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Ecology = The study of the interaction of
living and non-living things in their
environment.
Biotic = Living things
Ex: plants/animals
Abiotic = non-living
Ex: Water/sunlight
Alexander von Humboldt:
•"the unity of nature”
• interrelation of biology,
meteorology, geology etc.
Charles Darwin:
•“organisms adapt to
their environment”
Organism
Population
Community
Ecosystem
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Biome
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Organism: a single living thing.

Population: a group of organisms of the same
species.
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Community: all of the different organisms and
populations in an ecosystem.
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Ecosystem: all of the living and non-living things in
an areas and their interactions.
Biome: Huge ecosystems defined by the plant life
found there.
Ex: Tundra, rainforest, deciduous forest etc.
 Rare
and significant changes in the
way that humans view the world.
 Major
changes which are controversial
at first but come to be accepted as
major advancements in scientific
knowledge and understanding.

Old World View:
New World View:

Earth is flat
Earth is round
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Earth centered universe
Sun centered solar system
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Creationism
Evolution
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Spontaneous generation
Biogenesis
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Right now….
Resources are limitless
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Sustainability
Green Technology
Still in progress?

Discuss & Answer:

1. How is it possible that people believe(d) that
resources are limitless?

2. Do we still have people thinking this way today?
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3. Why have we shifted to this new paradigm?

4. Is this paradigm still in the process of shifting?
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5. What controversy is there regarding this new
paradigm?
What would it look like?

End of Easter Island (3 mins)

Discovered by Dutch explorer on Easter Sunday, 1722.

Desolate, treeless, 64 square mile island.

Deforestation/extinction of palm tree had lead to
collapse of the native civilization who lived there.

Trees were used to build boats, monuments etc.

In a span of about 400 years, the seemingly limitless
resource had been used up.

This is seen as a small-scale example and warning of
what we are doing to Earth today.
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1. Why is it so surprising and unusual that frog
species worldwide are disappearing?
2. Why are scientists so concerned about the
disappearance of frogs? (What’s the big deal?)
3. Describe each of the four reasons why scientists
think they are disappearing.
Malaria: The winged scourge
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Answer questions 1, 2, and 3 on page 13.
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1. What is meant by the term ‘spaceship Earth’?
2. What is the difference between a man-made
spaceship and the planet Earth?
3. What factors determine the diversity of life on
our planet?
4. Where on Earth do we find the most biodiversity?
(Explain why)
5. Where on Earth do we find the least biodiversity?
(Explain why?)
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Science 10 Assignment:
Unit: Ecosystems
Topic: Endangered Species
-Choose an endangered species from the website below and begin researching information:
http://www.earthsendangered.com/index_s.asp
-For the species you have been given, you will be graded on your ability to answer the following
questions:
a) What is/are its habitat(s)? (Where exactly in the world is it found, and describe the particular habitat)
b) What is its place in the food chain? Is it a herbivore, carnivore, omnivore? What are its natural predators
(if any), what are its prey (if any)?
c) What are the factors that have made it an endangered species? (What has caused it to become
endangered?)
d) What (if anything) is being done to try and save the species? (How are people trying to protect this
organism from extinction?)
e) Why we should be concerned about their disappearance (What would we lose? Why are they important?)
*You will also create a 3-D model of your organism from materials of your choice.
*You will present your information to the class as a short presentation.
*Be sure to provide me with your sources of information as well (web addresses, book title etc).
*Value: 2 points for each question (10 total) and 10 points for your model. Total value of 20 points.
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Due date:_____________________________
My species is: _________________________________

Extinct: A species that no longer exists anywhere on
Earth. (Ex: dinosaurs)
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Endangered: A species that is close to becoming
extinct in a large area (such as a country).
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Extirpated: Any species that no longer exists in one
part of Canada (or country) but exists in others.
Ex: Grizzly bears no longer in Manitoba, but in Alberta.
Threatened: Any species that is likely to become
endangered if factors that are harming it are not
reversed. Ex: Wood Bison is threatened by tuberculosis.
Vulnerable: A species that is at risk due to low or
declining numbers. Ex: grey fox
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Mass Extinctions (Nova Science Now)
208 mya, 80% of all species died and
dinosaurs began their rule of Earth
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65 mya, age of
dinosaurs ended
Asteroid collision
evidence in Mexico
(Yucatan peninsula)
High amount of
Iridium, in
underwater crater
 -Smoke
and debris in atmosphere
blocks out sunlight, plants die
and food chain collapses.
 -Tsunamis,
earthquakes, volcanic
eruptions, forest fires etc.
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Threatened
Trophic level
Producer
Extirpated
Autotroph
Vulnerable
Albedo
Ecotone
Heterotroph
Artificial
ecosystem
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Biotic
Endangered
Primary
consumer
Herbivore
Biodiversity
Carnivore
Natural
ecosystem
Biomass
Omnivore
Secondary
consumer
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Abiotic
Photosynthesis
Habitat
Extinct
Pest
Decomposer
Thermodynamics
Detritus
Community
Ecology
Ecosystem
 Gradual
climate change (temp,
moisture etc).
 Species’
being outcompeted
(food, territory etc).
 Species
must adapt or die out.
8000 BCE – 1600 CE
(about 1 species extinction every 1000 years)
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1600 – 1900 (1 species every 4 years)

Since then, 1 species every 30 mins?

