Systems
A system is a collection of related
parts that interact in some
organized way.
Materials, energy and information
that enter the system from outside
are Inputs.
Materials, energy, and information
that leave are outputs
A system can be:
• made up of many sub-systems
• be part of a larger system.
• E.g. An automobile is a system made up
many smaller systems like the engine
system, brake system and a fuel system.
• Each of these systems are connected to
one or more other systems.
• A change in one system will affect the
others.
Earth Systems
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Earth-Universe
Biosphere
Cryosphere
Atmosphere
Hydrosphere
Solid Earth
Biosphere:
This is the area occupied by living organisms.
• In resent years this has expanded with the
finding of life deep underground.
• The biosphere has played a major role in the
shaping of our planet and still has a major
impact on climate, erosion and weather
patterns.
What is ecology? (oikos = house or place to life; logos = study of
Ecology is the study of the way living things interact with each other
and their physical surroundings. It looks at the ways an organism is
molded by its surroundings, how they make use of these
surroundings, and how the area is altered by the presence and
activities of organisms.
These interactions involve energy and matter, which must flow
through the organism if it is to stay alive.
An organism is any form of life.
Organisms can be classified into species
- groups of organisms that resemble one another in appearance,
behavior, chemistry, and genetic code. They are the same
species if they can reproduce sexually to produce live, fertile
offspring.
A population consists of all the members of the same species
living in a specific area at the same time.
The place where a population lives is known as its habitat .
Populations of all the different species occupying and
interacting in a particular place make up a community.
An ecosystem is a community of different species interacting with
one another and their no-living environment of matter and energy.
All the Earth’s ecosystems make up what is called the ecosphere or
biosphere
Climate is the main factor that determines whether a given species
will thrive in an area. Biologists have divided the terrestrial (land)
portion of the biosphere into biomes .
These are large regions with a distinct climate and specific life
forms. E.g. Desert, grassland. Each biome may have many
ecosystems with communities adapted to the changes in soil,
climate and other factors throughout the biome.
The marine and freshwater portions of the biosphere are divided
into aquatic life zones.
Biodiversity is the genetic diversity, species diversity and
ecological diversity that are so important to life on this planet. It is
the result of adaptations that have evolved over billions of years
due to environmental changes in the Earth’s past.
Vocabulary List:
Ecology, niche, habitat, species, natural selection, organism,
ecosystem, biosphere, biomes, predator, herbivore, carnivore,
biotic, abiotic, community, aquatic, population, Biodiversity,
producer (autotrophs), consumer (heterotrophs), omnivore,
keystone species, interspecific, symbiotic, mutualsim,
commensalism, parasitism, primary, secondary, tertiary,
detritivore, decomposer, trophic level, pyramid of numbers,
biomass, generalist, specialist, native, exotic, indicator, succesion