Southern California ecosystems consist of living (biotic) and non-living (abiotic)

organisms. Biotic factors would consist of; plants, animals, trees, bacteria, and grass. These

factors are seen as living components that play a role in the ecosystem which categorizes every

living organisms in different categorize such as; consumers, heterotrophs, autotrophs, producers,

and decomposers. Grass and plants are producers that are known as autotrophs meaning they

could produce their food through sunlight. Mouse, deer, and owl are consumers referring to

animals that could not produce their food and require in receiving energy through the

consumption of other animals. Earth worms are considered as the decomposer in other words

detritivores an organism that breaks down dead plants or animals matter and returns key nutrients

to the ecosystem. Abiotic factors would be; sand, water, air, gas, rocks, and sunlight

(https://socratic.org/questions/what-are-some-examples-of-biotic-factors-in-an-ecosystem). The

abiotic factors play an important role in the ecosystem due to being part of the environment

where these living organisms live. Another component that plays a role in the organisms life

would be the different climates in the habitat of the organisms.

In Southern California, there are climates ranging from extreme heat like a desert to a

fresh and cool temperature like the Mediterranean. In California, we have three main deserts

such as the Mojave, Colorado, and Great Basin. The Mojave Desert is considered the highest

desert due to elevation to approximately 11,000 feet, within the desert there are three national

parks such as Death Valley National Park, Joshua Tree National Park, and the Mojave National

Preserve; & a few state parks. The Colorado Desert has a low elevation of below 1,000 feet

within the lowest point of the desert floor and consist of other national parks such as Joshua

National Park, Anza-Borrego desert state. The last desert would be the Great Basin which is the

only desert where it is cold due to the formation of snow. (Southern California Ecosystem power

point)
 Current environmental issues we are facing would be global warming, pollution, over

population, and natural resource depletion. Global warming is the drastic weather changes from

extremely hot to cool temperatures. Due to global warming, the ice caps are melting due to the

hot weather. In comparison pollution and overpopulation goes hand in hand due to the world not

having enough space for more human beings on Earth it makes it difficult to survive. We as a

society tend to pollute the environment with car emission, litter ending up in the ocean, on the

streets, and even our back yard. Another issue that is occurring is natural resource depletion due

to the supply of demand for having paper, gasoline for cars, and other items we begin running

out of it after the overconsumption of society.

Conservation efforts to eliminate pollution is having trash disposed of properly in

different trash cans like recyclables belong in a blue trash can, plants and grass belong in a green

trash can, and regular trash belongs to the black trash can. Also to reduce pollution of car smog

car companies are coming up with eco-friendly cars that rely on solar or electric energy instead

of relying on fossil fuels As for natural resource depletion scientist are inventing alternative

routes we could use as a resource instead of relying on the natural resource. However we still

need other improvements to keep our environment clean of pollution, yet it all it takes to make a

difference is you.
Connections I can make between the knowledge you learned and your life experience is

that environmental issues have been going on for quite some time, yet we tend to not care about

the situation. We tend to be ignorant towards the fact that the environment is suffering from the

reckless actions we make however that does not stop us. During the class of FYS with my

primary professor, I began to realize that there is the extinction of animals due to us invading

their habitat and us leaving behind our trash. It made me reflect that our trash is confused for

food for the animals, for instance, the Styrofoam cups and plates we use on a picnic on the beach
sometimes go flying and we do not have the decency to go pick it up. Eventually, birds begin

eaten the Styrofoam confusing it for small plantation. With this course it made me realize to be

conscious of our actions or else it brings serious consequences.