An imbalance of biotic organisms can indicate not only changes in the ecologic environment, but also potential problems. Using the databases of scholarly journals available through the school, research and read two articles that deal with imbalances of microscopic organisms--like bacteria and protists--and how the imbalance affects or affected the ecological environment. Sum up your research in a single blog comment in only two paragraphs. Then, in a third paragraph, refer to your summation and make a prediction of what you think the microbiotic health of Central Park is, and explain your reasoning in a fourth paragraph.
A common imbalance in microscopic organisms occurs in algae and is called eutrophication. Eutrophication happens when there’s a substantial growth in algae or phytoplankton in a body of water, typically a lake or pond. Eutrophication is an imbalance because as nutrients accumulate, algae and plankton becomes the dominant inhabitant of the particular body of water over other species. This deprives other organisms living the water, such as fish, of oxygen.
ReplyDeleteAs eutrophication increases, all biotic organisms associated with the body of water, are affected. This includes; fish, shoreline vegetation, zooplankton, and of course, algae. Another way eutrophication affects the ecosystem is by decreasing water quality. A main source of fresh water is from lakes and rivers, and if eutrophication takes over fresh water bodies, then the water cannot be used because the quality is so poor. Eutrophication creates “blooms” of algae, which causes an increase in phytoplankton thus creating an over population of fish. The fish feed on the phytoplankton, which is caused eutrophication.
Based on the concepts explained above, I conclude that the bodies of water in Central Park are not uncontaminated. Because of that, I also don’t think that the ecosystem in Central Park is balanced either. An example could be the relative lack of vegetation needed to support its surrounding environment.
The imbalance of the water is because of the imbalance in the ecosystem, thus causing a domino effect. The phytoplankton increase, and then the fish population increase because the phytoplankton is a main food supply for fish. When the fish population increases, no other species can thrive among them.
http://www.jstor.org/stable/25035799?&Search=yes&searchText=eutrophication&list=hide&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3Deutrophication%26acc%3Don%26wc%3Don&prevSearch=&item=11&ttl=8849&returnArticleService=showFullText
http://www.jstor.org/stable/25035549?&Search=yes&searchText=eutrophication&list=hide&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3Deutrophication%26acc%3Don%26wc%3Don&prevSearch=&item=2&ttl=8849&returnArticleService=showFullText
Eutrophication is a word which describes the imbalance of biotic organisms in an ecosystem. It occurs when there is a surplus of algae in a (usually)small body of water. When algae thrive more than needed and become the dominant species in its environment, other species cannot survive due to a lack of oxygen. When eutrophication occurs, ALL species in that specific habitat are harmed.
ReplyDeleteAlgae is considered an impurity in water. It is not healthy to drink for humans for example and when there is an excessive amount in a body of water, it can harm organisms outside of the water as well when they go to drink it. The organisms affected during eutrophication must be highly adaptive in order to survive or thrive in their changed habitat.
Phytoplankton are born when there is a surplus of algae, causing more fish to thrive because they generally feed on the phytoplankton. There for, in years from now, Central Park may have a very imbalanced ego system as many other bodies of water may as well due to eutrophication.
Based on this research, I conclude that most bodies of water have, will or are going through eutrophication and this is part of the evolution process in ecosystems.This includes central park's water sources as well. All bodies of water have some impurities because they contain oxygen and life within them. It is for this reason that I think eutrophication occurs in Central Park.
Tulsa World (Tulsa, OK). Gale Jan 2, 2010. From Business and Company Resource Center.
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ReplyDeleteEutrophication is one type of imbalance that occurs within microscopic organisms. Eutrophication is the addition to plant nutrients in a body of water. It occurs in the ecosystem when an excessive amount of activity from one group leads to an overall imbalance. An example of this is lakes that have a large amount of algae. The algae override the small amount of the other organism and leads to an imbalance.
ReplyDeleteThis has recently become a major trend. The rate of eutrophication is rapidly increasing in lakes and has made it very difficult to preserve them. Eutrophication leads to water pollution which is very dangerous. Water that is polluted is not healthy for the human body to consume. The large amount of one organism makes it almost near impossible for the smaller one to survive.
Based on my research, I believe that the microscopic health of Central Park is imbalanced. Fish feed on phytoplankton which is produced when there are a lot of algae. This large increase of phytoplankton could lead to a major imbalance.
I believe this because with so many fish feeding and the rapid amount of phytoplankton being produced, there will be a definite imbalance. With so many fish feeding, it makes it near impossible for any other species to live/thrive.
Cited Sources:
http://www.jstor.org/stable/25035799?&Search=yes&searchText=Eutrophication&list=hide&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3DEutrophication%26acc%3Don%26wc%3Don&prevSearch=&item=11&ttl=8849&returnArticleService=showFullText
http://www.jstor.org/stable/25035572?&Search=yes&searchText=Eutrophication&list=hide&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3DEutrophication%26acc%3Don%26wc%3Don&prevSearch=&item=1&ttl=8849&returnArticleService=showFullText
In this context, biological balance refers to a varying state as opposed to something static. A balanced ecosystem is dependent on changes in the food chain that allow each species to flourish. That being said, an ecosystem's variation has to be consistent. If the existence and multitude of a species is erratic in form, the other species will suffer from that inconsistency, because most organisms are inner-dependent.
ReplyDeleteParticular animals are more central to the ecosystem's success. Certain parts of the food-chain, especially with predators, if one organism becomes more or less prevalent, it will affect the prevalence of other animals, and decrease the diversity of life. If an organism that relies on another as a food-source, becomes less prevalent, than the other species will multiply, and the disparity between species will cyclically increase.
Based on this information Central Park's ecosystem is in good balance. As the ecosystem has been around for a while and has consistent exterior factors that allow it to maintain a steady growth in diversity.
My reasoning for this is that because of the city life, being solidly more regulated than suburban, and forest life, the city as a result has a more consistent climate as well as usage. Due to its age, if the factors that consistently impacted the parks ecosystem were negatively effecting it, it wouldn't be becoming more diverse.
Bibliography
ReplyDeleteOrganisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Web. 08 Nov. 2011. .
"Environmental Protection Agency." U.S. EPA ColdFusion Server. Web. 08 Nov. 2011. .
There is an issue now in bodies of water that there never was before. The equation of organisms to water is not equal. An issue of having to many biotic organisms is that there are becoming too much of everything. There is an equation that states if you add more plant nutrient to bodies of water there will become more of everything. This would become an issue because if you have too much of an organism then it would cause there to be an unequal balance in the environment.
ReplyDeleteImbalance in the environment is creating a lot of issues because something called Eutrophication is happening. Eutrophication has been happening for a while but now it has becoming more of an issue. No one knows how to fix this issue and now with this issue no one knows what to do. People in Mississippi are dumping their sewage water into their lakes to try and make there be equilibrium. This is why the issue of having to many biotic organisms is affecting us.
I think that the microbiotic life in central park is probably very bad. The park seems very big but really there is not enough space for how many organisms live there. I think that there is to little park in New York considering how many organisms need a certain type of nature-based environment.
I think that there is not an equal amount of space in the park considering how many things the park needs to obtain. I think this because in the city of New York there are not a lot of grassy areas or areas with bodies of water. This means that all organisms that need grass or bodies of water that live in new york are usually going to be located in the park and can not live anywhere else because everywhere else in the city is very industrialized.
http://www.jstor.org/pss/25035572?searchUrl=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3DEutrophication%26acc%3Don%26wc%3Don&Search=yes
http://www.jstor.org/pss/25035799?searchUrl=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3DEutrophication%26acc%3Don%26wc%3Don&Search=yes
Abiotic organisms are causing there to be an imbalance in nature. If abiotic organims are excessively used it will cause there to be an unequal amount. Large areas of water will be damaged as well as the intensive amount will have an impact on the nutrients in the water. This means that the growth of plants will decrease and then species in water will also be affected from this and it will disorient the food chain.
ReplyDeleteEutrophication is when there are too much of something in the water and too little of something. Not only does nature have problem with this but everywhere in the world this has been an issue. Life will always need something to support it and if there is not a sufficient amount of it then the earth will not work. An example of this is if there are not enough oxygen in the world humans will not survive. In this case in this article there are too many organism and not enough water and salt. This is happening in Madison, Wisconsin where four lakes are having trouble surviving due to the imbalence of organisms to water.
Central Park which is located in New York City where there is only one major park and the rest is industialized this is having an effects on organisms. My Prediction of Central Parks Ecologic health is that it is not doing well because it is so small compared to how many organisms there are.
The amount of space to contain the organism is very small for all the organisms out there. If this continues Species will eventually become non-existant. This will reduce the amount of living for the future.
http://www.jstor.org/pss/25035572?searchUrl=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3DEutrophication%26acc%3Don%26wc%3Don&Search=yes
http://www.jstor.org/pss/25035799?searchUrl=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3DEutrophication%26acc%3Don%26wc%3Don&Search=yes
Question of the week #5
ReplyDelete11/8/11
A very prominent imbalance of a microorganism in nature is algae. Algae grow in mainly stagnant water such as lakes. Algae growth happens when there is a large amount of light and CO2 in the environment. Algae obtain nutrients by mainly photosynthesis, which is why they grow mainly on the surface. There are two types of algae, good and bad algae. Good algae are green and an imbalance of them is actually good for the environment because they give nutrients to other organisms. Bad algae are red, blue-green or brown and an imbalance of them can cause problems with oxygen and pH levels. An imbalance of healthy algae is actually beneficial to the environment and helps it prosper.
A good example of where microorganisms play a large and important role is in soil. Microorganisms in soil make up only a small fraction of soil. They help regulate the cycle of nitrogen, sulphur, and phosphorus and help decompose plant and animal residue. Microorganisms also help maintain the structure of soil. The balance of microorganisms is an indicator of soil health. An imbalance of microorganisms can cause soil to not regulate properly but may also cause it to regulate better. Certain microorganisms play roles in regulating and maintaining soil. If there are more microorganisms that help regulate nitrogen, then the soil will regulate nitrogen more easily thus having better health. If there are less of those microorganisms, then the soil will decline in health. An imbalance of microorganisms can be both a positive thing and a negative thing for soil.
Based on research of imbalances of microorganisms, Central Park should be in very good health. Environments that have an imbalance of microorganisms that is negative tend to make their bad health visible. The environment of Central Park would struggle to grow and maintain itself well. The trees, animals, and organisms show to be healthy by practicing normal behavior. For example, the trees in Central Park follow the common seasonal pattern of changing colors and losing leaves. If there was an unhealthy imbalance of microorganisms within the trees, then they might lose their leaves during the wrong time of year or not change colors. The health of Central Park should be very good due to its positive outward appearance.
Even though Central Park seems to be in very good health, there are most likely many imbalances of microorganisms throughout the environment. An imbalance of microorganisms can differentiate were certain things came from within the park. For example, soil from one part of the park may have an imbalance being that it has more of a microorganism that helps regulate oxygen. Another part of the park may have completely balanced soil. Both of these soils are healthy and fertile, but one is just different than the other. The health of Central Park has improved greatly over the last twenty years or so. About twenty years ago, the park began to be respected and got taken care of. Central Park contains many imbalances of microorganisms but shows to be in great condition.
