Ecology

The study of how organisms interact with living and non-

living aspects of their environment.

3 Factors that Sustain Life on Earth

1. The one way flow of high quality energy from the sun to the earth.

2. The cycling of matter within the biosphere. (Carbon, Nitrogen, Oxygen, Hydrogen, Phosphorous, Sulfur etc.)

3. Gravity which holds on to the earths atmosphere which allows for movement and cycling.

4 Spheres of the Earth

Atmosphere

• 78% Nitrogen• 21% Oxygen• 1% Other (CO2,

Water, Methane etc.)• Troposphere-

Ground to 17km (11 mi.)

• Stratosphere- 17km-50K, contains Ozone Layer

Hydrosphere• All the water on the

planet including vapor, ice, snow, fresh, and salt.

• 97.5 % of all water is salt water

• 2.5% is fresh• 71% of the earths

surface is covered in salt water.

Water Demo• 5 gallons = all the water on the planet• 5 gallons = 18,960 mlCalculate the following in ml• Fresh water = 2.5% of total• Ice makes up 69% of fresh water• Ground Water makes up 30% of fresh

water• Surface water makes up 1% of fresh water• Lakes make up 87% of surface water• Swamps make up 11% of surface water• Rivers make up 2% of surface water

Lithosphere

• All the raw materials that make up the earth.

• 3 major layers (Core, Mantel, Crust)

• Non-living things that make up soil.

• Nitrogen,Carbon, Phosphorus etc.)

Biosphere

• The zone where life exists on the planet.

• 9km (6mi) up and all the way to the bottom of the ocean.

• Includes Atmosphere, Lithosphere and Hydrosphere

• Can be seen as one large living organism (Gaia Principal)

Biosphere 2