Ecology and Ecological Health

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Ecology and Ecological Health

• Ecology Defined
• Biochemical Cycles The Carbon Cycle
• Energy Flow Through a Community or Ecosystem
• Symbiotic Relationships
• Ecological Succession
• Environmental Problems and Issues
• Deforestation
• Eutrophication
• Water pollution
• Biomagnification
• Air pollution
• Atmospheric Problems
• Acid Rain
• Ozone Depletion
• Greenhouse Effect/Global Warming
• Renewable Energy Sources
• Biodiversity Loss
• Human Population Density
• What We Can Do

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Ecology
Study of the interaction of living and
non-living things
Sun
Biotic (living) factors
Abiotic (non-living factors)
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Food Chain
Less biomass, fewer organisms
Quaternary consumer- carnivore
Tertiary consumer carnivore
Secondary consumer-carnivore
Primary consumer-herbivore
Primary producer
(autotroph)

Pyramid of energy
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Quaternary consumer
Tertiary consumer
The more biodiversity, the more complex the food
web and the more stable the community is.
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Symbiotic Relationships
Flea sucking blood from a dog
Barnacles on a whale
Mycorrhizal fungi on pine seedling roots
Lamprey eels attached to fish
Ants living on an acacia tree
Clown fish among sea anemone tentacles
Parasitism One party benefits One party is harmed
Commensalism One party benefits One
party is unaffected
Mutualism Both parties benefit
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Ecological Succession
Primary succession progressive replacement of
communities starting with bare rock (no soil)
e.g after a glacier recedes Secondary succession
replacement of communities starting with soil but
no vegetation (e.g. after forest fire,
bulldozing)
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Deforestation
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Human Impact and Global Concerns

• Flow of Energy Food Chains
• Deforestation
• Eutrophication
• Water pollution Controlling Human Waste
• Biomagnification
• Air pollution
• Atmospheric Problems
• Acid Rain
• Ozone Depletion
• Greenhouse Effect/Global Warming
• Renewable Energy Sources
• Biodiversity Loss
• Human Population Density
• What We Can Do

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EutrophicationFertilizer run-off stimulates
plant growth, decomposition, and loss of oxygen
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Sewage Treatment Encourages Eutrophication in a
Controlled Setting to Reduce Nitrates and
Phosphates
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Human Impact and Global Concerns

• Flow of Energy Food Chains
• Deforestation
• Eutrophication
• Water pollution Controlling Human Waste
• Biomagnification
• Air pollution
• Atmospheric Problems
• Acid Rain
• Ozone Depletion
• Greenhouse Effect/Global Warming
• Renewable Energy Sources
• Biodiversity Loss
• Human Population Density
• What We Can Do

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Biomagnification of Pollutant Concentrations
Pollutants are toxic in high concentrations per
gram of tissue
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Human Impact and Global Concerns

• Flow of Energy Food Chains
• Deforestation
• Eutrophication
• Water pollution Controlling Human Waste
• Biomagnification
• Air pollution
• Atmospheric Problems
• Acid Rain
• Ozone Depletion
• Greenhouse Effect/Global Warming
• Renewable Energy Sources
• Biodiversity Loss
• Human Population Density
• What We Can Do

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Acid Rain
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Damaging Effects of UV Light from Chlorofluorocarb
on Destruction of Ozone
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Ozone Depletion
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Carbon Dioxide and World Average Temperature
Increases
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The Greenhouse Effect of Carbon Dioxide
Biggest contributor to atmospheric CO2
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Human Impact and Global Concerns

• Flow of Energy Food Chains
• Deforestation
• Eutrophication
• Water pollution Controlling Human Waste
• Biomagnification
• Air pollution
• Atmospheric Problems
• Acid Rain
• Ozone Depletion
• Greenhouse Effect/Global Warming
• Renewable Energy Sources
• Biodiversity Loss
• Human Population Density
• What We Can Do

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Need for Renewable, Non-Fossil Fuel Sources of
Energy
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Loss of Biodiversity Makes Ecosystems More Fragile
Loss of habitat, introduction of alien species
Increasing likelihood of catastrophic failure of
ecosystem
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Population Density The Major Factor in
Environmental Impact
The US Lower 48 land mass
The US Lower 48 scaled on population density
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Human Impact and Global Concerns

• Flow of Energy Food Chains
• Deforestation
• Eutrophication
• Water pollution Controlling Human Waste
• Biomagnification
• Air pollution
• Atmospheric Problems
• Acid Rain
• Ozone Depletion
• Greenhouse Effect/Global Warming
• Renewable Energy Sources
• Biodiversity Loss
• Human Population Density
• What We Can Do

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Managing Solid Waste
1. 2 3.
Precycling Limiting what and how much you buy
based on packaging
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Basic Steps Towards Environmental Stewardship

1. Reduce, reuse, recycle
2. Precycle, exercise product choice
3. Use ecologically sensitive transportation (reduce
   CO2, oil, antifreeze releases)
4. Reduce chemical use (solvents, paints,
   pesticides, herbicides)
5. Eat lower on the food chain
6. Advocate sustainable and renewable practices
7. Get involved in community habitat restoration
   (e.g. www.hylebos.org)

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Environmental Stewardship Getting Involved