Module 4: Earth’s Diversity Guided Notes
Lesson 4.00 Earth’s Diversity Checklist
This lesson shows the checklist for your module and reminds you to take the pretest. The pretest will assess what you know already and could possibly even excuse you from some of your work. Please complete the pretest in the “my path” area and use your own words and knowledge during the test.
Lesson 4.01 Ecology
Need to know terms:Ecology / the scientific study of the interactions of living things with each other and their environment.
Ecologists / investigate patterns of interaction between organisms and their environment at the levels of individuals, populations, communities, and ecosystems
Environment / the sum of conditions affecting an organism, including all living and nonliving things in an area, such as plants, animals, water, soil, weather, landforms, and air
After completing this lesson, you will be able to:
- Summarize the levels of organization studied in ecology
- Compare biotic and abiotic factors
- Describe the role of producers, consumers, and decomposers in ecosystems
- Explain how food chains and trophic levels are related.
- Analyze feeding relationships in a food web
Need to know terms:
Climate / the average temperature, sunlight, wind, and precipitation in an area over an extended length of time
Precipitation / a form of water, such as rain, snow, or sleet that condenses from the atmosphere, becomes too heavy to remain suspended, and falls to the Earth's surface
Latitude / A measure of relative position north or south on the Earth's surface, measured in degrees from the equator, which has a latitude of 0°, with the poles having a latitude of 90° north and south.
Altitude / distance above sea level
Species / a group of like organisms that can successfully reproduce with one another
Organism / an individual form of life of one or more cells that maintains various vital processes necessary for life
Objective 1: The levels of organization in ecology (list from largest to smallest and define each level)
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2.
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6.
Objective 2: Compare biotic and abiotic factors
Biotic factors are ______within an environment.
List examples from lesson and interactive:
Abiotic factors are ______in an environment.
List examples from lesson and interactive:
Objective 3:Describe the role of producers, consumers, and decomposers in ecosystems
Need to know terms:Scavengers / animals that eat from the carcasses of dead animals
What are producers?
What is an autotroph?
How do producers help ecosystems?
List and describe two types of producers.
1.
2.
What are consumers?
What is a Heterotroph?
What are the four main types of heterotrophs? (Define each)
1.
2.
3.
4.
How do consumers help ecosystems?
List an example of each type of consumer below:
1. Primary
2. Secondary
3. Tertiary
What are decomposers?
How do decomposers help ecosystems?
List and describe two types of decomposers.
1.
2.
Need to know terms:Metabolism / biochemical activity of a living organism
Predator / carnivores that hunt , kill, and eat other animals
Prey / an animal caught, killed , and eaten by another animal
Migration / the process of moving from one location to another
Photosynthesis- / A chemical process by which plants use light energy to convert carbon dioxide and water into carbohydrates (sugars
Objective 4:Explain how food chains and trophic levels are related
A ______displays the transfer of energy and matter from one species to another in a linear path.
List an example of a food chain below. Start with the sun and include four organisms.
The term ______relates to the nutrition an energy source provides. There are three main trophic levels:
1.
2.
3.
And a specialized group called the ______
Objective 5:Analyze feeding relationships in a food web
What is an energy pyramid?
Remember: In food chains, only ______of the energyfrom one trophic level transfers to the next.
For example, grass gains ______percent of its energy from the sun, but it uses most of it for the processes it requires for life. When a rabbit eats the grass, it only gets _____ percent of the original energy from the sun. When a wolf eats the rabbit, it only gets ______percent again, which is only_____percent of the original energy from the sun. The total energy ______as it moves up trophic levels.
What is a Food web?
Remember:To read a food web, one follows the arrows from a starting organism, usually a producer, to the animal that ______, and so on, until the highest-level consumer.
Hint: It is important to practice reading the food web. Use the interactive to practice before moving on.
Lesson 4.02The Biosphere
After completing this lesson, you will be able to:
- Identify factors that determine Earth's climates
- Explain how climate and seasonal variations affect Earth’s varying biomes
- Describe biotic and abiotic features of Earth's six major biomes
- Describe the habitats of coastal, freshwater and estuaries ecosystems.
