Module 4: Earth’s Diversity Guided Notes

Lesson 4.00 Earth’s Diversity Checklist

This lesson shows the checklist for your module and reminds you to take the pretest. The pretest will

assess what you know already and could possibly even excuse you from some of your work. Please

complete the pretest in the “my path” area and use your own words and knowledge during the test.

Lesson 4.01 Ecology

After completing this lesson, you will be able to:

1. Summarize the levels of organization studied in ecology

2. Compare biotic and abiotic factors

3. Describe the role of producers, consumers, and decomposers in ecosystems

4. Explain how food chains and trophic levels are related.

5. Analyze feeding relationships in a food web

Need to know terms:

Ecology the scientific study of the interactions of living things with each other and their environment.

Ecologists investigate patterns of interaction between organisms and their environment at the levels of individuals, populations, communities, and ecosystems

Environment the sum of conditions affecting an organism, including all living and nonliving things in an area, such as plants, animals, water, soil, weather, landforms, and air

Objective 1: The levels of organization in ecology (list from largest to smallest and define

each level)

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

Need to know terms:

Climate the average temperature, sunlight, wind, and precipitation in an area over an extended length of time

Precipitation a form of water, such as rain, snow, or sleet that condenses from the atmosphere, becomes too heavy to remain suspended, and falls to the Earth's surface

Latitude A measure of relative position north or south on the Earth's surface, measured in degrees from the equator, which has a latitude of 0°, with the poles having a latitude of 90° north and south.

Altitude distance above sea level

Species a group of like organisms that can successfully reproduce with one another

Organism an individual form of life of one or more cells that maintains various vital processes necessary for life

Objective 2: Compare biotic and abiotic factors

Biotic factors are ____________ within an environment.

List examples from lesson and interactive:

Abiotic factors are _______________ in an environment.

List examples from lesson and interactive:

Objective 3: Describe the role of producers, consumers, and decomposers in ecosystems

What are producers?

What is an autotroph?

How do producers help ecosystems?

List and describe two types of producers.

1.

2.

What are consumers?

What is a Heterotroph?

Need to know terms:

Scavengers animals that eat from the carcasses of dead animals

What are the four main types of heterotrophs? (Define each)

1.

2.

3.

4.

How do consumers help ecosystems?

List an example of each type of consumer below:

1. Primary

2. Secondary

3. Tertiary

What are decomposers?

How do decomposers help ecosystems?

List and describe two types of decomposers.

1.

2.

Objective 4: Explain how food chains and trophic levels are related

A ____________ displays the transfer of energy and matter from one species to another in a linear path.

List an example of a food chain below. Start with the sun and include four organisms.

The term ___________ relates to the nutrition an energy source provides. There are three main trophic

levels:

1.

2.

3.

And a specialized group called the ___________________

Objective 5: Analyze feeding relationships in a food web

What is an energy pyramid?

Remember: In food chains, only ___________of the energy from one trophic level transfers to the next.

Need to know terms:

Metabolism biochemical activity of a living organism

Predator carnivores that hunt , kill, and eat other animals

Prey an animal caught, killed , and eaten by another animal

Migration the process of moving from one location to another

Photosynthesis- A chemical process by which plants use light energy to convert carbon dioxide and water into carbohydrates (sugars

For example, grass gains ______ percent of its energy from the sun, but it uses most of it for the

processes it requires for life. When a rabbit eats the grass, it only gets _____ percent of the original

energy from the sun. When a wolf eats the rabbit, it only gets ______percent again, which is only _____

percent of the original energy from the sun. The total energy ___________ as it moves up trophic levels.

What is a Food web?

Remember: To read a food web, one follows the arrows from a starting organism, usually a producer, to

the animal that ____________, and so on, until the highest-level consumer.

Hint: It is important to practice reading the food web. Use the interactive to practice before moving on.

Lesson 4.02 The Biosphere

After completing this lesson, you will be able to:

1. Identify factors that determine Earth's climates

2. Explain how climate and seasonal variations affect Earth’s varying biomes

3. Describe biotic and abiotic features of Earth's six major biomes

4. Describe the habitats of coastal, freshwater and estuaries ecosystems.

Need to know terms:

Equator An imaginary circle drawn around the earth that divides it into northern and southern hemispheres. The equator denotes the parallel of latitude 0°

Tropics The area that lies between 23.5 degrees latitude north of the equator and 23.5 degrees latitude south of the equator. It is an area of constant heat and high temperatures

Temperate The area that lies between 23.5 degrees and 60 degrees latitude, both north and south. The sun is not directly overhead in these zones therefore the climate is mild

Convection Heat transfer in a gas or liquid by the circulation of currents from one region to another. .