Sources:
http://www2.dmu.dk/1_viden/2_publikationer/3_fagrapporter/rapporter/FR388.pdf
http://www.aquaneering.com/pdf_files/aln_algae_article.pdf
The biggest problem the lake faces is the accelerating pace of eutrophication. Eutrophication is when there is too many nutrients in the water and a lack of oxygen. This causes a chain reaction, the plants die first and because the plants die there is no source of food in the water which causes all other life that fed of the plants to die. As a result there is an environmental unbalance.
ReplyDeleteThe symptoms of Eutrophication can start with using fertilizer on crops. When you put fertilizer on crops, it will cause that crop to grow more than it would have without it. As a result there will be more plant nutrients in the water, causing Eutrophication to occur. The amount of Algae, shoreline vegetation, zooplankton, fish, benthic animals, and bacteria will increase. Highly eutrophic lakes usually have lots of algae and very few genera. In deep lakes, the lack of oxygen in the bottom waters is a symptom of eutrophic conditions.
I think the microbiotic health of Central Park is pretty balanced for the most part. From all the samples we took, most of them had the same kind of organisms. Yet, I bet there are some places in the park where you can find eutrophic conditions. The overall state of Central park is good. There seems to be nothing wrong with any cycle that it does. Whether its the grass turning green in the spring and summer or the leaves falling of trees in fall.
From what I observed the day we went to the park I can reason that in the general area where we collected protists that none possessed eutrophic conditions, and if there were it would have bee by small amounts. In the dirtier part of the park, there is a strong environmental unbalance.
Sources:
http://www.jstor.org/pss/25035799?searchUrl=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3DEutrophication%26acc%3Don%26wc%3Don&Search=yes
http://www.jstor.org/pss/25035572?searchUrl=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3DEutrophication%26acc%3Don%26wc%3Don&Search=yes
Eutrophication is a word meaning richness in nutrients in bodies of water. Eutrophication can be bodies of water have a lot of algae. This is an imbalance because the algae is taking over. This takes away oxygen, and without oxygen organisms cannot live.
ReplyDeleteAlgae takes away form life because it is not clean or pure water. Humans cannot drink water with algae, and organisms like fish are harmed by it. Algae is water pollution which is not healthy for anyone. It harms the food chain because of harming so many different organisms.
I do not think that Central Park is very balanced. There is so much algae and there are a lot of different organisms living in the park. If there is that much algae, it must be hard for the organisms to seek the proper nutrients to live.
From my research, it seems as though almost all bodies of water are imbalanced which has to include Central Park. Central Park has so much water that some of it has to be contaminated.
Sources:
http://people.oregonstate.edu/~muirp/eutrophi.htm
http://www.jstor.org/stable/25035799?&Search=yes&searchText=eutrophication&list=hide&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3Deutrophication%26acc%3Don%26wc%3Don&prevSearch=&item=11&ttl=8849&returnArticleService=showFullText
Daniel Podolsky
ReplyDeleteMr. Wickham
Section 92
11/10/11
In many bodies of water there is an abundance of organisms which can eventually cause an imbalance amongst the organisms. When eutrophication occurs it expands the population of an organism. Eutrophication is the addition of plant nutrients to a body of water. Bodies of water with eutrophication usually have multitudes of algae in it. This is very unbalanced because there are more algae in the water then anything else. Eutrophication causes a lack of oxygen in the bodies of water and this causes other organisms to die because they are not getting enough oxygen.
You can tell if the water is clean and healthy by the color of the algae. If the algae is green then it is healthy but if it is any other color then the algae is unhealthy. Other then an abundance of nutrients which causes algae to grow so does temperature.
Overall I believe that the imbalance of microscopic organisms are a bad affect on the environment. People should try their hardest to prevent the growth of algae. If it takes extreme measures they should still do it.
From my research I am able to say if central park has an abundance of organisms in central park. The land of central park is not imbalanced but the water is most likely imbalanced because most bodies of water in the world are.
http://www.jstor.org/stable/25035799?seq=1&Search=yes&list=hide&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3DEutrophication%26acc%3Don%26wc%3Don&prevSearch=&resultsServiceName=null
http://www.aquaneering.com/pdf_files/aln_algae_article.pdf
In the first site I read it talked about water pollution control, or Eutrophication. This is when you put stuff in the water and make it so more things come out of it. Eutrophication greatly increases lifeform in the water.
ReplyDeleteIn the second site I read was also on eutrophication but it was by a different person. This on spesified on the cause and effect of it. It stated that it can really help the life but once you start it if you take it away everything will die.
I do not believe that central park uses eutrophitication but I do believe that they try keep it clean. The reason why I dont think they use eutrophication because I dont ever see fish.
http://www.jstor.org/pss/25035799?searchUrl=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3DEutrophication%26acc%3Don%26wc%3Don&Search=yes
http://www.jstor.org/pss/25035572?searchUrl=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3DEutrophication%26acc%3Don%26wc%3Don&Search=yes
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ReplyDeleteImbalanced organisms can be very detrimental to an ecosystem. It does not matter if the organisms are big or small, it can cause a humongous difference. Eutrophication usually is the main reason for an imbalance in an ecosystem (usually lakes), which leads to a great demise of the ecosystem or extinction.
ReplyDeleteEutrophication is when there is an abundance of nutrients in a given lake. This leads to there being an abundance of organisms. The organisms usually take the form of algae. Once the algae start to overpopulate, the water conditions and amount of oxygen plummet. This makes it nearly impossible for other organisms to live in that given lake, and the lake eventually becomes no more.
I believe that central park is pretty imbalanced. The amount of algae that is in many of the ponds and bodies of water in the park is very high.
The more algae that are in a lake or pond, the more imbalanced that lake or pond is. In central park many of the lakes have algae which leads me to believe that there must be an imbalance of organisms in the lakes and ponds.
Bibiliography
ReplyDelete1. http://www.jstor.org/stable/25035606?&Search=yes&searchText=Eutrophication&list=hide&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3DEutrophication%26acc%3Don%26wc%3Don&prevSearch=&item=4&ttl=8939&returnArticleService=showFullText
2. http://www.jstor.org/stable/25035549?&Search=yes&searchText=Eutrophication&list=hide&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3DEutrophication%26acc%3Don%26wc%3Don&prevSearch=&item=2&ttl=8939&returnArticleService=showFullText
Certain imbalanced organisms can be very harmful and destructive to any ecosystem. No matter what size the organism is, large or small; it can cause major and improper differences. Eutrophication is a crucial reason for an imbalance in an ecosystem. Eutrophication is usually found in lakes, and since lakes are a crucial place for water and food sources in some ecosystems it can be very, very bad for such a process to occur.
ReplyDeleteEutrophication is when you have excessive richness of nutrients in a lake or other body of water, frequently due to runoff from the land, which causes a dense growth of plant life (usually algae) and death of animal life from lack of oxygen. Once the algae start to overpopulate, the water conditions and amount of oxygen plummet. This makes it pretty much impossible for different organisms to populate in the said lake.
I personally believe that Central Park is imbalanced. The amount of algae that is within most of the bodies of water in the park is surprisingly and very high, I personally would have thought we might have been a little cleaner.
The more algae that is present within in water, the more imbalanced the water source becomes. In Central Park many of the ponds (man made or natural) have algae, ergo leading one to believe that there must be an imbalance of organisms in said water sources.
Cited Sources:
1. http://www.jstor.org/stable/25035606?&Search=yes&searchText=Eutrophication&list=hide&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3DEutrophication%26acc%3Don%26wc%3Don&prevSearch=&item=4&ttl=8939&returnArticleService=showFullText
2. http://www.jstor.org/stable/25035549?&Search=yes&searchText=Eutrophication&list=hide&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3DEutrophication%26acc%3Don%26wc%3Don&prevSearch=&item=2&ttl=8939&returnArticleService=showFullText
Influxes in population numbers can result in many different things. When a "bloom" of organisms occurs in bodies of water this is commonly called eutrophication. Eutrophication occurs among the plant like organisms that reside in bodies of water such as algae, and zooplankton. All though many benefits are produced by eutrophication, such as an abundance of growth, many threats are posed to the rest of the water.
ReplyDeleteEutrophication (an increase in population in the water), affects the entire body of water immensely. When algae experience an influx, you will see cluttered colonies of algae covering the surface of the body of water. What this does is cut of the oxygen from the organisms living underneath the surface of the water. Not only does it cut off oxygen, which is necessary for life, but it also cuts off all natural light.
Based on the information I have gathered, I think it is appropriate to deduce that Central Park has an imbalanced macrobiotic life. By looking at the bodies of water, it is evident that there is an abundance of algae.
Algae cuts off all the oxygen from the organisms living beneath the algae, which can either, be fish, or any organism that lives under water. Algae creates an imbalanced macrobiotic life, and since there is an abundance of algae in the park I am led to believe that the park has a imbalanced macrobiotic life.
Bibliography
http://www.jstor.org/pss/25035799?searchUrl=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3Deutrophication%26acc%3Don%26wc%3Don&Search=yes
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/196751/eutrophication
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteWhen too many leaves fall into rivers, the leaves become pollution. The fungi that lives in the river, geofungi, tries to break down the pollution, however, the more polluted the river becomes, the more geofungi should grow. Results in this study showed the opposite: when there were too many leaves polluting the river, there were not enough fungi to break it down.
ReplyDeleteGeofungi lives by breaking down pollution in water, such as leaves. The more leaves pollute water, the more geofungi will adjust to the amount. The problem is that when too many leaves pollute a body of water, the geofungi has a hard time regulating itself, which causes an imbalance in the amount of pollution getting broken down to the amount of geofungi growing.
In conclusion, I predict that the bodies of water in Central Park are very polluted and not enough geofungi is growing. This kind of contamination within lakes and rivers can make it a harmful environment for animals to live in. Ultimately, this kind of impurity can lead to an unhealthy environment.
I made this assumption because the many trees of Central Park shed their leaves into lakes and rivers all the time, which seems to lead to build ups. This is a cycle that repeats itself over and over and in the end it makes it hard for geofungi to purify the water. Over time, pollution will continue to build up leaving water in Central Park contaminated.
http://www.jstor.org/stable/4095630?seq=9&Search=yes&searchText=Eutrophication&list=hide&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3Ffilter%3Diid%253A10.2307%252Fi378911%26Query%3DEutrophication%26Search.x%3D0%26Search.y%3D0%26wc%3Don&prevSearch=&item=3&ttl=6&returnArticleService=showFullText&resultsServiceName=null
http://www.jstor.org/stable/3807554?&Search=yes&searchText=fungi&searchText=pollution&list=hide&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3Dfungi%2Bpollution%26gw%3Djtx%26acc%3Don%26prq%3D%2528fungi%2Bpollution%2Bin%2Bwater%2529%2BAND%2Biid%253A%252810.2307%252Fi378911%2529%26Search%3DSearch%26hp%3D25%26wc%3Don&prevSearch=&item=2&ttl=5772&returnArticleService=showFullText
As the majority of my peers have already mentioned, population and activity of microscopic organisms located in natural bodies of water can mark the difference between a balanced and an unbalanced ecosystem. The park-regulated measurements of organism amounts inside the water are not enough to accurately determine the quality of the water. The addition of plant nutrients to the water (or Eutrophication), increases the amount of organisms such as algae in the water.
