The full Crash Course Ecology Series- now in Note-Form! I've added my own little 'twists' on the notes, and have added some pictures to make studying easier.
C2.5 exothermic and endothermic reactionsSteve Bishop
This document discusses exothermic and endothermic chemical reactions. It provides examples of common exothermic reactions like combustion and oxidation, which release energy to their surroundings. Endothermic reactions like the decomposition of calcium carbonate absorb energy from their surroundings. The document uses examples like hand warmers and sports injury cold packs to illustrate exothermic and endothermic processes. It also contains questions to test the reader's understanding of whether specific reactions are exothermic or endothermic.
Water is made of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom in a polar covalent bond. This polarity allows water molecules to form hydrogen bonds with up to four neighboring molecules. These hydrogen bonds give water its unique properties including high surface tension, heat capacity, and ability to moderate temperatures. Water's properties like cohesion, density maximum at 4°C, and solvent abilities support life by transporting nutrients in plants, stabilizing ecosystems, and allowing biochemical reactions to occur.
This document discusses different types of chemical bonds including covalent bonds, ionic bonds, metallic bonds, and hydrogen bonds. It explains that a chemical bond is an attraction between atoms that allows the formation of compounds. Covalent bonds involve the sharing of electron pairs between atoms, while ionic bonds involve the complete transfer of electrons from one atom to another, resulting in positively and negatively charged ions. The document also discusses electronegativity and how differences in electronegativity between bonded atoms determine whether a bond is polar or nonpolar. Polar bonds result in partial charges on atoms and a dipole moment, while nonpolar bonds do not.
This document discusses ecological niches and the relationships between organisms and their environments. It defines key terms like ecology, biotic and abiotic factors, and ecological niche. An ecological niche refers to an organism's role and position in its environment, including what it eats, habitat requirements, and tolerance of environmental conditions. The document contrasts fundamental and realized niches, and explains Hutchinson's niche concept and Gause's competitive exclusion principle. Examples are provided of how different species occupy different niches to avoid competition, such as various finch species on the Galapagos Islands. Habitat is defined as the actual environment an organism lives in, while niche refers more to the specific requirements that allow it to survive and reproduce.
5.4 exothermic and endothermic reactionsMartin Brown
This document discusses exothermic and endothermic reactions. Exothermic reactions release heat, while endothermic reactions absorb heat. Combustion reactions of hydrocarbons like methane and propane are exothermic, producing carbon dioxide, water vapor, and large amounts of heat. The heat of reaction, ΔH, indicates whether a reaction is exothermic (negative ΔH) or endothermic (positive ΔH). Bond energies represent the energy required to break bonds, while heat of combustion measures the heat released from complete combustion. A bomb calorimeter is used to accurately measure heats of combustion by igniting samples in excess oxygen. Hess's law states that the heat change of a reaction depends only on
Water is essential for all living organisms, as living cells contain 70-95% water. Water has unique properties like being a polar liquid, having a high specific heat, heat of vaporization, and latent heat of fusion. It can perform capillary action and is a universal solvent. These properties allow water to transport nutrients within plants and cool plants through transpiration. Water is also important for agricultural productivity and plant growth.
This document discusses the components and interactions within ecosystems. It defines an ecosystem and identifies its two main components as abiotic (non-living) factors like climate and biotic (living) organisms. The biotic components are classified into producers, consumers, and decomposers. Their interactions through food chains, food webs, and symbiosis are explained. Competition between organisms and predator-prey relationships are also covered.
This document discusses different types of chemical bonds: ionic bonds form when electrons are transferred between atoms, while covalent bonds form when electrons are shared between atoms. Ionic bonds occur between oppositely charged ions and result in crystalline solids with high melting points that conduct electricity when melted. Covalent bonds share electron pairs to achieve stability, and can be nonpolar or polar depending on electron distribution. Compounds formed by covalent bonding exist as gases, liquids or solids with low melting points and poor conductivity. Coordinate covalent bonds involve electron sharing where both electrons come from the same atom. Chemical bonding occurs for atoms to achieve stable electron configurations.
C2.5 exothermic and endothermic reactionsSteve Bishop
This document discusses exothermic and endothermic chemical reactions. It provides examples of common exothermic reactions like combustion and oxidation, which release energy to their surroundings. Endothermic reactions like the decomposition of calcium carbonate absorb energy from their surroundings. The document uses examples like hand warmers and sports injury cold packs to illustrate exothermic and endothermic processes. It also contains questions to test the reader's understanding of whether specific reactions are exothermic or endothermic.
Water is made of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom in a polar covalent bond. This polarity allows water molecules to form hydrogen bonds with up to four neighboring molecules. These hydrogen bonds give water its unique properties including high surface tension, heat capacity, and ability to moderate temperatures. Water's properties like cohesion, density maximum at 4°C, and solvent abilities support life by transporting nutrients in plants, stabilizing ecosystems, and allowing biochemical reactions to occur.
This document discusses different types of chemical bonds including covalent bonds, ionic bonds, metallic bonds, and hydrogen bonds. It explains that a chemical bond is an attraction between atoms that allows the formation of compounds. Covalent bonds involve the sharing of electron pairs between atoms, while ionic bonds involve the complete transfer of electrons from one atom to another, resulting in positively and negatively charged ions. The document also discusses electronegativity and how differences in electronegativity between bonded atoms determine whether a bond is polar or nonpolar. Polar bonds result in partial charges on atoms and a dipole moment, while nonpolar bonds do not.
This document discusses ecological niches and the relationships between organisms and their environments. It defines key terms like ecology, biotic and abiotic factors, and ecological niche. An ecological niche refers to an organism's role and position in its environment, including what it eats, habitat requirements, and tolerance of environmental conditions. The document contrasts fundamental and realized niches, and explains Hutchinson's niche concept and Gause's competitive exclusion principle. Examples are provided of how different species occupy different niches to avoid competition, such as various finch species on the Galapagos Islands. Habitat is defined as the actual environment an organism lives in, while niche refers more to the specific requirements that allow it to survive and reproduce.
5.4 exothermic and endothermic reactionsMartin Brown
This document discusses exothermic and endothermic reactions. Exothermic reactions release heat, while endothermic reactions absorb heat. Combustion reactions of hydrocarbons like methane and propane are exothermic, producing carbon dioxide, water vapor, and large amounts of heat. The heat of reaction, ΔH, indicates whether a reaction is exothermic (negative ΔH) or endothermic (positive ΔH). Bond energies represent the energy required to break bonds, while heat of combustion measures the heat released from complete combustion. A bomb calorimeter is used to accurately measure heats of combustion by igniting samples in excess oxygen. Hess's law states that the heat change of a reaction depends only on
Water is essential for all living organisms, as living cells contain 70-95% water. Water has unique properties like being a polar liquid, having a high specific heat, heat of vaporization, and latent heat of fusion. It can perform capillary action and is a universal solvent. These properties allow water to transport nutrients within plants and cool plants through transpiration. Water is also important for agricultural productivity and plant growth.
This document discusses the components and interactions within ecosystems. It defines an ecosystem and identifies its two main components as abiotic (non-living) factors like climate and biotic (living) organisms. The biotic components are classified into producers, consumers, and decomposers. Their interactions through food chains, food webs, and symbiosis are explained. Competition between organisms and predator-prey relationships are also covered.
This document discusses different types of chemical bonds: ionic bonds form when electrons are transferred between atoms, while covalent bonds form when electrons are shared between atoms. Ionic bonds occur between oppositely charged ions and result in crystalline solids with high melting points that conduct electricity when melted. Covalent bonds share electron pairs to achieve stability, and can be nonpolar or polar depending on electron distribution. Compounds formed by covalent bonding exist as gases, liquids or solids with low melting points and poor conductivity. Coordinate covalent bonds involve electron sharing where both electrons come from the same atom. Chemical bonding occurs for atoms to achieve stable electron configurations.