Axis An imaginary line that runs through the center of the earth extending past the north and south poles.

Polar Circles zones above 60 degrees north latitude and below 60 degrees south latitude. These areas receive small amounts of sunlight

Coriolis force

the deflection of objects moving across the earth’s surface caused by earth’s rotation

Humidity moisture in air

Leeward side is the side of a mountain not exposed to wind and weather

Objective 1: Identify factors that determine Earth’s climate

(Describe how each factor and how it affects climate)

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Need to know terms:

Topography – the features on the surface of an area of land

Geography- the physical features of a place or region

Poles Either of the points at which the Earth's axis of rotation intersects the Earth's surface; the North Pole or South Pole.

Biome an area on our earth that shares the same climate and species of animals and plants.

Biodiversity the existence of a wide variety of plant and animal species in a particular environment.

Salinity – containing salt

Solubility- The ability or tendency of one substance to dissolve in another at a given temperature and pressure

Objective 2: Explain how climate and seasonal variations affect Earth’s varying biomes

From page 2:

Abiotic factors such as _______, ________, and ________ influence the variation and

distribution of species within each biome. Biomes near ___________ with warmer temperatures

and more moisture tend to have a _______ diversity of species than those biomes closer to the

north and south poles.

From page 3:

___________, ________, and salinity all influence the amount of dissolved oxygen in an aquatic

habitat. Increased __________ leads to warmer waters, but water that is too warm has _____

dissolved oxygen. Cooler water allows for ______dissolved oxygen—a habitat perfect for

aquatic life—but ________ the temperature too much and ice forms. Icing a body of water, an

ocean specifically, _________ the salinity of the water. Water with _____ salinity has _____

dissolved oxygen and a _____ suitable environment for life.

Need to know terms:

ecoregion a term used by the world wildlife federation to describe important ecosystems for conservation

Arid- an area with annual rainfall less than 25 centimeters.

Epiphytes- plants that grow on other plants

Leech to deplete the supply of something

Erode to wear away outer layers of rock or soil

Conifers any tree that has thin leaves or needles and

produces cones

Succulents a plant with thick fleshy leaves and stems that can store water

Hibernators to be in a dormant state resembling sleep over the winter while living off reserves of body fat, with a decrease in body temperature and pulse rate and slower metabolism

Objective 3: Describe biotic and abiotic features of Earth's six major biomes

From page 2, describe the features (both biotic and abiotic) of the terrestrial biomes below:

1. Tundra

a. Arctic

b. Alpine

2. Desert

3. Temperate forests

a. Boreal (Taiga)

b. Deciduous

4. Rain Forests

5. Grasslands

Need to know terms:

Stratification the process of layering something

Microphytes

a plant observable only under a microscope, especially one that is parasitic

Hydrology

the scientific study of the properties, distribution, use, and circulation of the water on Earth and in the atmosphere in all of its form

Estuary

the wide lower course of a river where the tide flows in, causing fresh and salt water to mix

Density

Concentration of matter of an object; number of individuals in the same species that live in a given area; the mass per unit volume

Life cycle

The entire sequence of events in an organism’s growth, development, and reproduction

Irrigation

to bring a supply of water to a dry area, especially in order to help crops to grow

lentic ecosystems

composed of standing or still water

Run-off-

wastewater that flows into fresh water systems

Tributary -

a stream that flows to a larger stream or other body of water

Bogs -

wetland that made of acidic water. It often attracts mosses or lichens

Static – not moving

Objective 4: Describe the habitats of coastal, freshwater and estuaries ecosystems.