ReplyDeleteEutrophic zones of water with aquatic microscopic organisms result in the lack of oxygen that sadly exists deep below its surface. Since some organisms require a small amount of oxygen to thrive, this only makes the ecosystem more treacherous. Also, in more shallow areas, predators can consume the algae. Snails, for instance, and algae-eating fish may end up eating the "good" kind of algae. This is especially bad because growing algae is the first step towards eliminating eutrophitication in an aquatic ecosystem.
It is likely that Central Park does not have a good balance in microscopic organisms. There is quite a lot of algae in the reservoir, as well as some other aquatic creatures. Central Park is the home of the plants, the haven for habitat. It probably does not have the worst ecosystem, but it probably does minimum to help the aquatic ecosystem.
Needless to say, Central Park is a very environmentally concerned place. It probably is afraid to remove anything from their reservoirs because it would seem to harm the natural ecosystem. Even so, there is so much algae and other plant-like life in their bodies of water, clearly a sign of heavy eutrophication. Besides, have you ever even looked at their lakes? They are very very dirty, and the ducks are always surrounded by duckweed. Duckweed, although not being a microscopic organism/protist, can be very agressive and take up too much space in a natural body of water. Only if many of these organisms are moved PROFESSIONALLY can the microscopic organisms in Central Park be balanced once again.
Citations
http://www.aquaneering.com/pdf_files/aln_algae_article.pdf
http://www.jstor.org/pss/25035799?searchUrl=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3Deutrophication%26acc%3Don%26wc%3Don&Search=yes
http://aquaplant.tamu.edu/plant-identification/alphabetical-index/common-duckweed/
Aliza White
ReplyDeleteExcessive activity of any group of organisms may lead to ecological imbalance, when this happens it is called eutrophication. Common organisms that result in eutrophication are algae and zooplankton, these organisms happen to all be photosynthetic. When you change natural resources within an environment, an imbalance called eutrophication occurs. When nutrients accumulate, plankton and algae thrive which makes them the dominant inhabitant of the waters. When this occurs, it is a major issue because it does not allow other organisms such as fish to receive proper amounts of oxygen.
When eutrophication increases all organisms that live in bodies of water are affected. Eutrophication not only decreases the amounts of oxygen necessary to survive, but it also decreases the water quality. Due to the fact that a big part of our water source comes from lakes and ponds which are the waters being effected by eutrophication, this results in a lack of clean drinking water.
Based on my above research I feel as though eutrophication does occur in Central Park. The waters in Central Park are not tended to very often which would give them time to acquire imbalance. As I stated above, when an imbalance occurs, eutrophication occurs which results in bad things.
As I stated before, Central Park’s waters are not tended to very well, which would result in a higher risk of imbalance. When imbalance occurs, first there is an abundance of phytoplankton, which then increases the fish population because that is their main source of sustenance. When the fish population increases that leaves no space for any other population to thrive, resulting in unhealthy imbalance of the ecosystem.
Sources:
http://www.jamstec.go.jp/jamstec-e/tech/tech_3g/eutroE.html
http://www.jstor.org/pss/25035799?searchUrl=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3Deutrophication%26acc%3Don%26wc%3Don&Search=yes
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ReplyDeleteMany imbalances can affect its surrounding habitat. Eutrophication is key to an imbalance in the habitat. Eutrophication is a depletion of oxygen in water. So you can really find this anywhere, it could be a pond, a lake, or even the ocean. When these places get affected organisms can start to die.
ReplyDeleteEutrophication happens over a long period of time, it cannot happen right away. It is the process where a body of water has a lot of dissolved nutrients. These nutrients can come from dirt or even sewage. This makes decomposition of oxygen plants causing a lot of harm, which will result in the plant dying.
In my opinion Central park is imbalanced. There is a lot of sewage and garbage all over the park. Although there are people driving around cleaning the park it is not enough because litter is everywhere.
There is so much pollution on the ground you can go out to Central Park, look down and see a cigarette. Due to win a lot of litter will blow into the ponds causing a great imbalance of nutrients in the pond.
Sources
http://www.jstor.org/pss/25035606?searchUrl=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3DEutrophication%26acc%3Don%26wc%3Don&Search=yes
http://www.jstor.org/stable/25035549?&Search=yes&searchText=Eutrophication&list=hide&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3DEutrophication%26acc%3Don%26wc%3Don&prevSearch=&item=2&ttl=8939&returnArticleService=showFullText
Eutrophication is excessive richness of nutrients in a lake or other body of water. Eutrophication is a process that is happening in most bodies of water. More specifically Eutrophication is the excess growth of algae. When so much algae is grown it prohibits the growth of other plants.
ReplyDeleteAlgae can grow faster than other vascular plants. It also cuts down the oxygen supply. With too much algae the survival of other animals is not as possible. Algae also takes a way life from other biotic organisms because it is not clean. The algae growing would make water not fresh. Therefore, without freshwater humans do not have anything to drink. Eutrophication is an imbalance because there is so much algae dominating the population of the water habitat.
I do not think Central Park is very balanced. Most of the water in Central Park is not freshwater. Even our drinking water which may seem like it is freshwater from the reservoir is not freshwater. There is algae growing in that too but it gets filtered. There are other lakes or streams or ponds in Central Park which are most definitely not freshwater. There is so much algae that even we can see with our eyes that it is hard to imagine how the other organisms survive.
After my research I was able to hypothesize that most water is not balanced. It is very hard to keep water fresh. It is also almost inevitable that algae will grow in all water because of the nutrients that are provided. Algae is free growing and once the algae is abundant the water becomes imbalanced.
Sources:
http://www.eoearth.org/article/Eutrophication
http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/BCRC?vrsn=unknown&locID=nysl_me_trevday&srchtp=adv&c=1&ste=31&tbst=tsVS&tab=2&RNN=A261152494&docNum=A261152494&bConts=2
Imbalances in environments of microscopic organisms is very serious. This can cause an overgrowth of plants. These plants will clog up the water. The plants don't just clog up the bottom of the body of water, but since algae is also increased it clogs up the top of the water as well, so the entire body of water is infused with an abundance of plants. This turns the water green and the nitrogen and phosphorus levels are increased. This creates the problem.
ReplyDeleteThis imbalance also has another unwanted effect. In the bodies of water where this has occurred there is an increase in the death of marine animals. This destroys ecosystems. It does not just affect the underwater ecosystems, but the terrestrial ones as well.
I believe that Central Park has a problem. With all the human garbage that goes into it, and how dirty the water is, the algae and plants have been growing faster. Most of the bodies of water in Central Park have a greenish tinge, some more than others.
That is destroying the ecosystem found in the park. We may be destroying the park, but we do little to clean it up and maintain it, so we are effectively, just ruining our park even more thoroughly and quickly. This just proves that Central Park has a very large imbalance of microscopic organisms.
Bibliography
http://www.sciencedaily.com/articles/e/eutrophication.htm
http://www.eoearth.org/article/Eutrophication
A common imbalance is called eutrophication. Often eutrophication is harmful unintentionally to our environment and eco-system. It is usually found in lakes.
ReplyDeleteAll animals are part of the food chain. One's prey is another's predator. With that being said, all animals need one another to survive.
No water is crystal clear and perfectly clean. Bugs, fish, leaves and even rain can contaminate water. The only way to assure your water is perfectly clean is by filtering, something that is clearly not in the Central Park water.
Central park is clearly unbalanced. If you look at it you can easily tell this water is not clear and is highly polluted with litter. On the other hand, most water (if not all) is contaminated in some way, the water in Central Park is especially so.
Citation:
http://www.eoearth.org/article/Eutrophication
http://www.jstor.org/pss/25035549?searchUrl=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3DEutrophication%26acc%3Don%26wc%3Don&Search=yes
One imbalance in the ecosystem is eutrophication. Eutrophication is when there is an abundance of plant life in a body of water. This copious number of plants prevents other organisms such as fish from getting the proper nutrients.
ReplyDeleteIf organisms do not have the proper amounts of nutrition then they will die. Eutrophication can shut down an entire eco system. The condition of the water starts to decrease. Pretty soon the water is so polluted that drinking the water would be very unhealthy.
I think that there is a large problem in central park. The water is green, and many plants are growing.
I walk by the reservoir almost everyday and see algae on the sides. I also see the water is green. Another place that I often walk by is turtle pond. while there are still animals living there I does not look like the most healthy habitat.
http://www.jstor.org/pss/25035572?searchUrl=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3DEutrophication%26acc%3Don%26wc%3Don&Search=yes&
http://www.jstor.org/pss/25035799?searchUrl=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3DEutrophication%26acc%3Don%26wc%3Don&Search=yes
An imbalance of biotic organisms is caused when there is a larger amount of activity from one group of organisms than others. When the nutrients that the group of organisms needs to thrive increases, so does the amount of that organism (for example when you give crops more fertilizer the amount of crops usually increases.) An example of an imbalance of biotic organisms is eutrophication (plant nutrients in a body of water that cause organisms to thrive.) The most common organisms in a body of water are algae and bacteria.
ReplyDeleteYou can tell how much eutrophication is in a body of water by the amount of algae. There will be a fewer amount of algae in a lake with less eutrophication and more algae in a lake with more eutrophication. The amount of eutrophication affects all of the life in that body of water including plants, animals, bacteria, etc. An issue that occurs with too much eutrophication is that there is so much algae and waters infested with algae are not safe to drink. If a high level of eutrophication spreads to many bodies of water than there will be a shortage of clean drinking water.
I do not think that Central Park has a very good balance of biotic organisms. There are many different organisms in the park and there are definitely some that are apparent in larger amounts than others. From plants, to animals, to the bodies of water there are more of one kind of organism than others.
An example from the park that shows an imbalance of biotic organisms are the bodies of water. In the bodies of water there is not a lot of algae, which shows a low level of eutrophication. Many organisms, including fish, need a high eutrophication level in order to thrive. If there continues to be a low eutrophication level in central park bodies of water than the future of some organisms not be so bright.
Sources:
Fruh, E. G. "The Overall Picture of Eutrophication." Water Environment Federation (1967): 1449-451. JSTOR. Water Pollution Control Federation. Web. 10 Nov. 2011. http://www.jstor.org/stable/25035799?Search=yes&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3DEutrophication%26acc%3Don%26wc%3Don
Oswald, William J., and C. G. Golueke. "Eutrophication Trends in the United States - A Problem?" Water Environment Federation (1966): 964-67. JSTOR. Water Pollution Control Federation. Web. 10 Nov. 2011. http://www.jstor.org/stable/25035572?seq=1&Search=yes&searchText=Eutrophication&list=hide&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3DEutrophication%26acc%3Don%26wc%3Don&prevSearch=&item=1&ttl=8849&returnArticleService=showFullText&resultsServiceName=null
Xavier
ReplyDeleteSection 93
11/9/11
The effects of waste on oxygen resources in a body of water are difficult to properly proper. So, in order to the health of the water, studies have been done on nutrients (and more specifically plant nutrients). The best way to complete such experiments is to measure the growth of crop production. If nutrients go into the water, organisms are more likely to live and increase. However, if there is an abundance of an organism (a result of too many nutrients), that organism will create what is known as an imbalance in an environment.
Eutrophication, or the process of nutrients being added to a body of water. This eutrophication creates lots ecological imbalances, which can arise in numerous fashions. For example, if there is a "bloom" of multiple organisms in a body of water, the water becomes more likely to become extinct faster. Another example of imbalance is through humans. As has now become common knowledge, humans are not only the greatest source of pollution in the world, they are also the greatest users of resources. As humans use resources such as water, long, ever-present, natural, geological changes speed up and become quite common. This creates more than enough imbalance for our resources to handle.