This document discusses the physical and chemical properties of substances. Physical properties can be observed without changing the substance's identity and include properties like state, colour, odour, and hardness. Chemical properties describe a substance's ability to change into new substances through chemical reactions like combustibility, solubility, and reaction with acids. Both qualitative properties observable by the senses and quantitative properties measured with numbers are discussed.
This document discusses biological molecules and biomolecules. It notes that the four most important elements that make up living things are carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen. Carbon is particularly important as it can form many different structures and molecules due to its ability to form up to four bonds. Biomolecules are organic molecules found in living organisms, including macromolecules like carbohydrates, proteins, lipids and nucleic acids. The document then discusses specific biomolecules like carbohydrates, lipids, proteins and water in more detail.
This is a summary of the topic "Energy changes" in the GCE O levels subject: Chemistry. Students taking either the combined science (chemistry/physics) or pure chemistry will find this useful. These slides are prepared according to the learning outcomes required by the examinations board.
Ecological succession describes how communities of plants and animals change over time in a particular area. There are two types of succession: primary succession, which occurs in areas without soil like after a volcanic eruption, and secondary succession, which occurs in areas with existing soil like after a forest fire. During primary succession, pioneer species like lichens and mosses establish first and help develop soil over time. Later stages see grasses and shrubs followed by trees. Secondary succession reestablishes ecosystems more quickly since soil remains intact, beginning with plants adapted to disturbed areas like fireweed before trees and other late stage species return. All succession leads eventually to a climax community of species best adapted to the local environment that will persist until
The document summarizes the four laws of thermodynamics:
1) The first law states that energy cannot be created or destroyed, only changed in form.
2) The second law states that the entropy of an isolated system always increases.
3) The third law states that the entropy of a system approaches a minimum, zero, as the temperature approaches absolute zero.
4) There is no universally accepted fourth law, but some proposals include the Onsager reciprocal relations regarding heat and matter flow parameters.
This document discusses the properties of water molecules and how those properties allow water to serve important functions. It covers the following key points:
1) Water molecules are polar due to their molecular structure, and they form hydrogen bonds between each other. This explains water's cohesive, adhesive, thermal, and solvent properties.
2) Substances can be either hydrophilic ("water-loving") if they are polar, or hydrophobic ("water-fearing") if they are nonpolar. Polar substances like glucose and phospholipids can dissolve in water due to hydrogen bonding.
3) Water has high specific heat and heat of vaporization, allowing it to effectively absorb and release heat. This contributes to temperature regulation
Water is essential for life. It makes up 75% of our cells and 90% of our blood, hydrating the body. Water acts as a buffer that regulates body temperature through sweating and vasoconstriction. As a polar solvent, water dissolves many other polar substances, providing an environment for chemical reactions in cells. Water also maintains cell turgor pressure through osmosis, leading to full cells and strong plants.
This document defines and describes chemical reactions. It explains that in a chemical reaction, atoms rearrange to form new compounds, with old bonds breaking and new bonds forming. Chemical reactions can be represented by chemical equations that show the reactants and products. Reactions can be exothermic, releasing energy, or endothermic, absorbing energy. They can also vary in reaction rate. The document also covers the law of conservation of matter, balancing chemical equations, and the main types of chemical reactions: synthesis, decomposition, single replacement, double replacement, and combustion reactions.
The document discusses the role of digestive enzymes in breaking down food molecules in the digestive system. Starch is broken down by amylase into maltose and then further by maltase into glucose. Proteins are broken down by trypsin into peptides and then by peptidases into amino acids. Lipase breaks down fats into fatty acids and glycerol. The structure and specificity of enzymes is also described.
Water has several important properties due to its hydrogen bonding:
1) It is a universal solvent due to its polarity which allows it to dissolve many ionic compounds.
2) It has a high specific heat capacity which allows it to absorb large amounts of heat without large temperature changes, enabling organisms to maintain constant internal temperatures.
3) It has a high latent heat of vaporization, meaning it requires a lot of energy to change from liquid to gas, which is used in evaporative cooling in animals and plants.
Here are some potential implications of selective breeding for each area of concern:
1. Ecosystems - Domesticated species may become invasive if they escape and outcompete native species. Monocultures may lack resilience.
2. Genetic biodiversity - Narrowing of gene pool over time from focusing on few traits. Increased inbreeding depression. Loss of genetic variation makes populations more vulnerable.
3. Health/survival of individuals - Some breeds may experience health/welfare issues from being bred for extreme traits. Requires intervention like C-sections.
4. Survival of populations - Reliance on humans for care/breeding. Loss of ability to survive without human intervention if reintroduced to wild
This document discusses biodiversity, including its definition, levels, importance, threats, and status in the Philippines. It defines biodiversity as the variety of life on Earth, including diversity at the genetic, species, and ecosystem levels. The lecture notes cover the three main levels of biodiversity and provides examples. It emphasizes that biodiversity is important to preserve for economic, aesthetic, and scientific reasons. Major threats to biodiversity include habitat loss, overexploitation, climate change, pollution, and invasive species. The document concludes that the Philippines is one of the most biodiverse countries in the world, with over half of its plant and animal species being endemic.
This document discusses biotic and abiotic factors in ecosystems. It defines biotic factors as living components such as plants, animals, and fungi. Abiotic factors are defined as non-living components such as temperature, water, and sunlight. The document explains that biotic and abiotic factors interact with and influence each other within an ecosystem. For example, temperature and water levels affect living organisms.
This document discusses the four main types of chemical bonds: ionic bonds, covalent bonds, hydrogen bonds, and metallic bonds. Ionic bonds involve the transfer of electrons between atoms. Covalent bonds involve the sharing of electrons between two atoms. Hydrogen bonds are electrostatic attractions between hydrogen atoms covalently bonded to electronegative atoms and another electronegative atom. Metallic bonds are electrostatic attractions between positively charged metal ions and delocalized electrons in metals. Examples of each type of bond are provided.
Water is essential for life and makes up a large percentage of living organisms. It has unique physical and chemical properties due to its molecular structure and hydrogen bonding between molecules. These properties allow water to act as a solvent, regulate temperature, generate pressure to transport nutrients within plants, and serve other critical physiological roles for which no other liquid is as well suited. Water's polarity, hydrogen bonding, and high specific heat capacity are some of the key attributes that make it uniquely able to support life.
This document provides an overview of chemical thermodynamics, including:
- The first law of thermodynamics which states that change in internal energy equals heat added plus work done.
- The second law of thermodynamics which states that the entropy of the universe increases for spontaneous processes.
- How changes in entropy and free energy determine whether processes are spontaneous, with spontaneous processes favoring higher entropy and more negative free energy.
1. The document discusses the process of cellular respiration which releases energy from food in living cells. It occurs in three stages: breathing, internal respiration in the blood, and cellular respiration in cells.
2. Aerobic respiration uses oxygen to fully break down glucose, generating more ATP. Anaerobic respiration occurs without oxygen, producing less ATP. It allows for short term energy needs like intense muscle activity.
3. The lungs take in oxygen and release carbon dioxide through breathing. Gases are exchanged between the alveoli and blood capillaries by diffusion down a concentration gradient.
The document summarizes the key differences between ionic and covalent bonding. Ionic bonds form when a metal transfers electrons to a nonmetal, creating oppositely charged ions. Covalent bonds form when nonmetals share electrons to obtain a full outer shell. Ionic compounds have high melting points, are brittle solids, and dissolve well in water, while covalent compounds have lower melting points, are soft and pliable, and are generally insoluble in water.
An ecological niche describes how a species interacts with and fits into its environment, including obtaining resources like food and shelter, and reproducing. A niche encompasses all biotic (living) and abiotic (non-living) factors. The fundamental niche is the full range of environmental conditions a species can tolerate without competition from other species. Species niches depend on factors like temperature, resources, and predators. Niches can overlap if species partition resources in non-competing ways, like dolphins and seals eating different types of fish.