From page 3, describe the features (both biotic and abiotic) of the aquatic biomes below (be sure to

include descriptions of their habitat:

1. Freshwater

2. Coastal

3. Estuary

Lesson 4.03 Ecosystems

After completing this lesson, you will be able to:

1. Describe four factors that affect population size

2. Identify factors that limit population growth.

3. Explain the difference between primary and secondary succession

4. Differentiate between habitat and niche

Need to know terms:

Population dynamics The study of change in population size and composition

Immigration the movement of organisms into a new area

Emigration the movement of organisms out of an area

Biological Surplus when there are more organisms in a population then the ecosystem can sustain

Climax Community A point in an ecosystem when all populations reach a point of little or no change

Gestation the process of carrying offspring in the womb during pregnancy

Scarcity an insufficient supply of something

Objective 1: Describe four factors that affect population size

Explain how each factor below affects population size. (Include examples from the lesson)

1. Migration

2. Birth/Death

3. Habitat

4. Carrying Capacity

a. Sigmoid phenomena

b. Peak phenomena

Need to know terms:

Limiting Factors biotic and abiotic factors that control population growth

Matter

anything that takes up space

Open System

both matter and energy are exchanged freely between the ecosystem and the surroundings

Niche the part of the environment occupied by a particular species along with the resources it uses and produces

Trophic position an organism’s placement in a food chain

Objective 2: Identify factors that limit population growth

Abiotic Factors:

_______________, ____________, and changes to ____________ move matter in and out of an

environment. These variables, known as limiting factors, control population growth and determine the

carrying capacity of the population.

From page 3, list examples of abiotic factors that limit population growth

Biotic factors:

Biotic factors that foster or deter population growth deal predominately with the interactions between

species. From page 4, list and describe the biotic factors and interactions that limit population growth.

1. Predation

2. Commensalism

3. Mutualism

4. Parasitism

5. Invasive species

Objective 3: Explain the difference between primary and secondary succession

From page 3, what are primary succession and secondary succession and how do they affect population

growth? Are they abiotic or biotic factors?

1. Primary succession

2. Secondary succession

Objective 4: Differentiate between habitat and niche

From page 4, how is a niche different from a habitat? (The definition of both of these terms are

in your notes.)

Lesson 4.04 Impacts on our Ecosystems

After completing this lesson, you will be able to:

1. Describe the sources, types, and effects of varying pollutants.

2. Assess the consequences of loss of biodiversity

3. Summarize the effects of human population growth and catastrophic events on ecosystems.

4. Explain the term sustainable development and describe some of its resources.

Terms to know:

Greenhouse gases-

a gas that contributes to the warming of the Earth's atmosphere

Fossil fuels-

any carbon based fuel derived from the decomposed remains of prehistoric plants and animals

exhausts-

steam or waste gases from an industrial process or vehicle

Environmental Indicator-

a measurement that gauges the state of the environment over a specific period.

Objective 1: Describe the sources, types, and effects of varying pollutants

What is the Greenhouse Effect?

Describe the top five greenhouse gases, their sources, and the effect they have on the

environment.

1. Water vapor

2. Methane

3. Carbon Dioxide

4. Nitrous Oxide

5. Ozone

Terms to know: Endangered species a species in danger of extinction due to the low numbers of its

population Glacier receding

the slow recession of glacier ice mass as it melts

Plant hardiness zones

a geographically defined area in which a specific category of plant life is capable of growing

Objective 2: Assess the consequences of loss of biodiversity

We are not isolated from our environment but part of it. From_________, we obtain fish for food. From

the ____________, we gain healthy crops. From the __________, we derive medicines like the rosy

periwinkle, a flower used to fight leukemia. The loss of biodiversity from _______ ecosystem is our loss

as well. For this reason, we should know how our actions and choices affect the environment.

View and listen to the video on page 2 to learn about our climate, our environment, and the loss of

worldwide biodiversity. List factors mentioned in the video that have caused a loss of biodiversity.

Terms to know: Endemic a species that is confined to a particular

geographic region Liquefaction a disintegrating of a substance into a liquid form Spawning the depositing of eggs for fertilization by fish

species Paddy Fields a field covered with shallow water where rice is

grown

Coppice Woods an area of densely growing small trees Pesticides a substance that kills pests and insects Fertilizers a nitrogen based substance added to soil to

increase plant growth Detergents a cleaning substance

Petroleum products products made of hydrocarbons

Sanitation the maintenance of public health by keeping water supplies and sewage systems clean

Epicenter the focal point of an earthquake

brown blood disease-

a disease that causes fish to suffocate because their blood cannot take up oxygen as normal

municipal-

relating to a town, city, or region that has its own local government

septic tanks-

an underground tank that holds human waste matter and decomposing bacteria

Objective 3: Summarize the effects of human population growth and catastrophic events on

ecosystems

What three catastrophic events occurred in Japan? How did each of these events cause destruction to

ecosystems? (Be sure to include details from page 3 and 4 of the lesson)

1.