Central Park is not a major resource for human imbalance. Humans do not use Central Park for all resources, nor is Central Park the victim of lots of eutrophication. With this statement, it is probably unlikely that the microbiotic populations of Central Park are in danger.
Cited Sources
http://www.jstor.org/pss/25035799?searchUrl=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3DEutrophication%26acc%3Don%26wc%3Don&Search=yes
http://www.jstor.org/pss/25035606?searchUrl=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3DEutrophication%26acc%3Don%26wc%3Don&Search=yes
When bodies of water originally form they are not filled with many nutrients and are there for oligotrophic. As time goes on through bacterial and other decompositions of the sediments the water becomes increasingly filled with nutrients in which many organisms like plankton survive on. The increase of plankton and other organisms leads to eutrophication, which changes the way, the organisms on the surface of the water and in the very bottom of the water live.
ReplyDeleteOne of the symptoms of an imbalance in microscopic organisms is overpopulation. The over population is called eutrophication and it is the increase of plant nutrients in a body of water. With the increase of nutrients there is an increase in population. Usually algae and plankton both populate very quickly and with the growth in their nutrients they can very quickly overpopulate. This is ecologically bad because in the body of water that is over populated there becomes a lack of oxygen and many other organisms are dying from not taking in enough air.
With a very good environment it can be easy for a body of water for to become overpopulated. Since Central Park has contaminated water I think it won’t be in its eutrophic state. However the park is taken pretty good care of so there will defiantly be organisms within each body of water. My assumption is that it is in a mesotrophic state.
Central Park has a few bodies of water within it. One prominent one is the reservoir. I think the Central Park Reservoir is mesotrophic because its amount of wildlife and organisms is not plentiful but it is neither a scarce amount. You can see different organisms such as turtles, fish and algae. Although the water is polluted the body of water seems to be well off and balanced.
Clair N. Sawyer
Journal (Water Pollution Control Federation)
Vol. 38, No. 5 (May, 1966), pp. 737-744
(article consists of 8 pages)
Published by: Water Environment Federation
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/25035549
E. Gus Fruh
Journal (Water Pollution Control Federation)
Vol. 39, No. 9 (Sep., 1967), pp. 1449-1463
(article consists of 15 pages)
Published by: Water Environment Federation
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/25035799
The life cycle of a body of water is important to understand before understanding the imbalances of microscopic life within them. When a body of water is young it has a low amount of nutrients (oligotrophic). This means that it does not support very much life. When the body of water is middle aged it has a good amount of nutrients (mesotrophic). This supports a perfect amount of life. When it becomes old it has too many nutrients, and becomes over populated. This overpopulation is called eutrophic.
ReplyDeleteA common imbalance of microscopic organisms is eutrophication. The main symptom of Eutrophication is an overpopulation of an organism. This happens because the body of water receives nutrients allowing a certain organism to flourish, a little too much. This happens in many lakes and other bodies of water. This overpopulation causes an imbalance in the entire body of water. Not only do the other aquatic plants have trouble growing when there are an excessive amount of an organism such as algae or plankton, but it results in less oxygen. The low amount of oxygen makes it difficult for any organism to survive.
In Central Park I believe that the microscopic organisms are balanced. Though often bodies of water are not mesotrophic, it seems that Central park is. saying so, I also believe that the bodies of water are polluted. Overall Central Park is taken care of, and the bodies of water are able to support life.
The reasoning behind my hypothesis is that Central Park seems to have some life within the bodies of water. For example if you look into the reservoir, or even turtle pond, there is clearly life. Though they may be polluted and contaminated, they seem to be semi-balanced, and support life. This must mean that they are mesotrophic, and have a good amount of nutrients.
The Overall Picture of Eutrophication
E. Gus Fruh
Journal (Water Pollution Control Federation) , Vol. 39, No. 9 (Sep., 1967), pp. 1449-1463
Published by: Water Environment Federation
Article Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/25035799
Basic Concepts of Eutrophication
Clair N. Sawyer
Journal (Water Pollution Control Federation) , Vol. 38, No. 5 (May, 1966), pp. 737-744
Published by: Water Environment Federation
Article Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/25035549
Algae is a major factor of the imbalance of microscopic organisms and the negative effects of that imbalance on its environment. One place algae can commonly be found are lakes since algae are "Plant-like" protists, and they obtain nutrients through photosynthesis, so they cannot live deep in the ocean where there is no light. Algae has both a positive and negative effect on its environment. The "good algae" greatly aid their environment when they are in abundance,giving off oxygen and providing nutrients giving off positive chemicals to their surroundings. They do not interfere with the ph level of their environment and they do not take away oxygen that is needed by other living things. Unfortunately, the bad algae do just the opposite, changing the ph level, and taking too much oxygen from their surrounding, causing detrimental effects such as fish-kill, horrible odor and color, as well as causing water processing problems. An imbalance of algae is actually beneficial, but only when the "good algae" predominates.
ReplyDeleteMany protozoas, or "zoo-plankton" live in oceans and seas. Protozoas feed on algae, and a balanced number of protozoas is beneficial to its algae surroundings because they absorb the nutrients given off by algae such as oxygen. However, there is are too many protozoas, they absorb all the nutrients from the algae, leaving other organisms such as fish and bacteria, malnourished. Protozoas generally live near the "Good Algae" mentioned in the previous paragraph, and if the effects of the good algae are only absorbed by protozoas, then all the other ocean and sea organisms can longer benefit from the good "algae." If those organsims lose the benefits of the good algae, they will suffer from the lack of Oxygen normally provided by the now defunct "good algae", and a the ph level of their surroundings will change deleteriously.
In all Central Park imbalance and balance both exist. which is why not all bodies of water in central park have more of the green colored "good algae" than the red or blue-green colored "bad algae." Many bodies of water in central parks are odorous and oddly colored due to an influx of "bad algae" The protozoa count is not always perfect, which is why there is an inconsistent algae population in central Park.
Central also has a large amount of balanced ecological environments. The environment engages in normal reactions to its surroundings. The color of plants change according to season. Plenty of Green algae is predominates, in its environment, over red algae, which is a symptom of positive protozoan population.
citations: http://www2.dmu.dk/1_viden/2_publikationer/3_fagrapporter/rapporter/FR388.pdf
ReplyDeletehttp://www.aquaneering.com/pdf_files/aln_algae_article.pdf
Algae is a type of bacteria. Algae is good because it feeds the food chain and then it releases oxygen. There is no problem with regular green algae. There never seems to be too much of it and it is eaten by the smallest organism, zooplankton.
ReplyDeleteWe lost control of algae when the blue-green variety came into the lakes from which we drink. They emit less oxygen and they are eaten less. It is not that they are not as healthy, but blue-green algae float to the surface. They float to the top and cut off sunlight from all other organisms in that water source. It hurts our drinking water and throws off the food chain.
Central Park is a good example of such over population. The boat lake, near the center of the park, is covered in algae. To the human eye it looks just as green as regular algae. We are making a mistake. Central Park has lost control of algae population.
This breed of algae cuts off the sun from zooplankton, who feed the small fish, who feed the big fish, who are in the water, which we drink. Without that chain the water will be filled with algae with nothing to clean it up. That would be a terrible disaster.
http://www.health.ny.gov/environmental/water/drinking/bluegreenalgae.htm
http://www.freedrinkingwater.com/water_quality/quality2/j-3-08-algae-beneficial-effects-on-water-supplies.htm
Eutrophication is a word which describes the imbalance of biotic organisms in an ecosystem. An imbalance that happens often that imbalances occurs in algae and is called eutrophication. Also making sure you know the cycle of water is very important because their are imbalances of microscopoc organisms in this cycle. When water is young it has very little oligraphic nutrients meaning that it isnt supporting that much life , but when the body of water gets older it gains more nutrients. However , when this body of water gets older it thens becomes over populated which is called eutrophic.
ReplyDeleteThe biggest imbalance is the over population in water. Usually algae and plankton both populate very quickly and with the growth of these two organisms makes it less oxygen for the other organisms living there. Additionally , too much eutrophication mean that there areso much algae and waters then becomes infested with algae are not safe to drink. This meaning that the more algae means less clean water there is to drink.
I conclude that the bodies of water in Central Park are not contaminated. Central Park is being taken care of in a good way meaning there isn't going to be a lot of algae so the water is going to be clean and safe to drink.There will be organisms within each body of water. I feel as the water in Central Park is balanced.
Central Park seems to have organisms living within their bodies of water. If you even look into the pond you can see that it is life living there without a doubt. Sometimes the water may look contaminated the water seems to look balanced and it really supports the life living in that water. This simply means that they are mesotrophic and has a good amount of nutrients.
Discipline. "JSTOR: An Error Occurred Setting Your User Cookie." JSTOR: An Error Occurred Setting Your User Cookie. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Nov. 2011. <http://www.jstor.org/pss/25035799?searchUrl=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch
Clair N. Sawyer
Journal (Water Pollution Control Federation)
Vol. 38, No. 5 (May, 1966), pp. 737-744
(article consists of 8 pages)
Published by: Water Environment Federation
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/25035549
There are imbalances of microscopic organisms on Earth that affects the way the world functions. Phytoplankton is a good example of a microscopic organism that has a major role on Earth. About a million phytoplankton (commonly known as algae) are found in only a single liter of ocean water. There is an abundance of phytoplankton in the ocean because it makes up the majority of the living matter in the sea. Phytoplankton is a plant, and plants use photosynthesis (which requires sunlight) to get energy. Phytoplankton populations’ increase and decrease based on how much available sunlight there is reflecting into the ocean water.
ReplyDeletePhytoplankton is a marine microbe, which is known for having a positive effect on the Earth's climate. For example, the photosynthesis by phytoplankton absorbs the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere which helps the Greenhouse Effect stay leveled. There are other types of microbes that produce chemicals that create clouds. A problem that happens to the abundance of phytoplankton species is that they normally die out during the winter. This is because hardly any sunlight can pass through the sheets of ice that cover the bodies of water, where the phytoplankton lives.
My prediction is that the microbiotic health of Central Park is most likely imbalanced. In Central Park there are many ponds, which hold hundreds of organisms all year long. Phytoplankton, bacteria, protists, and other microbes are prey to other animals that live in the pond. If there are too many or too less of these microbes it can significantly affect pond life in Central Park.
I predict this because larger organisms feed off of phytoplankton, and if the majority of the phytoplankton dies out during the winter, than so will the fish, turtles, and other animals that live in the ponds. It is a chain-link of events, if one thing happens to something it affects the other.
Cites:
1) http://www.antarctica.gov.au/about-antarctica/fact-files/animals/microscopic-organisms
2) http://www.antarctica.gov.au/science/australian-antarctic-science-strategy-200405-201011/adaptation-to-environmental-change/biology/marine-microbial-ecology
Eutrophication is an imbalance of microscopic organisms; euthrophication is the addition of plant nutrients to a body of water. When there is a high eutrophic in lakes they begin to grow large quantities of algae and very little of genera. This affects other living organisms in the water because they no longer have enough oxygen to live.