Chemical reactions require energy to break and form bonds. Exothermic reactions release more energy than they absorb, causing an increase in temperature. Endothermic reactions absorb more energy than they release, causing a decrease in temperature. All reactions require a minimum amount of activation energy to start. The rate of reaction depends on factors like concentration, temperature, surface area, catalysts and inhibitors. Catalysts lower the activation energy and speed up reactions without being used up.
Principles pertaining to limiting factors and ecological assessmentJean Miong
1. Liebig's law of the minimum and Shelford's law of tolerance discuss how various limiting factors determine the growth, distribution, and abundance of organisms. Liebig's law states that plant growth is dependent on the scarcest resource, while Shelford's law discusses how the range of environmental factors a species can tolerate limits its presence.
2. Key limiting factors include temperature, light, water, atmospheric gases, biogenic salts, and currents/pressures. Temperature, in particular, restricts organisms to narrow ranges and aquatic organisms have less tolerance than land animals. Light intensity and quality also impact plants and animals. Water availability, in the form of rainfall distribution and humidity, further limits distributions.
3
A population is a group of the same species that lives in the same area and competes for resources like food, water, and space. Populations are always changing in size due to limiting factors, which are abiotic or biotic factors that control population numbers. Limiting factors include temperature, drought, space, predators, and competition between organisms over resources needed for survival and reproduction.
This document discusses the physical and chemical properties of substances. Physical properties can be observed without changing the substance's identity and include properties like state, colour, odour, and hardness. Chemical properties describe a substance's ability to change into new substances through chemical reactions like combustibility, solubility, and reaction with acids. Both qualitative properties observable by the senses and quantitative properties measured with numbers are discussed.
This document discusses biological molecules and biomolecules. It notes that the four most important elements that make up living things are carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen. Carbon is particularly important as it can form many different structures and molecules due to its ability to form up to four bonds. Biomolecules are organic molecules found in living organisms, including macromolecules like carbohydrates, proteins, lipids and nucleic acids. The document then discusses specific biomolecules like carbohydrates, lipids, proteins and water in more detail.
This is a summary of the topic "Energy changes" in the GCE O levels subject: Chemistry. Students taking either the combined science (chemistry/physics) or pure chemistry will find this useful. These slides are prepared according to the learning outcomes required by the examinations board.
Ecological succession describes how communities of plants and animals change over time in a particular area. There are two types of succession: primary succession, which occurs in areas without soil like after a volcanic eruption, and secondary succession, which occurs in areas with existing soil like after a forest fire. During primary succession, pioneer species like lichens and mosses establish first and help develop soil over time. Later stages see grasses and shrubs followed by trees. Secondary succession reestablishes ecosystems more quickly since soil remains intact, beginning with plants adapted to disturbed areas like fireweed before trees and other late stage species return. All succession leads eventually to a climax community of species best adapted to the local environment that will persist until
The document summarizes the four laws of thermodynamics:
1) The first law states that energy cannot be created or destroyed, only changed in form.
2) The second law states that the entropy of an isolated system always increases.
3) The third law states that the entropy of a system approaches a minimum, zero, as the temperature approaches absolute zero.
4) There is no universally accepted fourth law, but some proposals include the Onsager reciprocal relations regarding heat and matter flow parameters.
This document discusses the properties of water molecules and how those properties allow water to serve important functions. It covers the following key points:
1) Water molecules are polar due to their molecular structure, and they form hydrogen bonds between each other. This explains water's cohesive, adhesive, thermal, and solvent properties.
2) Substances can be either hydrophilic ("water-loving") if they are polar, or hydrophobic ("water-fearing") if they are nonpolar. Polar substances like glucose and phospholipids can dissolve in water due to hydrogen bonding.
3) Water has high specific heat and heat of vaporization, allowing it to effectively absorb and release heat. This contributes to temperature regulation
Water is essential for life. It makes up 75% of our cells and 90% of our blood, hydrating the body. Water acts as a buffer that regulates body temperature through sweating and vasoconstriction. As a polar solvent, water dissolves many other polar substances, providing an environment for chemical reactions in cells. Water also maintains cell turgor pressure through osmosis, leading to full cells and strong plants.
This document defines and describes chemical reactions. It explains that in a chemical reaction, atoms rearrange to form new compounds, with old bonds breaking and new bonds forming. Chemical reactions can be represented by chemical equations that show the reactants and products. Reactions can be exothermic, releasing energy, or endothermic, absorbing energy. They can also vary in reaction rate. The document also covers the law of conservation of matter, balancing chemical equations, and the main types of chemical reactions: synthesis, decomposition, single replacement, double replacement, and combustion reactions.
The document discusses the role of digestive enzymes in breaking down food molecules in the digestive system. Starch is broken down by amylase into maltose and then further by maltase into glucose. Proteins are broken down by trypsin into peptides and then by peptidases into amino acids. Lipase breaks down fats into fatty acids and glycerol. The structure and specificity of enzymes is also described.
Water has several important properties due to its hydrogen bonding:
1) It is a universal solvent due to its polarity which allows it to dissolve many ionic compounds.
2) It has a high specific heat capacity which allows it to absorb large amounts of heat without large temperature changes, enabling organisms to maintain constant internal temperatures.
3) It has a high latent heat of vaporization, meaning it requires a lot of energy to change from liquid to gas, which is used in evaporative cooling in animals and plants.
Here are some potential implications of selective breeding for each area of concern:
1. Ecosystems - Domesticated species may become invasive if they escape and outcompete native species. Monocultures may lack resilience.
2. Genetic biodiversity - Narrowing of gene pool over time from focusing on few traits. Increased inbreeding depression. Loss of genetic variation makes populations more vulnerable.
3. Health/survival of individuals - Some breeds may experience health/welfare issues from being bred for extreme traits. Requires intervention like C-sections.
4. Survival of populations - Reliance on humans for care/breeding. Loss of ability to survive without human intervention if reintroduced to wild
This document discusses biodiversity, including its definition, levels, importance, threats, and status in the Philippines. It defines biodiversity as the variety of life on Earth, including diversity at the genetic, species, and ecosystem levels. The lecture notes cover the three main levels of biodiversity and provides examples. It emphasizes that biodiversity is important to preserve for economic, aesthetic, and scientific reasons. Major threats to biodiversity include habitat loss, overexploitation, climate change, pollution, and invasive species. The document concludes that the Philippines is one of the most biodiverse countries in the world, with over half of its plant and animal species being endemic.
This document discusses biotic and abiotic factors in ecosystems. It defines biotic factors as living components such as plants, animals, and fungi. Abiotic factors are defined as non-living components such as temperature, water, and sunlight. The document explains that biotic and abiotic factors interact with and influence each other within an ecosystem. For example, temperature and water levels affect living organisms.
This document discusses the four main types of chemical bonds: ionic bonds, covalent bonds, hydrogen bonds, and metallic bonds. Ionic bonds involve the transfer of electrons between atoms. Covalent bonds involve the sharing of electrons between two atoms. Hydrogen bonds are electrostatic attractions between hydrogen atoms covalently bonded to electronegative atoms and another electronegative atom. Metallic bonds are electrostatic attractions between positively charged metal ions and delocalized electrons in metals. Examples of each type of bond are provided.
Water is essential for life and makes up a large percentage of living organisms. It has unique physical and chemical properties due to its molecular structure and hydrogen bonding between molecules. These properties allow water to act as a solvent, regulate temperature, generate pressure to transport nutrients within plants, and serve other critical physiological roles for which no other liquid is as well suited. Water's polarity, hydrogen bonding, and high specific heat capacity are some of the key attributes that make it uniquely able to support life.
This document provides an overview of chemical thermodynamics, including:
- The first law of thermodynamics which states that change in internal energy equals heat added plus work done.
- The second law of thermodynamics which states that the entropy of the universe increases for spontaneous processes.
- How changes in entropy and free energy determine whether processes are spontaneous, with spontaneous processes favoring higher entropy and more negative free energy.
