Ecology : Ecology
Ecosystems : Ecosystems Ecosystem: all living things in a given area along with their physical environment
Two types of factors:
Biotic Factors: all living parts of an ecosystem
Ex: animals, plants and bacteria
Abiotic Factors: all non-living parts of an ecosystem
Ex: temperature, sunlight and air
Abiotic Factors : Abiotic Factors Abiotic Factors: all non-living things that affect the earth
The non-living world and the living world have impacts on each other
What are some Abiotic Factors?
Three Abiotic Layers of Earth: : Three Abiotic Layers of Earth: Atmosphere
Lithosphere
Hydrosphere
Atmosphere : Atmosphere Atmosphere: an envelope of gasses that surrounds the earth.
Composed of:
78% N2
21% O2
1% - water vapor, dust and other trace elements.
.04% is CO2, one of the most important gasses on earth.
4 Levels of the Atmosphere : 4 Levels of the Atmosphere Gasses become thinner (less Dense) the farther from earth they are
Thermosphere- the outermost layer from earth,
“high temperature layer”, 2000o C has been reported.
Mesosphere- Extends 50 Km to 85 Km above earth,
coldest layer
- 100o C has been reported.
Slide7 :
4 Levels of the Atmosphere : 4 Levels of the Atmosphere Stratosphere- about 15-50 Km above earth,
Phenomenon of Aurora Borealis, or Northern Lights, occurs in this layer.
Contains a layer of Ozone (O3)
often referred to Ozonosphere or Ozone Layer
Troposphere- Touches the earth and extends 8-18 Km above, most gas and water vapor is here.
Slide9 :
Slide10 :
Ozone & Greenhouse Effect : Ozone & Greenhouse Effect Ozone: filters out most of the ultraviolet (UV) radiation given off by the sun.
Enough is absorbed to allow life to exist
Greenhouse Effect- a hole has developed in the Ozone that allows excess UV in
Once through the UV cannot be released so it reflects back and forth between the ground and the atmosphere
Continuing to warm the earth,
Slide12 :
Lithosphere : Lithosphere Lithosphere: land portion of the earth
Composed of:
Rock;
Igneous- formed from hardened liquid
Sedimentary- formed from compressed layers of sediment
Metamorphic- transformed by heat and pressure
Soil-
Sand
Lithosphere : Lithosphere Rock Cycle
Lava hardens and forms igneous rock
Igneous is eroded, then compacted into sedimentary rock
Sedimentary rock is heated under pressure and forms Metamorphic rock
Metamorphic rock is melted into lava.
Slide15 :
3 Parts of Lithosphere : 3 Parts of Lithosphere Crust- top layer,
very thin in proportion to the whole,
where life exists.
Mantle- Middle layer,
largest portion of the three, is 1/2 of the inner earth,
upper mantle is very rigid, lower mantle flows like melted plastic
Moho- division between mantle and crust
Core- innermost layer,
very hot,
mostly composed of iron,
inner core is solid iron, outer core is liquid Iron
Slide17 :
Slide18 :
Slide19 :
Theory of Continental Drift: : Theory of Continental Drift: The Crust is divided into plates, called Tectonic Plates
The liquid of the mantle rises through the cracks between the plates and cools
Liquid cools & expands pushing the plates apart
Shifting of the plates causes Earthquakes, plates also buckle creating Mountains or Volcanoes
Slide21 :
Slide22 :
Slide23 :
Slide24 :
Geologic Dating : Geologic Dating Principle of Original Horizontality: Rocks generally build up horizontally.
Law of Superposition: any material below another material is older.
Principle of Crosscutting Relationships: Faults or intrusions are younger than the rocks they cross
Inclusions: Small pieces of rock that are not in a rock bed are usually older than they bed they are in.
Slide26 :
Slide27 :
Slide28 :
Slide29 :
Slide30 :
Hydrosphere : Hydrosphere Hydrosphere- All of the water on the earth
Most of the Earth is covered with Water.
Is this water Useable?
Useable water : Useable water Majority of this is NaCl (sodium chloride) or table salt.
Of the remaining 3%, 2/3 is frozen in the Ice Caps or Glaciers
This leaves only 1% of the hydrosphere as Useable Fresh Water
This supports most of the life forms on earth
Water is a very Scarce Commodity
WATER USEAGE : WATER USEAGE
Where is this fresh water found? : Where is this fresh water found? 2 places:
Surface Water- Lakes, streams, and rain runoff
Groundwater- flows between spaces of rock
Aquifers- underground “river”
- If the water reaches the surface it forms a spring
Artesian Wells- water flows to the surface do to pressure
- Most modern wells need to be pumped
Most of the Aquifers are drying up, or are contaminated : Most of the Aquifers are drying up, or are contaminated it takes many years of rainwater to seep through to fill the Aquifers
AQUIFER : AQUIFER
AQUIFER OVERUSE : AQUIFER OVERUSE
Slide38 :
SALTWATER INTRUSION : SALTWATER INTRUSION
Slide40 :
Other Abiotic Factors: “Cycles for Life” : Other Abiotic Factors: “Cycles for Life” Hydrologic Cycle- water cycle
Water on the surface evaporates into water vapor
Water vapor condenses into clouds
Water falls to surface as precipitation
Hydrologic Cycle : Hydrologic Cycle
Other Abiotic Factors: “Cycles for Life” : Other Abiotic Factors: “Cycles for Life” Carbon Cycle
Plants use carbon dioxide to produce starch/sugar through photosynthesis
Other organisms eat the plants for starch/sugars
Organisms break down starch/sugar and release Carbon dioxide through Respiration
Carbon is also found as fossil fuels (coal, oil) from decomposed plants.
