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Ecosystems Mind Map

Meg Penwarden English

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Ecosystems Mind Map

Nature of Ecosystems
- Energy flows
  - Food Chains/ Webs
    - Trophic Levels
      - Only 4% Sun's energy used by primary producers
        1% used to make new biomass
      - Only 10% energy is passed from one level to another
        Energy lost
        Movement
        Respiration
        Faeces
        Heat Loss
  - Net Primary Productivity = GPP - energy used for respiration
- Nutrient Cycling
  - Gersmehl Diagrams
- Ecosystem = Dynamic, stable environment characterised by interaction of biotic and abiotic environment
  - Biome = Ecosystem on a continental scale
Ecosystems in the British Isles over time
- Succesion
  - Hydrosere (wet conditions)
    - Halosere (saltwater conditions)
    - Fresh Hydrosere (freshwater)
  - Psammosere (sand dunes)
    - Studland Bay/Gower Peninsula Succession
  - Lithosere (bare ground)
    - Isle of Arran succession
  - Process can take 1000s years
  - Factors affecting succession
    - Human
      - Agriculture
        Fertilisers
      - Afforestation/ Deforestation
      - Trampling
      - Pollution
      - Invasive species introduced
    - Physical
      - Soil type
      - Soil pH
      - Climate
      - Precipitation
      - Animal activity
      - Competition
      - Nutrients
- Climatic Climax community
  - The final stage of succession at which vegetation is in equilibrium with its environmental conditions
    - Temperate deciduous Woodland
      - Between 40-60 N and S
      - Brown Earth Soil
        Thick litter
        Soil moisture surplus for 8 months of year: Precip > EVT
      - Oak, Beech, Sycamore, Chestnut
      - Stratified
        Tree Layer
        Shrub Layer
        Herb Layer
        Ground Layer
      - NPP = 1200g/m2/year
      - Threats
        Climate Change
        Deforestation
        Grazing
        Predator removal
        Leisure
        Plantations
        Disease
      - Wytham Woods, Oxford
        400 Hectares protected woodland W of Oxford on River Thames
- Plagioclimax: Community that exists when human interference has prevented climatic climax from being reached
  - Arresting Factors
    - Deforestation
    - Afforestation
    - Grazing/ Trampling
    - Fire Clearance
  - Heather Moorland, UK
    - Low nutrient environment dominated by Heather + Gorse
      - Heather = Hardy, can survive extreme cold (-32C) or hot (38C)
    - Maintained because...
      - High Species diversity
      - Role in water cycle/ reducing flood impact
      - Grouse Hunting industry
        £52.5m spent annually on management
        1500 full-time jobs
    - How Maintained?
      - Muirburn every 12 years
        Prevents heather reaching mature phase
        Controlled burning in a 'mosaic' pattern
      - Sheep/cattle grazing
        Prevents young saplings from dominating heather
    - Threats
      - Agriculture (minerals, ploughing)
      - Over/Under- burning
      - Afforestation
      - Recreation
      - Over/Under- grazing
      - Military use
Tropical Rainforest Biome
- Characteristics
  - Soil
    - Low nutrients
      - Thick litter
      - Thin humus
        Rapid uptake of nutrients
    - Zonal soil - Latosol
  - Climate
    - Located between 15 N and 15 S
      - Little seasonal variation
        Yearly temp range: 26-28C
      - Diurnal cycle of high EVT in morning and heavy showers in afternoon
        Heavy rain produces runoff
        Leaches soil
      - 12hrs day, 12 hrs night
  - Stratification
    - Emergent
      - High sunlight
        leaves have waxy cuticle
        lots of chlorophyll
      - Windy
        Small leaves
        Fluffy, wind-borne seeds
      - Buttress roots
      - Umbrella crowns
      - Kapok tree
    - Canopy
      - Less light
        Mop-shaped crown
        lots of chlorophyll
      - Less wind
        Large leaves
    - Undercanopy
      - less light
        Bud-shaped crown
        Large, dark leaves
      - Heavy Rainfall
        Leaves have drip-tips
    - Shrub/Ground
      - Low light
      - Low nutrient
      - Hot/ Humid
      - No Air movement
  - NPP = 2200 g/m2/year
  - High Biodiversity
- Human Activity in the TRF
  - Deforestation
    - Cattle Ranching
      - Para, Brazil
    - Ilegal Logging
    - Illegal Mining
      - Gold
        Grota Rica, Brazil
      - Minerals
  - Agriculture
    - Slash and Burn
      - Honduras
    - Palm Oil farming
      - Indonesia
        3rd largest GHG emitter due to deforestation
- Development Issues in the TRF
  - Value of the TRF
    - Ecological
      - Biodiversity
      - Carbon Sink
      - Water cycle
      - Base to food chain
    - Economic
      - Fuelwood
      - Food
      - Medicine
    - Cultural
      - Leisure
      - Indigenous Peoples
      - Education/ Research
      - Sustainability
  - Threats to the TRF
    - Infrastructure
      - Urban Sprawl