1. The document discusses the process of cellular respiration which releases energy from food in living cells. It occurs in three stages: breathing, internal respiration in the blood, and cellular respiration in cells.
2. Aerobic respiration uses oxygen to fully break down glucose, generating more ATP. Anaerobic respiration occurs without oxygen, producing less ATP. It allows for short term energy needs like intense muscle activity.
3. The lungs take in oxygen and release carbon dioxide through breathing. Gases are exchanged between the alveoli and blood capillaries by diffusion down a concentration gradient.
The document summarizes the key differences between ionic and covalent bonding. Ionic bonds form when a metal transfers electrons to a nonmetal, creating oppositely charged ions. Covalent bonds form when nonmetals share electrons to obtain a full outer shell. Ionic compounds have high melting points, are brittle solids, and dissolve well in water, while covalent compounds have lower melting points, are soft and pliable, and are generally insoluble in water.
An ecological niche describes how a species interacts with and fits into its environment, including obtaining resources like food and shelter, and reproducing. A niche encompasses all biotic (living) and abiotic (non-living) factors. The fundamental niche is the full range of environmental conditions a species can tolerate without competition from other species. Species niches depend on factors like temperature, resources, and predators. Niches can overlap if species partition resources in non-competing ways, like dolphins and seals eating different types of fish.
Chemical reactions require energy to break and form bonds. Exothermic reactions release more energy than they absorb, causing an increase in temperature. Endothermic reactions absorb more energy than they release, causing a decrease in temperature. All reactions require a minimum amount of activation energy to start. The rate of reaction depends on factors like concentration, temperature, surface area, catalysts and inhibitors. Catalysts lower the activation energy and speed up reactions without being used up.
Principles pertaining to limiting factors and ecological assessmentJean Miong
1. Liebig's law of the minimum and Shelford's law of tolerance discuss how various limiting factors determine the growth, distribution, and abundance of organisms. Liebig's law states that plant growth is dependent on the scarcest resource, while Shelford's law discusses how the range of environmental factors a species can tolerate limits its presence.
2. Key limiting factors include temperature, light, water, atmospheric gases, biogenic salts, and currents/pressures. Temperature, in particular, restricts organisms to narrow ranges and aquatic organisms have less tolerance than land animals. Light intensity and quality also impact plants and animals. Water availability, in the form of rainfall distribution and humidity, further limits distributions.
3
A population is a group of the same species that lives in the same area and competes for resources like food, water, and space. Populations are always changing in size due to limiting factors, which are abiotic or biotic factors that control population numbers. Limiting factors include temperature, drought, space, predators, and competition between organisms over resources needed for survival and reproduction.
Thomas Malthus theorized that population grows exponentially while food production increases arithmetically, meaning population will eventually outpace food supply. He argued population is kept in check by positive factors like famine, disease that raise death rates, and negative factors like delayed marriage that lower birth rates. While Malthus' ideas highlighted overpopulation concerns, they ignored unequal resource distribution. Modern relevance of Malthus' theory continues to be debated.
The document discusses several principles of ecological design including environmental ethics, the triple bottom line of social equity, environmental impact, and financial reward. It provides examples of green building projects like Dockside Green in Vancouver, BC, which used brownfield redevelopment, vegetated systems, wastewater reuse, and renewable energy. Other case studies discussed include the Harvard Blackstone Renovation and the California Academy of Sciences roof habitat project. Design criteria for ecological reference, balanced capacity, and sustainable yield are also outlined.
There are two laws of thermodynamics. On the other hand in our universe sun is the source of energy. Green plants are the only producer. Plants make their own food by sunlight with the help of water and carbon dioxide. Other animals get energy by consuming green plants, plant products and other animals. Hence the energy is cycle. So the ecosystem proves the two laws of thermodynamics.
Energy flow by using energy models in ecosystemAnchal Garg
Photosynthesis converts sunlight into chemical energy that fuels ecological systems. It provides 99% of the energy for living cells through fixing carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen. Only about 10% of energy is transferred between trophic levels, with the rest lost to heat. This constrains food chains to about 4-5 levels. Energy flows through ecosystems in a unidirectional manner from producers to various consumers in either grazing or detritus food chains, with progressive losses at each level. Models depict this as single or dual (Y-shaped) energy channels to represent natural complexity.
This document defines several key ecology terms: habitat, niche, limiting factors, carrying capacity, and competition. It then provides examples of a gray wolf's niche, explaining that it is a carnivore that lives and hunts in packs and cares for its young. The document notes that most animals produce more offspring than can survive due to limiting factors. It asks why a pond wouldn't become overrun with frogs, implying that limiting factors keep populations in check. Finally, it poses multiple choice questions testing understanding of these terms and concepts.
Population ecology theory postulates and lessons for strategic managementJack Onyisi Abebe
The diversity of organizations in society depends on the both the number of organizational forms and the distribution of organizations over forms".
This is a dynamic process, with new forms being created, some orgs changing into other forms, and some forms going away. Organizations are created and disbanded or merged. organization that cannot change strategy and structure as quickly as their environments can change.
This is a powerpoint showing Malthusian theory of population and the Demographic Transition Model
This video adds a lot to the lesson as a whole
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QAkW_i0bDpQ&feature=em-subs_digest
The document discusses the law of diminishing marginal utility. It explains that as consumption of a good increases incrementally, the additional utility from each further unit decreases. It provides an example of a thirsty man drinking glasses of water to illustrate how marginal utility declines with successive units. A table shows total utility increasing but marginal utility decreasing as consumption rises from the first to sixth glass of water. The law assumes rational consumption aims to maximize utility subject to income constraints.
African elephants live in large herds led by matriarchal females. They are herbivores that feed on grasses, tree roots, bark and leaves for two thirds of the day. Elephants have large ears, a long trunk used for drinking water and grabbing food, and tusks used for digging and stripping bark. Their only natural predators are humans due to poaching and habitat destruction, though hyenas and other animals may attack young elephants. Elephants play an important role in their ecosystems by creating grasslands for grazing and allowing the germination of one third of tree species in central Africa, making them a keystone species.
The document discusses natural resource management in India. It describes renewable and non-renewable natural resources and the need to properly manage resources due to increasing population. The Ganga Action Plan aimed to reduce pollution in the Ganga River from human and industrial waste as well as religious activities. The three R's of reduce, reuse, and recycle are important for environmental conservation. Forests and wildlife are valuable natural resources and various efforts like afforestation and protected areas aim to conserve them. Traditional and community-based approaches to forest management have also shown success in conservation.
Ecological Concepts, Principles and Applications to Conservation Ghassan Hadi
Biodiversity refers to the variety of life on Earth at all levels, including ecosystems, species, and genes. It has three primary attributes: composition, structure, and function. Biodiversity provides many benefits to humans through ecosystem services like food production, water filtration, and cultural services. Maintaining biodiversity preserves future options and supports ecosystem productivity and human well-being.
Predators hunt prey animals for food. If prey increase, there is more food for predators and more predators. If predators increase, there is a shortage of prey and some predators won't get enough food and may leave or die. Predators and prey are connected in this way. Members of different populations also compete for resources like space, food and habitat. If one group gets too much of a resource, there may not be enough left for other groups. Humans can disrupt this balance by destroying habitats for construction.
Lion populations are decreasing due to human hunting, while their populations would otherwise grow due to breeding and cub birth, but limited water resources in desert habitats constrain population growth.
Presentation on nature and wildlife conservationchandan badtay
This document discusses the importance of nature and wildlife conservation. It notes that nature provides essential resources but is being destroyed by human activities like industry and pollution. Wildlife is also threatened by habitat loss, poaching, and the wildlife trade. The presentation recommends ways to conserve nature like reducing waste, using renewable energy, and protecting natural habitats. It emphasizes the importance of wildlife for maintaining ecological balance and biodiversity. Strict laws and government protection agencies aim to curb poaching and protect endangered species. Overall, the document stresses the need for human efforts to conserve nature and wildlife.
