BIOSPHERE IN A BOTTLE

WHAT IS A BIOSPHERE?

GULF OF MEXICO DEAD ZONE

WHAT CAUSES THE DEAD ZONE?

BIOTIC OR ABIOTIC FACTOR?

 Biot

ic fa

ctor

 Abi

otic 

facto

r

82%

18%

1. Biotic factor2. Abiotic factor

BIOTIC OR ABIOTIC FACTOR?

 Biot

ic fa

ctor

 Abi

otic 

facto

r

86%

14%

1. Biotic factor2. Abiotic factor

WHERE ELSE MIGHT WE FIND DEAD ZONES?

TAKE HOME MESSAGE?

Microorganisms consume oxygen as they eat.Too much nutrients can result in lack of oxygen in an ecosystem.

HOW CAN WE MAKE MORE OXYGEN?

WHAT IS PHOTOSYNTHESIS

 Usin

g ligh

t to.

..

 Usin

g ligh

t to.

..

 Usin

g ligh

t to.

..

8%

57%

35%

1. Using light to make sugar.

2. Using light to make oxygen.

3. Using light to make oxygen and sugar.

WHICH DON’T DO PHOTOSYNTHESIS?

 Plan

ts

 Prot

ists

 Bac

teria

 Fung

i

0%

51%

14%

35%

1. Plants2. Protists3. Bacteria4. Fungi

HUNTING PHOTOSYNTHETIC MICROORGANISMS

MICROBIAL MATS

WHAT CAUSES THE LAYERS?

WHY DO ROTTEN EGGS SMELL BAD?

WHAT CAUSES OLD EGGS TO SMELL?

 Hyd

roge

n sul

fi...

 Sulfu

ric ac

id Ca

rbon

 diox

ide

 Met

hane

 Nat

ural 

gas

54%

46%

0%0%0%

1. Hydrogen sulfide2. Sulfuric acid3. Carbon dioxide4. Methane5. Natural gas

WHERE DOES THE H2S COME FROM?

 Eggs

 abso

rb H

2...

 Sulfu

r in t

he ...

 Bac

teria

 mak

e ...

0%

76%

24%

1. Eggs absorb H2S from the surrounding air.

2. Sulfur in the egg is chemically converted to H2S.

3. Bacteria make H2S from egg components.

WHAT IS THE STATE OF H2S?

 Solid

 Liqu

id

 Gas

0%

84%

16%

1. Solid2. Liquid3. Gas

STUDYING OXYGEN, CARBON AND SULFUR CYCLES

ILLUSTRATION OF THE FACTORS THAT CAUSE MICROBIAL MAT LAYERS TO FORM

Biotic and Abiotic factors?

START WITH A HOMOGENOUS MIXTURE.

Algae Make and need oxygen

Purple non-sulfur bacteriaDon’t like oxygen or sulfur

Purple sulfur bacteriaDon’t like oxygen but like sulfur

Green sulfur bacteriaDon’t like oxygen but like lots of sulfur

Sulfate reducing bacteriaDon’t like oxygen