Ecology Chapter 3

• The number and variety of organisms found in a specific region.
• 5000 plant species have been found in Canada.
• Each species plays an important role in sustaining the ecosystem.
• Anything that happens in one ecosystem can affect another.

To legally guard from harm, a species that is deemed endangered.

• A large number of different species in a small area.
• Carolinian in South-western Ontario

• Combination of the pop'n's of all the different species that interact in an ecosystem.
• Species depend on interactions so we must protect biodiversity to preserve communities.

• Species that are abundant and have the largest biomass.
• In terrestrial ecosystems primary producers are always dominant.
• Removing the dominant species can disrupt the biodiversity of an ecosystem.

• Greatly affect pop'n numbers and the health of an ecosystem.
• Generally not abundant.
• Plants and animals.

Designed to bring animals back from the brink of extinction.

Species that cause dramatic changes to landscapes that they create new ecosystems.

Series of changes that occur over time following a disturbance.

Events due to natural disasters/human activities that alter a terrestrial or aquatic ecosystem so much so that species need to adapt or will not survive there.

When forests are logged or cleared for human use and the trees are not replaced.

• A species introduced to new parts of the biosphere from other regions.
• Can be purposeful or accidental.

• Started as alien species.
• They take over the habitat they are introduced to.
• They make for extra competition for resources.

• The use or extraction of a resource until it is depleted.
• E.g. the over fishing of Cod in the Atlantic Ocean, Passenger Pigeons.

• Death of all the individuals of a species.
• May happen naturally due to background extinction or mass extinction.
• Background extinction is the slow changes that cause extinction.
• Mass extinction is a sudden change.

• Current acceleration of the extinction rate of the Earth
• 3.3

• Renewal of degraded or destroyed ecosystems through active human intervention.
• Reforestation, Wetland Restoration, Controlling Alien Species (Bio-control, Chemical Control, Bio-remediation and Bio-augmentation)

Regrowth of a forest due to natural processes or through planting seeds and saplings in an area where forests were cut down.

• The use of a species to control another species (unwanted).
• European fly to control gypsy moth.
• bacteria spray to control caterpillars and other forest pests.

• Use of living organisms to naturally clean up contaminated areas.
• Plants absorb heavy metals from toxic soil.
• Bacteria clean up oil spills in coastal areas.

• The use of living organisms to add nutrients to depleted soils.
• Clover add nitrates to depleted soils.