Case Study: Sea Otters, Sea Urchins, and Kelp: Indirect Effects of Species on One Another
1: Define: Community Effect
When an organism indirectly increases the diversity of a species.
2: Explain WHY the Sea Otter is considered the Keystone Species in this ecosystem. (Hint: Explain the food chain)
Without the sea otter, the whole ecosystem will be disrupted. The sea urchins will destroy kelp.
3: Why were Sea Otters endangered and how did their numbers rebound?
Sea otters were endangered because they were hunted for their fur. Their numbers rebounded when it had legal protection in 1911.
5.1- The Ecosystem: Sustaining Life on Earth
1: Define Ecosystem Structure
Ecosystems were originally defined as units of the earth’s surface, that is the whole system including the organisms and the physical factors that form the environment.
2: What two main processes must occur to maintain an ecosystem?
Cycling of chemical nutrients and flow of energy.
5.2- Ecological Communities and Food Chains
1: What is the difference between a food chain and a food web?
Food chain links what eats what. The food web shows more complex linkages.
2: Define: Trophic Level
The trophic level of an organism is the position it occupies in a food chain.
3: Define: Autotrophs, Heterotrophs, Carnivores, Herbivores, Decomposeters
Autotrophs are organisms that make their own food.
Heterotrophs are the rest of the organisms.
Herbivores feed only on plants.
Carnivores are meat eaters and feed on herbivores.
Decomposers feed on dead organic material.
4: Explain the food web of Yellowstone Hot Springs. Explain each trophic level (include a photo).
The first level is the photosynthetic bacteria and algae. The second level is the Ephydrid flies (herbivores). The third level is the carnivores and the last level is the decomposers.
1: Define: Community Effect
When an organism indirectly increases the diversity of a species.
2: Explain WHY the Sea Otter is considered the Keystone Species in this ecosystem. (Hint: Explain the food chain)
Without the sea otter, the whole ecosystem will be disrupted. The sea urchins will destroy kelp.
3: Why were Sea Otters endangered and how did their numbers rebound?
Sea otters were endangered because they were hunted for their fur. Their numbers rebounded when it had legal protection in 1911.
5.1- The Ecosystem: Sustaining Life on Earth
1: Define Ecosystem Structure
Ecosystems were originally defined as units of the earth’s surface, that is the whole system including the organisms and the physical factors that form the environment.
2: What two main processes must occur to maintain an ecosystem?
Cycling of chemical nutrients and flow of energy.
5.2- Ecological Communities and Food Chains
1: What is the difference between a food chain and a food web?
Food chain links what eats what. The food web shows more complex linkages.
2: Define: Trophic Level
The trophic level of an organism is the position it occupies in a food chain.
3: Define: Autotrophs, Heterotrophs, Carnivores, Herbivores, Decomposeters
Autotrophs are organisms that make their own food.
Heterotrophs are the rest of the organisms.
Herbivores feed only on plants.
Carnivores are meat eaters and feed on herbivores.
Decomposers feed on dead organic material.
4: Explain the food web of Yellowstone Hot Springs. Explain each trophic level (include a photo).
The first level is the photosynthetic bacteria and algae. The second level is the Ephydrid flies (herbivores). The third level is the carnivores and the last level is the decomposers.
5: Explain a pelagic ecosystem. Explain each trophic level (include photos).
Pelagic ecosystems have more organisms than in a terrestrial ecosystem. The first level is the photosynthetic bacteria. Zooplankton, invertebrates that feed on algae form the 2nd level. Fish and other invertebrates feed on these herbivores, making the third level. Fish like killer whales make up the 4th level.
Pelagic ecosystems have more organisms than in a terrestrial ecosystem. The first level is the photosynthetic bacteria. Zooplankton, invertebrates that feed on algae form the 2nd level. Fish and other invertebrates feed on these herbivores, making the third level. Fish like killer whales make up the 4th level.
A Closer Look- Land and Marine Food Webs
1: Look at the terrestrial food web. Should we include people within this ecosystem’s food web? That would place us within nature. OR should we place people outside of the ecosystem, thus separate from nature?
We should include humans in the food web, because we feed on other trophic levels which can be put as a 5th trophic level.
5.3- Ecosystems as Systems
1: Why are ecosystems considered to be OPEN systems?
Energy and matter in the ecosystems can move in and out of them.