ReplyDeleteEutrophication had other unwanted effects on water because due to the rapid growth of algae in water there is now a concern in the preservation of water resources. This is because eutrophication shuts down the eco system and the water conditions for drinking it will become unhealthy and dangerous. This gives humans a lack of supply for clean water.
There is a large problem in central park due to the fact that the water is green and there is an over population in algae and other plants that cause the water to lose oxygen and have the living organisms die. Not only is the water polluted with algae and other plants there is litter and other garbage that makes it hard for water to be even close to clean
After my research and reading I have concluded that a vast majority of the bodies of water do not have fresh water this is because of the imbalance of the ecosystem. It is normal for bodies of water to have other plants grow in it but to have a rapid growth of plants all of a sudden could lead to trouble for humans and aquatic organisms.
http://www.jstor.org/pss/25035799?searchUrl=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3Deutrophication%26acc%3Don%26wc%3Don&Search=yes
http://www.jstor.org/pss/25035572?searchUrl=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3DEutrophication%26acc%3Don%26wc%3Don&Search=yes
Any given ecosystem will include a biotic and abiotic component. The biotic component will include living organisms, such as plants or animals, and abiotic component are other elements, such as water, air, and soil. Changes and variations in abiotic components may cause imbalance in the ecologic environment, because the survival of various parts of an ecosystem are linked together. Any disruption in the food chain, for example, will affect other organisms in the ecosystem. One type of disruption in ecosystems may be caused by variations at the microbiotic level, which included protists. They are single-celled organisms, and one commonly found specimen are algae. Algae are what cause pond water to turn green and are also found in the green scum that float in ponds in the summer time. Green algae produce food by photosynthesis, like plants do.
ReplyDeleteUnlike algae, however, that survive in the open environment, there are types of parasitic protists that need the body of a living organism to survive. These parasitic protists include intestinal amoeba parasite that causes intestinal infections and diarrhea. Protists are found in almost every habitat on Earth, including oceans, mountain peaks, ponds, swamps and rivers, and even in water containing industrial waste. Parasitic protists infiltrate their host through the food chain.
Change in the abiotic environment, such as for instance global warming may have a severe impact on the growth rate of parasitic protists.. In colder climates, where bodies of water may be more abundant, even slight increases in temperature may lead to an explosion in parasitic protist populations, some which are harmful to animals. Central Park has several lakes and ponds, and is vulnerable to such an explosion.
Most animals that live in Central Park are in regular contact with bodies of water that are found there. All protists, including the parasitic ones, are fond of environments that contain water. Thus, even if the temperature of these lakes rises by a few degrees, their population of parasitic protists will increase. They will infiltrate animals that drink or swim in these lakes at a greater speed. As the parasitic protists thrive, animals in Central Park will perish. The microbiotic health of Central Park is therefore not very strong, as global warming will have a negative effect on its animal population.
Sources:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/51347175/Balance-in-Nature
http://www.microbeworld.org/htm/aboutmicro/microbes/types/protista.htm
www.uga.edu/protozoa/education/.../for_students_sop_web_ora.doc
Sarah Wilentz
ReplyDelete11/10/11
Biology 9
The imbalance of biotic organisms can create a major change, and is a huge issue in any aquatic ecosystem. A problem of immense importance caused by imbalance is accelerated eutrophication (the process of a body of water becoming enriched in dissolved nutrients), and specifically “algal blooms.” Green algae are completely healthy, and actually, necessary. They serve as the primary food source for most macro and microorganisms living in bodies of water; they keep the water clean, and they are our dominant source of oxygen. Other species of algae, however, can be extremely harmful to a lake’s ecosystem. Red, brown, and blue green (pond scum) species are much more proliferative than green algae, and can easily overrun it, causing the body of water that is host to the particular algal bloom’s ecosystem to be completely ruined.
Devastating algal blooms can be caused by an abundance of nutrients, light and CO2. Warm temperatures, phosphates, and nitrogenous waste, such as ammonia, nitrite, and particularly nitrate, can cultivate these algal blooms. Due to the legality of high phosphate detergents (16 states have banned these harmful cleaning agents), sewage dumping, and population concentration, Eutrophication will only increase in speed during the coming years. Eutrophication is predicted to double in the next 25 years and again double at the turn of the century.
It is highly unlikely for any body of water to have an even balance of biotic organisms, and I doubt that Central Park’s ponds and reservoir are an exception of this. There is such a heavy presence of plants alone living in central park, in the water and on land, that it seems unlikely that Central Park has a balanced ecosystem
When observing the water in the park, it is apparent that there are large presences of different types of algae in different areas. In a specific pond in the park, the entire body of water is covered (during the warm weather months) in a slimy greenish red substance that is likely algae, signifying the eutrophication of Central Park’s ponds.
1. http://www.aquaneering.com/pdf_files/aln_algae_article.pdf
2. http://www.jstor.org/pss/25035799?searchUrl=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3DEutrophication%26acc%3Don%26wc%3Don&Search=yes
Rex Jannot
ReplyDeleteBiology 92
11/10/11
There are a number of imbalences that effect ecological environment. The biggest problem that small bodies of water have to deal with is eutrophication. Eutrophication is when there is an excessive richness in a usually small body of water. Many things can cause eutrophication.
Eutrophication is a natural process, but is being sped up by humans. An example of eutrophication naturally happening is when there are too many organisms, such as algae, in a small body of water like a lake. However, pollution can also effect eutrophication.
Due to my research, my prediction is that the microbiotic health of Central Park is imbalanced. If you just walk to any lake in Central Park you will see that there is an overpopulation of algae. This is a big problem.
The algae in Central Park is everywhere. It overpopulates the small lakes that are in Central Park. The lakes in Central Park are very rich in algae, and the richer the water, the more imbalanced the water.
Sources:
1. http://www.jstor.org/stable/76206?&Search=yes&searchText=eutrophication&list=hide&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3Deutrophication%26Search.x%3D0%26Search.y%3D0%26wc%3Don&prevSearch=&item=6&ttl=8939&returnArticleService=showFullText
2. http://www.jstor.org/stable/25035606?&Search=yes&searchText=eutrophication&list=hide&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3Deutrophication%26Search.x%3D0%26Search.y%3D0%26wc%3Don&prevSearch=&item=4&ttl=8939&returnArticleService=showFullText
Imbalance of microscopic organisms is when there is more activity from one organism than there is of another. If something of such happens it can prevent other organisms from getting the right nutrients. A common example of this is Eutrophication.
ReplyDeleteEutrophication (in a lake) adds an abundance of nutrients to a dense crop growth. Algae for example, it grows at the surface of the lake closer to the sun, keeping the sunlight from reaching plants and other organisms below. If the algae continues growing in this way, it leads to fish and other organisms dying because they couldn't get enough oxygen, sunlight, or other sources of nutrients.
The lakes in Central Park are not an exception, they also have such things occur. Lakes and ponds have algae growing over the surface, and people are trying to sort out this issue. Although, I do think there is more balance there than there could be.
I think that even though we should be worried about this, the lakes in Central Park are not as bad as they could be. Birds eat the algae, and we still manage to see other organisms in the water. People are still trying to sort out this issue, but so far it seems to be doing alright.
http://www.jstor.org/pss/25035799?searchUrl=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3DEutrophication%26acc%3Don%26wc%3Don&Search=yes
http://www.jstor.org/pss/25035606?searchUrl=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3DEutrophication%26acc%3Don%26wc%3Don&Search=yes
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ReplyDeleteAn imbalance of microscopic organisms can be detrimental in the ecologic environment because in an example of eutrophication, if there is too much of one organism, in this case algae, the other species have trouble surviving and thriving. Too much of something is never good, everything needs to be balanced so when there is an imbalance of organisms in certain areas there can be harmful effects.
ReplyDeleteEutrophication in clearer words it is when algae over populates an area of water causing other life forms to not be able to coexist. Other organism cannot always survive when eutrophication takes place because the algae eliminate the oxygen from the body of water. If the species being over powered by algae are not adaptable, there is a high risk of them not surviving. Balanced amounts of algae are not always safe for those who drink, so an even greater amount of it would only harm the ecologic environment more.
Central park has had issues in the past dealing with eutrophication problems. There had been to much algae in the reservoir, and its growth had to be stopped so drinking water could be safer. Due to the overpowering amounts of algae fish began to die. This leads me to believe the macrobiotic health of Central Park is not always safe due to imbalances of microscopic organisms. The water levels were lowered to slow the algae growth and make the water less toxic, but because this event occurred years the macrobiotic health of Central Park could have changed.
I finally came to the conclusion that if eutrophication once occurred in bodies of water in Central Park and that it has not gone away because it still an issue. This means that there are areas of water within the park that contain toxins such as algae. I conclude that there are unsafe and intoxicated areas within Central Park because of the many fish that have died due to large amount of algae, and algae in the park has been a problem for decades.
Cited Sources:
http://www.jstor.org/stable/25035799?&Search=yes&searchText=eutrophication&list=hide&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3Deutrophication%26acc%3Don%26wc%3Don&prevSearch=&item=11&ttl=8849&returnArticleService=showFullText
http://www.nytimes.com/1990/12/02/nyregion/water-in-central-park-reservoir-is-lowered-to-stop-algae-growth.html?pagewanted=2&src=pm
http://www.nytimes.com/1994/06/13/nyregion/algae-kills-fish-in-central-park-lake.html
Sometimes, in a body of water, an increase of mineral and organic nutrients occurs, reducing the amount of oxygen present. This is called eutrophication. In this type of environment, plant life is favored over animal life. Algae and other water plants end up competing for the oxygen (and winning!), eventually killing the other forms of life.
ReplyDeleteA major cause of eutrophication is when phosphorus is plentiful in a stream or lake. The phosphorus is present because of agriculture (runoff from feedlots) and soil erosion. To avoid phosphorus in surface water would be to use good soil-conservation practices and to minimize runoff from animal concentrations/manure.
If one were to look at a body of water where eutrophication has occurred, one would most likely see a green substance taking over: algae. There are lots of bodies of water in Central Park, from the Reservoir to Turtle Pond. From the information I obtained, I would conclude that Central Park is generally healthy from a microbiotic view.
The bodies of water in Central Park are not covered with algae. In fact, there are often living organisms like ducks, fish and turtles that can be seen daily. If Central Park was microbiotically unhealthy, creatures would not be able to live in/drink the water, and the appearance of the water itself would be drastically different.
Bibliography:
"Agricultural Technology." Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online School Edition.
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 2011. Web. 10 Nov. 2011.
.
Oswald, William J., and C.G. Golueke. "Eutrophication Trends in the United States: A Problem?" Journal (Water Pollution Control Federation). 1966. Web. 10 Nov. 2011. .
The imbalances of microscopic organisms affect the ecological environment in a very big way because they determine whether a population will die out or survive. If there is a imbalanced population of algae that grows in the water, when it floats to the top it covers the light which is trying to reach the organisms below as well as oxygen which is cut off instead of reaching the other organisms causing them to die out. If there is more algae growing and reproducing then the other organisms then the populations of organisms are unbalanced.
ReplyDeleteEutrophication, the excessive amount of nutrients in a body of water, is another cause of imbalances of organisms. If the amount of nutrients is increased then the bacteria, fish, algae, and vegetation will increase as well. The most common symptom of Eutrophication is the overpopulation of an organism due to an increase in nutrients. If an organism gets overpopulated then other organisms will eventually die out because they aren't getting enough oxygen and nutrients needed to live. In deep lakes with temperatures that are divided, the lack of oxygen is also a symptom of the increase in nutrients.
