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1. Link to: Fl Eco - Lecture 1 - Natural Ecosystems and Native Species ppt https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4VR3TNVH14AT3pTVkxVNjNZY1k/view

2.  Link to: The Context: Climate, Land, Soil, Water ppt https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4VR3TNVH14AbUZUREhzcFo5MXc/view

3. Link to Lion fish: http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/lionfish.html

4. Link to Feral Cats: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/09/0907_040907_feralcats.html
5. Link to Invasive Species Discussion: https://trinityprep.instructure.com/courses/1224/discussion_topics/3649?module_item_id=147076

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Is defined as a change in the particular environment or place where organisms or species tend to live.

Habitat alteration is a topic that includes many other issues:

pollution

invasive species

overfishing

aquaculture

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A natural ecosystem occurs as it would without the influence of human beings.

The term “ecosystem” refers to all of the plants, animals, fungi, protozoans, bacteria and other organisms that live in the same area.

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kill billions of birds and mammals each year and are the number one cause of death for both.

They've brought about the extinction of 33 bird species.

the total cost of eliminating all feral cats at $15.74 billion.

Trap Neuter Release (TNR) is one way people are trying to alleviate the issue

encouraging spaying and neutering cats, but releasing them back into the wild.

If you see a cat with an ear notch, then it has been spayed or neutered.

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Invasive species to the Atlantic ocean.

Their presence heavily effects native fish.

They outcompete native species because of there lack of predators.

They are armed with poisonous barbs that make the Lion fish tough to eat, and therefore have very few predators.

Because the Lion fish is harmful to local species the economy takes a toll, in regards to fishing profits and, tourism.

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Definition: A species that is not native, and out competes native species.

Typically R type species: meaning reproduce fast with a short life span.

Plants can be invasive species as well, outcompeting local species.

Example: Kudzu

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The threat of invasive species - Jennifer Klos

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How did Burmese Pythons get introduced to Florida?
Describe, in detail, the ecological and environmental impact of Burmese Pythons in Florida...
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Hurricane Andrew (1992): damaged many zoos, pet stores, and exotic warehouses.

Many of the escaped animals were rounded up after the storm.

Many animals avoided capture. A large number of Burmese pythons were "set free" by the Hurricane, escaping into the Florida Everglades and other parts of the state.

Burmese Pythons do not have any natural predators in Florida, because they are invasive.

They're disrupting the natural food chain, and this can cause many serious impacts to an ecosystem.

Present a threat to native snakes, such as the Eastern Diamondback and the Eastern Indigo snake.

The Python completely dwarfs these snakes in comparison and do not leave enough food for them, which causes the native snakes to die.

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Compare and contrast Artificial, Natural, and Altered Ecosystems in detail.
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Artificial Ecosystem- Meets all of the expectations and criteria of a natural ecosystem but it is primarily controlled and manipulated by humans. (i.e. aquariums, zoos, etc.)

Natural Ecosystem-is an ecosystem that occurs as it would without the influence of human beings. (i.e. the Outback)

Altered Ecosystem- is an ecosystem that a human has had influence on, but does not control all of the variables (weather) within the environment (i.e. farm lands, rain-fed pond)

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Describe, in detail, the Floridan Aquifer system.
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The main source of water for most of us in northeast and central Florida comes from underground aquifer.

The Floridan aquifer system is one of the world's most productive aquifers and supplies drinking water for nearly 10 million people.

It spans an area of about 100,000 square miles in the southeastern United States.

The upper confining unit is particularly thick in Coastal Georgia and South Florida. Downward leakage of water through the upper confining unit in these areas is minimal and the Floridan aquifer system is very heavily confined

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Video by St. John's County Water Management District.. South West Florida. Save Our Suwannee, Inc, A not-for-profit organization whose primary mission is to restore and protect the springs, rivers, lakes streams, ponds and wildlife of the Suwannee Basin. saveoursuwannee.org You can help our springs by sharing this photos and ask your friends to share.

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Florida's soil is mostly made up of sand, but in different areas, such as the Everglades, the soil can be more along the lines of loam and have more organic matter in it (check out the soil Padlets for more info on Loam and how to categorize soil.)

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Storms are extremely common in the Florida ecosystem

convection storms; storms come about in the summer due to the heat.

storms provide a few crucial elements to the FL ecosystem

lightning; without lightning many ecosystems like the long leaf pine, scrub, and prairie, wouldn't be able to exist

The fire created by these lightning strikes refresh and maintain these ecosystems

Another key factor about storms is rain fall, FL's diverse ecology is able to blossom because of the rainfall the area gets.

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Florida's Climate is affected by ocean, it's close relationship to the equator, and it's low elevation.

Rainy season: From May through October when rain builds in the heat of the day to drop heavy and brief summer rainfall.

Dry season: Towards the closing of October to late April.

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How are living things categorized?

1. Domain- includes both Prokaryota (i.e. bacteria) and Eukaryota (look at #2)

2. Kingdom- from Domain we have separated Eukaryota into 3 small groups (kingdoms): Plantae (i.e. pine tree), Fungi (i.e. mushroom), and Animalia (i.e. Red Cockaded Woodpecker)

3. Phylum- This further divides theh kingdoms into specific kinds of animals that have similar ancestors and characterstics (i.e. Chordata: [must have: pharyngeal slits, dorsal nerve cord, otochord, and post-anal tail])

4. Class- So we keep dividing, and in the class they must have all of the same characteristics and can't be as general (i.e. Mammalia must be invertebrates and have mammary glands)

5. Order- Keep going... this makes things even more inclusive and have very similar characteristics (i.e. primates: monkeys, humans, etc.- opposable thumbs)

6. Family- Almost there... Organisms belonging to the same family would have evolved from the same ancestors and share relatively common characteristics. (i.e. Homoidae, which means "great apes" so this include humans and gorillas, but not smaller apes)

7. Genus- One more... this is the first word of the scientific name and always capitalized, however because of evolution 2 species (below) of the same genus may not procreate (i.e. Homo includes all of Homo sapiens' ancestors even though they're exitinct: Homonids and Homo erectus)

8. Species- And fin! This is the second and lower-case word in the scientific name. Anyone in the same species can procreate (i.e. Homo sapiens)

Great way to get these straight: "King Phillip Came Over For Good Soup"

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An individual that belongs to a group of organisms that has common characteristics and are capable of mating with one another to produce natural and fertile offspring.

It is the lowest rank on the taxonomic order and the most standard unit of classification.

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1. Natural - existing in or caused by nature; not made or caused by humankind.

2. Ecosystem - a biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment.

3. Community - a group of organisms living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in common.

4. Native - Native species are those that live in the same place that they are originally from.

5. Population - all the individuals of one species in a given area.

6. Exotic - a species that historically lives in one place, but that has been moved to a new geographic location due to human interference.

7. Invasive - non-native to the ecosystem under consideration and whose introduction causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm

8. Endemic - natural to or characteristic of a specific people or place