2: Define: Watershed
A watershed is the area of land where all of the water that is under it or drains off of it goes into the same place.
5.4- Biological Production and Ecosystem Energy Flow
1: Define: Energy
energy is one of the basic quantitative properties describing a physical system or object's state.
2: Explain: Ecosystem Energy Flow- What two ways does energy enter an ecosystem?
The movement of energy in an ecosystem. Two ways energy enters an ecosystem is from energy fixed organisms and moving through food webs within an ecosystem, and heat energy being transferred by air or water or convection through soils.
The Laws of Thermodynamics and the Ultimate Limit on the Abundance of Life
1: The First Law of Thermodynamics is also known as what? Define it.
a.k.a The Law of Conservation of Energy. In any physical or chemical change, energy isn't created or destroyed, but changed from one form to another.
2: What is the Second Law of Thermodynamics say?
No use of energy can ever be 100% efficient.
3: Define Entropy (give an example).
Measure of decrease in order, or the disorganization of energy. Ex/ Engineer produces furniture by converting lumber, the increase of order was the furniture, but the cost of the increases disorder.
4: What is an intermediate system?
Ecosystem must lie between a source of usable energy and a sink for degraded energy.
5.5- Biological Production and Biomass
1: What is biomass?
Total amount of organic matter in an ecosystem.
2: Define the following:
-Biological Production:Capture of usable energy from environment to produce organic matter.
-Gross Production:Increase in stored energy.
-Net Production:amount of newly acquired energy stored after energy was used.
3: What are the 3 measures that are used for biomass and biological production?
Quantity of organic material, energy stored and carbon stored.
4: What is primary production- who carries this out?
The production carried about by autotrophs.
5: What is secondary production- who is involved?
Production carried out by heterotrophs.
6: Who are chemoautotrophs? Explain- where are they usually found?
Bacteria, which is found deep-ocean vents and muds of marshes.
5.6- Energy Efficiency and Transfer Efficiency
1: What is energy efficiency?
Ratio of output to input. Amount of useful work obtained from some amount of available energy.
2: How would energy efficiency look with a wolf and moose population? Explain.
Wolf needs energy to travel and hunt. It's efficiency is based on how well it will do based on the energy used to eat the moose.
3: What is food-chain or trophic level efficiency?
Ratio of production of one trophic level to the next lower level.
4: Generally, how much energy is lost to heat when being transferred between trophic levels?
90%
5.7- Ecological Stability and Succession
1: What is ecological succession?
When an ecosystem is able to recover after being disturbed.
2: Compare and contrast primary and secondary succession- give an example of each.
Primary-Establishment of ecosystem where it didn't exist previously. Ex/ Forest developing on lava flows. Secondary-Reestablishment of ecosystem after disturbance. Ex/ Coral reef killed by pollution and climate changed. Both-Processes of succession, involve establishment of an ecosystem.
3: Explain how succession would look in a Dune.
Dune is formed, and then dune grass invades. The stems carry out photosynthesis and grasses grow. When dune grass is established, it stabilizes sand and seeds have a better chance to germinate. New plants begin to grow, then species begin to develop. Larger plants are able to grow, then a forest will develop.
4: Explain how succession would look in a Bog.
Sedge puts out floating runners. Wind blows particles onto soil and develops. Trees and shrubs will be adapted to the environment and grow. The big will fill and trees can withstand the wet conditions. It will become a wetland forest eventually.
5: Explain how succession would look in an old-field.
Small plants adapt to the harsh conditions of the clearing. Larger plants will show up eventually which will create a dense forest.
6: Explain how succession would look in a coral reef.
Corals settle on solid surfaces and produce a hard polyp of calcium carbonate. As they die, the material becomes the surface which new individuals can establish on them.
5.9- How Species Change Succession
1: Explain facilitation in succession and where is it most common?
Species change the local environment in ways that make is suitable for another species on later stages. Earlier-successional species do this.
2: Explain interference in succession and what it can lead to.
Situations where the earlier-successional species changes the environment so it's unsuitable for another species of later-successional stage.
3: What is chronic patchiness? When does this occur?
When no species interact through succession.
Critical Thinking Issue: Should People Eat Lower on the Food Chain?
1:Why does the energy content decrease at each higher level of a food chain? What happens to the energy lost at each level?
Energy decreases at a higher level, because the transfer of energy requires some of the energy to become heat. The energy lost becomes heat energy.
