Connecting+Ecosystems+and+the+Climate

Our global climate is currently changing. How will these changes impact natural systems, especially ecosystems? How will humans be affected? This lesson provides the basis to start exploring and understanding possible answers to these questions by understanding the interactions between abiotic and biotic components of ecosystems and relating these to a changing climate. The terms biotic and abiotic are used by ecologists to distinguish between the major components of an ecosystem. The biotic components of an ecosystem are all the living organisms from bacteria to plants to animals. The abiotic components are the chemical and physical attributes of the environment, including: water, rocks, minerals and nutrients, topography, soil structure, radiant energy (e.g., light, heat), air pressure, and temperature, wind and precipitation patterns. Organic matter produced by organisms (e.g., wastes and secretions), remaining after death and resulting from decomposition is generally included with abiotic components. Abiotic components can therefore be either organic or inorganic in origin. There are many complex interactions between the biotic and abiotic components and their associated processes within ecosystems. For example, energy originating from the sun flows through ecosystems. Some abiotic components such as water, carbon and nitrogen are essential for life to exist and are constantly cycling through the biotic component of ecosystems. These, as well as other abiotic components, can have limited availability. As a result, the ability of individuals of various species to grow and reproduce may be affected, thus limiting the size and distribution of the populations. Ecosystems are located within distinct climatic regions. The climate of a region is determined by the amount and seasonal patterns of the abiotic components of radiant energy (i.e., sunlight), water (precipitation and humidity), temperature, wind, and ocean currents. These in turn have a significant impact on the biotic components of ecosystems, including what species are present or not, and population growth. Over geological time, the climate on Earth has changed as a result of changes in Earth’s orbit, changes in the Sun’s intensity, volcanic activity, as well as changes in the atmosphere. Currently, the average global temperature has been increasing over the past 100 years, with a resulting change in regional climates. There is strong evidence to suggest this is due, at least in part, to human activities, especially the burning of fossil fuels that emit greenhouse gases, in particular carbon dioxide (CO2), to the atmosphere. To fully understand the impact of climate change regionally, students need to understand the interactions between abiotic and biotic components of ecosystems and how this is connected to climate.

Define: abiotic, biotic, ecosystem, population, limiting factors, climate, weather, climate change

Sunlight || Earthworm || Deer || Sand ||
 * Air pressure || Quartz rock || Pebble ||
 * Wolf || Shrub ||
 * Iron || Spider || Carbon dioxide ||

Sugar ||

Leaf || Water ||

Algae ||

Bone || Lichen ||

Wind ||

Salt (NaCl) || Grasshopper ||
 * Nematode || Tree || Flower ||

Oxygen ||

Log || Temperature ||

Dirt ||

Bumblebee || Moss ||

Mushroom ||

Fly || Seed ||
 * Lava || Bacteria || Grass ||