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01 Lecture Intro Ecosystems
01 Lecture Intro Ecosystems
“Logos”-
knowledge/study
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Human Impact: Humans are members of the Biosphere
Biosphere
Entire portion of planet where life
occurs
from the upper atmosphere to ocean
floor and below
Ecosystem
Consists of all the organisms living in
a particular area (plants, animals,
bacteria) as well as all the nonliving,
physical components of the
environment with which the organisms
interact (air, soil, water, sunlight)
Ex: marsh, forest, mountain lake, desert
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Organization of the Biosphere
Many types of
ecosystem
Tundra
Tropical rainforests
Deserts
Kelp forests
Coral reefs
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Organization of the Biosphere
Major determinant of which
ecosystem is found where
is climate
Deserts = low rainfall
Tropical rainforests = wet & warm
Coral reefs = shallow, clear warm
oceans
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Within an Ecosystem:
Community: All living organisms in an ecosystem
Organisms in communities interact with one another and are often
strongly dependent upon one another (form food webs, etc)
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Ecosystems are dynamic environments
Organisms exchange materials and energy with their
environment
Energy and nutrients are cycled through
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Ecosystems are
characterized by:
Cycling of materials
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Ecosystems are characterized by:
Flow of energy
Food chains
How do
Food webs humans
impact
this?
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Human Population
Human activities shape
ecosystems
cut down forests
plow grasslands
drain marshes
build houses and roads
Redirect water
Activities often result in pollution that
changes ecosystems
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Human Population
Human activities have
Destroyed > 10% of coral reefs
and damaged another 30%
Cut down rainforests
Polluted water
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