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Ecosystems and Human Impact Analysis

This document discusses ecosystems and ecological communities through a case study on acorns and their connections to other organisms. It explains that living things affect and are affected by non-living things, and are interconnected through complex relationships that change over time. Humans can impact these ecosystem relationships. The document also discusses ecosystem characteristics like structure, processes, energy flow, and change over time. It provides examples of keystone species like sea otters that have large effects on their communities.

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Santiago High
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181 views14 pages

Ecosystems and Human Impact Analysis

This document discusses ecosystems and ecological communities through a case study on acorns and their connections to other organisms. It explains that living things affect and are affected by non-living things, and are interconnected through complex relationships that change over time. Humans can impact these ecosystem relationships. The document also discusses ecosystem characteristics like structure, processes, energy flow, and change over time. It provides examples of keystone species like sea otters that have large effects on their communities.

Uploaded by

Santiago High
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Chapter 6

Ecosystems and Ecological


Communities
Case Study: The Acorn Connection
Western Fence Lizard

Adult Ticks and nymphs

Courtesy of the American Lyme Disease Foundation (ALDF ).


The acorn study shows:
 Environmental Unity!
– Living things:
 are affected by non-living things

 affect non-living things

 are connected by complex


relationships, which constantly change
– Humans affect these relationships
The Ecosystem
 Critical
to understand this concept
for good natural resource
management
– Yellowstone Natl. Park
– Fisheries…

 Must know how everything is


interconnected
 Needto know an ecosystem’s
characteristics
– Its structure: biotic and abiotic
components
– Processes: cycling of elements and
energy flow
– Change: how is it changing over time?
Energy Flow
Food webs and food chains
Complexity and Interconnectedness
Keystone Species: Otters
Mmmmm!! Love
these sea urchins!
By Frank Wattenberg

Now
that’s
my
kind of
otter!
Keystone Species
 Any species which has a large effect
on its community or ecosystem
 Otters are an example

 So are humans…BIG TIME!!!!

 Lets look at some more examples as


hwk:
Case Study Assignments
 Read each of three articles and
answer the assigned topics:
 The Buffalo

 Prairie Dogs

 Yellowstone Wolves

 Salmon (pg 113: Answer Qs on pg)

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