Biosphere Energy and Invasive Species Quiz

Unit A: Energy & Matter in the Biosphere

• This unit covers energy and matter in the biosphere, specifically Chapters 1 & 2.
• Topics include Energy in the Biosphere, Energy Transfer in the Biosphere, Water, Biogeochemical Cycles, Productivity & Equilibrium.
• The Honorable Harvest is a presentation about native plants in and around the Edmonton area.
• The presentation included examples of native plants, identifying native versus invasive species, and distinguishing characteristics of native species.
• Questions included: Identifying native species versus invasive weeds, distinguishing characteristics, common names, if the plant is a native species or an invasive weed, and common names for different trees such as the Tamarack/Larch.
• Various questions, including those about a covenant of reciprocity between humans and the living, responsibility towards nature, sustainable harvesting, and the interconnectedness of all living things in the biosphere were presented.

The Earth's Spheres

• The Earth is a system composed of four interacting spheres: lithosphere (land), hydrosphere (water), atmosphere (air), and biosphere (living things).
• The focus is on the biosphere and its interaction with the other spheres.

Earth Spheres Details

• Lithosphere: Solid Earth
• Hydrosphere: All water found on, under, and over the surface of Earth
• Atmosphere: Gases that surround Earth (its air)
• Biosphere: All life on Earth

The Biosphere

• The biosphere is a system because living things interact with their surroundings.
• Examples of components interacting with their surroundings are birds in the air, sea creatures, marine living organisms, microscopic organisms, animals in the ground, and vegetation (dead plants and animals).

Abiotic and Biotic Factors

• The biosphere involves interactions between biotic (living or once living) and abiotic (non-living) factors.
• Biotic factors include bacteria, fish, birds, mammals, and plants, and their remains.
• Abiotic factors include temperature, weather, soil acidity, and sunlight.
• The study of interactions between biotic and abiotic factors is called ecology.

Types of Systems

• A biological system describes the interactions that living things have with their environment.
• Open Systems: Both matter and energy can enter and leave the system (e.g., the biosphere).
• Closed Systems: Only energy can enter and leave the system; matter cannot (e.g., Earth).

Ultimate Source of Energy

• Energy on Earth originates from the sun (radiant energy).
• The three outcomes of solar energy are 30% gets reflected by clouds, dust particles, water and land, 19% is absorbed by the atmosphere and clouds, and 51% is absorbed by the earth's surface. 1-2% of the 51% absorbed is captured by producers.

Albedo Effect

• Albedo is the amount of reflected energy.
• Light-colored surfaces have a high albedo (reflect light energy).
• Dark-colored surfaces have a low albedo (absorb sun's energy).
• Examples include snow (high albedo) and asphalt (low albedo).

The Need for Energy

• Photosynthesis: Plants use CO2 and H2O to produce glucose and oxygen, using the sun's energy.
• Cellular Respiration: Organisms use glucose and oxygen to produce energy (ATP), releasing CO2 and H2O.

Chemosynthesis

• Chemosynthesis is energy production in the absence of sunlight.
• It uses chemicals like hydrogen sulfide to produce energy.
• Example organisms are bacteria in deep-sea thermal vents.

One Way Flow of Energy

• Energy enters the biosphere as radiant energy from the sun.
• Energy flows from producers to consumers.
• Matter is recycled through living things.

First Law of Thermodynamics

• Energy cannot be created or destroyed, only changed in form.

Investigation: Radiant Energy Stored in Plants

• During photosynthesis, plants convert radiant energy into chemical energy in the form of glucose, which is then stored as starch.
• Lugol's Iodine is used to test for the presence of starch.

Investigation: Carbon Dioxide Production in Plants and Animals

• This investigation compares carbon dioxide production in plants (Elodea) and animals (snails) in a closed environment.
• Using Bromothymol blue (BTB) as an indicator, the investigation observed how the colour change of the BTB solution can indicate the level of Carbon Dioxide present.

Video Tutorials

• Links provided to videos on YouTube for further learning on various topics like the energy of the Earth, energy transfer, the water cycle, the carbon cycle, net primary productivity, and the Gaia Hypothesis.

Topic 2: Energy Transfer in the Biosphere

• Food chains and food webs describe energy transfer.
• Each transfer from one organism to another is only 10% efficient; the rest becomes heat.
• Producers use photosynthesis to generate their own food, and consumers acquire energy from other organisms.
• Different consumers, such as primary, secondary, and tertiary consumers, are part of a food web.
• Decomposers are important for nutrient recycling.

Ecosystem Definitions

• An ecosystem is a smaller system within the biosphere, and includes both biotic (living) and abiotic (non-living).
• Biotic interaction refers to the interaction between different species within an ecosystem.
• Abiotic interaction refers to the interaction between species and the non-living parts of the ecosystem.

Modes of Nutrition

• Autotrophs (e.g., plants, algae) produce their own food through photosynthesis or chemosynthesis.
• Heterotrophs (e.g., animals, fungi) obtain energy by consuming other organisms.

Trophic Levels

• Trophic levels describe the stages of an organism in a food chain or web based on how many energy transfers away from the original radiant energy. A trophic level describes the energy transfer steps from producer to consumer.
• The higher the trophic level, the further away from the original energy. Typically, 10% of energy is transferred; the rest is lost as heat.

Models of Trophic Levels

• Food chains show a linear feeding relationship.
• Food webs show interacting food chains.
• Ecological pyramids show quantitative values for each trophic level.

Ecological Pyramids

• Pyramid of Numbers: Depicts the approximate number of organisms at each level.
• Pyramid of Biomass: Depicts the total mass of organisms at each level.
• Pyramid of Energy: Depicts the amount of energy at each level.

Second Law of Thermodynamics

• During energy conversion, some energy is lost as heat.
• Only about 10% of energy is transferred between trophic levels.

Case Studies

• The impacts of an endangered ecosystem are examined.
• The impact of humans on the earth are examined through simulations, such as, Biosphere 2.

Topic 3: Water

• Water is a precious and limited resource that must be recycled through the hydrological cycle.
• Key processes include precipitation, condensation, runoff, and evaporation/transpiration/respiration.

Water's Properties

• Water has unique properties due to its polarity, hydrogen bonding, thermal properties, and cohesive properties.
• Water's structure is built upon covalent bonding.
• Water's polarity leads to hydrogen bonding.
• Water's properties allow it to act as a universal solvent.

Topic 4: Biogeochemical Cycles

• Biogeochemical cycles describe the pathway matter takes as it is recycled and reused.
• Examples include the carbon-oxygen, nitrogen, and phosphorus cycles.
• Cycles have fast and slow components, and can be disrupted by human activities.

Topic 5: Productivity & Equilibrium

• Productivity is the rate at which biomass is generated.
• Productivity is affected by factors like sunlight and moisture.
• Equilibrium is the balance between interacting forces in the biosphere.

Test your understanding of invasive species, the 'Honorable Harvest' concept, and energy in the biosphere. This quiz covers key definitions, important concepts in ecology, and experimental variables relevant to investigations in biology. Challenge yourself with questions that assess your knowledge of native species and biogeochemical cycles.