Interactions within Ecosystems

Interactions within Ecosystems

Biotic and Abiotic Elements

Biotic and Abiotic Elements

Biotic

Biotic elements are living factors that have all the needs of living things.

Abiotic

Abiotic elements are non-living factors but they still play an important role in an ecosystem.

Needs of living things

Needs of living things

Food (Chemical Energy)

Food provides energy and nutrients for living things. The nutrients are: Minerals, Vitamins, Starches, and Proteins.

Water

Water consists of hydrogen and oxygen. It is needed by all living things to survive. Underwater biotic elements extract oxygen out of the water to survive.

Sunlight

This provides energy for plants to grow which indirectly feeds heterotrophs.

Ideal Temerature Range

All living these have their own ideal temperature range, if that is not provided for them they can die.

Air

Air consists of oxygen, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen. Autotrophs need air for photosynthesis, and animals and humans need it to breathe and funnel oxygen into their lungs to stay alive.

Roles in Ecosystems

Producers/Autotrophs

Produers/Autotrophs are biotic elements that produce their own food. They are self-feeding. Example: Plants

Produers/Autotrophs are biotic elements that produce
their own food. They are self-feeding. Example: Plants

Consumers/Heterotrophs

Consumers/Heterotrophs are biotic elements that don't produce their own food. They are other-feeding. There are three types of consumers other than decomposers, Herbivores, Carnivores, and Omnivores.

Herbivores eat plants. Example: Giraffe, Cow

Herbivores eat plants. Example: Giraffe, Cow

Carnivores eat other animals. Example: Lion, Hyena

Carnivores eat other animals. Example: Lion, Hyena

Omnivores eat plants and animals. Example: Bear, Human (Excluding vegans/vegetarians)

Omnivores eat plants and animals. Example: Bear, Human (Excluding vegans/vegetarians)

Decomposers/Heterotrophs

Decomposers/Heterotrophs are biotic elements that don't produce their own food. They are other-feeding. They eat dead organis

Decomposers/Heterotrophs are biotic elements that don't produce their own food. They are other-feeding. They eat dead organisms. Example: Fungi

Scavengers/Detritivores

They are consumers that eat already dead organisms. Carnivores like lions, for example, would kill a deer and eat the flesh,

They are consumers that eat already dead organisms. Carnivores like lions, for example, would kill a deer and eat the flesh, then a scavenger would come and eat the remaining meat and organs. Example: Vultures

Food Chains and Food Webs

Food Chains and Food Webs

Food chains are a chart of the flow of energy in an ecosystem. It usually has one biotic element on each level and is smaller than a food web.

Food webs are more stable than food chains because they are bigger and have more species in the web. If a species is removed from a food chain it will collapse, if a species is removed from a food web it won't cause as much damage because there would be other species on the same level.

Food webs are a chart of the flow of energy in an ecosystem. It has lots of biotic elements with multiple species on each level.

Invasive Species

Invasive species is when a species of animals/plants is foreign to an area. They are either brought in from their original habitat by humans or brought themselves in. When they transfer to this new environment they usually cause damage and destruction to the ecosystem, which is why it's important to not spread species like this. To do so, it is recommended you report if you see the invasive species and don't spread the species.

Example: Eastern Grey Squirrel

Example: Eastern Grey Squirrel

The Eastern Grey Squirrel is native to North America and was brought to Europe by an Italian diplomat, in 1948. They cause numerous types of damage. They strip bark from trees and steal food from other species. Most importantly, they kill red squirrels (that are native to Europe) with a disease they carry called "Parapox".

Ecological Footprint

An ecological footprint is the history of how you affect the environment. This includes the waste you produce, the land you t

An ecological footprint is the history of how you affect the environment. This includes the waste you produce, the land you take up to live, the land for your waste, and any other sacrifices the environment has to make to sustain you.

You want to have the smallest ecological footprint possible to be good for the environment. It is obviously not possible to have no footprint but you can do your best to make it as small as you can. There are multiple simple and more complex ways to help the environment. These are some examples:

Small Ways

Using reusable shopping bags and water bottles

Buying organic groceries

Ensure that the products you buy are eco-friendly

Reduce, Reuse and Recycle

Big Ways

Buy an electronic car (Tesla)

Installing solar panels and use that as your electricity source for your house

Energy Pyramids

Energy Pyramids are graphs that shows the transfer of energy in a triangular chart. They have 4 or 5 levels,but usually 4. Th

Energy Pyramids are graphs that shows the transfer of energy in a triangular chart. They have 4 or 5 levels,but usually 4. The first level consists of the producers (the autotrophs), then it's the primary consumers (typically the herbivores), then it's the secondary consumers (omnivores/carnivores), and finally, on the top level (in a 4 level energy pyramid) are the tertiary consumers (carnivores).

