You will understand the delicate nature of ecosystems and how humans actions can disrupt them.

 All ecosystems are limited in the number of organisms they can contain!  These numbers are limited by the 3 LIMITING FACTORS  Food= amount of energy available to the Community  Space = amount of space needed by Populations of organisms  Season/Weather Influence = affects the first two factors for the community

 1. Specie = each individual living component of an ecosystem  2. Population = number of organisms for each specie within an ecosystem  3. Community= Interaction of Populations of Species with an Ecosystem  4. Biome= specific habitat in which the community lives. Defined by temperature and vegetation (land based)

 Ecologists analyze health of ecosystems through population studies of organisms  These studies can tell you primarily how a population of organisms is doing, thus providing clues to the ecosystems health  ********************OR******************  To study the overall health of ecosystems however, ecologists look at abiotic and biotic factors. These help give ecologists a better overall picture of an ecosystem’s health

 Biotic Factors – living parts of an ecosystem which impact the community  Producers – (Autotrophs)  Consumers – (Heterotrophs)  Decomposers – (Recyclers of Nutrients)

 Abiotic Factors- non living parts of an ecosystem which impact the organisms or “SWATS”  Sunlight  Water  Air  Temperature  Soil

 Some organisms “cheat” to live by living with other organisms to help them meet Abiotic and Biotic factors to survive  Parasitism – benefits one organism to the cost/death of another (sea lamprey and fish)  Commensialism- benefits one with no real benefit for the other (Pilot Fish and Shark)  Mutualism- Both organisms benefit from the relationship (honey bees and flowering plants)

 Nitrogen  Carbon  Water

 Humans have long had a negative impact on Natural Ecosystems’ health  Most of the actions were unintentional as human populations grew and demand for resources grew  However, there have been many times in which humans purposely made a negative impact on a population of organisms or an ecosystem for their own benefit

Whaling: The Disaster of Humans for centuries  Whale oil was originally used as an illuminant for lamps  Later as Industrial Revolution began need for Whale Oil grew as a lubricant for machinery. (Sewing machines specifically)  In WW1 Whale Oil was used as a preventative for trench foot and used as an ingredient for explosives ( ,000 whale killed in South Atlantic)  Was also used in margarine, the original Rust- Oleum, and was used in Auto-transmition fluid in cars up until 1972.

 Commercial Whaling is the slaughter of Whales for their blubber as a source of oil for various human products  Whaling has its roots back since the 1300’s but took off with the invention of the explosive tipped harpoon in the late 1800’s  All the great baleen whales are now endangered as a result of commercial whaling

species/stock pre-whaling population estimate current population estimate blue whale160, ,0009,000 bowhead whale52,000-60,0008,200 Bryde's whaleunknown66,000-86,000 fin whale300, ,000123,000 gray whale (eastern Pacific stock) 15,000-20,00021,000 gray whale (western Pacific stock) 1,500-10, gray whale (Atlantic stock) unknownextinct humpback whale150,00025,000 Minke whale unknown, but tens of thousands were killed during whaling era 850,000 northern right whale no estimates, but tens of thousands were killed during whaling era 870-1,700 in the western Atlantic; very few in the Pacific. sei whale100,00055,000 southern right whale no estimate, but 40,000 were killed between 1785 and ,500

 International treaty (International Whaling Commission 1986)- Outlawed Commercial Fishing of Whales by most Industrialized Nations  Japan, Russia, Iceland, Finland and Norway were only countries that did not support or sign the treaty

 Allowed for longer work days during Industrial Revolution due to its use in lighting  Was first Oil type of either mineral or animal to make Commercial Viability. North East US was major Whaling Boom site as a result.  Literature of time was impacted with best examples being Moby Dick and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea  NHL Team in Conn named Hartford Whalers