environmental biology (tka3104) lecture notes -2 ecosystem

8/9/2019 ENVIRONMENTAL BIOLOGY (TKA3104) LECTURE NOTES -2 Ecosystem

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Environmental Biology

ECOSYSTEM STRUCTURE

&FUNCTION


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The Earth can be conceptualized as being

composed of great spheres of living and

nonliving material. The atmosphere, hydrosphere, and lithosphere

constitute the abiotic or nonliving component.

The biosphere contains all of the living things on

Earth.


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Examples include both natural and engineeredecosystems.

Taken together, all of the ecosystems of the worldmake up the ecosphere.

Ecology is the study of structure and function innature: interactions between living things and their

nonliving environment or habitat.


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Although the field of taxonomy is highly dynamicand hotly debated, biologists have traditionallyplaced living things within one of the fivekingdoms, differentiated by the organization oftheir nuclear material and by their feedingstrategies.

Procaryotic organisms have their nuclear materialdistributed throughout the cell, while eucaryoticorganisms utilize a membrane to segregate thenuclear material, that is, a distinct nucleus ispresent.


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Feeding strategies include absorption,photosynthesis, and ingestion.

The five kingdoms are Monera, Protista, Fungi,Plantae, and Animalia.

A species is a group of individuals that possess acommon gene pool and that can successfully

interbreed. Each species is assigned a scientific name, in

Latin, to avoid the confusion associated withcommon names.


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Under this system of binomial nomenclature, Stizostedion

vitreum, is the scientific name for the fish species

commonly referred to as walleye, walleye pike, pike, pike

perch, pickerel, yellow pike, yellow pickerel, yellow pike

perch, or yellow walleye.

All of the members of a species in a given area make up a

population, for example, the walleye population of a lake.

All of the populations that interact in a given system make

up the community.


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An ecosystem may be natural or man-made,

temporary or permanent, aquatic or terrestrial.


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Major Organism Groups

Environmental engineers encounter a variety of

populations and communities in both natural and

engineered systems.


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Viruses

Submicroscopic particles ranging in size from0.02 m to 0.3 m, composed of a nucleic acidcore and a protein coat and containing all of thehereditary material required for reproduction; allare parasitic, depending on a host for protein andthe energy needed to reproduce; all arepathogenic, causing a variety of diseases; because

of public health concerns, viruses are of particularimportance to engineers involved in water andwastewater treatment.


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Other noncellular agents of disease include the

viroids, consiting only of small RNA molecules

that infect plants and the prions, protein units thatinfect animals, causing scrapie on sheep and goats

and mad cow disease.


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Rotavirus

The reconstructed 1918

influenza virus

The Marburg virus
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1918_influenzahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1918_influenzahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Marburg_virus.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Reconstructed_Spanish_Flu_Virus.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Reconstructed_Spanish_Flu_Virus.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1918_influenzahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1918_influenzahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Reconstructed_Spanish_Flu_Virus.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Rotavirus_Reconstruction.jpg


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Bacteria

Monerans; 0.1 10 m in size; typically reproduce byfission; acquire nutrients by absorption; many arepathogenic, causing tuberculosis, diphtheria, strep throat,

whooping cough, Lyme disease, tetanus and, in water,cholera and typhoid, thus also of importance in water andwastewater disinfection.

Bacteria are of major importance in cycling material andenergy in natural and engineered systems, for example

hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria have received significantattention for their ability to break down toxic chemicals,thus aiding in the remediation of contaminated soil andwater environments.


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In soils, the unsaturated zone typically contains

105 to 108 viable bacterial cells per gram of soil,

and the saturated zone typically contains 102

to107 viable bacterial cells per gram of soil-water

mixture.

Bacteria are important in the production of foods,

especially fermented milks and vegetables,antibiotics, enzymes, and industrial solvents.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:EMpylori.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:EscherichiaColi_NIAID.jpg


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Escherichia colicells magnified 25,000 times

Helicobacter pylorielectron micrograph, showing multiple flagella on the cell surface

Bacillus anthracis(stained purple) growing in cerebrospinal fluid

Filaments of photosynthetic cyanobacteria

Streptococcus mutans visualized with a Gram stain
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Escherichia_colihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helicobacter_pylorihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bacillus_anthracishttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerebrospinal_fluidhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photosynthetichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyanobacteriahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Streptococcus_mutans_Gram.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyanobacteriahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photosynthetichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Bluegreen_algae.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerebrospinal_fluidhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bacillus_anthracishttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Gram_Stain_Anthrax.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helicobacter_pylorihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:EMpylori.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Escherichia_colihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:EscherichiaColi_NIAID.jpg


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Algae

Protistans and nonvascular plant; obtain nutrition

through photosynthesis; reproduce asexually

and/or sexually. The free-floating algae of lakes are termed

phytoplankton.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Laurencia.jpg


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Laurencia, a marine genus ofRed Algae from Hawaii.

The kelp forest exhibit at the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

A three-dimensional, multicellular thallus.

Rock lichens in Ireland.

