Transcript Science 7: Unit A – Interactions and Ecosystems

Science 7: Unit A –
Interactions and
Ecosystems
Topic 7: Environmental Monitoring
Environmental Monitoring
• Also known as ecosystem monitoring
is the periodic checking on certain
indicators of an ecosystem’s health.
• Scientists do environmental
monitoring to determine what
changes are happening to the
ecosystem and what’s the causing the
changes.
• Both biotic and abiotic factors of an
ecosystem can be monitored.
When and What do We
Monitor?
• Monitoring can occur anytime, but is
usually done after some kind of
disturbance such as pollution spill, or
natural disaster. Monitoring occurs
repeatedly after the disturbance.
• Indicator Species – are species which are
sensitive to environmental changes. If any
change in the ecosystem happens, they will
be the first to feel it.
Amphibians Are Excellent
Indicator Species
• Amphibians are very sensitive to changes
in their ecosystems.
• All over the world, amphibian populations
are declining. Also, the number of
deformities in amphibians is increasing.
• This is telling us that pollution levels are
increasing world-wide.
• Scientists are monitoring amphibian
populations for the long-term.
How To Environmentally
Monitor
• You need:
• Baseline Data – This is the starting
point in monitoring. This is the info.
On how your indicator species does
normally. How it did before the
disturbance occurred.
• Eg. The Great Canadian Toad
population has an average size of 250
organisms in our area of study.
How to Environmentally
Monitor Cont’d
• Permanent Plots – are the areas of the
ecosystem you study.
• Most ecosystems are very large, and too
large to study. So what scientists do is
that they pick a smaller area and use that
part of the ecosystem as a sample to
study.
• Scientists then return to this plot every
few years and study the biotic and abiotic
factors for changes.
Environmental Impact
Assessment
• Baseline data can also be used to predict
what could happen to similar species in
other ecosystems if changes occur.
• Eg. Noting that 20% of a toad population
died off when a highway was built in its
ecosystem. What would happen if a
highway was built in a similar ecosystem in
Manitoba?
• Environmental Impact Assessment – a
report that outlines how an activity will
affect the environment.