Lecture 2 - Ecology and Ecosystem

ECOLOGY AND ECOSYSTEM
ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT ANS SUSTAINABILITY 4/23/2013
CONTENTS:
2.1
2.2 2.3
Structure and Function of the Ecology

Ecosystem Concept and Management Biodiversity
2.4
2.5
Biosphere Cyclic Processes

Environmental Limits
2.1 Structure and Function of the Ecology
ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT ANS SUSTAINABILITY
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Living organisms; humans, & non-living elements
of the environment interact, frequently in complex ways. ECOLOGY DEFINITION OF ECOLOGY:
Study of the structure and function of nature

Study of interactions between organisms (biotic) & their non-living (abiotic) environment Science of the relations of organisms to their total environment
CONCEPTUAL UNDERSTANDING OF ECOLOGY

1. Life processes explaining adaptations
2. Distribution and abundance of organisms the movement of materials and energy through living communities
3. Succession development of ecosystems
4. Abundance and distribution of biodiversity in context of the environment.

ECOLOGY PARAMETERS
MAXIMUM SUSTAINABLE YIELD
The fraction of primary production
(as organic matter) in excess

Used for metabolism (net primary
production)
it is feasible to remove on an ongoing
basis without destroying the primary productivity (i.e. safe harvest).

CARRYING CAPACITY
Maximum number of individuals that can
be supported in a given environment

Maximum population of a given species that can be supported indefinitely in a particular region by a system
- allowing for seasonal and random changes, without any degradation of the natural resource base.
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ASSIMILATIVE CAPACITY
The limiting resource may not be an input
such as food or water,

Inability to deal with outputs (waste
products).
Environment has some capacity to purify
pollutants up to a point where the pollutant(s) hinder or wholly destroy.

Capacity = assimilative capacity.
2.2 Ecosystem Concept and Management
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ECOSYSTEM
DEFINITION:
Energy-driven complex of a community of organisms and its controlling environment (Billings, 1978); Community of organisms and their physical environment interacting as an ecological unit
(Dickinson and Murphy, 1998);

Integration of all the living and non-living
factors of an environment for a defined segment of space and time

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2 ways of viewing ecosystem:
1. Population
6 majors features of ecosystem
2.
processes
1. Interdependence 2. Diversity 3. Resilience

3 types of ecosystem:
4. Adaptability 5. Unpredictability 6. Limits
1. Isolated system 3. Open system

Classification of ecosystem
2. Closed system
1. Natural 3. Controlled
2. Modified
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Relations between ecosystem components
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2 APPROACHES TO STUDYING ECOSYSTEMS

REAL WORLD ECOSYSTEM
HYPOTHESIS, EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN
MATHEMATICAL SYSTEM
MATHEMATICAL ARGUMENT
PHYSICAL EXPERIMENTATION STATISTICAL ANALYSIS INTERPRETATION
MATHEMATICAL CONCLUSION
(B)
CONCLUSIONS APPLICABLE TO THE REAL WORLD
(A)
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Ecosystem concept has two main of thought:

Organism centered view Landscape centered view
Ecosystem have energy flow and nutrient cycling:
Figure. Energy flows and material cycles.

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The animals and plants within energy flow called
trophic level: (1) Autotrophic

Self make food photosynthetic autotrophic and chemoautotroph Produce their own organic material complex (carbohydrate=sugar) from inorganic chemical (CO2 0.03% atmosphere) and energy
(2) Heterotrophic require inorganic complex substance
and energy from living (biotic) organism

Utilize organic complex from autotrophic Utilize dead organic matter Utilize living tissues
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Food Chain and Food Web

Food chain the passage of energy from a primary producers through a series producer at higher trophic levels
Food web is interconnecting of a number of food chain in an ecosystem
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Life zone/structure
In the world, life zone called as biomes Biomes major unit of distinctive plant and animal groups well
adapted to their surrounding environment

