Ecosystems and Biomes PDF Notes

**Ecosystems and Biomes** - The biosphere - Encompasses all living things - Such as - Animals - Plants - As high as the atmosphere - Also includes - Living organisms - Waste -...

**Ecosystems and Biomes** - The biosphere - Encompasses all living things - Such as - Animals - Plants - As high as the atmosphere - Also includes - Living organisms - Waste - Dead remains - The non-living environment - Rocks - Water air - Ecosystems - An individual of a species is intimately related to others of the same species and the environment in which it lives - Individuals come together and usually touch in order to mate and nurture their young - Feeding territories are established with different species sharing the same available resources - A community of organisms and non-living features that interact together - everyone is a member of a population which forms a community - together with its non-living environment a community forms an ecosystem - can be divided into 2 broad groups - aquatic - water - terrestrial - land - components of an ecosystem - organism - any form of life - classification - producers - plants - consumers - most animals - decomposers - bacteria and fungi - species - a single type of living organism that is able to reproduce its own kind - population - a group of organisms from the same species living together in the same area - habitat - the area within which an organism of population lives - community - several populations that live together within a particular habitat - environment - the non-living parts of an area - ecosystem - a community of organisms that interact with each other and their non-living environment - living called biotic - non-living called abiotic - biosphere - the zone of habitation containing all the earths ecosystems - biomes - a very large ecosystem made up of specific vegetation types and their associated fauna - the largest recognisable subdivision within terrestrial ecosystems - biomes are classified according to their characteristic vegetation - forest - abundant soil, water and heat - savanna - transition between forest and grassland - grassland - moderate shortage of soil and water - adequate heat - hot and moderately wet - desert - extreme shortage of soil and water - adequate heat - hot and dry - tundra - insufficient heat to sustain vegetation growth throughout the year - cold and dry - tropic - hot and wet regions - boreal forest - cold and moderately wet **Ecosystems and their functioning** - Types of categories - Atmosphere - Air and gases - Hydrosphere - Water and its storage and momentum - Lithosphere - Soils rocks and the earths crust - Biosphere - Flaura and fauna - How ecosystems are classified - Classified according to their most dominant features - Climate - Most important feature is climate - Elevation - Most important feature is height - Vegetation - Most important feature is dominant vegetation - Energy flows within biomes and ecosystems - The Food chain Indicates flow of energy - Made up of - Producers which Produce their own food - Do this through photosynthesis - Use energy of the sun to convert - carbon dioxide and water - into sugars, starches and glucose - different biome producers - land - mostly green plants - fresh water + marine - algae and green plants - open ocean waters - phytoplankton - microscopic organisms - Consumers - Eat producers and other consumers - Herbivores are primary consumers - Only eat plants - Are eaten by secondary consumers - Decomposers - Eat waste - Break down waste and recycle the energy - - Difference between photosynthesis and chemosynthesis - Photosynthesis - The producers convert light energy from the sun into chemical energy - This energy is stored and used to create compounds and simple sugars - Therefore, making their own food - Chemosynthesis - Convert simple compounds from their environment without the sun to make food - Types of primary productivity - Primary productivity is the rate of photosynthesis that occurs - GPP (gross Primary Productivity - The rate of which the primary producers convert the suns energy into chemical energy - It is measured in terms of energy per unit - NPP (net primary productivity - The rate of which the producers use photosynthesis to produce an store chemicals -- the rate of which they use some for their own respiration. - Npp effects the carrying capacity of an ecosystem - A higher NPP means an ecosystem can have a higher carrying capacity Changes to natural world - Humans have altered many biomes - Becoming an issue - This alteration is due to the exploitation of resources, water and food - Disregard of fauna and flora Defining food security - The untied nations food and agriculture organisation's 2009 summit defined food security as a situation in which - "all people at all times, have physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy lifestyle," - Food security means that - Enough food of good quality is available - Food security can be impacted by - Adverse weather - Heatwaves and hailstorms - Natural hazards - Droughts - Floods - Tropical cyclones - Tsunamis - Conflict - Civil unrest - Wars - Population growth - Unsuitable agricultural practices - Environmental degradation - Trade barriers - Inequalities within societies - Food is affordable and within reach of all - Not just for the wealthy in shortages - The food available caters for a variety of food types - Leading to a balanced diet - Allows for good health - Normal growth and development - The food needs to be stored safely and prepared hygienically Australia's food plan - 2011 National Food Plan by the Government identified a number of levels within which\ the discussion of food security operates - The global level - at which the issue is the capacity of the world as a whole to\ produce and effectively and fairly distribute sufficient supplies of food - The national level - at which the issue is the capacity of each country to secure\ sufficient food to meet the needs of its population in general - The community level - at which the issue is the difficulty that communities, for\ geographical or other reasons, may have in accessing food in a country that has sufficient access to food overall - At the individual level - at which personal