2: Why it is appropriate to use mass to represent energy content?
It shows how much is needed to fulfill an organisms energy needs.
3: Using the average of 21 kilojoules of energy to equal 1g of completely dried vegetation and assuming that wheat is 80% water, what is the energy content of the 333,000 kg of wheat shown in the pyramid? (show your work).
12686 Joules.
4: Make a list of environmental arguments for and against an entirely vegetarian diet for people. What might be the consequences for the United States agriculture if everyone in the country began to eat lower on the food chain?
Pros: More energy, healthier lifestyles
Cons: Limit of foods you can eat, less nutrients given only by meat. Increase of cattle, which means a decrease in grasses and vegetation.
5: How low do you eat on the food chain? Would you be willing to eat lower? Explain.
I eat as low as the herbivores. I am willing to eat lower if it comes to the point where there are less animals in our world, and the populations need to go back to normal.
Study Questions:
1: Farming has been described as managing land to keep it in an early stage of succession. What
does this mean, and how is it achieved?
Farming is the beginning of a new ecosystem. It is achieved by planting smaller plants, which will lead to bigger plants and animals that will make these plants their habitat.
2: Keep track of the food you eat during one day and make a food chain linking yourself with the sources of those foods.
Me>Cow (Beef/Meat)>Chicken (Eggs)>Beansprout
Determine the biomass (grams) and energy (kilocalories) you have eaten.
Beef>~85g/~300 calories
Egg x2>~100g/180 calories
Beansprout+Peppermint>~566g/~100 calories
Rice>~150g/195 calories
~901 grams eaten.
995 calories eaten/~.955 kilocalories eaten (Please note that this is all the food I remember eating)
1 Calorie= .001 Kilocalorie
Using an average of 5Kcal/g, then using the information on food packaging or assuming that your net production is 10% efficient in terms of energy intake, how much additional energy might you have stored during the day? (What is your weight gain from the food you have eaten?)
2.72x10^-5
1: Look at the terrestrial food web. Should we include people within this ecosystem’s food web? That would place us within nature. OR should we place people outside of the ecosystem, thus separate from nature?
We should include humans in the food web, because we feed on other trophic levels which can be put as a 5th trophic level.
5.3- Ecosystems as Systems
1: Why are ecosystems considered to be OPEN systems?
Energy and matter in the ecosystems can move in and out of them.
2: Define: Watershed
A watershed is the area of land where all of the water that is under it or drains off of it goes into the same place.
5.4- Biological Production and Ecosystem Energy Flow
1: Define: Energy
energy is one of the basic quantitative properties describing a physical system or object's state.
2: Explain: Ecosystem Energy Flow- What two ways does energy enter an ecosystem?
The movement of energy in an ecosystem. Two ways energy enters an ecosystem is from energy fixed organisms and moving through food webs within an ecosystem, and heat energy being transferred by air or water or convection through soils.
The Laws of Thermodynamics and the Ultimate Limit on the Abundance of Life
1: The First Law of Thermodynamics is also known as what? Define it.
a.k.a The Law of Conservation of Energy. In any physical or chemical change, energy isn't created or destroyed, but changed from one form to another.
2: What is the Second Law of Thermodynamics say?
No use of energy can ever be 100% efficient.
3: Define Entropy (give an example).
Measure of decrease in order, or the disorganization of energy. Ex/ Engineer produces furniture by converting lumber, the increase of order was the furniture, but the cost of the increases disorder.
4: What is an intermediate system?
Ecosystem must lie between a source of usable energy and a sink for degraded energy.
5.5- Biological Production and Biomass
1: What is biomass?
Total amount of organic matter in an ecosystem.
2: Define the following:
-Biological Production:Capture of usable energy from environment to produce organic matter.
-Gross Production:Increase in stored energy.
-Net Production:amount of newly acquired energy stored after energy was used.
3: What are the 3 measures that are used for biomass and biological production?
Quantity of organic material, energy stored and carbon stored.
4: What is primary production- who carries this out?
The production carried about by autotrophs.
5: What is secondary production- who is involved?
Production carried out by heterotrophs.
6: Who are chemoautotrophs? Explain- where are they usually found?
Bacteria, which is found deep-ocean vents and muds of marshes.
5.6- Energy Efficiency and Transfer Efficiency
1: What is energy efficiency?
