Evidence
This is our "Dare to be a Force of Nature" project. For this project, we were assigned to choose an ecosystem or organism, and research a solutions to protect it. We also had to research how the ecosystem function by looking into the various cycles, factors, and cellular process that impact the ecosystem. For our project, we chose to research the Pacific Ocean Ecosystem. The full extent of our research is displayed in the slideshow above.
Content
Key Terms:
- Carrying Capacity- the maximum amount of organisms an ecosystem can support without failing
- Abiotic Factors- nonliving components of an ecosystem
- Biotic Factors- living components of an ecosystems
- Carbon Cycle- the series of processes by which carbon compounds are interconverted in the environment, involving the incorporation of carbon dioxide into living tissue by photosynthesis and its return to the atmosphere through respiration, the decay of dead organisms, and the burning of fossil fuels
- Nitrogen Cycle- the series of processes by which nitrogen and its compounds are interconverted in the environment and in living organisms, including nitrogen fixation and decomposition
- Water Cycle- the cycle of processes by which water circulates between the earth's oceans, atmosphere, and land, involving precipitation as rain and snow, drainage in streams and rivers, and return to the atmosphere by evaporation and transpiration
- Organization in Ecology
- Individual- a single living organism
- Population- a group of homogeneous individuals (species) that live in the same habitat
- Community- populations of different species interacting with each other
- Ecosystem- how ecosystems interact with their environment
- Biome- group of ecosystems that have the same climate and similar dominant communities
- Biosphere- Where all of life exists in the world (11 Km below Earth’s surface to 8 Km above the surface)
- Living organisms (ecosphere)
- Land (lithosphere)
- Water (hydrosphere)
- Air (atmosphere)
- Symbiosis
- Competition- when two organisms compete for the same resource, both don’t benefit
- Parasitism/consumption- one organism benefits, the other doesn’t benefit
- Commensalism- one organism benefits, the other is unaffected
- Mutualism- both organisms benefit
- Biomass- total mass of organic matter in a given area or volume
- Food Web- a diagram that shows the energy flow between Trophic Levels
- Energy starts with the sun
- Primary producers (plants) take in energy from the sun
- First Level Consumers (herbivores) take energy from producers
- Second Level Consumers (carnivores) take energy from First Level Consumers
- Top Level Consumers (omnivores) take energy from all Trophic Levels
- Limiting Factors- factors that cause a population to decrease
- Density Dependent Factors
- population size
- competition
- resources
- disease
- Density Independent Factors
- human activity
- natural disasters
- unusual weather
- Density Dependent Factors
- Biodiversity- the variety of life
- Photosynthesis- the process in which plants use sun energy to synthesize glucose from carbon dioxide and water
- Equation: 6CO2 + 6H2O>>>>light energy>>>> 6C6H12O6 + 6O2
- Light Reaction- the first phase of photosynthesis, in which energy in the form of light is absorbed and converted to chemical energy in the form of ATP
- Calvin Cycle- the cycle of dark reactions of photosynthesis that occurs in the chloroplasts of plants that involves the fixation of carbon dioxide and the formation of a 6-carbon sugar
- Cellular Respiration- the process in which cells use glucose and oxygen to create usable energy
- Equation: 6C6H12O6 + 6O2>>>>>> 6CO2 + 6H2O + ATP
- Glycolysis- the breakdown of glucose by enzymes, releasing energy and pyruvic acid
- Krebs Cycle- the sequence of reactions by which most living cells generate energy during the process of aerobic respiration
- Electron Transport Chain- cluster of proteins that transfer electrons through a membrane to form a gradient of protons that drives the creation of ATP
Final Thoughts
Overall, was very insightful to research and made me more conscious of my decisions and how they impact the environment, which ultimately affects my well being. Though I learn lots, this project had many struggles. For one, our group chemistry was very poor. It felt like no one gave it their all which affected the overall quality of our presentation. Additionally, communication between group members was nonexistent, which caused stress and confusion for us. If we can learn to get along and communicate with each other, our group chemistry would be much better and quality would improve. Another thing we could work on is organization. Because of how scattered our group was, most of our work was too. In terms of how we wanted to distribute work, it did not work out as planned due to distractions. If we can stay focused and stick to our plan, our organization would be good, thus improving our work. Despite our setbacks, there were things that went okay with our project. For one, our understanding of the subject was good. It seemed like what we researched, we were able to take in and comprehend the information. If we are able to do this for our next project, then we could learn more and have a more coherent project. Another thing that we did well was our decision making. As a group, we were able to make quick and correct decisions through open conversation. If we can make correct and quick judgments, then work will get done more efficiently. Though the stress of this project was very debilitating, I learned a lot about how I make an impact on the environment and how I should be more conscious of my decisions if I want to be able to live in our world.