This PowerPoint was one very small part of my Ecology Interactions Unit from the website http://sciencepowerpoint.com/index.html .This unit includes a 3 part 2000+ Slide PowerPoint loaded with activities, project ideas, critical class notes (red slides), review opportunities, challenge questions with answers, 3 PowerPoint review games (125 slides each) and much more. A bundled homework package and detailed unit notes chronologically follow the PowerPoint slideshow.
Areas of Focus within The Ecology Interactions Unit: Levels of Biological Organization (Ecology), Parts of the Biosphere, Habitat, Ecological Niche, Types of Competition, Competitive Exclusion Theory, Animal Interactions, Food Webs, Predator Prey Relationships, Camouflage, Population Sampling, Abundance, Relative Abundance, Diversity, Mimicry, Batesian Mimicry, Mullerian Mimicry, Symbiosis, Parasitism, Mutualism, Commensalism, Plant and Animal Interactions, Coevolution, Animal Strategies to Eat Plants, Plant Defense Mechanisms, Exotic Species, Impacts of Invasive Exotic Species.
If you have any questions please feel free to contact me. Thank you again and best wishes.
Sincerely,
Ryan Murphy M.Ed
www.sciencepowerpoint@gmail.com
natural resources, introduction, ganga action plan,pollution,stake holders of forest, 3 rs,reduce,recycle,reuse,People ‘s participation in management of resources,
Importance of forests :- Chipko movement
done by rt vinay and his group
crpf public school 10 class
Keystone species play a critical role in maintaining the structure of an ecological community and have an impact greater than expected. For example, the extinction of wolves in Yellowstone led to the disappearance of beavers. Keystone species add complexity to understanding food webs and relationships between organisms in an ecosystem.
Microbes, Man and Environment (Microbial Evolution & Phylogeny ).pptxMidhatSarfraz
This document discusses the evolution of microbial life on Earth from its origins to the development of eukaryotic organisms. It describes how early Earth conditions allowed for the emergence of self-replicating molecules like RNA. Cellular life likely first arose in hydrothermal vents where conditions were stable. Early cells diversified metabolically, with some producing oxygen through photosynthesis. Accumulation of oxygen allowed for aerobic respiration and eukaryotic life, likely arising through endosymbiotic relationships between cells and oxygen-consuming or producing prokaryotes.
The document discusses the historical development of the concept of life on Earth from its origins over 3.5 billion years ago to the evolution of modern humans. It describes how life began as simple single-celled organisms and gradually became more complex over billions of years, evolving to include the first multicellular organisms, plants, animals, dinosaurs, and eventually modern humans. The document also provides a timeline of key events in the evolution of life and lists fossil and DNA evidence that has been discovered that supports the theory of evolution.
The document summarizes key events in early Earth history based on evidence from the fossil record:
- Early Earth had a toxic atmosphere but cooled enough for liquid water oceans to form around 3.8 billion years ago. Early organic molecules formed in simulations of Earth's atmosphere.
- The first life forms were unicellular bacteria that evolved around 3.5 billion years ago without oxygen. Photosynthetic bacteria introduced oxygen to the atmosphere around 2.2 billion years ago.
- Eukaryotic cells evolved from symbiotic relationships between prokaryotes around 2 billion years ago, resulting in mitochondria and chloroplasts. Sexual reproduction and multicellularity further increased genetic variation.
The document discusses the origin of life on Earth from the formation of the universe to early theories on how life began. It describes how around 4 billion years ago, the early Earth had a reducing atmosphere of gases like methane and ammonia. Experiments in the 1950s showed that conditions in the early Earth could produce amino acids and other organic molecules (Miller-Urey experiment). Debates continue around whether RNA or proteins came first, with proposals that self-replicating RNA arose inside early lipid membranes to form the first protocells.
How life originated on earth is still a very tough question. We have found many evidences, we have a lots of hypothesis, but still we have miles to go. This PPT summarizes the findings of research on origin of life on earth.
The document discusses the history of life on Earth from its origins through the development of early organisms and eventual emergence of humans. It describes how early Earth's atmosphere likely allowed for the formation of organic molecules through chemical reactions, and may have given rise to self-replicating molecules like RNA. The evolution of photosynthesis introduced oxygen to the atmosphere, and energy harvesting aerobic cells became dominant. Eukaryotic cells later emerged through endosymbiotic relationships between cells and engulfed prokaryotes like mitochondria and chloroplasts. Multicellular life then diversified over millennia as plants and animals evolved on land and in the seas.
The document discusses the historical development of concepts related to the origin and evolution of life. It describes early hypotheses from the 1920s put forth by Oparin and Haldane that suggested organic molecules could form from inorganic ones in the reducing atmosphere of early Earth. The 1953 Miller-Urey experiment provided evidence for this by demonstrating amino acid synthesis from simple gases. Evidence for early life includes microfossils of cyanobacteria and stromatolites from 3.5 billion years ago. Carl Woese's 1977 work established the three domains of life - Archaea, Bacteria, and Eukarya - based on genetic analysis.
Earth and Life Sciences for Senior High School by Duyanen and Andaya pages 176-179
My fun and colorful grade 11 report on Life Sciences 2nd semester of A.Y. 2016-2017 under Ms. Lagmay
1. Early life on Earth likely originated from self-replicating RNA molecules between 3.8-4.3 billion years ago near hydrothermal vents on the ocean floor where conditions were stable. These RNAs may have eventually led to the first cells with lipid membranes and simple metabolic pathways using hydrogen and carbon dioxide.
2. Around 2.5 billion years ago, cyanobacteria evolved oxygenic photosynthesis, leading to accumulation of oxygen in the atmosphere over hundreds of millions of years and allowing aerobic respiration to evolve. This drove diversification of metabolism and the rise of eukaryotes.
3. Eukaryotic cells likely arose through endosymbiotic events where ancient bacteria capable of aerobic
The document discusses the geologic time scale and the emergence of early life on Earth. It summarizes that the geologic time scale is divided into eons such as the Phanerozoic and Proterozoic. Early theories estimated the age of the Earth, while radioactive dating methods later revealed the Earth to be billions of years old. Stromatolites are among the earliest fossils, dating back over 3 billion years ago, and provided evidence that life began on the early Earth.
Evolving Concept of Life Based on Emerging Pieces of Evidence.pptxRoChel18
1) The origin of life on Earth remains one of science's greatest mysteries. Various hypotheses have been proposed but none have been verified.
2) Earth formed around 4.5 billion years ago and may have developed life-supporting conditions by 4.3 billion years ago, although the oldest fossils are only 3.7 billion years old, leaving a gap.
3) Emerging evidence has led scientists to believe that life began through gradual chemical evolution from simple organic molecules to more complex polymers, RNA, and eventually the first prokaryotic cells within the hypothesized conditions of the early Earth.
Presentation is about the "Origin of Life". Many theories being proposed to clearly explains how does Life actually came into existence on our planet Earth.
The document summarizes the origin and evolution of Earth's early atmosphere and the emergence of life. It discusses evidence that Earth formed 4.6 billion years ago and likely had an early reducing atmosphere containing gases like CO2, CO, nitrogen and methane but no oxygen. Around 3.8 billion years ago, liquid water formed on Earth. Early life may have begun as early as 3.9 billion years ago based on isotope evidence from ancient rocks. The earliest undisputed evidence of life comes from 3.5 billion year old microbial fossils. Photosynthesis evolved around 3 billion years ago and began oxygenating the atmosphere. Eukaryotic cells emerged between 1.4-1.6 billion years ago, and multicellular life evolved around
Key events and evidence in the evolution of.pptxKiren10
The document summarizes key events in the evolution of life on Earth over billions of years. It describes the origin of life around 3.8 billion years ago as single-celled prokaryotes in an anoxic atmosphere. Around 2.6 billion years ago, cyanobacteria evolved oxygenic photosynthesis, gradually oxygenating the atmosphere and enabling the evolution of eukaryotes around 1.6 billion years ago. Multicellular life emerged shortly before the Cambrian explosion around 540 million years ago, when most major animal phyla first appear in the fossil record.