Carbon also is very abundant in ocean water
Slide44 :
Carbon Cycle : Carbon Cycle
Other Abiotic Factors: “Cycles for Life” : Other Abiotic Factors: “Cycles for Life” Nitrogen Cycle:
Nitrogen is used by Nitrogen fixing bacteria to make ammonia (NH3).
Nitrogen fixing bacteria live on the roots of plant called Legumes
Either these plants use the ammonia or other bacteria do
Bacteria consume ammonia make nitrites and nitrates, compounds of nitrogen and oxygen ( NO2- & NO3-).
Plants use these nitrates for their nitrogen source Animals get it from Plants
NITROGEN CYCLE : NITROGEN CYCLE
NITROGEN CYCLE : NITROGEN CYCLE
NITROGEN CYCLE : NITROGEN CYCLE
Slide50 :
Wind : Wind Wind: horizontal motion of air across the earth's surface
Causes:
Frictional force- friction between air and land slows down winds
Pressure Gradient Force- wind moves from high to low pressure
Greater the difference between pressures, faster the air will move
Coriolis Effect- Rotation of the earth drives winds
Turns to the right in Northern Hemisphere, and left in the Southern Hemisphere
Slide52 : Wind Speeds down a Pressure Gradient
Types of Surface winds: : Types of Surface winds: Trade winds- occurs between 30o N and 30o S latitude.
2. Prevailing Westerly- occur between 30o to 60o in both hemispheres. They blow west to east.
3. Polar Easterlies- occurs between 60o and the poles in both hemispheres. They blow east to west.
Slide54 :
Upper level Wind : Upper level Wind Jet Stream: a river of fast flowing air at high altitudes above the earth that generally flows from west to east over the mid-latitudes.
To be called a "jet stream" the winds should be faster than 57 mph, but the term is often wrongly used for all upper-level winds.
Usually, the jet stream separates cold polar air to its north from warmer air to its south.
JET STREAM : JET STREAM
Ocean Currents : Ocean Currents Ocean Currents: movement of ocean water
The main cause is the Coriolis Effect
Coriolis Effect: the rotation of the Earth causes the oceans water to circle away from the equator
Currents generally help to control climate and are useful in moving nutrients throughout the oceans
Northern Hemisphere currents move clockwise; while currents in the Southern Hemisphere move counter-clockwise.
Slide58 :
Weather/Climate : Weather/Climate Currents and wind have a profound impact on weather and climate.
Currents generally move warmer water away from the equator.
Winds help to move these currents and take on their temperature.
As the currents reach the coast the winds move onto land and either heat or cool it.
OCEAN COOLING AND WARMING : OCEAN COOLING AND WARMING
Fronts : Fronts These winds lead to Fronts- the leading edge of an air mass
generally determine weather change
Slide62 :
A typical Warm Front : A typical Warm Front
http://www.usatoday.com/weather/tg/wwfront/wwfront.htm
A typical Cold Front : A typical Cold Front
http://www.usatoday.com/weather/tg/wcfront/wcfront.htm
Weather has 3 factors: : Weather has 3 factors: Air temperature- the sun provides solar radiation to provide heat to the earth.
the tilt of the earth provides variation in the amount of direct sunlight the earth receives
Seasons: caused by a combination of the tilt of the earth and the rotation of the earth around the sun.
As the earth rotates around the sun the tilt causes the sun's raise to hit areas of the earth differently, causing seasons
Apogee- July 4, sun is farthest from the sun
Paragee- January 4, sun is closest to the sun
Slide66 :
Slide67 :
Weather has 3 factors: : Weather has 3 factors: Atmospheric Moisture-
Absolute Humidity- the specific measure of the amount of moisture in the air.
Relative Humidity- the amount of moisture in the air compared to the amount of moisture the air can hold. Stated as a Percent.
Saturation- the maximum amount of moisture air can hold at a specific temperature.
Dew Point- temperature at which the amount of moisture in the air becomes saturated.
Rule- As air temperature increases, the capacity of water in the air increases. As air temperature decreases, the capacity of water in the air decreases.
Weather has 3 factors: : Weather has 3 factors: Atmospheric Pressure & Wind-
Atmospheric or Barometric Pressure- amount of force exerted by the atmosphere on any one thing.
Average = 15 lbs/in2
Temperature causes variation in AP-
- increased temp, decreased pressure
- decreased temp, increased pressure
- Elevation can cause some difference
- Temperature difference causes Pressure difference, and this difference is caused by Wind
Wind tries to equalize the pressure, so it moves from areas of high pressure to areas of low pressure.
Wind speed thus can tell you the Pressure Gradient
- Greater wind speed, greater pressure gradient
- Lower wind speed, lower pressure gradient
Slide70 : Wind Speeds down a Pressure Gradient
How High and Low Pressure Works : How High and Low Pressure Works
http://www.usatoday.com/weather/tg/whighlow/whighlow.htm
How Low Pressure Areas Work : How Low Pressure Areas Work
http://www.usatoday.com/weather/tg/wlowpres/wlowpres.htm
How High Pressure Areas Work : How High Pressure Areas Work
http://www.usatoday.com/weather/tg/whighp/whighp.htm
Slide74 :
Slide75 :
Slide76 :
Slide77 :
EL NINO : EL NINO
Slide79 :
Weather and Climate are different: : Weather and Climate are different: Weather- the day to day conditions of the Atmosphere.
Climate- long term, a composite of conditions that establishes itself over a period of time in a given region.