Floridian coral reef

Phytoplankton, Lake Chuzenji
http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Laurencia&action=edit&redlink=1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Algaehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kelphttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Chuzenjihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Chuzenjihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Phytoplankton_Lake_Chuzenji.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Coral_Reef.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Lichens_near_Clogher_Head_(stevefe).jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kelphttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Kelp-forest-Monterey.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Algaehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Laurencia&action=edit&redlink=1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Laurencia.jpg


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Fungi

Unicellular or multicellular Fungi; range in sizefrom a few m to several cm; reproduce asexuallyor sexually; lack chlorophyll and feed byabsorption.

In tribute to their role in cycling organic matter insoil, water, and wastewater, fungi are sometimescalled the great decomposers.

Fungi are important in the pharmaceutical andfood industries, during composting, and areresponsible for a variety of disease.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Truffe_coup%C3%A9e.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Asian_mushrooms.jpg


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Clockwise from top left:Amanita muscaria, a basidiomycete;

Sarcoscypha coccinea, an ascomycete; black bread mold, a

zygomycete; a chytrid; a Penicillium conidiophore.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amanita_muscariahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarcoscypha_coccineahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_bread_moldhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penicilliumhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conidiophorehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Oudemansiella_nocturnum.JPGhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:DirkvdM_barbed_fungus.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Fungi_in_Borneo.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Blue_Stilton_Quarter_Front.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Truffe_coup%C3%A9e.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Asian_mushrooms.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conidiophorehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penicilliumhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_bread_moldhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarcoscypha_coccineahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amanita_muscariahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Fungi_collage.jpg


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Protozoa

Protistans; 10 300 m in size; reproduce asexually byfission and budding or sexually; some form resting cyststo weather hostile environmental conditions.

Protozoa are considered to be animal-like because theylack chlorophyll, are motile, and ingest dead particulatematter or living cells.

This group includes the well-known generaAmoeba andParamecium, and the pathogenic genera Giardia andCryptosporidium are of concern to drinking water supplyengineers because they produce cysts which are resistant todisinfection.


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Rotifers
http://ebiomedia.com/gall/rotifers/rotifer12.htmlhttp://ebiomedia.com/gall/rotifers/rotifer7.htmlhttp://ebiomedia.com/gall/rotifers/rotifer6.htmlhttp://ebiomedia.com/gall/rotifers/rotifer9.htmlhttp://ebiomedia.com/gall/rotifers/rotifer11.htmlhttp://ebiomedia.com/gall/rotifers/rotifer8.htmlhttp://ebiomedia.com/gall/rotifers/rotifer6.htmlhttp://ebiomedia.com/gall/rotifers/rotifer10.htmlhttp://ebiomedia.com/gall/rotifers/rotifer4.htmlhttp://ebiomedia.com/gall/rotifers/rotifer3.htmlhttp://ebiomedia.com/gall/rotifers/rotifer2.htmlhttp://ebiomedia.com/gall/rotifers/rotifer1.htmlhttp://ebiomedia.com/gall/rotifers/rotifer12.htmlhttp://ebiomedia.com/gall/rotifers/rotifer7.htmlhttp://ebiomedia.com/gall/rotifers/rotifer6.htmlhttp://ebiomedia.com/gall/rotifers/rotifer9.htmlhttp://ebiomedia.com/gall/rotifers/rotifer6.htmlhttp://ebiomedia.com/gall/rotifers/rotifer10.htmlhttp://ebiomedia.com/gall/rotifers/rotifer4.htmlhttp://ebiomedia.com/gall/rotifers/rotifer3.html


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Rotifers

Microscopic animal

100 1000 m in size

With one or more rings of cilia or hairs at the body

Ingesting living and dead particles an excreting

soluble organic matter useful to bacteria and fungi.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Daphnia_magna01.jpg


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Microcrustaceans

Microscopic animals; 1 10 mm in size;commonly represented by the copepods andcladocerans; relatives of crabs, lobster, andshrimp; feed on bacteria, algae, and other particlesin lakes.

Taken together, the free-floating animals of lakesare termed the zooplankton.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Diaptomus_GLERL_1.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Daphnia_magna01.jpg


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Macrophytes

Large, vascular plants

Provide important habitat

Negative impacts;Nuisance proportions in river and lake

Creating problems with recreational use

Negatively impacting DO budgets.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Sphaerium_corneum.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:VasesAaRiverCirca1990.jpg


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Macroinvertebrates

Inhabiting the bottom mud

Important in processing dead organic matter

A major food source for fish

Because of lack of mobility

~ often exposed to and accumulate toxic

chemicals~ indicator of ecosystem health
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Crayfish.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Sphaerium_corneum.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Campeloma_decisum_shell.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:VasesAaRiverCirca1990.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Fisher_holding_Lake_trout.jpg


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Fish

Both influence and influenced by the environment

Tendency to bioconcentrate hydrophobic organic

chemicals and mercuric in their tissues Impacts on the human health and other animals

The public perception of water quality is clearly

linked to the presence of an abundant, diverse and

healthy fish community.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Lakesturgeon_public_U.S.Fish%26Wildlife.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Fisher_holding_Lake_trout.jpg

environmental biology (tka3104) lecture notes -2 ecosystem

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