Central Park puddles are not balanced, and they not an ideal living place because organisms cannot live in such dirty water. When we went to Central Park and took samples of the puddle water and examined them under the microscope the only organisms that we found were protists because protists can live in almost any environment as long as there is oxygen.
The puddles in Central Park are imbalanced because there are certain populations that are more dominant then others that survive and reproduce as opposed to the populations that die out because they are not getting enough nutrition to survive. The most dominant population in Central Park is algae, it can be found in many places.
Sources:
http://www.school.eb.com/eb/article-12073?query=eutrophication&ct=null
http://www.jstor.org/pss/25035799?searchUrl=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3DEutrophication%26acc%3Don%26wc%3Don&Search=yes
http://www.jstor.org/stable/25035572?Search=yes&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3DEutrophication%26acc%3Don%26wc%3Don
An imbalance of the ratio of organisms in a population may become seriously detrimental to the organisms who inhabit it. All organisms in a population require the presence (or lack or presence) of others, either by a symbiotic, parasitic, or predatory relationship (with the latter two best describing most marriages).
ReplyDeleteThe process of imbalance that occurs in bodies of water is known as eutrophication (from the Greek "eutrophia," with "eu" meaning well, and "troph" meaning nourish). Eutrophication may occur when a surplus of nutrients enters the body of water, by runoff and soil erosion or some other cause, leading to an increase in the amount of plant and plant-like protist life, such as algae. These organisms will consume most of the needed nutrients, as well as contaminate the water for other organisms.
While Central Park is a wide array of varying environments, the majority of Central Park seems to have an adequate ecological equilibrium. The New York City environmental departments and organizations provide a healthy environment, and many bodies of water such as the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir do not appear to contain an overwhelming amount of bacteria.
With many exceptions, most areas in Central Park have healthy, green flora with animals that inhabit the area as well. While bodies of water may possess a small amount of visible algae, they also contain fish and most likely other microorganisms as well. Perhaps one of the few reasons for imbalance in Central Park would be the manmade pollution caused by hundreds of thousands of visitors each day.
Works Cited:
http://www.jstor.org/stable/25035606
http://www.jstor.org/stable/25035799
From 1987-1997 pathologies of coral reef organisms increased in number and spread over a wider area. Although the causes have not been found studies show a decline in the health of the coral reef ecosystem. Stony carbons seem to be sensitive to sediment excessive nutrients, and chemical pollution from agricultural urban and domestic sources. They cannot relocate to healthier places because of the cumulative effects of exposure to phosphates, pesticides, raw sewage, and herbicides. The coral reef ecosystem has also been affected by disease causing micro organisms are affected throughout the year depending on changes in temperature and almost always result in destruction in tissue. In this study it was found that some of the coral diseases could be explained by a decline of the coral groups to protect themselves from the increasing numbers of invasive marine pathogens.
ReplyDeleteSome of coral organisms are capable of recovering from bleaching effects any have died, which is more decimation to the survival of the coral reef. Most of the diseases reported are in the Caribbean. There is evidence that ecosystems like the coral reef lose the ability to protect themselves and pathogens get stronger. Repeated episodes of pollution increase the diseases of the organisms that are a necessary for a healthy environment in the coral reef. This same mechanism works in different ecosystems. Changes in climate also make the ecosystem weaker and more susceptible to disease. These changes can be changes in temperature or the amount of rainfall. More rainfall causes soil runoff and increases pollution in water. This further disrupts the healthy ecosystem, causing an increase in harmful bacteria growth and changes in plant growth that damage the environment.
Pollution has been shown to disrupt the health of ecosystems by changing the bacteria and plant growth and leading to the sickness and death of the organisms in the environment. I think the macrobiotic health of the Central Park water system is good, but is danger of becoming unhealthier unless it is protected from pollution.
The reason I think that the Central Park water system is healthy is because there is a large water shed area that feeds into the water system and keeps clean water flowing into it. It is in danger of becoming unhealthy because it exists in the middle of an urban environment. The air is polluted and there is runoff from rainfalls of fertilizer and other chemicals into the water. All of this pollution will increase if the watershed area becomes more populated and the strain of the urban environment becomes larger. This will lead to a greater imbalance in the ecosystem due to unnatural growth of bacteria and plants.
Cites:
http://www.amlc-carib.org/meetings/procs/1997AMLC_Proceedings/hayes.pdf
http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v476/n7361/full/476375d.html
An excessive amount of nutrients located in a single body of water, usually a small lake or pond, is called eutrophacition. Sometimes this can be beneficial to the small lake or pond, and sometimes it can be hurtful. When there is an imbalance of nutrients it is not always good, because that type of nutrients may be the hurtful kind. Younger bodies of water tend to have less nutrients, and older ones tend to have more nutrients. This means that it is easier for eutrophacition to be present in older bodies of water.
ReplyDeleteEutrophacition in a bad way is kind of like a city. When a city is formed there are not that many people living in it. After many years a city will grow larger, and like New York City grow to serve a population of over eight million people. If the city were to grow larger then there would not be enough food for everbody. This is just like a body of water. If one species grows larger, then that species needs will grow larger and eventually be gone.
My research leeds me to conclude that central park does not experience eutrophacitation to a high extent. There are going to be species where are more present then others, but I don't think it is a high problem in Central Park. I have spent a lot of time near the reservoir and I have noticed that there is algae on the sides, but it does not seem to be a large amount.
The reservoir serves as some of New York stat's tap water. This suggests that the water has to be clean to be used. Even though there are filters that the water goes through before it is distributed to the public, it still needs to be semi clean.
Sources:
http://www.jstor.org/stable/25035572?&Search=yes&searchText=eutrophication&list=hide&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3Deutrophication%26gw%3Djtx%26acc%3Don%26prq%3Dimbalance%2Bbiology%26Search%3DSearch%26hp%3D25%26wc%3Don&prevSearch=&item=1&ttl=8939&returnArticleService=showFullText
http://www.jstor.org/stable/25035549?&Search=yes&searchText=eutrophication&list=hide&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3Deutrophication%26gw%3Djtx%26acc%3Don%26prq%3Dimbalance%2Bbiology%26Search%3DSearch%26hp%3D25%26wc%3Don&prevSearch=&item=2&ttl=8939&returnArticleService=showFullText
One major organism imbalance that happens in aquatic ecosystems is due to Eutrophication. This is the increase of plant nutrients in a body of water. This naturally causes an increase in the plant population in that particular ecosystem, particularly algae. With such a dominance of this particular type of protist in an ecosystem, the other organisms tend to be very outnumbered and thinned out. This is why it is an imbalance.
ReplyDeleteSuch an abundance of this particular protist is quite damaging to the aquatic ecosystems. Without having a balanced environment, with other types of organisms, the water becomes totally polluted and could eventually turn into marsh land. This type of unbalance creates a polluted and unsafe environment.
I believe that the ecosystem in central park is very well balanced. The park has been around since the 1800's and since then has maintained a wide variety of habitats and ecosystems since then. The park is well maintained and it seems to be a thriving ecosystem.
I believe that central park has a balanced ecosystem because it is able to support a wide variety of life in many different settings, and has been constantly doing so for a long time. There are no apparent areas that are not thriving or that are suffering. The park seems to have an over all healthy ecosystem, maintaining areas such as the "Pinetum" and "The Ramble". Such thriving areas are evidence to the fact that central park has a balanced and healthy ecosystem.
1. Sources:
http://www.jstor.org/pss/25035799?searchUrl=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3Deutrophication%26acc%3Don%26wc%3Don&Search=yes
2. http://www.jstor.org/pss/25035549?searchUrl=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3DEutrophication%26acc%3Don%26wc%3Don&Search=yes
3. http://www.ny.com/articles/centralpark.html
An imbalance in biotic organism can damage and affect the ecological environment greatly. A common type of imbalance that occurs in algae is known as eutrophication. Eutrophication occurs when there are excessive amount of nutrients or organisms. This leads to growth in algae or phytoplankton, which would bring negative environmental effects such as depletion in oxygen and lowered water qualities that would cause other organisms to suffer.
ReplyDeleteThe cause of eutrophication can be natural but humans and their activities mostly cause it. Untreated sewage waste and agricultural run-offs can flow into ecological system and destroy the system completely. As the eutrophication increases, lives surrounding water are affected by the decreasing water quality. There will be increase deaths of desirable fish and other lives. Since lakes and rivers are the only sources of fresh water, the water cannot be used because the quality is so poor. Not only is the quality poor but also unpleasant smell would be added. Rate of eutrophication is increasing rapidly and it is causing difficulties in keeping lakes and rivers clean.
Based on my research, I believe that the health of the Central Park is not so good. It has been around for a long period of time, which would result in excess amount and imbalance of certain organisms. Not only that, but also the park exists inside one of the world’s largest city, New York.
The pollutions and untreated sewage waste created in the city would add on to the imbalanced ecology. Growth of phytoplankton has caused the decreasing water qualities and loss of many lives. The transparency of the water, which is not so clear, supports my idea that the ecology is imbalanced. Although, we humans try to clean and maintain our lakes and our beautiful environment, we cannot completely stop the imbalance of biotic organisms and the affects of it.
Citation:
http://www.jstor.org/pss/25035799?searchUrl=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3Deutrophication%26acc%3Don%26wc%3Don&Search=yes
http://www.jstor.org/stable/25035549?&Search=yes&searchText=eutrophication&list=hide&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3Deutrophication%26acc%3Don%26wc%3Don&prevSearch=&item=2&ttl=8849&returnArticleService=showFullText
Eutrophication is excessive richness of nutrients in a lake or other body of water, frequently due to runoff from the land, which causes a dense growth of plant life. If there is too much plant life of one species, then that species will take over the environment, which creates an imbalance in the environment. This is the same thing as with bacteria and protists. If there is a excess of one species in an environment, that environment will become imbalanced.
ReplyDeleteFor instance if there is an excess amount of a certain bacteria or protist in a source such as the subway platform floor, then that will continue to happen. The certain organism that there is too much of will reproduce at a faster rate because there are more organisms to begin with. This will cause this species of organism to take over the source and be completely dominant over the other species.
In Central Park, if we take Turtle Pond, and have an excess amount of one species of algae, that species will show up more and more in the surrounding areas and especially in the pond itself. The other species may die off and become nonexistent in the pond, making it imbalanced.
The logic in this is that if there is large disparity between the population of one species and another, then that species with the higher population will grow faster because of the number of organisms reproducing at or around the same time.
the imbalance of organisms is occuring more and more and gradually getting worse. do to eutrophication bodies of water are becoming more polluted like with algae. the abundance of algae is greater than the rest of the organisms in the water and algae takes away oxygen. when this happens other organisms die.
ReplyDeletethe algae flourishing causes more and more organisms to die causing a great imbalance in the ecosystem of lakes and other bodies of water. the water could eventually become useless to humans because of how unhealthy the water would be do to the eutrophication. eutrophication will eventually cause all bodies of water to become polluted.
Central park is definitely has many different types of organisms thriving in and out of water. yet i think that central park for example the reservoir is not as bad and unsafe as you might think. it is still on the verge of becoming a place of imbalance though.
we use the reservoir for water which is why i think that my answer is logical. sure there has to be some kind of filter but it is not to the point that it is not able to be filtered. we still use it as humans and are healthy for the most part.
