Ecology Honor

Nature Study

Requirements

1. Know the meaning of the following terms:
   • Ecology
   • Plankton
   • Populations
   • Community
   • Ecosystems
   • Conservation
   • Food chain
   • Climax community
   • Commensalism
   • Autotrophism
   • Ecological succession
   • Biome
   • Habitat

   Answer: 1) Ecology: the science that studies the relationships of living beings with one another and with the environment in which they live. 2) Plankton: the set of microscopic aquatic organisms that float in the water, the base of many food chains. 3) Populations: the set of individuals of the same species that live in the same region and time. 4) Community: the set of several populations of different species that coexist in the same area. 5) Ecosystems: the whole formed by the community of living beings plus the physical environment (water, soil, air, climate) and their interactions. 6) Conservation: the rational use and protection of natural resources so that they do not run out and remain available. 7) Food chain: a sequence of living beings in which each one serves as food for the next, transferring energy (producers, consumers and decomposers). 8) Climax community: the final, stable stage of an ecological succession, in balance with the environment. 9) Commensalism: a relationship in which one species benefits and the other is neither harmed nor benefited. 10) Autotrophism: the ability to produce one's own food, like plants that carry out photosynthesis. 11) Ecological succession: the gradual process of replacement of the communities of an area over time, until reaching the climax community. 12) Biome: a large region with characteristic climate, vegetation and fauna (for example, cerrado, Atlantic forest, caatinga). 13) Habitat: the specific place where a species lives and finds what it needs to survive. — These are the basic terms of ecology, a science founded by the German Ernst Haeckel in 1866. Brazil has 6 biomes (Amazon, Cerrado, Caatinga, Atlantic Forest, Pampa, Pantanal). A climax community is a state of balance after succession. Plankton is the base of the marine food chain — it produces almost half of the oxygen of the entire planet.

2. What is an ecological pyramid? Why does it have this shape? Choose a mammal, a bird, a reptile and an amphibian common in the region where you live and build a diagram of its ecological pyramid for each of them.

   Answer: 1) WHAT AN ECOLOGICAL PYRAMID IS: it is a diagram that shows the transfer of energy between trophic levels — producers (plants) at the base, herbivores (primary consumers) above, and carnivores (secondary and tertiary consumers) at the top. 2) WHY IT HAS THIS SHAPE: it has a pyramid shape (wide at the base, narrow at the top) because the available energy decreases by about 90% at each trophic level (Lindeman's law) — only a small part of the energy of one level is used by the next level, so the upper levels support fewer and fewer individuals. — The loss of 90% of energy between levels (the 10% law) limits the number of trophic levels — generally 4-5 at most. That is why there is more grass than zebras, and more zebras than lions. Inverted pyramids (more consumers than producers) are rare and only occur in some marine ecosystems with high plankton productivity. The concept proposed by Charles Elton in 1927 is still valid.

3. Define what an ecosystem is. Talk about the biological and physical factors that keep it balanced.

   Answer: You must define to the instructor that an ecosystem is the whole formed by a biological community (all living beings — plants, animals, microorganisms) and the physical environment (soil, water, air, light, temperature) interacting in a given space. The balance is maintained by biological factors (food chains, predation, pollination, decomposition, symbiosis) and physical factors (climate, the water cycle, the carbon cycle, soil fertility, solar radiation). — The concept of an ecosystem was proposed by Arthur Tansley in 1935. Ecosystems can be small (a puddle) or large (the entire Amazon). The balance is dynamic — it fluctuates with the seasons, but maintains stability in the long term. Deforestation, pollution and climate change break this balance. Brazil is one of the countries with the greatest biodiversity in the world, hence the importance of preserving Brazilian ecosystems.

4. Using photographs or pictures, make a poster or board forming a diagram that illustrates the ecosystem of a small freshwater lake.