2.

3.

What catastrophic event occurred in California? What did officials learn from the event?

From page 5, describe three ways we affect our ecosystems. Be sure to include examples from the

lesson in your descriptions.

1. Human expansion

2. Our choices

3. Our Activities

Terms to know: Sustainability maintaining ecological balance of natural

resources Greenbelt an area of vegetation between the coast and a city

or building that provides a natural barrier during hurricanes and tsunamis

Erosion the wearing away of rock or soil Sea walls a wall built to prevent flooding or coastal erosion

by the sea Levees an artificial embankment along a river, built to

prevent flooding of the surrounding land

Global information platforms a compilation of information on various topics that is organized and delivered to those who require valid research and data for decision-making

Deforestation to remove the trees from an area of land

Objective 4: Explain the term sustainable development and describe some of its resources.

____________________refers to the practices, services, and guidelines we develop to protect the

environment from our activities. The goal of _____________ ___is to restore to future generations

those things we take from Earth now. A __________________ can be any action that reduces

environmental pollution and protects Earth's biodiversity.

Listen and view the video on page 6. List the examples of sustainable practices given in the video.

Hint: Make sure to use the self –check on page 7. It includes scenarios similar to those on your

assessment and module exam.

Lesson 4.05 Recycling

After completing this lesson, you will be able to:

1. Explain how carbon and water cycle through the environment

2. Relate the cycling of matter to the success of an ecosystem

3. Explain the importance of effective resource management.

Need to know terms: Biogeochemical cycle The flow of chemical elements and compounds

between living organisms and the physical environment. Chemicals absorbed or ingested by organisms are passed through the food chain and returned to the soil, air, and water by such

mechanisms as respiration, excretion, and decomposition

Building block an element or compound regarded as contributing to the growth of an organism or ecosystem

Essential element any element of the periodic table that is necessary to life processes

Commodity something valuable or useful Hydrologic (or water) cycle The path water takes as it is being cycled through

the environment, including condensation, evaporation, and precipitation

Vapor pressure the pressure exerted by a vapor on its liquid form Atmospheric pressure the downward pressure exerted by the weight of

the overlying atmosphere Aquifer a layer of permeable rock, sand, or gravel through

which ground water flows, containing enough water to supply wells and springs

Water table The surface of groundwater, below which pores in the rocks are filled with water

Porosity- the ratio of the space taken up by the pores in a soil, rock, or other material to its total volume.

Permeability it is the rate that a liquid passes through rock and soil

Zone of saturation an area of soil or rock below the level of the water table where all the voids are filled with water

Stomata tiny pores in the leaf epidermis that release water and oxygen and take in carbon dioxide

Saturation point the point at which the greatest possible amount of a substance is dissolved in air or a solution at a given temperature

Objective 1: Explain how carbon and water cycle through the environment

Describe the stages of the water cycle.

1. Evaporation:

2. Condensation

3. Transpiration:

4. Precipitation:

5. Groundwater:

6. Run-off:

7. Surface water:

Need to know terms: Carbon Cycle: the pathway through which carbon moves between

living things and the nonliving environment Decompose-

to break down organic matter from a complex to a simpler form

Photosynthesis-

A chemical process by which plants use light energy to convert carbon dioxide and water into carbohydrates (sugars).

Cellular Respiration-

a process that uses oxygen from the air to harvest the chemical energy stored in organic molecules.

Diffusion- the random movement of atoms, molecules, or ions from one medium to another

Describe the stages of the carbon cycle.

1. Photosynthesis:

2. Plant and Animal Respiration:

3. Decaying organisms and waste products:

4. Fossil fuel Emissions:

5. Deforestation:

6. Diffusion:

7. Sedimentation

Objective 2: Relate the cycling of matter to the success of an ecosystem

Our planet recycles essential elements, such as water, carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen, using

biogeochemical cycles.

Why is carbon important to ecosystems?

Why is water important to ecosystems?

Objective 3: Explain the importance of effective resource management

A ______________ is a natural resource that is replaceable through biogeochemical cycles or

sustainable practices. A ___________________ is any action that reduces environmental pollution and

protects Earth's biodiversity.

