Environmental Science - Lesson 1: Introduction to Ecology PDF

Environmental Science  Kingdom - highest unit in the taxonomic rank and that Lesson 1: Introduction to Ecology groups organisms based on observable features.  P...

Environmental Science  Kingdom - highest unit in the taxonomic rank and that Lesson 1: Introduction to Ecology groups organisms based on observable features.  Phylum - a taxonomic division that contains one or Environmental Science more classes  an approach to the study of environmental systems  Class - a taxonomic group containing one or more  attempts to interpret and study the impact of orders human actions on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems  Order - taxonomic containing one or more families  develop programs and strategies in restoring these group ecosystems  Family - a collection of one or more genera  Genus - a group of similar species Ecology  Species - a taxonomic group whose members can  the study of the relationships between an organism interbreed and its environment Complete taxonomic classification entry of the Example: Cat domesticated dog. die katze | le chat | Pusa Kingdom Animalia Phylum Chordata Carolus Linnaeus Class Mammalia TAXA Order Carnivora  system of groups Family Canidae  ranked taxa from the broadest, most general groups Genus Canis to the smallest, most specific groups Species familiaris Scientific name: Canis familiaris Classifying Living Organisms  Estimate of over 8.7 different million forms of life 3/4 of the 8.7 million species live on land, 1/4 live in the waters  1735 - Carolus Linnaeus (Carl von Linne) published a book, Systema Naturae, about the classification of living things in a hierarchical system according to their physical characteristics  Taxonomy is a branch of biology that deals with the naming and identification of organisms Hierarchy of Life Two Main Features of Linnaean Taxonomy  Biosphere - The sum of all living things taken in  Binomial Nomenclature conjunction with their environment  Classification Categories  Ecosystem - The relationships of smaller groups of organisms with each other and their environment  Community - The relationships between groups of different species  Population - Groups of similar individuals who tend to mate with each other in a limited geographic area  Organism - One or more cells characterized by a unique arrangement of DNA "information".  Organ System - A group of cells, tissues, and organs How a Human is Classified that perform a specific major function  Organ - A group of cells or tissues performing an overall function  Tissue - A group of cells performing a specific function  Cell - The fundamental unit of living things  Organelle - A subunit of a cell  Molecules, atoms, and subatomic particles - The  The trees present here have usually thick protective fundamental functional levels of biochemistry leaves and bark, as well as needle like leaves that can withstand snowfall Biosphere TROPICAL RAINFOREST  includes all living things from plants, animals and all  Usually found in regions near the equator microscopic forms, including bacteria and viruses  Richest biome in terms of biodiversity  zone of life on Earth  Growing season is year long due to the rapid cycling  ·everything in it is living or recently living of nutrients  existence of feeding relationships each region has TEMPERATE FOREST distinctive energy flows, trophic levels, and nutrient  Extends across the region of northern hemisphere recycling with abundant rainfall and long growing seasons  Deciduous, broad- leaved trees are the dominant Population plants  consists of all members of a single species that live in GRASSLAND one area  Characterized by deep, rich soil perfect for agriculture, an absence of trees, and presence of Habitat large herds of grazing animals  provides certain species or population with food,  Usually found in temperate and tropical regions shelter, temperature, water, and whatever it is that where rainfall is between 10 to 30 inches per year they need to survive  specific to a population AQUATIC BIOMES MARINE Community  Covers 70% of the Earth's surface which includes  consists of all the populations that live and interact in oceans, coral reefs, and estuaries one environment  The rainwater in terrestrial areas is provided by the  consists of groups of species within a specific evaporation of seawater geographical area OCEAN  The largest and most diverse of the ecosystems TWO BASIC CATEGORIES OF A COMMUNITY  The marine algae supplies most of the Earth's oxygen Terrestrial and absorbs much of the carbon dioxide in the  Tundra atmosphere  Desert FRESH WATER  Taiga  Characterized by having a low salt concentration  Tropical rain forest than the marine biome  Temperate forest  Fresh water plants and animals would not survive in  Grassland  waters with high salt concentration Aquatic  Divided into running and standing water zones  Marine  Freshwater MARINE BIOMES  CORAL REEFS TERRESTRIAL BIOMES Mostly found in warm shallow waters TUNDRA Can be found as barriers along continents such  Extensive treeless plain as Australia's Great Barrier Reef, fringing islands,  Summers are short and winters are long and dark and atolls  The animal mostly present is the caribou  ESTUARIES DESERT The area where fresh water, streams, and  Rainfall is less than 50 cm per year rivers merge with ocean  Most plants have developed a series of adaptations such as succulent stems, absence of leaves, and OCEAN presence of spines  INTERTIDAL ZONE TAIGA Connects the ocean to land due to the rising and  A coniferous forest that receives between 10 and 40 falling of tides inches of rain per year Also known as the foreshore or seashore  PELAGIC ZONE Also known as the open Ocean Generally cold The zone that is not close to the shore and to the bottom  BENTHIC ZONE Consists of all sorts of bacteria, fungi, sponges, sea anemones, worms, sea stars and fishes Light hardly penetrates and the water is very cold  ABYSSAL ZONE The deepest and coldest part of the ocean and is highly pressurized Fishes that glow in the dark via a process called photoluminescence are present here Hydrothermal vents are often found along the ocean floors in this zone FRESH WATER  RUNNING WATER Bodies of water flowing in one direction The water is usually clearer, has high oxygen level, and the temperature is cooler  STANDING WATER Ponds and lakes may have limited diversity of species Many ponds are seasonal just lasting for a couple of months while lakes may exist for hundred years or more Lakes and ponds are divided into three zones: littoral zone, limnetic zone and the profundal zone ECOSYSTEM Climate  a pattern or cycle of weather conditions such as temperature, wind, snowfall, precipitate, humidity, and clouds of an area over time Weather  Weather is the mix of events that happen each day in our atmosphere.  The sun's heat reaches the different parts of the Earth at different times throughout the year which results to variations in weather and climate.