Determined
by
climax
community
(temperature
and
precipitation)
2 types of biomes;
Terrestrial/land Aquatic
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Types of Biomes
AQUATIC BIOMES
Freshwater rivers, streams and lakes b) Marine intertidal zones and open oceans c) Estuaries between freshwater and salt water (Ex. Marshlands, swamps, lagoons etc.)
a)
LAND BIOMES
a) b) c) d) e) f) g)
Tundra Taiga or boreal forest Tropical broadleaf evergreen forest Temperate broadleaf deciduous forest Tropical savannas Desserts crib Temperate grasslands
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Freshwater
Lentic system (non-flowing)
Ponds, ditches, reservoirs, seeps, lakes, vernal/ephemeral
pools
Lotic system (flowing)

Creeks, streams, runs, rivers, springs, brooks, channels
Wetland (interface between terrestrial and aquatic
system)
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Marine
(1) Salt marshes
Offshore barrier, plants damage by wave
(2) Estuaries
Between freshwater and marine water
(3) Mangrove

Nurseries for many marine species shrimp Plant in red mangrove adapt to the warm, shallow and produce salt-tolerant seed
(4) Abyss plain

Deep, cold and dark Bioluminescence occurs

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Figure: Abyssal life organism
Figure: Abyssal plain
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2.3 BIODIVERSITY
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Biodiversity
Definition:
Diversity of life in Earth
Variety at all levels of biological organization - of
genes, species and ecosystem

Components of biodiversity
Genetic diversity Species diversity Ecosystem diversity
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Regions and ecosystem vary in biodiversity

Biodiversity hotspot tropics, island and other areas Diverse ecosystem mostly in tropical rainforest,
coral reef and islands Endemic species one place in the world, mainly islands
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Why is biodiversity important?

Economic value Utilitarian value 1)
resources, including food, 2) medicines and other helpful chemicals 3) genes for better crops 4) opportunity cost
1)
2)
3) 4)
5)
6)
purify water recycle CO2 regulate climate recycle nutrients through decomposition collectively, ecosystem services prevent erosion
Intrinsic value independent of humans
Psychological value
direct or indirect enjoyment of nature

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Biodiversity and sustainable

Sustainability
ability to maintain something over a long period of
time Is an indicator of ecosystem health more sustainable, more healthier in order to deal with external stress
Biodiversity
of an ecosystem sustainability of ecosystem
contributes
to
the
Higher/more biodiversity = more sustainable. Lower/less biodiversity = less sustainable. High biodiversity means that there is a great variety of
genes and species

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The more sustainable an ecosystem is, the better it is
for the environment and for people. People use ecosystems as sources of food, medicine and economy. Thus, it is in everyones best interest to increase the sustainability of ecosystems. How can we do this?
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For Example:
The greater the variety of genes and species of fish, plants and animals in the Lake Kenyir ecosystem, the more biodiversity. Higher biodiversity will increase the ecosystems sustainability Why is this important? Lake Kenyir We rely on Lake Kenyirs ecosystem for many things: fish for food and commercial use (revenue). land and plants for food and revenue (agriculture). nutrients from biogeochemical cycles. water and landscape for tourism (beaches, etc.).
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DEVELOPMENT OF APARTMENTS & HOTELS IN CAMERON HIGHLANDS
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POTENTIAL TO COMBINE BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION WITH SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOODS

Tolerant forest management Extractive reserves Green tourism Ecotourism
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2.4 BIOSPEHERE CYCLIC PROCESSES
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Biosphere
Population:
a group of individuals of one species in an area, potentially interacting (e.g., competition, reproduction)
Community:
a group of populations of different species in an area, potentially interacting

Ecosystem: a community (or group of linked communities), their
physical environment, and their interactions

Biosphere: all of Earths ecosystems; the part of the planet capable
of supporting life
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Biogeochemical nutrient cycle

Organisms have 5 major components for them
1) 2) 3) 4) 5)
Phosphorus Nitrogen Carbon Water Sulphur
Biogeochemical cycling study about biological,
geological and chemical behavior of elements in ecosystem
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Carbon cycle
CO2 consume photosynthesis, air-sea gas exchange CO2 production respiration, geological events (volcano)
CO2 increase by deforestation and burn fossil fuels

