Population Ecology Assignment

Unit One Aha Thesis - Ecosystems Ecosystems are filled with abiotic and biotic factors. They both need the other for survival. Energy and nutrients flow through the trophic levels which helps ecosystems change and survive. Abiotic and Biotic Factors Abiotic and biotic factors are connected in many ways. One connection in Planet Earth was an antelope jumping into the water to be safe from the hunting dogs.

In addition, these mammals consume fish in much higher quantities. 38. Yes, on average the largemouth bass has a mercury level of about 0.45 ug/g, which is higher than the recommended amount for humans. 39.

-An environment is simply any region or area. -Environmental science is the study of an environment and how humans interact with its biotic and abiotic factors, ecology is different because it is a science studying the way different pieces of an environment or ecosystem interact, while environmentalism is a social movement or mindset involving the idea that we as humans need to protect and sustain the earth and all forms of life on the planet. -An organism is a single plant, animal, or other living thing, while a species is a group or classification of organisms sharing similar genes and traits with the ability to create fertile offspring. -An ecosystem is the interactions between the biotic and abiotic things on the scale that is being observed.

B. Ecosystem Structure, Natural Ecosystem Change, Ecosystem Diversity, Biological populations and communities, Aquatic Biomes, Natural succession, Food Chain, Food Web, Evolution

For instance, certain seafoods are known to have high concentrations of mercury. The same can be found inside of certain dental fillings, such as silver fillings or mercury amalgrams.

c.Abiotic and biotic factors both can easily affect individuals changing how well they can thrive, survive in an area, and determine where they can live.

Mercury is an element that can be found in our environment through air, water and soil. Being exposed to constant levels of mercury may be detrimental to one’s overall health since it can impact the nervous, digestive and immune systems of human (WHO). In 1960, the demand of Mercury (Hg) increased significantly as it was needed in many commercial and medical practices, despite its high toxicity levels (dwivedi). Thus, the increase in mercury consumption was due to industrialization. Mercury should be gaining increased medical concerns as it can impact the lives of several classes of society. In Canada, it is found that the vast majority of marine mammals contain methylmercury (MeHg) (Laird). Methylmercury is highly more lethal than Mercury

-Mercury is a persistent substance which means a number of mercury increases in concentration as you go the in the food chain, so the higher up the chain and the higher amount of mercury. This tendency is called biomagnification. For instance, plankton contains 0.00001 ppm of mercury and if you go up 5 levels to the top of the pyramid which is a shark, it contains 1 ppm of mercury. This may pose a potential health threat to those animals and humans who consume the fishes or shark.

As already stated, many other locations around the world are affected by mercury poisoning and contamination. For example, Canada and Japan have an extensive history of mercury poisoning, including neurologic symptoms and contaminated fish. These studies have has been documented since the 1950’s in these locations. In fact, the contamination became so problematic the Ontario health department formed a task force on organic mercury in 1972. Further, recent protesting throughout Toronto has asked for Canada to address the contamination of mercury. Findings revealed levels of mercury exceeding those of international standards and included the highest recorded mercury contamination among in the western part of the world. (CITE 6)

Mercury in the air settles into the water or land, where it can be washed into water. When the mercury is deposited, some organisms can change it into methyl mercury. Methyl mercury is a very toxic form that builds up in fish, shellfish, and animals that

The Clean Water Act lists the SFBay as impaired for mercury. Estimates suggest the bay’s sediment is contaminated with about two hundred metric tons of mercury, much going back to original Gold Rush. This pollutant has affected SFBay biota resulting in a state issued fish advisory waning not to eat some common fish such as Striped bass and limited intake of other species (OEHHA, 2011; Ely & Viani, 2010).

Ecology today can be defined as “the study of the interrelationships between living things and their environment”. It is important to understand that when we say that ecology includes the “environment”, we are talking about everything that is external to an organism, all the biotic and abiotic. Nowadays it also attempts to understand and explain the how and why of the origins and mechanisms of interactions.

In today’s society, going to college is very important to me especially. This is because many different jobs require some type of college degree. For me particularly, I need a four-year college degree to do what I would like to do, which is, nursing. Although there were thousands of colleges to choose from, Northwest Florida State College seemed to be the perfect fit for me because of all my personal reasons, for example, smaller classes, close to home which helps me and my family saves money, and has an outstanding nursing program.

Pricing of college is always and overwhelming topic to accomplish. Since there are numerous different colleges to pick from there comes a price to each one. Tuition can be decided on the basis of how that school is funded. State governments established most of the public colleges, so citizens could get a public college education. The State governments pay for most of the expense of the functioning of a public university. This inflow of public money is why tuition is more than likely lower at a public university. On the flip side with a Private College, they don’t collect funds at all from state legislatures. They trust profoundly on private donations and tuition. This makes the tuition rates commonly greater.

The CTBC claims that e-waste accounts for approximately 40 percent of these three toxins that end up landfills, noting that "just 1/70th of a teaspoon of mercury can contaminate 20 acres of a lake, making the fish unfit to eat."