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ReplyDeleteThrough my research it has come to my attention that certain species of a microscopic animal known as a nematode cause an imbalance of sorts in ecosystems. Nematodes are roundworms that, when parasitic, tend to attack the roots of plants, feeding off them and eventually killing them. They also spread quite easily. Species of these parasites include the Root-Knot Nematode, Root-Lesion Nematode, and Golden Nematode. Some nematodes are endoparasites, meaning they live inside the host’s body. Others are ectoparasites, which feed from outside. A famous example of a nematode imbalance was of the Golden Nematode, which is a great detriment to Europe’s potato industry.
ReplyDeleteOn a totally different scale, a bacterium by the name of Escherichia coli can cause problems in its habitat, the human body. This bacterium normally occupies the gastrointestinal system. However, when abnormal strains enter the bloodstream from an insect bite or from consuming contaminated food, problems arise. The bacteria can cause digestive problems by sticking to intestine walls. They can also cause trouble in the bloodstream.
I think that the balance of microbes in Central Park is fine. Based on my research about microbes, if it were off-balance we would begin to see major losses of plants and animals in Central Park’s ecosystem. Trees and plants would die, and the animal population would be riddled with disease. The most likely cause for this kind of situation would be if an alien species were to invade the park.
Natural eutrophication helps maintain a right balance in a body of water. Eutrophication means an environment is well nourished and can sustain life. Nitrates, phosphates, and algae are commonly found in lakes and ponds, which are good for plants. Too much of a good thing, though, can be harmful.
ReplyDeleteNowadays, pollution dumped in bodies of water has increased the amount of nitrates, phosphates, and algae. When excess nitrates and phosphates are dumped, the plants absorb too much, and algae starts to spread. Algae photosynthesizes and deprives oxygen from other living factors in the body of water. The algae will be decomposed taking more oxygen. Living organisms will die, and the body of water will disappear.
The lakes and ponds in central park are contaminated. The ecosystem is not that bad, though, because if it were, we would be able to see changes within the park. For example, there would be less trees and plants growing; causing there to be less animals.
Many people like to go running in Central Park. These people are fine. If there was a terrible imbalance, it would harm them. If we do not stop polluting, Central Park can become worse and runners may not be able to run there.
Bibliography:
-"Eutrophication - Humans, Body, Used, Water, Process, Life, Plants, Chemical, Methods, Oxygen, Plant, Change, Part." Science Clarified. Web. 11 Nov. 2011. .
-"Pond Water Critters You Can See with a Microscope." Microscope - Information, Suppliers, Activities and Resources. Web. 11 Nov. 2011. .
Microscopic organisms affect our environment immensely. They are important in the food chain, as well as Earth’s atmosphere. Scientists are now studying the greenhouse effect and the depletion of the ozone layer’s relation to the imbalances of microscopic organisms. These organisms have a vital role in our environment – whether it be regenerating oxygen and removing carbon dioxide, or releasing chemicals that form clouds, or even providing sustenance for another organism, microscopic organisms impact our life dramatically, even if we are unaware of it.
ReplyDeleteAn imbalance of these organisms affects the entire surrounding environment. An example of this is the imbalance of algae also known as Eutrophication. This happens when the growth of algae in a body of water is promoted excessively. Eutrophication can cause many problems that disrupt the functioning of the ecosystem. Some of these issues include: a lack of oxygen in water needed for fish and other aquatic creatures to survive, the decrease of water quality that can lead to health problems, abnormal color (i.e. green, yellow, brown, or red) of the water, etc. Eutrophication has been labeled as a pollution problem in several countries. Another result of the imbalance of bacteria and algae is the imbalance of chemicals in the bodies of water that were impacted by eutrophication. This can cause many problems for the other organisms living in that environment and may take years for the environment to return back to its natural or “preferred” state of balance.
Based on my research, I feel that central park is pretty well balanced although there will always be issues in every environment. In central park, there have been numerous imbalances and I’m positive that there will be many more in the future. However, central park still remains a place of peaceful greenery and an environmentally friendly escape from the industrial city life.
However, central park has suffered the serious overgrowth of bacteria and algae several times. In 1990, for example, the park’s administrators were forced to lower the water level in order to regularly kill the abundant algae (since it fed off of the energy of sunlight through photosynthesis). This caused New Yorkers to suspect the rumor of a drought in central park’s reservoir. Central park has suffered many other occurances of imbalances and will continue on in the future because no environment is always at a perfect balance. It seems as though a balance in the environment is abnormal and the imbalances in an environment, although no good can come out of it, are more common.
Citation:
John Arthur Harrison, Ph.D. "The Carbon Cycle: What Goes Around Comes Around,"Visionlearning Vol. EAS-2 (3), 2003.
http://www.visionlearning.com/library/module_viewer.php?mid=95
http://www.antarctica.gov.au/about-antarctica/fact-files/animals/microscopic-organisms
http://www.nytimes.com/1990/12/02/nyregion/water-in-central-park-reservoir-is-lowered-to-stop-algae-growth.html?pagewanted=2&src=pm
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteAn imbalance of biotic organism is when there are a lot of nutrients that causes a specific type of organism to prosper. Eutrophication is shown in bodies of water and it helps plants, specifically algae, to prosper. This affects the surface and deeper part of the body of water. Sometimes the plants at the bottom of the body of water will move to more shallow areas, which creates marshlands.
ReplyDeleteWhen a body of water has a high eutrophication level the amount of algae is higher. This is one way of telling the eutrophication level of a body of water. Eutrophication does not only affect the algae, but the plant and animal life as well. Eutrophication can either be good or bad depending on the affect on each organism.
In Central Park there is an imbalance of biotic organisms because there is not a lot of algae in the water. This imbalance affects the habitat around it. The organisms in the bodies of water in Central Park do not have enough nutrients to survive.
I think this because there are no algae prevalent in the Turtle Pond. Although there are some organisms living in this pond, there is a low level eutrophication. I know this because there is no algae. Since there is a low-level eutrophication organism will not thrive.
http://www.jstor.org/stable/25035799?&Search=yes&searchText=eutrophication&list=hide&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3Deutrophication%26acc%3Don%26wc%3Don&prevSearch=&item=11&ttl=8849&returnArticleService=showFullText
http://www.jstor.org/stable/25035549?&Search=yes&searchText=eutrophication&list=hide&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3Deutrophication%26acc%3Don%26wc%3Don&prevSearch=&item=2&ttl=8849&returnArticleService=showFullText
Eli Kengmana
ReplyDeleteMs. Desiderio
Eutrophication is a common imbalance of microscopic organisms. Eutrophication is a build up of nutrients that support algae and other organisms. During eutrophication, algae and other organisms build up in ponds or lakes and become the dominant organisms within these ponds or lakes.
Eutrophication is a problem because when more algae builds up in a lake or pond, they become dominant, which means more nutrients are needed to support more algae in the lake. This means that nutrients would become scarce at some point and the algae would slowly starve.
In Central Park the microbiotic health is very bad. There are living organisms in the ponds and lakes such as turtles, fish, etc. These organisms need food.
I think the microbiotic health in Central Park is very bad because since there are these organisms in there, some are more populated compared to others. This means that certain organisms are becoming overpopulated so the amount of food will slowly become scarce.
http://www.jstor.org/pss/25035572?searchUrl=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3DEutrophication%26acc%3Don%26wc%3Don&Search=yes&
http://www.jstor.org/pss/25035799?searchUrl=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3DEutrophication%26acc%3Don%26wc%3Don&Search=yes
Often times too much of a good thing, will eventually become bad. This saying very much so applies to the process of eutrophication. When a natural release of plant nutrients is a natural part of the ecological system, but when the process of eutrophication occurs, it can become very harmful.
ReplyDeleteWhen eutrophication occurs, an unnecessary amount of plant nutrients, such as phosphorous and carbon are released into bodies of water, mainly lakes. Eutrophication is caused by runoff from farms, lawns and golf courses. Additionally, it is also cause by the deposit of sewage into these lakes. This deposit of sewage contains large amounts of phosphorous, which cause the formation of algae, which then block out the sunlight and decreases the amount of oxygen in the water.
The bodies of water in Central Park are most definitely affected by eutrophication, mainly the rivers and ponds. They are also highly contaminated by pollution, and other toxic chemicals.
This is so, because since Central Park is so widely used, and so populated that pollution is almost inevitable. Additionally, the treatment from the grass, as well as the additional runoff from the grass, causes the bodies of water to become more overwhelmed with eutrophication.
Eutrophication is an imbalance in microscopic organisms. Eutrophication happens when there is growth in algae in bodies of water. Because algae and plankton become the dominant species in the bodies of water no other organisms are able to survive in the bodies of water because of the lack of oxygen.
ReplyDeleteWhen eutrophication happens more and more, living organisms (biotic organisms) that are in bodies of water are affected. One more way eutrophication affects biotic organisms is that the quality of the water worsens over time. As bodies of fresh water decrease because they are getting filled with organisms and becoming impure the water cannot be used because the water quality is so bad.
Bodies of water have plankton when there is an excessive amount of algae. When there is plankton more fish flourish because fish usually feed on plankton. Because the bodies of water in central park most probably contain algae and plankton, In the future I think central park will have an imbalanced or uneven eco system.
Central Park’s bodies of water do go through eutrophication because all bodies of water have some impurities because the have some form on life and oxygen in them. I think all this because according to the information I found, the majority of bodies of water will experience Eutrophication.
http://www.jstor.org/stable/25035799?&Search=yes&searchText=eutrophication&list=hide&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3Deutrophication%26acc%3Don%26wc%3Don&prevSearch=&item=11&ttl=8849&returnArticleService=showFullText
http://www.jstor.org/stable/25035799?&Search=yes&searchText=eutrophication&list=hide&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3Deutrophication%26acc%3Don%26wc%3Don&prevSearch=&item=11&ttl=8849&returnArticleService=showFullText
Eutrophication means that an ecosystem has an unbalanced amount of biotic organisms. It means that there is an excessive amount of nutrients in a body of water. This usually happens in a still, enclosed body of water like a pond or a lake rather than a stream or ocean. One example of Eutrophication is when there are a lot of algae in a body of water. Algae becomes the dominant organism and doesn’t allow the other organisms to survive because they won’t have enough of one material, like oxygen.
ReplyDeleteAs eutrophication affects more bodies of waters, more biotic organisms are affected. If every organism is affected, then they struggle and some species might end up dying out over time. Another problem that eutrophication causes is the impurity of bodies of water. If other organisms live outside the bodies of water go to drink it, and there is too much algae or plankton then it becomes unhealthy for the organism to consume.
According to the information above, I think that Central Park will have a lot of bodies of water that have eutrophication. Also New York Cities ecosystem is very different in some areas like in the park it is natural and contains a lot of nature but outside of the park there might be more pollution and things that could harm specific organisms.
Overall the bodies of water in NYC will most likely have eutrophication because there are a lot of algae in them and they have similar characteristics as above. The water also isn’t pure and safe to drink because there are other organisms and oxygen (which helps the algae grow) in the water.
