ENV200H1 Study Guide - Final Guide: Iceberg, Keystone Species, Lichen
Document Summary
Made up of abiotic and biotic components that cycle. Four hierarchical layers: ecosystems, community, population, individual. Interaction of many organisms functioning together through physical and chemical environments. When can generally recognize when we have moved across the boundary separating one ecosystem from another (lake-beach or forest-meadow), but there will be a larger or smaller intermediate zone between two systems the ecotone. We can group ecosystems from a particular region into landscapes (or biomes) Natural ecosystems persist without external subsidies of energy, water or nutrients (self-sustaining) Structure: non-living: physical-chemical, e. g. local atmosphere, water, soil, living: ecological community set of species interacting within ecosystem. Process: cycling of chemical elements, flow of energy. Five important cycles: energy, water, carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus. Environmental optimum: represents the conditions favored by the majority of organisms in the population. Food chains energy, chemical elements and components transferred from creature to creature i. e. acorn chipmunk fox (producer primary consumer secondary consumer)