Need to know terms:
Equator / An imaginary circle drawn around the earth that dividesit into northern and southern hemispheres. The equator denotes the parallel of latitude 0°
Tropics / The area that lies between 23.5 degrees latitude north of the equator and 23.5 degrees latitude south of the equator. It is an area of constant heat and high temperatures
Temperate / The area that lies between 23.5 degrees and 60 degrees latitude, both north and south. The sun is not directly overhead in these zones therefore the climate is mild
Convection / Heat transfer in a gas or liquid by the circulation of currents from one region to another.
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Axis / An imaginary line that runs through the center of the earth extending past the north and south poles.
Polar Circles / zones above 60 degrees north latitude and below 60 degrees south latitude. These areas receive small amounts of sunlight
Coriolis force / thedeflection of objects moving across the earth’s surface caused by earth’s rotation
Humidity / moisture in air
Leeward side / is the side of a mountain not exposed to wind and weather
Objective 1: Identify factors that determine Earth’s climate
(Describe how each factor and how it affects climate)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Need to know terms:Topography – / the features on the surface of an area of land
Geography- / the physical features of a place or region
Poles / Either of the points at which the Earth's axis of rotation intersects the Earth's surface; the North Pole or South Pole.
Biome / an area on our earth that shares the same climate and species of animals and plants.
Biodiversity / the existence of a wide variety of plant and animal species in a particular environment.
Salinity – / containing salt
Solubility- / The ability or tendency of one substance to dissolve in another at a given temperature and pressure
Objective 2: Explain how climate and seasonal variations affect Earth’s varying biomes
From page 2:
Abiotic factors such as ______, ______, and ______influence the variation and distribution of species within each biome. Biomes near ______with warmer temperatures and more moisture tend to have a ______diversity of species than those biomes closer to the north and south poles.
From page 3:
______, ______, and salinity all influence the amount of dissolved oxygen in an aquatic habitat. Increased ______leads to warmer waters, but water that is too warm has _____ dissolved oxygen. Cooler water allows for ______dissolved oxygen—a habitat perfect for aquatic life—but ______the temperature too much and ice forms. Icing a body of water, an ocean specifically, ______the salinity of the water. Water with _____ salinity has _____ dissolved oxygen and a _____ suitable environment for life.
Need to know terms:ecoregion / a term used by the world wildlife federation to describe important ecosystems for conservation
Arid- / an area with annual rainfall less than 25 centimeters.
Epiphytes- / plants that grow on other plants
Leech / to deplete the supply of something
Erode / to wear away outer layers of rock or soil
Conifers / any tree that has thin leaves or needles and produces cones
Succulents / a plant with thick fleshy leaves and stems that can store water
Hibernators / to be in a dormant state resembling sleep over the winter while living off reserves of body fat, with a decrease in body temperature and pulse rate and slower metabolism
Objective 3: Describe biotic and abiotic features of Earth's six major biomes
From page 2, describe the features (both biotic and abiotic) of the terrestrial biomes below:
1. Tundra
a. Arctic
b. Alpine
2. Desert
3. Temperate forests
a. Boreal (Taiga)
b. Deciduous
4. Rain Forests
5. Grasslands
Need to know terms:Stratification / the process of layering something
Microphytes / a plant observable only under a microscope, especially one that is parasitic
Hydrology / the scientific study of the properties, distribution, use, and circulation of the water on Earth and in the atmosphere in all of its form
Estuary / the wide lower course of a river where the tide flows in, causing fresh and salt water to mix
Density / Concentration of matter of an object; number of individuals in the same species that live in a given area; the mass per unit volume
Life cycle / The entire sequence of events in an organism’s growth, development, and reproduction
Irrigation / to bring a supply of water to a dry area, especially in order to help crops to grow
lentic ecosystems / composed of standing or still water
Run-off- / wastewater that flows into fresh water systems
Tributary - / a stream that flows to a larger stream or other body of water
Bogs - / wetland that made of acidic water. It often attracts mosses or lichens
Static – / not moving
Objective 4: Describe the habitats of coastal, freshwater and estuaries ecosystems.
