JasmineU

Unit 1 final project...

Biomes are large regions that have similar biotic and abiotic components.Abiotic are non-living organisms in the environment and biotic are living organisms in the environment. There are nine different types of biomes: tundra,boreal forest,temperate deciduous forest,temperate rainforest,grassland, tropical rainforest,desert, permanent ice, and aquatic biomes. Not all of the biomes are effected by the Gulf of Mexico oil spill. The major biome that is being effected are the aquatic biomes, because of the oil spill it has harmed the sea creatures. Its harmed the sea creatures because it can get into their system and harm them and can damage the food chain.
 * 1.1 Biomes:**

The abiotic components of an ecosystem support the life functions of the biotic components of an ecosystem, such as oxygen,water,nutrients,light, and soil. Organisms in comunities are always interacting to keep resources such as food, water, and habitat. This is effected by the oil spill because the habitat for the animals has changed, and the oxygen has been reduced due to the oil that has limited the nutirents that the animals can get. Photosynthesis has come to a hault because the plants in the water dont recieve light due to the oil thats covering the top of the water. The population of marine animals can also decrease because the oil is contaminating their habitate and them.
 * 1.2 Ecosystems:**

Engery flows from producers such as plants to primary consumers to the secondary and tertiary consumers which are carnivores. Food webs and chains model these ideas and show the relationships between them. Food pyramids model how energy is lost at each tropich level. Decomposers can also have serious problems changing wastes and dead organisms into ustable nutrients especially in the water due to the oil. The oil in the ocean limits the amounts of nutrients given to marine plants and animals which causes an interference in the cycle, which leds the cycle to not work.
 * 2.1 Engergy Flow in Ecosystems:**

The Carbon cycle is the essential component of cells and life-sustaining chemical reactions. Carbon is cycled through living and decaying organisms, the atmosphere, bodies of water, soil, and rock. It moves between stores by 6 processes : photosynthesis, cellular respiration, decomposition, ocean processes, volcanic eruptions, and forest fires. But, due to the oil spill many of these processes can’t be carried out properly or can cause damage to the organism. For example when there is oil in the ocean the plants down beneath can’t receive sunlight which they need to carry out the process of photosynthesis.
 * 2.2 Nutrient Cycles in Ecosystems:**

Synthetic chemicals enter the environment in air, water, and soil. Plants take up some of these chemicals and other chemicals start to bioaccumulate in the fat tissues of herbivores and carnivores. Bioaccumulation is the gradual build-up of chemicals in organisms. Chemicals can enter an organism through food intake, skin contact, or respiration. If the intake of a chemical such as oil is to much it can be harmful to an organism.
 * 2.3 Effects of Bioaccumulation on Ecosystems:**

Ecological succession refers to the changes that take place over time in different types of areas where organisims live. There are two types of succession but, only one is mainly effected: Primary succession: occurs in areas where no soil exists, such as glaciation or lave flow. Secondary succession: occurs as a result of disturbance to an area that already had soil and was once the home of living organisms. Seconadry succession is the most effected because the oil spill is moving toward land, and the organisms around that area will be effected. The food chain becomes effected here too because they rely on oneanother for food. If one of the organisms that's a food source becomes sick the rest will be effected, and no organism will live because they`ll keep eating their way through the food chain and start killing themselves.
 * 3.1 How Changes Occur Naturally in Ecosystems:**

Habitat loss is growing due to the oil spill because many of the marine animals that were living in or near the Gulf cannot go back. It has driven them out of their habitat due to a humans accident. Many organisms were tragically killed because they were not being rescued quick enough from the spill. I believe humans dont undertstand that they use many resources of the world such as deforestation and land use, that they dont think that its harming anything. But its harming the organisms that were living there.
 * 3.2 How Humans Influence Ecosystems:**

The Gulf of Mexico oil spill can also effect native species that are the original or natural species that inhabited in a certain area. The oil spill effects the native spiecies because then the habitat is not able to support the diversity of wildlife. As they are able to make complete changes on an ecosystem, these new introduced species can put an end to the native species of the area.
 * 3.3 How Introduced Spieces Affect Ecosystems:**

Bibliography : BC Science 10 Textbook []

Wikispace is a great way of presenting your work because its eaier to use and you can get it done alot faster than with pen and paper. I also like it because everyone can see eachothers projects and work without having to crowd around a desk and look at a project.

We as humans influence the climate in our day to day lives by what we do and how we do it. We use transportation and other things that harm the world, but we just dont notice that we are doing anything wrong. These activities result in four principle greenhouse gases: carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O) and the halocarbons (a group of gases containzing fluorine, chlorine and bromine). These gases produce in the atmosphere, causing concentrations to increase with time. All of these increases are conected to human activities, such as transportation and the heating and cooling of buildings. The human impact on climate during this era greatly exceeds that due to known changes in natural processes, such as solar changes and volcanic eruptions. Aerosols are small particles in the atmosphere that widely vary in size, concentration and chemical composition. Some aerosols are emitted directly into the atmosphere while others are formed from emitted compounds. Aerosols contain both naturally occurring compounds and those emitted as a result of human activities. Fossil fuel and biomass burning have increased aerosols containing sulphur compounds, organic compounds and black carbon. Human activities such as surface mining and industrial processes have increased dust in the atmosphere. Natural aerosols include mineral dust released from the surface, sea salt aerosols, biogenic emissions from the land and oceans and sulphate and dust aerosols produced by volcanic eruptions. We has humans on this planet should notice what we are doing wrong and try to corect it by doing what is good for both us and the earth.
 * How climate can be influenced by human activity?**





Biblography: [] [|__http://co2now.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=43&Itemid=86__]

[|_http://www.theunexaminedlife.ca/?p=180__]