income is one factor that affects food\ security. Global food security - In 2011 the countries of Somalia, Djibouti, Ethiopia and Kenya were hit with the worst drought in 60 years - Caused severe food crisis as famine took hold in the worst affected areas and\ thousands of people fled in search of food and water - While there have been significant advances in global food production, people\ still suffer from chronic hunger due to the inequalities that still exist - There is enough food in the world for everyone, but it is a matter of\ distributing and reaching everyone - Over half the world's live in - Low income - Food deficit - Challenges - Population growth - Increase demands on land and water resources - Conflict between competing land uses - Such as food crops and biofuels - Possible impact of climate change - Caused by shifting climate belt and extreme weather events - Changing consumption patterns as nations become more economically developed Biodiversity's impact on energy and matter - Biodiversity includes the earths variety of - Genes - The variety of inherited genes within a species population leading to differences due to genetic variation - Species - The number of species within specific communities - Ecosystems - The variety of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems found in a given area on earth - Ecosystem processes - Functional diversity - The chemical and biological processes that flow energy and recycle matter which are essential for - Species - Communities - Ecosystems - To survive - It plays a vital role in sustaining the flow of energy and cycling matter that supports life - Humans along with other species depend on the maintenance of biodiversity for future wellbeing **Southern highlands** General background information - The southern highlands are located roughly 110 km SW of Sydney Dynamic impacting the region. - Urbanisation - When people chose to leave cities to more rural areas - Driven by a desire for a quitter and more spacious lifestyle. - Still able to access city amenities and employment. - Counter urbanisation - When people move away from urban areas to more rural areas, severing their links to the city. - Driven by individuals seeking a slower pace of life and a stronger connection to nature. - Sea or tree change 1. **History** of the beef cattle industry and the dairy industry in the Southern Highlands. -  The southern highlands are located roughly 110 km SW of Sydney - Holds historical significance of an epicentre for agriculture. - Focus has been on cultivation of dairy and beef cattle. - Combination of factors have made the region optimal for food production. - Fertile soils - Consistent and reliable rainfall - Well suited topographic features - Factors that made it good for cattle - Land well suited for grazing. - Factors that made it good for dairying - High rainfall - Lush pastures 1. **Changes** that have occurred in recent decades in each industry. Include technological developments. - There has been a decline in traditional small farming. - Increase in large industrial farms. - In the early 19^th^ century products were shipped on horse back - Then train after the construction of a railway in 1860s. - Allowed more products to move to the Sydney markets and many dairy product factories opened soon after - Now it is transported mainly by truck. - There has been a decrease in younger generations becoming farmers. - Lured by the attractions of city life. 2.  **Proximity to Sydney** and how has this put pressure on local farmers? - Proximity to city has meant that there has been a recent land use and demographic change. - an increase in hobby farms in the area - less people using the land to farm. - less community - decrease in farming. - farmers make more of selling land to developers or people from the city. - has meant that there is less produced to supply the increasing demand. 1. **Economic and social factors** influencing both industries.  SRLE - Economic factors - Market Supply and demand - When there is lots of rain - Farmers hold onto cattle to increase their weight so they can be sold for more. - This means there is less stock, so cattle prices increase. - When there is a drought - Farmers want to get rid of cattle as their will be less feed and therefore the farmers will have to buy feed increasing costs and reducing profit. - This means that farmers will sell cattle before the drought which creates an oversupply and thus cattle prices decrease. - Super yard - Due to the unification of others sale yards the SRLE has become a super yard. - Turn over 60,000 head per year and 30-35 million dollars. - Aims - Economic - Outperform other saleyards by 40%. - Get up to 10-15 cents more per KG. - Environmental - Be sustainable and carbon neutral. Dairy farm - Economic factors - Supermarket competition - Drives down farmgate prices. - Squeezing dairy business margines and making it more difficult for smaller farms to compete - Addressing economic uncertainties - To combat this farmer - Diversify their product. - Explore direct to consumer sales. - Invest in supply chain efficiencies. - focus on higher profit margin goods. - farmers also leased country to graze cattle for beef. - impact of rising costs - labour and energy. - lower wages - selling of farms - social factors - changing land use - due to increased migration from Sydney(urbanisation) - less community - higher land prices due to demand - less farms - used to be 100 small dairies in 1951 now only 6. 1. **Marketing** and is the production just to feed Australians or is it exported overseas. Details on trade and overseas markets if applicable. - Both producing for Australian market 2.  **Environmental impacts** are their environmental problems associated with producing this food? Any efforts to make production more ecologically sustainable.  