Changes in Ecosystems

Changes in Ecosystems

By Roberto Gonzalez

Shortly after an eruption, it may appear that this rocky, desolate landscape will never again contain life. However, gradually—often over many decades—this seemingly lifeless region can transform into a thriving, vital, and diverse ecosystem.

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*Ecological succession is the process how natural communities are replaced.

Life Finds a Way.

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Disturbances in Ecsystems

Some text here about the topic of discussion

Many of our actions affect ecosystems.

Ex. human settlements, agriculture, air and water pollution, clear-cutting forests, and mining.

Human-Caused Disturbances

Are caused by nature. ​

Ex. Tornadoes, earthquakes, volcanoes, and lightning-caused forest fires

Natural Disturbances

• As the human population grows, the amount of land used for human development increases.​

• Urbanization refers to the process by which human developments, such as cities and towns, are established and develop as more people begin living in central areas.

Fill in the Blanks

What is the process by which human developments, such as cities and towns, are established?

Multiple Choice

A volcano erupts and covers an area with lava and pyroclastic material.

• Human-Caused Disturbance

• Natural Disturbance

Multiple Choice

A new neighborhood is built

• Human-Caused Disturbance

• Natural Disturbance

Ecosystem Stability

Biodiversity improves the resilience of an ecosystem, but only to a point.

The ability of an ecosystem to resist change from a disturbance. Some ecosystems are highly resistant to change, while others have little resistance.

​Ecosystem Resistance

The ability of an ecosystem to recover after it has undergone a disturbance.This means that even though the structure of the ecosystem is affected in some way, the ecosystem can recover quickly and return to functioning as it did before the disturbance.

​Ecosystem Resilience

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Multiple Choice

The variety of life in an ecosystem.

• Ecology

• Environment

• Biodiversity

• Ecosystem Resilience

Multiple Choice

The ability of an ecosystem to recover quickly and resist damage after disasters

• Ecology

• Environmental Science

• Biodiversity

• Ecosystem Resilience

Multiple Choice

Mice eat seeds, small fruits and berries, beetles, caterpillars, grasshoppers, leafhoppers, and an underground fungus. What happens if all the grasshoppers die?

• The mice die because of a food source being removed

• The mice survive due to biodiversity

• The beetles and caterpillars increase in population

• The beetles and caterpillars decrease in population

Multiple Choice

The ability for an ecosystem to remain relatively unchanged when there is a disturbance.

• resistance

• resilience

• biodiversity

• ecological succession

Multiple Choice

The ability for an ecosystem to respond to a disturbance by resisting damage and recovering quickly

• resistance

• resilience

• biodiversity

• ecological succession

Ecological Succession

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ceDE01iWLE

Multiple Choice

Which type of succession occurs on freshly formed on barren land?

• Primary Succession

• Secondary Succession

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is something that can create new land?

• Snow

• Rain

• Volcanic Eruption

• Wind

Multiple Choice

What do we call the first species that colonize a new area?

• Foreign Species

• Pioneer Species

• Intraspecies

• Interspecies

Primary Succession

• Lichens and moss (pioneer species) appear

• Erosion breaks rocks apart into smaller pieces and decomposition of pioneer species adds nutrients to the ground (soil formation)

• Small annuals (plants) start to appear

• Grasses and ferns (perennials) appear

• Shrubs and bushes appear

• Softwoods such as conifers (trees with cones) appear

• Hardwoods such as oak, maple, hickory, walnut, and cherry trees

Primary Succession

Multiple Select

Which of the following are examples of pioneer species? (select all that apply)

• Maple Tree

• Grass

• Lichens

• Moss

Multiple Choice

Which of the following appears last?

• Grass

• Bushes

• Softwoods (conifers)

• Hardwoods (Maple, Oak, etc)

Climax Comminuty

Eventually a community reaches a steady with relatively no change which is called a climax community.

Secondary Succession

Process in which recolonization of plants occurs after some kind of natural disaster such as a forest fire.

Quicker than primary succession since the soil still remains.

Multiple Choice

Which type of succession occurs after some kind of natural disaster wipes out most of the vegetation in a habitat?

• Primary Succession

• Secondary Succession

Multiple Choice

What type of succession is quicker?

• Primary Sucession

• Secondary Succession

Multiple Select

Which of these pictures represent biotic and abiotic factors you would see in primary succession?

Multiple Select

Which of these pictures represent biotic and abiotic factors you would see in secondary succession?