Life, living matter are those that shows certain attributes that include responsiveness, growth, metabolism, energy transformation and reproduction.
In biology origin of life or abiogenesis is the natural process by which life has arisen from non-living matter, such as simple organic compounds.
It means the emergence of heritable and evolvable self-reproduction.
It is a complex subject and oftentimes controversial.
Several attempts have been made from time to time to explain the origin of life on earth.
There are several theories which offer their own explanation on the possible mechanism of origin of life.
The document outlines the key processes thought to be necessary for the spontaneous origin of life on Earth: 1) The synthesis of simple organic molecules, as demonstrated by the Miller-Urey experiment; 2) The assembly of these molecules into polymers like polypeptides; 3) A mechanism for inheritance, proposed to be self-replicating RNA; 4) The development of membranes. These processes are hypothesized to have led to the formation of "protobionts", early cell-like structures surrounded by membranes. The endosymbiotic theory proposes that eukaryotic cells arose from engulfed prokaryotes that evolved to become organelles like mitochondria and chloroplasts. Early prokaryotes also produced oxygen as
INGLES BACH MODULO para hacer diagramas sistemalesdropdrop2
The document discusses the origins of the universe, Earth, and life. It states that the most accepted theory is that the universe began 14 billion years ago with a hot, dense particle that exploded. Earth formed approximately 4.5 billion years ago from dust and gases attracted by the sun's gravity. The earliest life forms were single-celled organisms that appeared over 4 billion years ago in water, eventually evolving into more complex multi-celled beings. Various periods in Earth's history are mentioned, such as the Cambrian period which saw the first shellfish and fish in oceans.
INGLES BACH MODULO para hacer diagramas sistemalesdropdrop2
The document discusses the origins of the universe, Earth, and life. It states that the most accepted theory is that the universe began 14 billion years ago with a hot, dense particle that exploded. Earth formed approximately 4.5 billion years ago from dust and gases attracted by the sun's gravity. The earliest life forms were single-celled organisms that appeared over 4 billion years ago in water, eventually evolving into more complex multi-celled beings. Various periods in Earth's history are mentioned, such as the Cambrian period which saw the first shellfish and fish in oceans.
The document discusses the origins of life on Earth. It describes the early conditions on the primitive Earth that allowed for life to emerge, including the presence of liquid water, moderate temperatures, sunlight, and gases like carbon dioxide and methane in the atmosphere from volcanoes. Early life forms like bacteria emerged around 3.8 billion years ago. The document then discusses theories for how life began like spontaneous generation, the Miller-Urey experiment that produced amino acids from conditions simulating early Earth, and chemical evolution in underwater vents. Early life was in the form of prokaryotes for over a billion years before oxygen accumulated in the atmosphere around 2 billion years ago due to photosynthesis by cyanobacteria, allowing for more complex aerobic life
The document discusses several key aspects of life and its origins:
1) It defines some key properties of life including order, reproduction, growth and development, energy utilization, homeostasis, and evolutionary adaptation.
2) It discusses early theories on the origins of life from the 19th century idea of supernatural creation to 20th century ideas of natural spontaneous generation and chemical evolution.
3) It outlines several theories proposed by scientists to explain the chemical evolution of life on Earth, including panspermia, RNA world, and environments like deep sea vents that could have supported early life.
How to Manage Your Lost Opportunities in Odoo 17 CRMCeline George
Odoo 17 CRM allows us to track why we lose sales opportunities with "Lost Reasons." This helps analyze our sales process and identify areas for improvement. Here's how to configure lost reasons in Odoo 17 CRM
LAND USE LAND COVER AND NDVI OF MIRZAPUR DISTRICT, UPRAHUL
This Dissertation explores the particular circumstances of Mirzapur, a region located in the
core of India. Mirzapur, with its varied terrains and abundant biodiversity, offers an optimal
environment for investigating the changes in vegetation cover dynamics. Our study utilizes
advanced technologies such as GIS (Geographic Information Systems) and Remote sensing to
analyze the transformations that have taken place over the course of a decade.
The complex relationship between human activities and the environment has been the focus
of extensive research and worry. As the global community grapples with swift urbanization,
population expansion, and economic progress, the effects on natural ecosystems are becoming
more evident. A crucial element of this impact is the alteration of vegetation cover, which plays a
significant role in maintaining the ecological equilibrium of our planet.Land serves as the foundation for all human activities and provides the necessary materials for
these activities. As the most crucial natural resource, its utilization by humans results in different
'Land uses,' which are determined by both human activities and the physical characteristics of the
land.
The utilization of land is impacted by human needs and environmental factors. In countries
like India, rapid population growth and the emphasis on extensive resource exploitation can lead
to significant land degradation, adversely affecting the region's land cover.
Therefore, human intervention has significantly influenced land use patterns over many
centuries, evolving its structure over time and space. In the present era, these changes have
accelerated due to factors such as agriculture and urbanization. Information regarding land use and
cover is essential for various planning and management tasks related to the Earth's surface,
providing crucial environmental data for scientific, resource management, policy purposes, and
diverse human activities.
Accurate understanding of land use and cover is imperative for the development planning
of any area. Consequently, a wide range of professionals, including earth system scientists, land
and water managers, and urban planners, are interested in obtaining data on land use and cover
changes, conversion trends, and other related patterns. The spatial dimensions of land use and
cover support policymakers and scientists in making well-informed decisions, as alterations in
these patterns indicate shifts in economic and social conditions. Monitoring such changes with the
help of Advanced technologies like Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Systems is
crucial for coordinated efforts across different administrative levels. Advanced technologies like
Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Systems
9
Changes in vegetation cover refer to variations in the distribution, composition, and overall
structure of plant communities across different temporal and spatial scales. These changes can
occur natural.
Exploiting Artificial Intelligence for Empowering Researchers and Faculty, In...Dr. Vinod Kumar Kanvaria
Exploiting Artificial Intelligence for Empowering Researchers and Faculty,
International FDP on Fundamentals of Research in Social Sciences
at Integral University, Lucknow, 06.06.2024
By Dr. Vinod Kumar Kanvaria
The simplified electron and muon model, Oscillating Spacetime: The Foundation...RitikBhardwaj56
Discover the Simplified Electron and Muon Model: A New Wave-Based Approach to Understanding Particles delves into a groundbreaking theory that presents electrons and muons as rotating soliton waves within oscillating spacetime. Geared towards students, researchers, and science buffs, this book breaks down complex ideas into simple explanations. It covers topics such as electron waves, temporal dynamics, and the implications of this model on particle physics. With clear illustrations and easy-to-follow explanations, readers will gain a new outlook on the universe's fundamental nature.
Main Java[All of the Base Concepts}.docxadhitya5119
This is part 1 of my Java Learning Journey. This Contains Custom methods, classes, constructors, packages, multithreading , try- catch block, finally block and more.
A review of the growth of the Israel Genealogy Research Association Database Collection for the last 12 months. Our collection is now passed the 3 million mark and still growing. See which archives have contributed the most. See the different types of records we have, and which years have had records added. You can also see what we have for the future.
This presentation includes basic of PCOS their pathology and treatment and also Ayurveda correlation of PCOS and Ayurvedic line of treatment mentioned in classics.
বাংলাদেশের অর্থনৈতিক সমীক্ষা ২০২৪ [Bangladesh Economic Review 2024 Bangla.pdf] কম্পিউটার , ট্যাব ও স্মার্ট ফোন ভার্সন সহ সম্পূর্ণ বাংলা ই-বুক বা pdf বই " সুচিপত্র ...বুকমার্ক মেনু 🔖 ও হাইপার লিংক মেনু 📝👆 যুক্ত ..