Ratio of output to input. Amount of useful work obtained from some amount of available energy.
2: How would energy efficiency look with a wolf and moose population? Explain.
Wolf needs energy to travel and hunt. It's efficiency is based on how well it will do based on the energy used to eat the moose.
3: What is food-chain or trophic level efficiency?
Ratio of production of one trophic level to the next lower level.
4: Generally, how much energy is lost to heat when being transferred between trophic levels?
90%
5.7- Ecological Stability and Succession
1: What is ecological succession?
When an ecosystem is able to recover after being disturbed.
2: Compare and contrast primary and secondary succession- give an example of each.
Primary-Establishment of ecosystem where it didn't exist previously. Ex/ Forest developing on lava flows. Secondary-Reestablishment of ecosystem after disturbance. Ex/ Coral reef killed by pollution and climate changed. Both-Processes of succession, involve establishment of an ecosystem.
3: Explain how succession would look in a Dune.
Dune is formed, and then dune grass invades. The stems carry out photosynthesis and grasses grow. When dune grass is established, it stabilizes sand and seeds have a better chance to germinate. New plants begin to grow, then species begin to develop. Larger plants are able to grow, then a forest will develop.
4: Explain how succession would look in a Bog.
Sedge puts out floating runners. Wind blows particles onto soil and develops. Trees and shrubs will be adapted to the environment and grow. The big will fill and trees can withstand the wet conditions. It will become a wetland forest eventually.
5: Explain how succession would look in an old-field.
Small plants adapt to the harsh conditions of the clearing. Larger plants will show up eventually which will create a dense forest.
6: Explain how succession would look in a coral reef.
Corals settle on solid surfaces and produce a hard polyp of calcium carbonate. As they die, the material becomes the surface which new individuals can establish on them.
5.9- How Species Change Succession
1: Explain facilitation in succession and where is it most common?
Species change the local environment in ways that make is suitable for another species on later stages. Earlier-successional species do this.
2: Explain interference in succession and what it can lead to.
Situations where the earlier-successional species changes the environment so it's unsuitable for another species of later-successional stage.
3: What is chronic patchiness? When does this occur?
When no species interact through succession.
Critical Thinking Issue: Should People Eat Lower on the Food Chain?
1:Why does the energy content decrease at each higher level of a food chain? What happens to the energy lost at each level?
Energy decreases at a higher level, because the transfer of energy requires some of the energy to become heat. The energy lost becomes heat energy.
2: Why it is appropriate to use mass to represent energy content?
It shows how much is needed to fulfill an organisms energy needs.
3: Using the average of 21 kilojoules of energy to equal 1g of completely dried vegetation and assuming that wheat is 80% water, what is the energy content of the 333,000 kg of wheat shown in the pyramid? (show your work).
12686 Joules.
4: Make a list of environmental arguments for and against an entirely vegetarian diet for people. What might be the consequences for the United States agriculture if everyone in the country began to eat lower on the food chain?
Pros: More energy, healthier lifestyles
Cons: Limit of foods you can eat, less nutrients given only by meat. Increase of cattle, which means a decrease in grasses and vegetation.
5: How low do you eat on the food chain? Would you be willing to eat lower? Explain.
I eat as low as the herbivores. I am willing to eat lower if it comes to the point where there are less animals in our world, and the populations need to go back to normal.
Study Questions:
1: Farming has been described as managing land to keep it in an early stage of succession. What
does this mean, and how is it achieved?
Farming is the beginning of a new ecosystem. It is achieved by planting smaller plants, which will lead to bigger plants and animals that will make these plants their habitat.
2: Keep track of the food you eat during one day and make a food chain linking yourself with the sources of those foods.
Me>Cow (Beef/Meat)>Chicken (Eggs)>Beansprout
Determine the biomass (grams) and energy (kilocalories) you have eaten.
Beef>~85g/~300 calories
Egg x2>~100g/180 calories
Beansprout+Peppermint>~566g/~100 calories
Rice>~150g/195 calories
~901 grams eaten.
995 calories eaten/~.955 kilocalories eaten (Please note that this is all the food I remember eating)
1 Calorie= .001 Kilocalorie
Using an average of 5Kcal/g, then using the information on food packaging or assuming that your net production is 10% efficient in terms of energy intake, how much additional energy might you have stored during the day? (What is your weight gain from the food you have eaten?)
2.72x10^-5