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Nitrogen cycle
Several processes of
nitrogen cycle:
(1) nitrogen fixation (2) Nitrification (3) Assimilation (4) Dentrification
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Water cycle
Hydrological cycle in earth can:

Air and ocean Ocean and land Land and air
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Phosphorus cycle
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BIOSPEHERE CYCLIC PROCESSES

Cyclic processes move and renew supplies of energy, water, chemical elements & atmospheric gases.
Cycles affect the physical environment & organisms, & some are affected by lifeforms. Cycles may be classified as (1) natural, (2) upset by
humans, and (3) recycling

Many of group (1) have already been converted to (2); conversion of some type (2) to (3) is an important goal for environmental managers.
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FACTORS OF CLIMATE CHANGE:

Variation in incoming solar energy due
to fluctuations in the Suns output or possibly dust in space;

Variation in the Earths orbit or change in its inclination about its axis; Variation in the composition of the atmosphere
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CLIMATE CHANGE
A glacier calving into the sea, Cumberland Bay, South Georgia ; Climate is not static.
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Lecture 2 - Ecology and Ecosystem

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ECOLOGY AND ECOSYSTEM

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT ANS SUSTAINABILITY 4/23/2013

Structure and Function of the Ecology

Biosphere Cyclic Processes

2.1 Structure and Function of the Ecology

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT ANS SUSTAINABILITY

Living organisms; humans, & non-living elements

of the environment interact, frequently in complex ways. ECOLOGY DEFINITION OF ECOLOGY:

Study of the structure and function of nature

CONCEPTUAL UNDERSTANDING OF ECOLOGY

4. Abundance and distribution of biodiversity in context of the environment.

(as organic matter) in excess

basis without destroying the primary productivity (i.e. safe harvest).

be supported in a given environment

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT ANS SUSTAINABILITY

such as food or water,

pollutants up to a point where the pollutant(s) hinder or wholly destroy.

2.2 Ecosystem Concept and Management

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT ANS SUSTAINABILITY

(Dickinson and Murphy, 1998);

factors of an environment for a defined segment of space and time

2 ways of viewing ecosystem:

1. Interdependence 2. Diversity 3. Resilience

4. Adaptability 5. Unpredictability 6. Limits

1. Isolated system 3. Open system

Relations between ecosystem components

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT ANS SUSTAINABILITY

2 APPROACHES TO STUDYING ECOSYSTEMS

PHYSICAL EXPERIMENTATION STATISTICAL ANALYSIS INTERPRETATION

CONCLUSIONS APPLICABLE TO THE REAL WORLD

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT ANS SUSTAINABILITY

Ecosystem concept has two main of thought:

Ecosystem have energy flow and nutrient cycling:

Figure. Energy flows and material cycles.

The animals and plants within energy flow called

trophic level: (1) Autotrophic

(2) Heterotrophic require inorganic complex substance

and energy from living (biotic) organism

Food Chain and Food Web

Food web is interconnecting of a number of food chain in an ecosystem

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT ANS SUSTAINABILITY

adapted to their surrounding environment

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT ANS SUSTAINABILITY

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT ANS SUSTAINABILITY

Lotic system (flowing)

Wetland (interface between terrestrial and aquatic

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT ANS SUSTAINABILITY

Offshore barrier, plants damage by wave

Between freshwater and marine water

(4) Abyss plain

Deep, cold and dark Bioluminescence occurs

Figure: Abyssal life organism

Figure: Abyssal plain

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT ANS SUSTAINABILITY

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT ANS SUSTAINABILITY

Variety at all levels of biological organization - of

genes, species and ecosystem

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT ANS SUSTAINABILITY

Regions and ecosystem vary in biodiversity

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT ANS SUSTAINABILITY

Why is biodiversity important?

Intrinsic value independent of humans