আমাদের সবার জন্য খুব খুব গুরুত্বপূর্ণ একটি বই ..বিসিএস, ব্যাংক, ইউনিভার্সিটি ভর্তি ও যে কোন প্রতিযোগিতা মূলক পরীক্ষার জন্য এর খুব ইম্পরট্যান্ট একটি বিষয় ...তাছাড়া বাংলাদেশের সাম্প্রতিক যে কোন ডাটা বা তথ্য এই বইতে পাবেন ...
তাই একজন নাগরিক হিসাবে এই তথ্য গুলো আপনার জানা প্রয়োজন ...।
বিসিএস ও ব্যাংক এর লিখিত পরীক্ষা ...+এছাড়া মাধ্যমিক ও উচ্চমাধ্যমিকের স্টুডেন্টদের জন্য অনেক কাজে আসবে ...
How to Fix the Import Error in the Odoo 17Celine George
An import error occurs when a program fails to import a module or library, disrupting its execution. In languages like Python, this issue arises when the specified module cannot be found or accessed, hindering the program's functionality. Resolving import errors is crucial for maintaining smooth software operation and uninterrupted development processes.
3. ○ Around 535 million years ago, the Eukaryotes went berserk.
■ This is known as the Cambrian Explosion. A major
biological goldenage when the diversity of all animal life
on Earth ‘exploded’.
■ Creatures began to use minerals to create shells,
skeletal structures, claws and defensive plates.
○ This brought about the dawn of the Phanerozoic Eon
■ The one we are in currently
○ Around 500 million years ago, during the Ordovician Period,
plants, animals and fungi started colonizing the land (likely
to escape predation).
○ During the Devonian Period, about 365 million years ago,
Tetrapods (4legged vertebrates) and Arthropods began
showing up on land.
○ The Carboniferous Period, that extended from 359299
million years ago, heralded a major development of plants.
■ The forests were so dense and widespread that they
made all the fossil fuels we now use.
■ These forests created so much oxygen that the
atmosphere was around 35% O2, rather than today’s
21%
■ This O2 cooled the planet, crashing the entire system.
○ During the Permian Period, 299251 million years ago, all
the landmasses of the world joined to form one giant continent
we know as Pangea.
■ We begin to see Gymnosperms (the first plants with
seeds), and Archosaurs.
■ About 252 million years ago, the PermianTriassic
Extinction took place.
● 96% of all marine species and 70% of terrestrial
vertebrate went extinct, and is the only known
mass extinction of insects (57% of all taxonomic
families and 83% of all genera went extinct)
4. ● The most significant extinction event on the plant.
Ever.
● Dawned the age of the Dinosaurs. Not much
competition allowed evolution to fill many available
niches (a combination of biotic and abiotic
resources that a species could use to survive).
○ During the Jurassic Period, about 199145 million years
ago, large herbivorous dinosaurs and smaller carnivorous
dinosaurs were roaming the Earth. (There were also
mammals, small, but still there)
■ 65 million years ago, all the Dinosaurs went extinct
(currently only theories suggest why), except for their
surviving descendants the birds.
○ About 100 million years ago, Angiosperms, or flowering
plants, appeared. Flying insects evolved with them, providing
an ideal vehicle for reproduction.
■ Coevolution
○ On a geological scale, that brings us up to now.
Population Ecology
● Population Ecology: Groups within a species and how they interact
and live together in one geographic area.
○ Fundamental Principles of Population Ecology include:
■ A population is just a group of individuals of one
species who interact regularly
■ How often organisms interact has a lot to do with
Geography. You compete with those closer to you for
food, living space, reproductive privileges, etc..
■ Population Density, or how many of a population are in
a specific area that might come into contact with each
other.
5. ■ Geographic Arrangement of individuals within the
population. This is also known as Dispersion.
■ Population Growth.
● All kinds of factors drive this:
○ Fecundity (how many offspring an individual
can have)
○ Limiting Factors, the biotic and abiotic
factors that limit population growth.
○ Niche Requirements
○ Mates and Mating
● Categorized into:
○ DensityDependent(Is the population being
controlled by how many individuals are in
it?) limit growth due to environmental stress
caused by population size.
○ DensityIndependent(Is the population
being controlled by something else?) limit
growth due to external factors like a volcanic
eruption, monsoon, etc..
● Carrying Capacity is the Number or individuals
that a habitat can sustain with the resources
available. Once Density Dependent limiting
factors kick in, that’s a pretty good sign of a
population reaching its carrying capacity.
■ Any population of anything, according to math, will grow
exponentially until, for some reason, it can’t
anymore.
● Known as Exponential Growth.
○ The population grows at a rate proportional to
the size of the population.
● Once the population reaches these limiting factors,
it will only experience Logistic Growth.
9. ■ Even then, most exponential growth rates, even for
RSelected species, usually do not go on for 350
years.
■ We’ve been able to do this because we learned how to
eliminate limiting factors that would’ve plateaued
(made us reach our carrying capacity) and eventually
diminished our population.
● Agricultural advances
● Medical advances
● Not being so Disgusting! (Sewage)
● Adapting to Inhospitable Places
○ Ecological Footprint: Calculation of how much land and how
many resources each person on the planet requires to live.
■ Varies geographically and determined by lifestyle.
Community Ecology
● Competition: Because there is a finite amount of resources on the
planet, evolution drives us to compete for them so that we can
live long enough to reproduce.
○ Important part of how different species interact when their
habitats overlap. These interactions define Ecological
Communities
● Interspecific Competition: When communities of the similar
species compete for the same resources needed for their survival
and continued population growth. i.e. weeds competing with
sunflowers for the nutrients and water in soil.
● Finite Resources are typically limiting factors in competition.
● Competitive Exclusion: When one species eliminates another
competing for the same resources.
○ When two species are competing for the same resources, one
of them will eventually be more successful, and eliminate
the other.
10. ○ Not all resources are limiting.
○ Most species, even ones that are nearly identical, are
adaptable enough to find a way to survive in the face of
competition.
■ This is done by finding an ecological niche. the sum of
all resources, both biotic and abiotic, that a species use
in it’s environment.
● Fundamental Niche: an Ideal niche in which a species can live the
way it naturally wants to should there be no competition. Few
species ever achieve this.
● Most species, in order to avoid competitive exclusion and
continue living, take up a Realized Niche Or, the niche in which a
species lives in the presence of competitive exclusion.
● Canadian Ecologist, Robert Macarthur, made a discovery that
made him one of the most influential ecologists of the 20th century.
○ While researching at Yale in 1958, he studied 5 species of
warblers that live in coniferous forests. At the time, because
of the sheer amount of warblers living in the same area, many
ecologists thought they occupied the same ecological niche.
○ Macarthur studied the birds for many seasons, dividing
individual trees different warblers lived in, and observed
that each species of warbler divided it’s time differently
among the various parts of the tree.
○ The warblers had different hunting and foraging habits, and
even bred at different times of the year so that their highest
food requirements didn’t overlap.
○ This was the first recorded observation of a Realized Niche.
■ This phenomenon is now known as Resource
Partitioning. (when similar species settle into separate
niches that let them coexist)
● Mutualism: When two species benefit by forming relationships
through conflictavoidance. Both provide a service, and both
benefit.
11. ○ Obligate Mutualism: relationship in which one species would
die if the other was not there.
● Commensalism: Relationship in which One species benefits, and
the other is unaffected/neutral toward the relationship.
Community Ecology II: Predation
● Herbivory: Predation in which an organism eats primary
producers
● Parasitism: Predation in which organisms derive energy from a
host, usually harming it, and sometimes killing it in the process.
● The need to survive causes predator and prey to adapt to develop
both weapons and defenses in a neverending evolutionary change.
○ Hunting and feeding adaptations for predators
○ Detection, Capture and Handling adaptations for prey
■ To avoid Detection, some creatures have developed
Cryptic Coloration (camouflage)
■ Avoiding Capture, some animals have developed speed
advantages, and some find safety in numbers (like
Bison), forming giant herds.
