-increasing problem because of the lack of water
in some areas and pollution in other areas (sewage,
pesticides, acid rain, heavy metals, etc)
Aquifers provide water for people in areas where there is
not very much surface water.
Removal & overuse of too much water dries up lakes,
rivers and aquifers.
Changing climates also change the water cycle patterns.

What is the carbon cycle?

Carbon is the basic building block of all life on Earth.
Carbon exists in the atmosphere as carbon dioxide(CO2)
and exists as sediments (CaCO3) in the soil.
Contributors:
cellular
respiration,
decomposition,
weathering,
volcanoes and
combustion.
Depleters:
photosynthesis
and formation
of minerals

What is the oxygen cycle?

The oxygen cycle recycles oxygen throughout the biosphere. Some of

the oxygen is found as a gas (O2(g)) and is often called the global free
oxygen supply. 21% of the atmosphere is free oxygen.
Most of the
oxygen in the
biosphere is
combined with
other chemicals:
glucose
(C6H12O6(s), carbon
dioxide (CO2 (g)),
water (H2O (g)),
calcium carbonate
(CaCO3) &
ozone(O3 (g)).

What are the Contributors &

Depleters of atmospheric oxygen?
CONTRIBUTORS: Photosynthesis,
Weathering of Sediment & Ozone breakdown.
DEPLETERS: Cellular Respiration,
Decomposition, Combustion, Ozone
formation & Inorganic mineral formation

What human activity affects the

oxygen and carbon cycle?
Wildfires, Burning wood and fossil fuels uses up free
oxygen and increases the amount of carbon dioxide.
Large amounts of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere traps
heat, which affects climate and creates global warming.
Deforestation, building on productive land and polluting
the land & water reduces photosynthetic organisms,
which also lowers the free oxygen supply.
Using Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) in hairspray and cups
reduces the amount of ozone (O3) in the upper
atmosphere, which allow harmful UV rays through.
Recycling materials allows humans to reduce the
amount of energy (fossil fuels) and materials needed.

What is the nitrogen cycle?

Note the four processes in the nitrogen cycle below

fixation, ammonification, nitrification, denitrification

What is the nitrogen cycle?

Nitrogen is an important element for life. Nitrogen is the building

block of amino acids, which are found in muscles, DNA and plant
chlorophyll. Four processes cycle nitrogen through the ecosystem:

Nitrogen fixation is a two-step process where rhibizom bacteria

(attached to the roots of plants), lightning or the fertilizer industry
changes nitrogen gas to ammonia (fertilizer).

Ammonification is another process where fungi and some bacteria

decompose waste, producing ammonia from the nitrogen found in the
waste.

CH2NH2COOH(s) + 3O2(g) 2NH3(g) + 4CO2(g) + 2H2O(l)

Nitrification is the process where bacteria convert ammonia to nitrite

and then to nitrate. (Some plants use the nitrate produced during
nitrification.)

N2(g) 2 N(aq) + 3H2(g) 2NH3(g)

2NH3(g) + 3O2(g) H2O(g) + H+(aq) + NO2-(aq)

NO2-(aq) + O2(g) NO3-(aq)

Denitrification is the process where bacteria change the nitrates back

to nitrogen gas.

What human activities affect the

nitrogen cycle?
Wide scale cultivation of legumes (plants that fix
nitrogen) and industrial fixation of nitrogen to
produce fertilizers have started to deplete the
amount of nitrogen in the atmosphere.
Over fertilization has resulted in excess nitrogen
and phosphorus running into rivers and lakes.
This has resulted in increase growth of algae and
plants. When the algae and plants die,
decomposers use up the valuable oxygen in the
water, killing fish and other oxygen-dependent
organisms.

How are the biochemical cycles

interconnected?
Oxygen is found in all the cycles.
Reforestation will increase the amount of nitrogen
used in the soil (nitrification) and increase the
amount of oxygen released into the atmosphere,
but it will decrease the amount of carbon dioxide
& water in the atmosphere.
Preserving wetlands would increase
ammonification and photosynthesis, increasing the
amount of nitrogen and oxygen available for the
ecosystem.

TOPIC 1.6: Biodiversity

What is Biodiversity?
Biodiversity is the variety of ecosystems,
species and genes in an area. Boreal forests
and rain forests have more biodiversity.

What is the connection between

the caribou and food packaging?
The woodland caribou need a forest that is older
than 80 years to grow enough tree lichen, their
main winter food.
Food packaging comes from oil and natural gas.
Oil and natural gas companies cut down the trees
in the north for exploration and removal.
This tree removal has contributed to making the
caribou a endangered species (may soon no
longer exist) and decreasing the biodiversity.

What are the categories of species risk?

What affects biodiversity and

endangers species?
1. Habitat Fragmentation
2. Habitat destruction
3. Clash between ecological systems and
economic systems

What is Habitat Fragmentation?

Habitat fragmentation is the change of a
complete habitat into patches separated by
non-habitat areas. This is caused by
building houses, farms and seismic lines

What is Habitat Destruction?

Habitat destruction is the permanent
alteration of vital characteristics in an
organisms habitat. Ie) trees in the forest

What is the difference between the

ecological and economic systems?

Chapter 2: Populations
2.1 Primary Succession
2.2 Secondary Succession
2.3 Populations
2.4 Adaptations
2.5 Evolutionary Theory

TOPIC 2.1: Primary Succession

TOPIC 2.2: Secondary Succession

What is succession?
The natural change in the types & numbers of species in a
community is called ecological succession.
1. First a pioneer community (first community), like bacteria
or lichen invades the ecosystem. Chemicals from the
lichens and bacteria, along with weathering break down
rocks into fertile soil.
2. Eventually plants species, like mosses and grass start to
grow in the soil.
3. Next herbs and flowers invade the grass community.
4. Shrubs begin to grow and out-compete the herbs and
grasses.
5. Eventually trees like poplars and spruce trees begin to
grow. This dominant, stable species is called the climax
community.