Sources:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.unep.or.jp/ietc/publications/short_series/lakereservoirs-3/1.asp
http://www.jstor.org/stable/25035799?&Search=yes&searchText=eutrophication&list=hide&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3Deutrophication%26acc%3Don%26wc%3Don&prevSearch=&item=11&ttl=8849&returnArticleService=showFullText
http://www.jstor.org/pss/25035799?searchUrl=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3Deutrophication%26acc%3Don%26wc%3Don&Search=yes
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ReplyDeleteMax Morse – Golub
ReplyDeleteBiology 92
Contaminating water can mean many different things. Generally you may think that contaminated water is not drinkable, but the process of Eutrophication makes water undrinkable and kills everything that’s not algae in it. When a source of water or a puddle gets infected with algae or any dominate species (agile is a very common photochintic plant that grows fast and is hard to wipe out) algae also eat up microscopic amounts of necessary elements (nitrates and phosphates) from the surrounding water. An increase in these nutrients can be one trigger for "algae blooms" that can cover large areas and deplete oxygen levels in the water when they die and decompose.
When algae gets to a point where oxygen is practally gone from the water all living animals in it cannot adapt fast enough so populations in water gets wiped out. Algae though is still not a bad plant, it provides food for fish and food for some exotic lizards. Though for humans algae can be quite a nuisance because too much algae will cause fish to die and everything else in a pool.
Central park probably does not have problems with algae. Central park has been a landmark across the world and the bodies of water inhabiting are quite large. Since algae can mostly grow on the bottom or surface of water, the amount of algae compared to thousands upon thousands of water in central park sustains a healthy eco-system.
The smaller bodies of water in central park may have a problem though. I highly doubt that such a famous landmark would go unchecked for sanitation because of hundreds of tourists comes from across the world. If the eco system starts to fail inspectors would immediately notice and treat the situation accordingly. They could probably treat the water to kill of the bacteria and keep everyone enjoying the beautiful sights.
1. Sources:
http://www.jstor.org/pss/25035799?searchUrl=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3Deutrophication%26acc%3Don%26wc%3Don&Search=yes
2. http://www.jstor.org/pss/25035549?searchUrl=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3DEutrophication%26acc%3Don%26wc%3Don&Search=yes
3. http://www.ny.com/articles/centralpark.html
Citations:
ReplyDelete1.Basic Concepts of Eutrophication
Clair N. Sawyer
Journal (Water Pollution Control Federation) , Vol. 38, No. 5 (May, 1966), pp. 737-744
Published by: Water Environment Federation
Article Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/25035549
2.Eutrophication Trends in the United States: A Problem?
William J. Oswald and C. G. Golueke
Journal (Water Pollution Control Federation) , Vol. 38, No. 6 (Jun., 1966), pp. 964-975
Published by: Water Environment Federation
Article Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/25035572
In the article "Basic Concepts of Eutrophication", it is stated that eutrophication is the change in biological productivity which all lakes and small bodies of water go through during their life history. It can benefit or harm the body of water depending on the degree of the eutrophication and the way the lake or even reservoir is used by living things. The degree is mostly determined by the algae nutrient budget of the lake but also by its depth, shape and location. Eutrophication can cause a large loss of oxygen in water, reducing the populations of fish and other animals in the water but it can also cause a large increase in other living organisms. Scientists and engineers must find methods of measuring the degree of eutrophication to control the algae nutrient growth.
ReplyDeleteThe article, "Eutrophication Trends in the United States: A Problem?" states that Eutrophication is a probem in the United States. An Eutrophic body of water may be defined as one in which the nutrients or fixed energy inputs to the watershed exceed the nutrient or fixed energy outputs over a given area.Inputs are comprised of natural drainage containing fertility, sewage, garbage, industrial waste, groundwater fertility, agricultural drainage, and air-borne materials. Outputs are comprised of natural assimilative outputs including things such as methane and exported products like canned goods. There are also factors like the water quality and weather and climate that affect the eutrophication pattern of bodies of water here in the United States.
Bacteria and protists play a large part in our ecosystem, as I pointed out. Thought some have beneficial effects such as being used as antibiotics or even helping to digest food, they have negative effects on our environment, especially our waters. Too much of these organisms in some bodies of water can cause a decline in population, causing the environment its self to slowly diminish. Of course if this continued it would cause an unchangeable imbalance in out environment. Based on the research that I have, I believe that Central Park, though it isn't fully contaminated, isn't completely healthy.
Though Central Park is in the middle of a city filled to the brim with pollution, Central Park has a very balance ecosystem. It is able to support living things from animals like birds and squirrels residing in trees to small yet complex eukaryotes like protists found in small puddles.
Perhaps the key reason on why major organisms are imbalanced in aquatic ecosystem is due to common process called Eutrophication. Eutrophication is defined as “the movement of a body of water’s trophic status in the direction of increasing planet biomass, by the addition of artificial or natural substances, such as nitrates through fertilizers or sewage, to an aquatic system.” In simpler words, it is the “bloom” or great increase of phytoplankton in a water body.
ReplyDeleteThis leads to an increase in the amount of plant-like protist life such as algae. Having an imbalance in a population of organisms can become harmful to the organisms already living there. A proper ratio of organisms is essential for the certain popular group to stay healthy. If eutrophication increases in the population, the organisms already inhabited in the water are affected. Decreasing water quality in an aquatic body is also a form of eutrophication
Regarding matters of the water bodies in Central Park, I think the water at the moment is uncontaminated. Central Park, one of the oldest and largest parks, has a maintained group of social workers that attempt to make the park as clean and safe as possible. The park has a stable and maintained ecosystem, which prevents the spread of eutrophication – making the aquatic bodies of water in Central Park a safe inhabitant for living organisms.
Websites used:
http://www.jstor.org/stable/25035606
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eutrophication
Eutrophication is the process of the addition of plant nutrients to a body of water. This is rather harmless in and of itself, but its consequences can damage an entire ecosystem. As the rate of eutrophication increases, the rate of growth of plants can increase as well. As plant life increases, there are fewer nutrients for all other biotic organisms. Another consequence of eutrophication is a lack of oxygen in deep lakes. Since lakes stratify, the bottom later, called the hypolimnion, is cut off from the surrounding environment, leading to an inability to replenish dissolved oxygen. This can also be detrimental to biotic organisms living in the lakes.
ReplyDeleteAnother instance of the effect of damaging eutrophication is a lack of clean drinking water. As groundwater supplies become limited water supplying companies will have to turn to surface water. Because of great algal growth in these waters, getting clean drinking water out of these sources is extremely difficult and expensive. Lastly, although not as drastic as the other results, eutrophication can lead to unaesthetic lake views because of increased algal growth.
Looking, for a second, just at the water sources scattered throughout Central Park, Central Park’s ecosystem must be at least a little unbalanced. As can be seen when walking around the southern ponds for instance, large amounts of surface algae and bank weeds can be seen, particularly in the warmer months when there is more sun for photosynthesis. As larger amounts of algae and bank weeds show up, there are fewer nutrients for other biotic organisms, as was mentioned above.
Central Park’s ecosystem, because of its man-made origins, already is at a disadvantage. Since Central Park was originally planted with the thought that it would be a kind of showcase, it contains a multitude of species from different countries around the world. That combined with the park’s mistreatment in its original century of existence or so, was detrimental to the ecosystem.
http://www.jstor.org/stable/25035549?Search=yes&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3Deutrophication%26acc%3Don%26wc%3Don
http://www.jstor.org/stable/25035799?Search=yes&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3Deutrophication%26acc%3Don%26wc%3Don
Eutrophication is an excessive richness of nutrients in a lake or other body of water, frequently due to runoff from the land, which causes a dense growth of plant life and death of animal life from lack of oxygen. Eutrophication can be human-caused or natural. Natural eutrophication depends only on the local geology and natural features of the environment.
ReplyDeleteThere are numerous outcomes to the environment associated with eutrophication. I can be a concern because it could have numerous negative impacts. The higher the nutrients in an ecosystem, the greater the potential ecological impacts could be. Increased productivity in an aquatic system can sometimes be beneficial. Fish and other species may grow faster, providing a potential food source for humans and other animals.
Central park is definitely imbalanced. There is a lot of garbage, litter, and sewage. However, there isn’t one particular force causing this. Wind could blow garbage around, or someone could kick and spread garbage. Although there are people who clean the park, it is still very dirty.
In conclusion, central park is highly eutrophicated. There are probably going to be species that are more prevalent than others in certain areas but it is not a huge problem in Central Park.
http://www.jstor.org/stable/25035799?&Search=yes&searchText=eutrophication&list=hide&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3Deutrophication%26acc%3Don%26wc%3Don&prevSearch=&item=11&ttl=8849&returnArticleService=showFullText
http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v476/n7361/full/476375d.html
http://www.dwa.gov.za/iwqs/eutrophication/NEMP/02Eutrophication.org
Biotic and abiotic organisms are interrelated to each other. In other words, if one factor is changed, it can alter the whole ecosystem. Likewise, the same occurs with microscopic organisms like protists and bacteria in the environment.
ReplyDeleteWhen there is an imbalance of bacteria and protists in an aquatic ecosystem, many elements of their habitat are affected. One of these imbalances occurs when freshwater sources, such as lakes, ponds, and rivers become enriched with organic plant nutrients. Nitrogen and phosphorus are the main elements that are produced in this process, otherwise known as eutrophication. This process happens naturally over many years as dead organic matter builds up. However, due to human interference, the accumilation of the matter happens much faster, and leads to an over-production and surplus of nitrogen and phosphorus. I believe that this may be happening in the water in Central Park.
Human induced eutrophication occurs when pollutants and contaminants are introduced into aquatic ecosystems. This interaction causes an "algae bloom" which is the direct result of high concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus growing at a rapid rate. This "algae bloom" sets off a chain reaction that can be devastating to the environment it is in. When the algae die, bacteria move in. As a result there is a sudden drop in dissolved oxygen. This is no problem for animals and plants that live outside the fresh water, but for the life inside the pond it is terrible, especially for the fish because they need the dissolved oxygen to live.
Although I've never acually spent alot of time in Central Park; I believe that this may be happening in the water there, primarily because there are so many pollutants and contaminants around it to interfere with it's natural evolutionary process.
http://ei.cornell.edu/watersheds/Eutrophication_Experiments.pdf
http://www.marinebiodiversity.ca-en/pdfs/Petermaloney.pdf
A perfect example of an imbalance of biotic organisms is evident in lakes that have an overabundance of algae. This is called eutrophication. Eutrophication occurs in a body of water when the plant life uses most of the oxygen available, thus effectively "choking out" animal life. Eutrophication is a natural process, but can be accelerated by the introduction of pollutants of phosphorous and nitrogen.
ReplyDeletePhosphorous and nitrogen promote the growth of a microscopic organism called phytoplankton. Phosphorous and nitrates can be found in many fertilizers. In the 60's and 70's, studies lead to the ban of the use of phosphorous in fertilizers. Phosphorous can also come from sewer treatment plants
Based on my research, I predict that the micro biotic health of Central Park is balanced system. A balanced is one in which both the micro biotic plant life exists in a balance to feed the animal life, without being so abundant to choke off the oxygen supply.
This appears to be the case with the bodies of water in Central Park. Just from the appearance, the waters does not look "choked" with algae. Many times, you can see people fishing, indicating the presence of "animal" life. I would also assume that the agriculturalists in Central Park know to be careful to prevent nitrogen and phosphorous entering the system.
www.school.eb.com/eb/article-67843
www.eoearth.org/article/Eutrophication