From page 3, describe the features (both biotic and abiotic) of the aquatic biomes below (be sure to include descriptions of their habitat:
1. Freshwater
2. Coastal
3. Estuary
Lesson 4.03Ecosystems
After completing this lesson, you will be able to:
- Describe four factors that affect population size
- Identify factors that limit population growth.
- Explain the difference between primary and secondary succession
- Differentiate between habitat and niche
Need to know terms:
Population dynamics / The study of change in population size and composition
Immigration / the movement of organisms into a new area
Emigration / the movement of organisms out of an area
Biological Surplus / when there aremore organisms in a population then the ecosystem can sustain
Climax Community / A point in an ecosystem when all populations reach a point of little or no change
Gestation / the process of carrying offspring in the womb during pregnancy
Scarcity / an insufficient supply of something
Objective 1: Describe four factors that affect population size
Explain how each factor below affects population size. (Include examples from the lesson)
1. Migration
2. Birth/Death
3. Habitat
4. Carrying Capacity
a. Sigmoid phenomena
b. Peak phenomena
Need to know terms:Limiting Factors / biotic and abiotic factors that control population growth
Matter / anything that takes up space
Open System / both matter and energy are exchanged freely between the ecosystem and the surroundings
Niche / the part of the environment occupied by a particular species along with the resources it uses and produces
Trophic position / an organism’s placement in a food chain
Objective 2: Identify factors that limit population growth
Abiotic Factors:
______, ______, and changes to ______move matter in and out of an environment. These variables, known as limiting factors, control population growth and determine the carrying capacity of the population.
From page 3, list examples of abiotic factors that limit population growth
Biotic factors:
Biotic factors that foster or deter population growth deal predominately with the interactions between species. From page 4, list and describe the biotic factors and interactions that limit population growth.
1. Predation
2. Commensalism
3. Mutualism
4. Parasitism
5. Invasive species
Objective 3: Explain the difference between primary and secondary succession
From page 3, what are primary succession and secondary succession and how do they affect population growth? Are they abiotic or biotic factors?
1. Primary succession
2. Secondary succession
Objective 4: Differentiate between habitat and niche
From page 4, how is a niche different from a habitat? (The definition of both of these terms are in your notes.)
Lesson 4.04Impacts on our Ecosystems
After completing this lesson, you will be able to:
- Describe the sources, types, and effects of varying pollutants.
- Assess the consequences of loss of biodiversity
- Summarize the effects of human population growth and catastrophic events on ecosystems.
- Explain the term sustainable development and describe some of its resources.
Terms to know:
Greenhouse gases- / a gas that contributes to the warming of the Earth's atmosphere
Fossil fuels- / any carbon based fuel derived from the decomposed remains of prehistoric plants and animals
exhausts- / steam or waste gases from an industrial process or vehicle
Environmental Indicator- / a measurement that gauges the state of the environment over a specific period.
Objective 1: Describe the sources, types, and effects of varying pollutants
What is the Greenhouse Effect?
Describe the top five greenhouse gases, their sources, and the effect they have on the environment.
1. Water vapor
2. Methane
3. Carbon Dioxide
4. Nitrous Oxide
5. Ozone
Terms to know:Endangered species / a species in danger of extinction due to the low numbers of its population
Glacier receding / the slow recession of glacier ice mass as it melts
Plant hardiness zones / a geographically defined area in which a specific category of plant life is capable of growing
Objective 2: Assess the consequences of loss of biodiversity
We are not isolated from our environment but part of it. From______, we obtain fish for food. From the ______, we gain healthy crops. From the ______, we derive medicines like the rosy periwinkle, a flower used to fight leukemia. The loss of biodiversity from ______ecosystem is our loss as well. For this reason, we should know how our actions and choices affect the environment.