■ Preventing Handling can appear in many ways, such as
plants growing thorns, creating sap that traps
insects, chemical weapons like the tobacco plant’s
nicotine, Aposematic Coloration (Warning Coloration),
Mullerian Mimicry (alike coloring of similar types of
poisonous species), Batesian Mimicry (The copying a
poisonous creature’s appearance by nonthreatening
creatures)
20. *So what are Nitrogen and Phosphorus used for?
● Animals are 3% Nitrogen and 1% Phosphorus
● We need Nitrogen to make Amino
Acids>Proteins>Bodies>DNA & RNA
● DNA and RNA also require Phosphorus
○ ATP, and Phospholipid Bilayer
Nitrogen Cycle
● Nitrogen Gas (N2) makes up about 78% of the atmosphere
○ Unfortunately, it is made up of two N atoms stuck together with
a triple bond. Very hard to break.
● Plants need help to assimilate the N2, and receive that help via
Nitrogen Fixation.
○ Using NitrogenFixing Bacteria. Found in soil or water, or in
symbiotic relationships with root systems in Legumes.
○ These bacteria convert N2 into Ammonia (NH3), which then
becomes Ammonium (NH4+) when mixed with water, which
can be used by plants.
○ They do this with a special enzyme Nitrogenase which is the
only biological enzyme that can break that triple bond.
○ Ammonia can also be made by Decomposers like fungi when
breaking down dead organic matter (proteins and DNA). Once
this happens, other Nitrifying Bacteria can take this ammonia
and convert it into Nitrates (NO3)>3 Oxygen atoms attached
to a Nitrogen atom, as well as Nitrites (NO2)
■ These are even easier than Ammonium for plants to
assimilate
● Other ways to break the bonds between the N atoms include
○ Lightning
○ Synthetic fixation (fertilizers)
● The cycle continues (Bacteria>Plants>Animals>Decomposers)
UNTIL that Nitrogen finds itself in Denitrifying Bacteria, whose job
it is to metabolize the Nitrogen Oxides back into Nitrogen Gas.
21. ○ This process uses a special enzyme called Nitrate
Reductase.
The Phosphorus Cycle
● Concentrated in the Lithosphere.
○ Rocks containing inorganic phosphates (especially
sedimentary originating in old ocean floors and lakes)
○ Not many rockeating bacteria on Earth, only Lithotrophs, so
bacteria do little to expose the phosphorus
● When the rocks are reexposed (from underwater), and water
erodes them, some of the phosphates are dissolved into the water.
○ These dissolved phosphates are immediately available to, and
assimilated by plants, which are then eaten by animals.
23.
Human Impacts on the Environment
● Human behaviour and lifestyle has already driven nearly 1,000 plant
and animal species (to date) into extinction most of them over the
last century.
● Ecosystem Services: Benefits the natural world provides us for
free, typically things that we could never, ever duplicate on our own.
○ Thus, having Ecosystems and keeping them intact is not only
important for the organisms who live in them, but also for us.
○ These services can be broken up into 4 categories
■ Support Services create and replenish the foundation
of the Earth’s biological systems. (recycling the
compounds that are necessary for life through the
biogeochemical cycles, forming new soils, producing
oxygen)
■ Provisioning Services providing the raw materials we
need to live. (The ocean providing food, rivers give
water, plant fiber for clothing and shelter, sources of fuel
in the form of biomass, hydropower, fossil fuels)
■ Regulating Services Decomposers converting waste to
energy, plants filtering water and air, producing oxygen
and absorbing CO2, etc..
■ (Cultural Services) Ecosystems Just Being
Awesome It’s nice to be surrounded by other living
things, healthy ecosystems give us places to play,
inspiration, grounds for education through study. Less
tangible, but still important cultural services.
● Ecosystems with High Biodiversity are much more resilient to and
capable of handling that ‘neverending change’, as well as being
able to handle disturbances much better.
○ In a High Biodiversity ecosystem, if you take one species out
of the mix, it’s less likely that the ecosystem will collapse.
24. ● Best way to see how we affect the environment is through how we
affect biodiversity.
○ Unfortunately, we have already endangered most of the
highest biodiversity ecosystems on the planet.
● Top Five ways that humans are messing up the Environment:
○ 1) Deforestation we currently cut through 8,000 hectares of
trees a day to provide land to graze cattle on, and to harvest
wood
○ 2) Desertification Can be a sideeffect of Deforestation, in
which dry, unproductive landscapes spread. Driven along by
additional factors like overgrazing and overirrigation.
■ Overirrigation can cause Desertification because when
we use groundwater to irrigate crops, the natural salts in
that groundwater build up in the soil, eventually making it
so salty that nothing can grow.
■ Over time, ecosystems near deserts become overtaxed,
and the desert is able to spread into it.
○ 3) Global Warming Increase of CO2 in the atmosphere while
decrease in the area of forests and lush ecosystems that
provide regulation = bad. Melting Sea Ice leads to less habitat
for polar bears, seals and sea birds. More temperate animals
are moving closer to the poles, and hotter, drier conditions are
causing more fires.
■ Biggest problem with this is the timeframe of the
disturbance. Changes like this have happened in the
past, but took place over millennia, allowing organisms
time to adapt, while these changes are taking place over
our individual lifetimes.
○ 4) Introducing NonNative Species Both intentionally and
unintentionally, this can lead to invasive species, rapid niche
changes, and ecosystem entropy.
25. ○ 5) Overharvesting Overfishing the oceans to meet growing
demand for popular fish species, overhunting predators like
wolves to protect livestock.
● Pollution Any substance that’s in the wrong place or in the wrong
concentrations in the environment.
○ Trash in the environment Pollution
○ Chemicals in the environment (both naturally occurring and
synthetic) Real killers.
○ We tend to think of pollution as chemicals made in large
chemical processing plants, and these are definitely a
problem, BUT, natural compounds in wrong concentrations
can do just as much damage.
● One of the main ways we are altering the concentrations of natural
compounds is by messing with the biogeochemical cycles.
○ Most obvious cycle we’re altering = Carbon Cycle
○ Cycle keeps going on, but problem is that we’re overloading it
by digging up and burning carbonrich coal, oil and gas.
○ Also been tampering with Nitrogen and Phosphorus cycles,
via increasing concentrations in the environment by creating
synthetic fertilizers that can spread nutrients into the water,
leading to large algal blooms that ‘chokeout’ the rest of the
plants and animals in the stream.
■ Also cause Dead Zones, in which decomposers try to
decompose the algae after it has used up all of the
nitrogen and phosphorus, but require Oxygen to do so,
taking it out of the water, thereby killing most of the other
living organisms in that area that require oxygen.
● Important Natural Pollutants
○ Cyanide (used in mining operations for ore extraction, leading
to hazardous waste that never really goes away)
○ Mercury (Supertoxic, naturally occurring metal found in coal
among other places, and doesn’t do anything while
underground in coal seams, but when that coal is burned to
27. ■ The glue that holds every ecosystem together is
Biodiversity.
■ Biodiversity can mean many different things, though. It’s
generally referring to species diversity.
■ In addition to species diversity, ecologists look at
genetic diversity within a species as a whole and
between populations.
○ Genetic Diversity is important because it allows a species to
adapt to new situations and disturbances like disease and
climate change.
○ Ecosystem Diversity is the variety of different ecosystems
within an area.
■ A large forest, for example, can host several different
ecosystems, like wetland, alpine, and aquatic.
○ Small Population Conservation focuses on identifying
species and populations that are miniscule, and attempts to
increase their numbers and genetic diversity.
■ When a population is small and has low biodiversity, its
very probable that it will soon die out, so when a
population is suffering from inbreeding or genetic drift
(a shift in it’s overall genetic makeup), this leads to even
less diversity>lower natality rates>higher mortality
rates>even smaller population.
● This is known as an Extinction Vortex
■ So how small is too small? Ecologists figure this out by
calculating whats called the Minimum Viable
Population, which is the smallest size at which a
population can survive and sustain itself.
■ To calculate this, you need to find out a species real
breeding population and then you figure out everything
you can about that species life history:
● How long they live