   Answer: You must present to the instructor a poster/board with photographs or drawings of a freshwater lake ecosystem, showing: producers (algae, aquatic plants such as the giant water lily, phytoplankton); primary consumers (snails, tadpoles, herbivorous fish); secondary consumers (small carnivorous fish, frogs); tertiary consumers (caiman, heron, otter). — Freshwater lakes are lentic aquatic ecosystems (still water). They have littoral, limnetic and deep zones. Brazil has thousands of lakes in all biomes — the Amazon has floodplain lakes with unique fish such as the pirarucu. A poster with arrows connecting organisms demonstrates an understanding of the energy flow and the nutrient cycle in aquatic systems.

5. Research how garbage is collected in your neighborhood and what the destination of the collected garbage is. Follow it for a month and write a report with information on how much garbage your family throws away per day and how they could handle it better.

   Answer: You must present to the instructor a 1-month report: research on collection in the neighborhood (frequency, days of the week, selective or common separation, responsible company); destination (sanitary landfill, dump, recycling plant, incineration); a daily record of the weight of the family's garbage (about 1-2 kg/person/day on average); analysis (how much organic, how much recyclable, how much non-recyclable waste). — Brazilians produce on average 1-1.4 kg of garbage per day. Selective collection exists in only 22% of municipalities. Most goes to landfills, with 30% still going to open-air dumps (the PNRS required their end in 2014, but it was postponed). Home composting reduces organic waste by 50%. Recycling saves energy and resources: 1 ton of recycled paper saves 17 trees, according to the IBGE.

6. Research in the newspapers or on some specialized website, for a month, the air pollution levels of a large city (the one closest to yours, if you do not live in a large city). Make a graph showing the curve of this level during the month. Find out what causes the high points of your graph's curve.

   Answer: You must present to the instructor a 30-day graph with the air pollution levels of a large city (CETESB for São Paulo, the State Environmental Institute — INEA for Rio de Janeiro, or sites such as IQAir.com), with curves for PM2.5, PM10, ozone (O3), carbon monoxide (CO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2). — PM2.5 (fine particles) is the most dangerous pollutant — it penetrates deep into the lung. The WHO recommends an annual average below 10 µg/m³, but São Paulo usually stays at 18-22 µg/m³. The winter thermal inversion in São Paulo concentrates pollutants in the lower layer of the atmosphere. Amazonian fires affect the atmosphere of distant cities via atmospheric winds.

7. List 10 ways to actively work in favor of the environment of your community and city. Put 4 of them into practice.

   Answer: 10 ways to actively work for the environment: 1) Recycle and separate the garbage (dry/organic/non-recyclable); 2) Make home compost from the organic remains; 3) Plant native trees and seedlings in the community; 4) Reduce water and energy consumption at home; 5) Use public transport, a bicycle or carpooling to decrease pollution; 6) Avoid products with excessive packaging and plastic bags; 7) Donate clothes, food and items in good condition instead of discarding them; 8) Take part in cleanup efforts in parks, rivers or squares; 9) Educate neighbors, family and colleagues about environmental care; 10) Reuse and repair objects (conscious consumption) instead of buying new ones. Put at least 4 of these actions into practice and record the results. — Individual changes added together generate collective impact. Recycling saves resources; composting reduces organic waste by 50%; trees absorb CO2 and reduce urban heat islands; public transport reduces emissions. The environment is an Adventist priority — the Church follows the principles of environmental stewardship according to Genesis 1-2 (care of the creation entrusted by God to humans).

8. Research a text from the Spirit of Prophecy and a Bible text related to ecology. Present an explanation of its relevance and application to our days.

   Answer: Bible text: Genesis 2:15 — 'The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it', showing that the original mission of the human being is to cultivate and keep (care for) the creation. Spirit of Prophecy text: Ellen G. White (Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 50) teaches that God gave man the care of the Earth as a steward, and that nature reveals the character of the Creator and should be treated with respect. Application to our days: caring for the environment is a spiritual duty and a matter of Christian stewardship — fighting waste, pollution and deforestation, and preserving natural resources as an expression of faithfulness to God and love for one's neighbor. — The Christian theology of creation (Gen 1-2) keeps the human being as a steward, not an owner. Ellen White writes about nature as God's 'second book' after the Bible. The Adventist Church has an ASA department (Adventist Community Services) and principles of environmental stewardship. Application: a sustainable lifestyle, conscious consumption, tree planting, and the Christian's reduction of impact.