How are humans causing mass extinctions today?
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Habitat destruction
Pollution
Overhunting
Global warming
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Create a placemat to answer the following
questions (pages 42-44).
1. a) What does the term “exotic species”
mean? B) Where did the zebra mussel come
from?
2. How did the zebra mussel get into the
Great Lakes?
3. Create a list of positive effects of its
introduction to the Great Lakes.
 4. List of negative effects.
Killer Bees introduced into Brazil from Africa.
Idea was to increase honey production.

Imported bees
outcompeted other species
of bees.

Overall honey production
in Brazil dropped.

African bees have killed
animals and humans.

Continue to spread further
north toward Canada.
Divide a plain white page into 12 equal squares.
Put one of the words below into each square then
draw a colored picture to explain what it means. No
words allowed in your explanation!
 Bioamplification
 Biotic
potential
 Closed population
 Combustion
 Emigration

Glucose

Mortality
Natality
 Open population
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Pesticide
Photsynthesis
 Immigration
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“Bill Nye: Biodiversity” Video Worksheet Name _____________________________
1. For a(n) ____________________ to be healthy, it has to have lots of different
kinds of plants and animals.
2. Name four types of ecosystems from those listed in the video.
a.
b.
c.
d.
3. All living things depend on _______________________________________________.
4. Name four extinct species.
a.
b.
c.
d.
5. The best way to wipe out a species is to
______________________________________.
6. The largest ecosystem in the world is the ______________________________.
7. ______% of the world is covered by water.
8.________ of all the species in
the world live in the ocean.
9. List five things you can do to increase biodiversity.
A.
b.
c.
d.
e.
10. Approximately how many species are we losing per hour? _________
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Complete the worksheet for pages 50 and 51,
as well as 62-64.
This worksheet covers information for:
A) nutrient cycling
B) The carbon cycle
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Bioamplification
Biotic potential
Closed
population
Combustion
Emigration
Glucose
Mortality
Natality
Open
population
Pesticide
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Photosynthesis
Immigration
Carbon cycle
Carrying
capacity
Cellular
respiration
Denitrification
Densitydependent
factor
Denistyindependent
factor
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Fertilizer
Inorganic
Law of the
minimum
Law of
tolerance
Nitrogen cycle
Nitrogen
fixation
Nutrient
Organic
Peat
Pest
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Nitrogen atoms are:
A) Needed for cells to make proteins
and DNA
B) 79% of our atmosphere (N2 gas)
Changed from N2 to NO3-a form
living things can use- by some soil
bacteria (Process called nitrogen
fixation)

Converted back to N2 gas in a
process called denitrification, done
by another kind of bacteria.
Phosphorous atoms are:
A key element in things like:
a) cell membranes, b) DNA, c) bones
Found in rocks, then dissolved by erosion, then
algae and other plants absorb it (enters food
chain).
Animals use it to make bones and shells which
become bedrock over a long periods of time.
Once brought to surface, process of erosion starts
again
 Use
your textbook as a guide to
fill out the diagrams for the
Carbon, Nitrogen and
Phosphorous cycles.
 Carbon
cycle: Page 62
 Nitrogen cycle: Page 66
 Phosphorous cycle: Page 68
Food
Chain Game:
"Chain Reaction"
 Purposes:
 1)
Save crops from
weeds, moulds,
insects etc.
 2)
Fight infectious
diseases such as
malaria by killing
their insect vectors
(carriers)
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500 BCE-1900’s:
Things like sulfur, arsenic,
lead, mercury etc
Found to be poisonous to
humans!
1900’s:
-People stop using these
things.
-But sometimes still found
in soil/plants.
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Made in labs

1930’s: DDT introduced
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WW2: DDT popular to
protect troops from
insects in jungles
Thousands of lab-made
pesticides today, used
mostly for agriculture
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Bioamplification:
Toxin (pesticide) levels increase in concentration as
it moves up the food chain.
Top predators
= highest
concentration
DDT found in
humans;
banned in
Canada-1971
 1)
Herbicides:
kill weeds
 2)
Fungicides:
kill moulds and
other fungi
 3)
Insecticides:
kill insects
 4)
Bactericides:
kill bacteria
 Page
51: 1, 4, 5
 Page 65: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5a, 6
 Page 69: 1, 7
 Page 84: 1
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Safer because:

Broken down quickly by the liver, or in soil

But:

More dangerous because:

1) Applied (sprayed) more often

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2) Not selective (kill/affect all kinds of
organisms)
3) Risk of bioamplification
First application doesn’t kill all pests because
some are “stronger” and have some resistance.
-

-This resistance is
passed onto
future generations
(“kids”) and the
resistance grows
until it is
essentially useless
in killing the pest.

Canada: A People’s History

“In an Uncertain World”

Scene 10: “From the Ground Up”

(about 8 minutes)
Use
any of your notes or
textbook to complete the
crossword puzzle.
Hand it in to me when
finished.
(Include your name!!!)
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While watching the video, try to answer the
following questions:
1. Why are bees so important to humans?
2. What are the reasons for their decline in
numbers?
3. What are scientists/farmers doing to try
to help?
4. What kinds of issues will bees, humans,
and the Earth in general face in the future?