Only 10% of energy travels up to the next level. The remaining 90% is split up into:

Life Functions - 30%

Waste and Heat Loss - 60%

Carbon and Water Cycles

Carbon Cycle

The Carbon Cycle is the process of how Carbon/Carbon Dioxide travels in the environment. There are 3 main ways that carbon en

The Carbon Cycle is the process of how Carbon/Carbon Dioxide travels in the environment. There are 3 main ways that carbon enters our earth and one process that removes it.

Combustion

Combustion is when matter is burned and the fumes go into the air, this emits carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

Photosynthesis

Photosynthesis is when plants take carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and convert it into oxygen. This removes carbon from the atmosphere.

Death & Decomposition

When plants/animals die, their bodies incorporate into the soil and might turn into fossil fuels which bring on more combustion. Overall, this brings carbon into the world.

Respiration

When animals and humans breathe, we breathe in oxygen and breathe out carbon dioxide. This brings a lot of carbon into the atmosphere.

Water Cycle

The water cycle is the process of how water moves around from the ground to the sky and repeats. There are four main steps to

The water cycle is the process of how water moves around from the ground to the sky and repeats. There are four main steps to the water cycle, but don't forget about transpiration, which is when water evaporates from leaves and plants.

Evaporation

Water on the ground evaporates into water vapor.

Condensation

Water vapor condensates into clouds.

Precipitation

Water falls down in the form of rain.

Run-off

The water goes back on the ground, and the cycle repeats.

Human Impacts on Ecosystems

Positive

Recycling

Humans recycle lots of materials preventing some waste from ending up in landfills and damaging our planet.

Planting Trees

Humans plants lots of trees that boost the enviroment. They also replant trees after wildfires.

Protection Laws

Humans protect endangered species and plants from predators. They also try to prevent other humans from negatively impacting ecosystems.

Negative

Climate Change

In the past 150 years, carbon rates in our atmosphere have gone up by 30% because of all the human activity that emits carbon

In the past 150 years, carbon rates in our atmosphere have gone up by 30% because of all the human activity that emits carbon, mainly combustion. Photosynthesis can not keep up with these high carbon rates. This is what causes the greenhouse effect, which is what causes climate change and the climate crisis.

Habitat Loss

Deforestation

Humans have the need for wood to build homes, fuel fires, and more. To get wood they must chop down countless amounts of trees, destroying animals' and plants' habitats.

Wildfires

Sources state that 85% of wildfires are caused by humans. This could be caused by arson, campfires, smoking, and more. This burns and destroys many ecosystems and ruins their habitats.

Pollution

Water Pollution

Oil spills, plastics, fecal waste, and many more are all examples of water pollution caused by humans. They all greatly impac

Oil spills, plastics, fecal waste, and many more are all examples of water pollution caused by humans. They all greatly impact aquatic ecosystems by making the conditions of the water unlivable for marine species.

Air Pollution

Combustion gasses pollute the air with smoke and decrease the quality of the air that we breathe. When we breathe this we heighten our risk for many lung illnesses.

Land Pollution

Land pollution is when trash ends up in landfills and pollutes the ground. 2.01 billion tonnes of trash is generated each year, and about a third of that goes to landfills and takes years to decompose.

Invasive Species

Invasive species are animals and plants that are brought to an area that they didn't originate from. Being in a new environment changes the ecosystem there, and usually, invasive species cause many negative effects in nature.

Biodiversity

Overharvesting

Humans overharvest plants and food a lot because of the growing population and the growing demand for food. This threatens the extinction of plant species and can heavily impact their population.

Poaching

Poaching, in other words overhunting, is the main cause of extinction and endangerment. It is when humans overhunt species and can cause the population to decrease. Sources say that over 30,000 species are driven to extinction annually because of poaching.

Overfishing

Overfishing is the poaching of fish. As the demand for food rises, fish is an easy source, but people are overdoing it. They

Overfishing is the poaching of fish. As the demand for food rises, fish is an easy source, but people are overdoing it. They are fishing too many fish causing species to go extinct. There are many more negative effects too. They also fish up dolphins, small sharks, and other animals, killing them. It also destroys underwater plants and coral reefs, and there are many more negative effects.

Succesion

Succession is the process of plants and an ecosystem growing. It starts with lichen or moss all the way to trees. There are t

Succession is the process of plants and an ecosystem growing. It starts with lichen or moss all the way to trees. There are two types of succession: Primary Succession and Secondary Succession.

Primary Succession

Primary succession is the growth of organisms for the first time. For example, when volcanoes erupt and the matter falls into the water, it will slowly grow an island. After the island is created, plants will start to grow and this is primary succession since this is the first time there has been life.

Secondary Succession

Secondary Succession is Primary Succession for the second time as the name suggests. It is when the previous ecosystem was destroyed and the plants grow back for the second time. For example, if a forest fire destroys a forest, the plants will have to grow back for the second time, sometimes humans would actually help with this process by planting trees in that area.