1. Ecology

2. Ecology… The scientific study of interactions between organisms and their environment

3. Levels of Organization Biosphere = thin zone that contains ALL life of Earth

5. ‘bio-’ = life

6. Abiotic factors: all the NONLIVING part of the environment

7. ‘a-’ = without;

12. Levels of organization (continued) 3. Community = all the living organisms in a specific area (Ex. Pond, forest)

13. 4. Population: = all the individuals of the same species living in the same area at the same time 5. Organism = any living thing

14. Overview: (largest  smallest) BiosphereEcosystemCommunity PopulationOrganism How to remember order? Big Elephants Consume Peanuts Often

15. Habitat = the place an organism lives Niche = the role (job) an organism has in it’s community

16. Species = a group of like organisms that can reproduce AND have fertile offspring

17. NOT a species… Cat + rabbit = cabbit? Babies are sterile therefore NOT a species

18. Lion + tiger = liger Babies are sterile therefore NOT a species

19. Symbiotic Relationships Symbiosis = the relationship in which there is a close and permanent association between organisms of different species 3 types:

20. 1. Mutualism Relationship in which both organisms benefit Organism 1 = = Benefit Organism 2 = = Benefit

21. Example of mutualism Ants and the acacia tree

22. 2. Commensalism = relationship in which one species benefits and the other is neither harmed nor benefited Organism 1 = = benefit Organism 2 = = no harm, no benefits

23. Example of commensalism Spanish moss growing on trees

24. 3. Parasitism Relationship in which one species benefits and the other is harmed Organism 1 = = benefit Organism 2 = = harmed

25. Example of parasitism Tapeworms

26. Overview

27. Ecological Niches 1. Producers: Also called autotrophs ‘auto-’ = self ‘troph’ = feeding These are organisms that make their own food Ex. green plants

28. 2. Consumers: Also called heterotrophs ‘hetero-’ = different Organisms that can NOT make their own food Three categories: A. herbivores: eat plants (primary consumer)

29. B. carnivores: eat other consumers; eat meat (secondary/tertiary consumers) C. omnivores: eat both plants and animals (tertiary consumers)

30. 3. Decomposers: break down organic matter and return it to the environment

31. Food Chains The flow of energy and organic molecules from organism to organism Energy for this system originates from the SUN Food chains ALWAYS begin with a PRODUCER

32. Look at the image to the right and write the correct food chain Grass insects  frog  owl hawk

33. Food Webs Complex relationships formed by interconnecting and overlapping food chains

34. Practice Look at the food web diagram provided On a separate sheet of paper write out ALL the food chains presented within the one food web You should be able to find TEN!!!

35. Pyramids 1. Pyramid of numbers The higher up the food chain the lower the number of organisms (go to handout)

36. 2. Pyramid of energy 90% of the energy is lost to the environment at each level of the food chain (go to handout) 3. Pyramid of biomass The amount of biomass decreases at each level of the food chain (go to handout)

37. BIOMES

38. Community Distribution Limiting factor: any biotic or abiotic factor that restricts an organism’s ability to survive Ex. Food supply, water supply, living space Tolerance: the ability to withstand fluctuations in biotic and abiotic environmental factors

39. SUCCESSION = the orderly, natural change in communities over time Primary succession: development of living communities from BARE ROCK NO soil present Ex. Rock lichens moss ferns shrubs trees mature trees

40. Pioneer organism: the first organism to inhabit a community (ex. lichens) Climax community: a stable, mature community that undergoes little or no succession Primary succession takes a relatively long time to reach this point

41. Secondary succession: the development of living communities that takes place when a community is disrupted by natural disasters or human impact Soil IS present Takes less time to reach climax community Ex. Abandoned farms, fires…

42. Population Growth Exponential growth: when the number of organisms increases by an ever-increasing rate. 248163264128256etc J-shaped curve

43. Carrying capacity: the number of organisms of a population a particular environment can support over an indefinite period of time S-shaped curve

44. Factors that affect the size of populations 1. Birth rate 2. Death rate 3. Growth rate = birth rate – death rate 4. Immigration: movement INTO and area 5. Emigration: movement OUT of an area