Ecology
By: Morgan Meacham
Sustainable Living
Live Green
Fossil Fuels vs. Renewable Energy
Recycling
Length of time needed for decomposition:
Tin Can- 50 years
Glass Bottle- 1 million years
Disposable Diaper- 250-500 years
Wood- 3-5 months
Paper- 2-5 months
Plastic Grocery Bag- 100 years
Styrofoam Cup- 500 years
Aluminum Can- 80-100 years
Cotton T-shirt- 6 months
Apple Core- 1 month
I was very surprised at the length of time it to took to decompose a glass bottle, because I figured it wouldn't take as long.
Great Pacific Garbage Patch
Biomes
The abiotic factors found in a desert biome would be that the sand is dry, and does not contain many minerals. There is little precipitation, and temperatures are very high. The biotic factors would be the scorpions, coyotes, snakes, and lizards with live in the desert.
Grassland Biome
The biotic factors of the grassland ecosystem includes the autotrophs, heterotrophs, primary consumers, secondary consumers, and tertiary consumers. The abiotic factors include the moderate rainfall and the icy winters.
Ocean Biome
Primary Consumer- Lobster, Muscles, Shrimp, Fish
Secondary Consumer- Fish whales
Tertiary Consumer- Pelicans
Quaternary Consumer- Larger Birds
Herbivore- Diet consists of plants
Omnivore- Diet consists of plants and animals
Carnivore- Diet consists of meat
Scavenger- Ocean birds
Decomposer- Fungi, Bacteria
Dead Zones
Competitive Exclusion
Example 1: 2 species of Finches living in the Galapagos Islands competing for insects.
Example 2: 2 barnacle species competing for shoreline.
Keystone Species
A keystone species is one in which other species in an ecosystem largely depend, such that if it were removed the ecosystem would change drastically.
Key Terms
Ex: Two plants in the same container, Two species of snakes living in the same jungle
Parasites: One individual lives off of another. beneficial to one.
Ex: Ringworm, Roundworm
Mimicry: Protection against predators, two species come to resemble each other.
Ex: Venomous Snakes, Butterflies
Mutualism: Interaction between individuals of 2 species are beneficial to both.
Ex: Oxpeckers/Rhinos, Digestive Bacteria, Humans
Commensalism: Interaction between individuals in which one benefits the other. Neither is harmed.
Ex: Flatworm/Crab, Hermit Crab/ Snail
Carbon Cycle
Global Dimming
Greenhouse Effect
Endangered Species
Invasive Species
Examples:
Zebra Muscle
The zebra muscle attaches itself to the bottom of the body of water they are located in. They can cause problems if attached to valuable pipes or other animals. They also eat all of the nutrients in the water. These muscles arrived on the bottoms of large ships coming from Europe.
Asian Long-horned Beetle
This beetle eats through the bark of trees, and eventually kills the tree. These trees then have to be burned down so that the beetles do not spread to other trees. These beetles arrived in wood shipments coming from Asian countries.
Rainforests
Overpopulation
Pesticides
“If the bee disappeared off the face of the Earth, man would only have 4 years left to live.”
Earth Today
Blue Cloudy Skys
Polluted Oceans
Urban Sprawl
Grassy
Breathable Air