SUSTAINABLE ECOSYSTEMS LECTURE#1 UNIT 1: BIOLOGY SUSTAINABLE ECOSYSTEMS LECTURE#1 FAUZIA AKHTER, MEnvSC, MSc, BEd

THE EARTH/BIOSPHERE the regions of the surface, atmosphere, and hydrosphere of the earth occupied by living organisms. Also termed the zone of life on Earth (the global sum of all ecosystems).

ECOSYSTEM Definition: A biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment

COMPONENTS OF AN ECOSYSTEM

A VENN DIAGRAM OF AN ECOSYSTEM BIOTIC BOTH ABIOTIC Differences Organisms: Plants Animals Fungi Similarities Part of an ecosystem interact with each other Differences Non-living things: Air Soil Water

TYPES OF ECOSYSTEM Terrestrial ecosystem an ecosystem that exists on land, rather than on water. e.g. tundra, taiga, temperate deciduous forest, tropical rain forest, grassland and desert. Aquatic ecosystem an ecosystem that exists in water. e.g. marine ecosystems (e.g. ocean, sea, estuary mouth and coastal waters) and freshwater ecosystems (e.g. lake, pond, wetland) Under the ocean water Canada’s Boreal Forest

DIFFERENT TYPES OF BIOTIC INTERACTIONS Symbiosis Predation Competition The interaction between members of two different species that live together in a close association One organism consumes another organism for food. When two or more organisms compete for the same resource, such as food or shelter. Commensalism: one species benefits, the other is neither helped nor harmed. E.g. Barnacle and whale. Mutualism: both the species benefits. E.g Mosses and Mushroom Prey: the organism that is consumed by other organism. E.g. fish, crabs, deer. Predator: the organism who eats the prey for their food. E.g. coyote, tiger One organism dominates on other organism to eliminate them and takes energy or nutrients from the system. e.g. competition between dandelions and grass.

Sustainable Ecosystem Sustain= to endure and to support “An ecosystem that is capable of withstanding pressure and giving support to a variety of organisms.” Q. How can an ecosystem be sustainable? “Encouragement or enforcement of clean pollution free environment” Use of eco friendly technology Mitigating hazardous waste of industries Reducing Climatic disturbance (Global warming) Land use pattern (urban vs rural) Water use pattern Forest management (No clear cut) Conservation of wildlife and tribal people. Conservation of biodiversity Conservation of energy.

Q. IDENTIFY WHAT WAS HAPPENED IN THIS ECOSYSTEM? Mystery of Easter Island Clear-cut trees!!!

Watch video: Importance of sustainability of world ecosystem https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5NiTN0chj0

2 min.

Q. HAVE YOU SEEN ANY OF THEM? AND WHERE? periwinkle Dog Strangling Vine Goby fish Zebra Mussel

INVASIVE SPECIES Definition: a species that is: non-native (or alien) to the ecosystem under consideration and whose introduction causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health. Other human activities or practices that threaten the sustainability of a terrestrial or aquatic ecosystem are: Urban Sprawl: the spread of an urban area into what used to be countryside. However, according to Wiki,  Urban sprawl is the expansion of human populations away from central urban areas into low-density, monofunctional and usually car-dependent communities. Greenbelt: a policy and land use designation used in land use planning to retain areas of largely undeveloped, wild, or agricultural land surrounding or neighbouring urban areas (Wiki).

Overexploitation: means harvesting species from the wild at rates faster than natural populations can recover Overfishing: a form of overexploitation where fish stocks are reduced to below acceptable levels (Wiki). Overhunting: hunting to excess; unsustainable hunting, especially of a population or species of animal (Wiki).

Examples of some human practices that destructed the ecosystem or introduced invasive spp. in Canada’s ecosystem. Commercial Logging Emptying ballast water from ships

Case study of some adverse impact on Canadian ecosystems Disappearing American Eel from St. Lawrence River, Ottawa!!! Anadromous migration : adult fish live in the sea and migrate into fresh water to spawn, e,g, salmon, sturgeon Catadromous migration: adult fish live in fresh water and migrate into salt water to spawn. E.g. Eels Ecological problem caused by Zebra mussel in Niagara Escarpment or the Oak Ridges Moraine area

Submission: Next class morning. H.W: 1, 2, 3 (pg. 20) Submission: Next class morning. N.B. Read all PPTs from this lecture and be prepared for a short quiz test next class. Make sure you understand the material or I am here for an extra help.