View and listen to the video on page 2 to learn about our climate, our environment, and the loss of worldwide biodiversity. List factors mentioned in the video that have caused a loss of biodiversity.
Terms to know:Endemic / a species that is confined to a particular geographic region
Liquefaction / a disintegrating of a substance into a liquid form
Spawning / the depositing of eggs for fertilization by fish species
Paddy Fields / a field covered with shallow water where rice is grown
Coppice Woods / an area of densely growing small trees
Pesticides / a substance that kills pests and insects
Fertilizers / a nitrogen based substance added to soil to increase plant growth
Detergents / a cleaning substance
Petroleum products / products made of hydrocarbons
Sanitation / the maintenance of public health by keeping water supplies and sewage systems clean
Epicenter / the focal point of an earthquake
brown blood disease- / a disease that causes fish to suffocate because their blood cannot take up oxygen as normal
municipal- / relating to a town, city, or region that has its own local government
septic tanks- / an underground tank that holds human waste matter and decomposing bacteria
Objective 3: Summarize the effects of human population growth and catastrophic events on ecosystems
What three catastrophic events occurred in Japan? How did each of these events cause destruction to ecosystems? (Be sure to include details from page 3 and 4 of the lesson)
1.
2.
3.
What catastrophic event occurred in California? What did officials learn from the event?
From page 5, describe three ways we affect our ecosystems. Be sure to include examples from the lesson in your descriptions.
1. Human expansion
2. Our choices
3. Our Activities
Terms to know:Sustainability / maintaining ecological balance of natural resources
Greenbelt / an area of vegetation between the coast and a city or building that provides a natural barrier during hurricanes and tsunamis
Erosion / the wearing away of rock or soil
Sea walls / a wall built to prevent flooding or coastal erosion by the sea
Levees / an artificial embankment along a river, built to prevent flooding of the surrounding land
Global information platforms / a compilation of information on various topics that is organized and delivered to those who require valid research and data for decision-making
Deforestation / to remove the trees from an area of land
Objective 4: Explain the term sustainable development and describe some of its resources.
______refers to the practices, services, and guidelines we develop to protect the environment from our activities. The goal of ______is to restore to future generations those things we take from Earth now. A ______can be any action that reduces environmental pollution and protects Earth's biodiversity.
Listen and view the video on page 6. List the examples of sustainable practices given in the video.
Hint: Make sure to use the self –check on page 7. It includes scenarios similar to those on your assessment and module exam.
Lesson 4.05Recycling
After completing this lesson, you will be able to:
- Explain how carbon and water cycle through the environment
- Relate the cycling of matter to the success of an ecosystem
- Explain the importance of effective resource management.
Need to know terms:
Biogeochemical cycle / The flow of chemical elements and compounds between living organisms and the physical environment. Chemicals absorbed or ingested by organisms are passed through the food chain and returned to the soil, air, and water by such mechanisms as respiration, excretion, and decomposition
Building block / an element or compound regarded as contributing to the growth of an organism or ecosystem
Essential element / any element of the periodic table that is necessary to life processes
Commodity / something valuable or useful
Hydrologic (or water) cycle / The path water takes as it is being cycled through the environment, including condensation, evaporation, and precipitation
Vapor pressure / the pressure exerted by a vapor on its liquid form
Atmospheric pressure / the downward pressure exerted by the weight of the overlying atmosphere
Aquifer / a layer of permeable rock, sand, or gravel through which ground water flows, containing enough water to supply wells and springs
Water table / The surface of groundwater, below which pores in the rocks are filled with water
Porosity- / the ratio of the space taken up by the pores in a soil, rock, or other material to its total volume.
Permeability / it is the rate that a liquid passes through rock and soil
Zone of saturation / an area of soil or rock below the level of the water table where all the voids are filled with water
Stomata / tiny pores in the leaf epidermis that release water and oxygen and take in carbon dioxide
Saturation point / the point at which the greatest possible amount of a substance is dissolved inair or a solution at a given temperature
Objective 1:Explain how carbon and water cycle through the environment