    - Climate Change
    - Extractive Industries
    - Deforestation
- Sustainable Development in the TRF
  - Carbon Credits
    - UN-REDD scheme
  - Non-extractive industries
    - Fragrance extraction in Madagascar
    - Wild Brazil Nut Farming, Bolivia
  - Sustainable Logging
    - Reduced-Impact Logging, Malaysia
  - Ecotourism
Ecosystem Issues on a Local Scale
- Changes to Ecosystems due to urbanisation
  - Soil
    - Shallow
    - Low Humus
    - Polluted
  - Heat Island Effect
  - Air Pollution
  - Smaller Green spaces
  - Human disturbance
- Reasons for Urban Biodiversity
  - Urban Niches
    - Peregrine Falcons, Central London
    - Mice, London Underground
    - Cowslip plants, Churchyards
    - Urban Foxes
      - Live under sheds, in basements, railway lines
      - Food source = Rubbish, Small animals
        Urban Foxes have a food surplus
      - Population 20,0000
    - Walls
      - Tortula Muralis moss
      - Lichens
      - Springtail
      - Spiders
  - Species introduction (intentional /non-intentional)
    - Japanese Knotweed
    - Giant Hogweed
    - Floating Pennywort
    - Effects
      - Outcompete native species for resources
      - Change ecosystem
      - Damage Crops
- Colonisation of Routways
  - Railways
    - Gravel
      - Porous
    - Little human disturbance
      - Small mammals
    - No overhanging trees
      - Allows light through
    - Wind
      - Seed Distrubution
    - Sparks
      - Ash good for volcanic plants
  - Roads
    - Wind
    - Nitrogen
      - Wildflowers thrive
        Shelter for small mammals
    - Mowing/cutting trees back
      - Birds of prey can see prey
    - Salt spread on cold days
      - Halophytes thrive
  - Canals
    - Slow-moving current
      - Acts as a pond
        Pond Species thrive
    - Freshwater
      - Ducks, geese etc
    - Controlled depth
    - Towpaths
      - Vegetation
    - Route for species to migrate by
- Colonisation of Urban Wasteland
  - E.g. Ferrier Estate, Kidbrooke
  - Factors affecting vegetation
    - Aspect
    - Porosity
    - Slope
    - Moisture
    - Surface Roughness
    - Pollution
  - Succession (lithosere)
    - 1. Pioneers: Lichens
    - 2. Oxford Ragwort
    - 3. Tall Herbs: Rosebay Willowherb
    - 4. Grassland: Japanese Knotweed
    - 5. Scrub Woodland: Birch, Sycamore
- Rural-Urban Fringe
  - Land Uses
    - Housing
      - Dormitory settlements
    - Agricuture
    - Recreation
      - Golf courses
      - Theme parks
    - Industrial land
  - London's Rural-Urban Fringe
    - Just inside M25 --> A25
    - Examples of land use
      - Chessington World of Adventures
      - Fringe towns
        Dorking
        Reigate
        Redhill
      - Golf courses
      - Epsom race course
      - Country Parks
  - Greenbelt Status
    - Greenfield area around a city with strict development limits
    - Restrictions
      - Building height
      - Waste
      - Energy use
      - Building Density
    - Issues
      - Fly-tipping
      - urban sprawl vs. farming
    - Reasons to be maintained
      - 1/2 day trips to country <5 miles
      - Many deprived areas
      - Visitors = income
- Ecological Conservation Areas
  - Sydenham Hill woods
    - Reasons for protection
      - 'Ancientness' indicator species
      - Recreation
        Dog walking
        Walking
        Community volunteer groups
      - Habitat diversity
    - Managed by London Wildlife trust since 80s
      - Coppicing trees
      - Edging pathways
      - Gates to block cyclists
      - Removing invasive species
      - Education
        Information boards
        Bird, Bat, Tree, Butterfly walks
        Local school trips
      - Pond cleaning/ restoration
        Dewey Pond, Ambrook
      - Aims
        Increase Biodiversity
        Protecting rare native species
        Public education
    - Conflicts/ Challenges
      - Erosion/ Trampling
      - Dog walkers
        Dogs enrich soil: Brambles dominate
      - Pollution
        29000 cars pass daily
      - Invasive species
      - Development
    - Evidence of success
      - Local volunteer support
        2014 bat walk: 70 people
      - Protected ancient species
        Wood Anemone
      - Site of Metropolitan Importance for Nature Conservation
      - Local Nature reserve
      - Urban Wildlife award for Excellence
      - Wildlife conservation
        Ashy mining bee thriving
        Jackdaw nesting for first time in 70 years
        Purple Hairstreak Butterfly
        Physcia Stellaris Lichen: 1st time found in London
        Biodiversity
        250 Fungi
        200 Trees/ Flowering Plants
        21 butterfly species
        Ambrook + Dewey Pond projects successful
  - Areas designated as protected with restrictions on building/ development

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Description: Mind Map on Ecosystems Mind Map, created by Meg Penwarden on 16/03/2016.
Created by: Meg Penwarden
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