Abiotic factors, like ___________, _____________, and ___________ are renewable resources. Biotic

factors, like _____________ and _________________, are also renewable resources—if care is taken to

protect them from the adverse consequences of human activities.

List the pros and cons of each renewable energy source below.

1. Wind power

2. Solar power

3. Hydropower

4. Geothermal Energy

5. Biomass Energy

A ____________________ is a natural resource that cannot be readily replaced. Currently, many of our

energy sources are unsustainable. We are depleting our reserves of coal, oil, and natural gas faster than

nature can restore them.

List the pros and cons of each non-renewable energy source below.

1. Coal

2. Petroleum

3. Natural gas

4. Nuclear Power

Lesson 4.05 Honors Recycling

After completing this lesson, you will be able to:

1. Diagram and explain the nitrogen cycle

2. Trace the flow of energy through earth's biogeochemical cycles

Terms to know:

DNA: deoxyribonucleic acid, found in the nucleus of a cell, and essential for transmission of genetic information

RNA:

ribonucleic acid, found mostly in the cytoplasm of a cell, and responsible for transmitting genetic information from DNA to cytoplasm

Amino Acids an essential component of proteins

Energy is the ability to change or move matter

Nitrates a compound composed of one nitrogen and three oxygens

Nitrites- a compound composed of one nitrogen and two oxygens.

anaerobic bacteria bacteria that do not live or grow in the presence of oxygen

Objective 1: Diagram and explain the nitrogen cycle

Nitrogen gas (N2) is found in large quantities in the atmosphere, yet most organisms can’t process it in its gaseous form. In the _______________, nitrogen gas moves through a series of reactions that convert it to _______________ which plants and animals can use.

These reactions include (describe each):

1. nitrogen fixation (describe both forms)

2. nitrification

3. ammonification

4. denitrification

5. assimilation

How does nitrogen make it to the land through diffusion?

Terms to know:

Chemical energy is the potential energy stored in the bonds of molecules and compounds

Mechanical energy kinetic energy due its movement from one position to another

Radiant energy (Electromagnetic Energy) energy that travels in waves. It includes sunlight, x-rays, microwaves, and radio waves

Electrical Energy kinetic energy produced from an electric charge flowing through a conductor

Potential energy is the energy that an object has due to its position or composition. It is often thought of as stored energy because it is energy waiting to be used.

Kinetic energy is energy that an object has while in motion

Objective 2: Trace the flow of energy through biochemical processes

Biogeochemical cycles move energy. This energy may change forms as it moves from one stage of a

cycle to another, but it is never lost. This phenomenon describes the l____________________, which

states that energy cannot be created or destroyed, only changed

Hint: Be sure to note the energy flow from each interactive. Take notes on the steps you see below.

1. Water cycle

2. Carbon Cycle

3. Nitrogen Cycle

Water Cycle Summary:

In the ___________, energy is captured, stored, and released into ecosystems.

___________ from the sun enters our biosphere and converts to thermal energy in plants, land,

and bodies of water. ____________ transfers with water vapor into the atmosphere through

evaporation and transpiration. It ___________when water vapor cools and falls back to the

ground through precipitation. The newly released ______________energy warms the

biosphere, keeping temperatures conducive for life.

Carbon Cycle Summary:

Energy changes forms many times as it travels through the __________. The stored energy in

__________________ converts to __________ in plants through the process of ____________.

Plants, and the animals that consume them, use the process of _______________ to break

down glucose to energy molecules called __________. These ___________ molecules provide

_____________ energy required for movement and growth. ___________ energy releases as

heat when animals exercise or when plants transpire. When plants and animals die and

____________,carbon returns to the soil. Through ________ and _____________, carbon

becomes ______________, such as coal, oil, or gas. The __________ energy in fossil fuels

provide ____________ and ___________ energy for human activities. A by-product of fossil

fuel burning is __________________; it releases into the atmosphere to begin the cycle of

energy flow all over again.

Nitrogen Cycle Summary:

______________ energy flows through the ___________ cycle in many forms. With the help of

__________ in legumes, nitrogen gas becomes ammonia through ______________. Bacteria

assist again during _______________, when ammonia becomes nitrites and nitrates.

_____________ energy returns to the atmosphere when ________________in the soil convert

nitrites to nitrogen gas.