What are the two types of

succession?
Primary succession starts in an
ecosystem where no life has existed
before, such as new lakes,
volcanoes, deltas and sand dunes.
Secondary succession occurs in an
ecosystem that has been disturbed
by fire, floods or human activities
and is more common & quicker than
primary succession.

TOPIC 2.3: Populations

Def: Number of individuals living in
a given area

What is happening to the human

and some organism population?
Human and many microscopic populations
rapidly increasing by constantly doubling
(time it takes is called the doubling time); this
growth is called exponential growth and it
produces an exponential (J) curve (below).

What are the 4 factors affecting

populations?
Populations increase because of 1) births
& 2) immigration (movement in).
Populations decrease because of 3) deaths
& 4) emigration (movement out).
Closed populations are only affected by
births and deaths. Ie) zoo
Open populations are affected by all 4. ie)
National parks

What causes population explosions,

& crashes?
Populations explode (increase rapidly)
when there is plenty of food &/or no
predators.
Populations crash (decrease rapidly) when
there is little food &/or several predators

What is carrying capacity & a S-curve?

Carrying capacity is the maximum number of
individuals that a given ecosystem can sustain.
S-curve is the shape of a population graph
limited by disease, competition and famine
The human
population has
not reached
its carrying
capacity

TOPIC 2.4 Adaptations

Why does variation exist?

Variation exists because the genes in DNA
(genetic blueprint or code) can mutate.
Mutations are changes in instructions
from a gene.
Mutations that aid an organism are passed
on to their offspring.
The greater the genetic variation, the better
a population can respond to environmental
changes.

How do populations change?

Very gradual changes
in populations is called
gradualism.
Sudden changes in
populations is called
punctuated
equilibrium.

What are adaptations?

Inherited traits that increase an organisms chance
for survival are called adaptations. There are
three types of adaptations:
Structural: a physical adaptation that helps them
survive or reproduce. E.g) Fur is an example of an
adaptation for animals living is cold regions.
Physiological: an adaptation that helps an organism
with a biological process. E.g.) Colored pigments help
flowers attract pollinators.
Behavioral: an action that helps an organism survive
or reproduce. E.g.) A mating dances to ensure
reproduction is an example.

TOPIC 2.5: Evolutionary Theory

After observations on the Galapagos Islands,

Darwin published On the Origin of Species in 1859.

Galapagos Finches
Selection
pressures are
conditions such
as food &
habitat, which
result in new
adaptations/traits

What is Darwins Theory of

Natural Selection?
Charles Darwin, from his travels, made 3 observations:
1. Organisms produce more offspring than can survive.
2. Variation exists among individuals of a species.
3. Organisms compete with each other for limited resources.

From these observations, Darwin proposed the

theory of natural selection organisms best suited
for their environment survive, reproduce and pass
on these traits.
Eg) Peppered Moth: when coal was burned the black
moth was more common; when coal burning stopped, the
gray moth became more common

What is the theory of Evolution?

Darwin suggested that natural selection could also create
a new species called speciation.
Theory of Macro Evolution is an explanation of how
many slow changes over time created by natural selection
eventually resulted in the creation of a new species.
Theory of Micro Evolution is an explanation of how
many small changes over time created by natural
selection result in changes within a species.
The reproductive success of an organism is now called its
Darwinian fitness.
Evolution is also called the survival of the fittest.

What are the essential

requirements for Natural selection?
1. There must be a genetic basis for variation
2. The new trait must increase the rate of
survival and/or rate of reproduction.
3. The environment and/or catastrophes play
an important role

What role did Alferd Wallace &

Jean-Baptiste Lamarck have?
Wallace came to similar conclusions as
Darwin
Lamarck proposed that organisms change
during their lives to meet the challenges of
their environment. Eg) giraffe necks
became long due to stretching for higher
leaves. The stretched neck trait was
passed on.
Both Wallace and Lamarck started people
thinking about how and why organisms
change.

What evidence is there for

evolution?
1. Fossils provide a history of the past.
2. Embryology: species that are related have
embryos (babies) that are very similar.

What evidence is there for

evolution?
3. Comparative Anatomy shows that species
that are related have structures that are
similar. Homologous structures have

similar origin but different uses. Ie)

human arm, whale flipper & bat wing

What evidence is there for

evolution?
4. Vestigial structures (structures with
no use) suggest that through
adaptation the use of these structures
has been lost
5. Biochemistry indicates the species
that are related have similar chemical
make-up. Ie) the DNA of cats and
dogs is almost the same.
6. Biogeography organisms separated
by geography have similar
characteristics suggests they may
have had a common ancestor

What are some other theories?

Punctuate Equilibrium and Creation are
two other theories that describe how
speciation occurred.
Punctuate Equilibrium states that very sudden
changes in the environment forced organisms
to adapt very quickly.
Creation states that a higher being created the
species with similarities to each other.

Evidences that support Creation

1. Very complex design statistical
impossible that it evolved randomly

Cells have thousands of complex functions

2. Lack of transitional fossils

3. Signs of devolution:

Increase in number of disorders

Lose of species and diversity
Decreasing magnetic field strength

Evidences that support Creation

4.

Supports the 2nd Law of Thermodynamics: the universe

is going from a state of order to a state of disorder
Redshift and Hubbles Law states that the universe is
expanding; therefore the universe had a beginning.

5.

6.

DNA or the genetic code is complex indicating

intelligent design.

The information stored on the DNA of one bacteria could fill

all the books in one of the largest libraries of the world.