1. Ecology Part 7 Pollution
Ecology Part 7 Pollution

2. Environmental Change
Environmental change can impact ecosystem stability. Such factors can include:
Pollution
Acid rain
Ozone Layer
Greenhouse effect
Biomagnification

3. Pollution Air Pollution Other sources: volcanoes and forest fires
Greatest source is burning of fossil fuels
Other sources: volcanoes and forest fires

4. Pollution Water Pollution Sewage discharged into rivers and streams
Diseases: cholera, dysentery, hepatitis
Fertilizer run-off is extra source of nutrients.
Causes algal bloom and a decrease in available oxygen

5. Acid Rain Rain or snow that is more acidic than normal.
Effects of acid precipitation:
Washes away nutrients from soil
Damages plant tissues
Disrupts life cycles in water systems
Destroys buildings and statues

6. Ozone O3 Ozone Depletion The ozone layer is thinning.
Ozone layer is a protective layer of atmosphere that protects the Earth from UV radiation
The ozone layer is thinning.
Causes of ozone depletion: CFC’s (chlorofluorocarbons)
These are man made coolants usedin refrigerants and air conditioners.

7. Greenhouse Effect Gases called greenhouse gases keep Earth insulated.
Concentration of greenhouse gases (mainly CO2) is increasing due to humans causing temperatures to increase.
Increase in CO2 is due to the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation

8. Biomagnification
Concentration of a pollutant in the tissue of an organism increases as you move to higher trophic levels within a food chain
Producers pick up pollutants from water that is not metabolized.
They are concentrated and stored in their tissues.
While energy decreases as it moves up the food chain, toxins increase in potency.

9. Biomagnification Biological Magnification
Herbivores eat the producer and also concentrate and store the pollutant in their tissues.
Carnivores eat the herbivores and store the pollutant in their tissues.
At each step in the food chain the components become more concentrated.

10. Biomagnification
Example includes a pesticide, DDT, which caused eggshell thinning and resulted in severe population declines for the Bald Eagles.