Ecology Challenge Review

What five things are needed for a graph?

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Answer explanation

1. 1.Title (with independent and dependent variables)

2. 2. The x-axis should be your independent variable, and your y-axis should be your dependent variable.

3. 3. Axis labels (with units when applicable)

4. 4. Appropriate scale that is even and makes the graph take up most of the available space.

5. 5. The correct type of graph- bar for when comparing different groups or line when the independent variable is something continuous like time, temperature, or pH.

In what ways can the presence of a parasite in an ecosystem disrupt the health and stability of a host population, and what ripple effects might this have on the broader ecosystem?

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Answer explanation

1. Parasites could cause a decrease in the number of host organisms. This could affect the ecosystem because anything that feeds on the host organism would also decrease in numbers. Organisms that compete with the host organism could benefit from the reduced numbers.

Consider a model of energy flow through an ecosystem, where energy moves from producers to primary consumers to secondary consumers. How would the removal or decline of a key species at one trophic level impact the entire ecosystem? Discuss how energy flow would be affected and the long-term consequences for ecosystem stability.

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Answer explanation

1. The decline of a species at one trophic level would mean that fewer organisms at higher trophic levels could be supported. This could lead to a general decline in biodiversity and ecosystem stability. 

How does habitat destruction caused by human activity, such as urbanization or deforestation, influence biodiversity in an ecosystem? Discuss the potential short-term and long-term effects on ecosystem stability.

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Answer explanation

1. Habitat destruction due to human activities like urbanization and deforestation significantly impacts biodiversity by reducing the available space and resources for many species. In the short term, the destruction of habitats can lead to the displacement of species, decreased food availability, and increased competition for remaining resources. Species that are highly specialized to a particular habitat are especially vulnerable, and some may face immediate population declines or even extinction if they cannot migrate or adapt quickly.

2. In the long term, the loss of biodiversity caused by habitat destruction can lead to ecosystem instability. When species disappear or are severely reduced, the balance of the ecosystem is disrupted. For example, predators may lose their prey, while plants may lose their pollinators, leading to cascading effects throughout the trophic levels. With fewer species, ecosystems may become less resilient to changes such as climate shifts, diseases, or invasive species, further weakening the system's ability to recover from disturbances.

What are the potential ecological consequences if human activities, such as burning fossil fuels or excessive use of fertilizers, disrupt the carbon and nitrogen cycles? How could these disruptions affect biodiversity and ecosystem resilience?

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Answer explanation

1. When fossil fuels are burned for energy, carbon dioxide (CO₂) is released into the atmosphere, increasing greenhouse gases. This disrupts the natural carbon cycle by altering the balance between carbon sources and sinks. Increased CO₂ in the atmosphere contributes to global warming and climate change, which can cause shifts in temperature and precipitation patterns. These changes can negatively affect ecosystems by altering species distributions, reducing biodiversity, and disrupting seasonal cycles (e.g., migration, flowering, breeding). For instance, some species may not be able to adapt to the new conditions, leading to population declines or extinctions. The warming of oceans can also lead to coral bleaching, which affects marine biodiversity.

2. Excessive use of nitrogen-based fertilizers adds an unnatural amount of nitrogen to the soil and water. This can cause eutrophication in aquatic ecosystems, where the overabundance of nutrients leads to harmful algal blooms. These blooms deplete oxygen in the water, creating "dead zones" where most aquatic life cannot survive. The loss of species from these ecosystems can result in reduced biodiversity and the collapse of fish populations, impacting food webs and local economies.

3. Additionally, excess nitrogen can alter soil chemistry, affecting plant communities. Some plants may benefit from increased nitrogen, while others adapted to low-nutrient environments may struggle to survive. This disruption can lead to shifts in species composition, often favoring nitrogen-loving species (like certain weeds) that outcompete native plants, further reducing biodiversity.

4. Both carbon and nitrogen cycle disruptions reduce ecosystem resilience—the ability of an ecosystem to recover from disturbances. For example, ecosystems dominated by a few nitrogen-loving species or suffer from climate-induced habitat changes may become less able to support a diverse range of species, weakening ecological interactions like pollination or nutrient cycling. This, in turn, makes the ecosystem more vulnerable to additional stresses, such as invasive species or diseases.