SRLE - Waste - Solids pits - Single pond system capable of containing all effluent of the sale yard. - Purpose - Used to return effluent back to crops and pastures more quickly and without losing nutrients. - Opportunity to recycle. - Large water supply with nutrients to service nearby pastures - Improvements - Increased frequency of emptying the pit - Water - Rain harvesting purpose. - Roof structure collects rainwater and stores it in 4 large containers. - Tanks have an overflow facility. - Discharges into storm water drains - Reducing impact on Nattai creek - Reduces overflow from pond system. - could potentially have an adverse effect on local creek. - lower frequency of use compared to dairy farm. - improvements - use of macrophile and storage pond - Energy - Solar panel's purpose - North aspect panels - Extra energy put back into the grid. Dairy farm - Changing climate patterns - Droughts and floods - Massive problems - Wet weather - Bogs up farm. - Bacteria on udders - Dry weather - Hard to find food. - Less milk - Shifting water availability - Lots of water mean flooding. - cows trample the grass and can't eat it. - little water means drought. - must buy food for cows. - lowering profit - Steps to maintain soil health. - 20-30yrs ago farmers used chicken manure - Became too expensive. - Now check for elements in soil and replace them if needed. - Changing vegetation patterns and maintaining stable food supply - When cows are milked, they are also fed. - 4kg of pellets and grain - Green grass is harder to process and therefore not enough for dairying. - Sustainable practices - Soil testing done by nutritionist. - Water recycling - No dirty water is allowed to leave the farm and pollute water ways. - Ponds and soil pits slowly clean the water using gravity. 1. Overall **environmental factors** - Unpredictable climate patterns due to climate change - Farmers experiencing more extreme varying weather patterns including. - prolonged droughts or intense rainfall which affects. - pasture quality, water availability and animal health. - in Australia this can lead to worsening of - quality and quantity of crops - improvement in crop management strategies have allowed wheat yields to remain constant but - makes it extremely challenging for yields and nutritional value to be maintained. - biosecurity - increased heat means that there is a potential for more spread of pests - heat stress on livestock - affects the livestock - reduced appetites - less likely to breed - less profit - soil health and erosion - overgrazing and improper land management can lead to - soil degradation - reduction in soil fertility - increased risk of erosion - native biodiversity loss - intensive farming may lead to - land clearing - habitat loss - which results in - loss of native plants and animals - integral to regions ecosystem - Management options - Climate Variability - Use weather forecasts to plan for water and feed availability during dry or rainy periods. - Implement water storage solutions to ensure a stable water supply for cattle and irrigation. - Store surplus pasture grass in silage pits to prepare for drier seasons & feed supply - Soil Health - Practice rotational grazing to allow pasture to recover and maintain soil fertility. - Conduct soil testing and use appropriate fertilizers to enhance soil quality. - Biodiversity - Create wildlife corridors and preserve natural areas to support native plants and animals. - Plant diverse grasses and crops to promote a healthier ecosystem. - Water Resources - Invest in efficient irrigation methods like drip systems to optimize water usage. - Construct wetlands to help capture filtered rainwater and use it for cattle drinking water and irrigation. 2. Overall economic factors - Market demand - Fluctuating demand for products influences - farmgate prices - yard sales - income earned by farmers - cost of production - impact the profitability of dairy and beef farming - expenses of - animal feed - veterinary car - equipment - labour - global and local competition - primary production industries face competition from - larger commercial operations - imported products from overseas. - Infrastructure investment - Adequate infrastructure is needed for efficient - Production - Storage - Transportation of food products - Management options - Market demand - Diversify product offerings - Cater to changing consumer preferences. - Establish partnerships with - Local markets - Restaurants - Food cooperatives - Develop strong relationships with larger distributors - Cost of production - Collaborate with other farms to bulk purchase products at lower prices - Optimise equipment use and maintenance to reduce operational expenses - Global and local competition - Focus on producing - high-quality - locally sourced dairy and beef products with unique characteristics. - Highlight the benefits of supporting local farmers and the community. - Infrastructure Investment - Upgrade storage - facilities and transportation options - to ensure product quality and safety. - Invest in energy-efficient equipment to reduce production costs. - Invest in natural wetlands to filter and reuse it on pastures to save spending. 3. Overall social factors - Generational Shift - The ageing farming population and lack of interest among younger generations - impact the continuity of farming practices and knowledge transfer. - Exurbanisation - An increasing number of people are choosing to live and work on the edges of large cities within their semi-rural fringes - Commute of work from home - Community Identity - Changing farming practices and landuse can affect the cultural identity of the community tied to traditional agricultural activities. - Isolation - The rural nature of many farms can lead to social isolation among farmers, affecting - mental well-being - access to support networks. - Local Employment - Farming provides local employment opportunities - Management options - Generational Shift - Establish mentorship programs where experienced farmers pass down knowledge to younger generations. - Collaborate with more schools for agricultural education programs and farm visits. - Community Identity - Host agricultural fairs or open days to showcase - traditional farming practices - products. - Engage with local media to share stories about the history and significance of farming in the region. - Isolation - Create online forums or social media groups for farmers to connect and share experiences. - Organise community events or workshops to encourage social interaction and networking. - Local Employment - Offer - Internships - Apprenticeships - part-time positions for local youth to learn about farming.