Everything is Connected Ecology The study of the interactions between organisms and their environment

What does an Organism Get from its Environment? An organism gets food, water, shelter, gases, and other things it needs to live, grow, and reproduce from its environment.

Habitat The place where an organism lives and that provides the things the organism needs such as food, water, shelter.

NICHE The niche is the role of an organism in its habitat : food it eats, how it gets its food, predators, shelter.

Niche of Rabbit What type of food it eatsEats plants How it gets its foodGrazes on plants What organisms eat it. Carnivores: bobcat, pets, foxes, snakes Type of ShelterDigs burrows in soil

Niche Organisms can share the same habitat but cannot share the same niche so they do not compete for the same space and food.

What are the Two Parts of an Organism’s Habitat? Biotic factors- parts of a habitat that are living, or once living, and interact with an organism. Abiotic factors- the non- living parts of an organism’s habitat

Abiotic Factors Includes: sunlight, soil, temperature, weather, oxygen, and water.

How is an Ecosystem Organized? Organisms live together in populations and communities that interact with abiootic factors in their ecosystem. Organism Population Community Ecosystem Biosphere

Ecologolical Levels of Organization o Organism – an individual living thing, one species

Population - all members of the same species living together in the same area at the same time

Community - All the different populations living in the same area at the same time Only the living things = community Bacteria, Fungus, Protists, Plants, Animals!

Ecosystem – a community of organisms that live in an area along with the abiotic environment

Biosphere- part of the earth where life can exist, extends from the deepest parts of the ocean to the atmosphere.

BIOSPHERE Extends from the deepest parts of the ocean to part of the atmosphere

ECOSYSTEM ex. Desert ecosystem

What are some factors that affect the size of populations? Limiting factors- an environmental factor that causes a population to stop growing or decrease in size. Include: weather, space, food and water, catastrophic events.

Carrying capacity- the largest population that a given environment can support over a long period of time. When a population becomes larger than can be supported, limiting factors cause the population to become smaller.

What are Competition, Predation and Cooperation? – Types of Interactions Competition- a struggle between organisms for limited resources such as food, water and space Can occur among individuals within a population or between populations of different species That is my Snickers Bar!!

Factors that Increase competition o Limited resources in the environment cause populations to decrease and increase competion o Natural disturbances in an ecosystem will cause an increase in competition.

Types of Interactions Predation- An interaction in which an organism kills another organism for food. I have to eat you!! It is my niche in the ecosystem!!

Types of Interactions Predator- The organism that does the killing Prey- organism that is eaten

Examples of Predator- Prey Lion and zebra Fox and rabbit Turtle and worm

Cooperation Members within a species or among species working together to accomplish a task. Honey guide bird and badger find and open beehive Wolves hunt in packs

How do Relationships Affect the Environment? Prey population decrease= Predators decrease because there is less food to eat. Predator competition increases. Predator population decrease = prey population increases, so prey competition increases.

How do Adaptations Help an Organism Survive? Adaptations are the physical and behavioral characteristics that allow organisms to live successfully in their environment. Every organism has a variety of adaptations that are suited to its specific living conditions that help it survive. EX. Artic Hare Fur turns from gray to white in winter which helps it camouflage in the snow.

Adaptations Both predators and prey have many adaptations to help them survive. Plants have adaptations too – spines on cactus deter animals.

Camouflage Uroplatus fimbriatus gecko

Mimicry Hawk Moth Mimicry This moth caterpillar defends itself by mimicking a snake

Mimicry Owl butterfly (Caligo idomeneus). Note the conspicuous eyespot. (Photo by R. Butler)

Adaptations Physical Camouflage False coloring Warning coloring Protective covering Mimicry Behavioral Playing dead Huddling for warmth Migration Herding

What are the Three Types Symbiosis? Symbiosis – A close, relationship between two organisms that live on, in, or near each other in which at least one organism benefits

Mutualism Mutualism (+, +) A relationship in which both organisms benefit o Oxpecker and rhinocerous o Bird gets a meal o Rhino gets rid of parasites eating bugs off zebras back.

Commensalism Commensalism (+,0) A relationship in which one organism benefits and the other is unaffected; Ex. sharks and remoras Remora gets sharks leftovers Shark is not affected.

Parasitism Parasitism (+,-) A relationship in which one organism benefits (parasite) while the other is harmed (host) parasite-an organism that lives on and harms another organism Mistletoe Sea lamprey

Examples of Symbiosis Mutualism ++ -Shrimp cleans grouper’s gills -tick bird cleans parasites from zebra Commensalism + 0 -Remora riding on shark and collects leftover food -Pearl fish finds safety inside sea cucumber Parasitism + - -Tick sucks blood from dog - Mistletoe absorbs nutrients from tree. 1 st 2 nd

How do Living Things Get their Energy? PRODUCERS- organisms that use sunlight directly to make food through photosynthesis Plants Algae Some protists Some bacteria

Consumers Organisms that feed on other organisms. o Animals o Some protists o Some bacteria

Types of Consumers

CARNIVORE A consumer that mainly or exclusively eats animals

OMNIVORE An organism that eats both plants and animals

SCAVENGERS SCAVENGERS Animals that feed on the bodies of dead animals

DECOMPOSERS Organisms that get energy by breaking down the remains of dead organisms and provide nitrogen to soil ; Natures recyclers. Decomposers are active at every level of the food chain as organisms die. Ex: Fungi and bacteria

What are Food Chains, Food Webs and Energy Pyramids?

Food Chain A model that represents how the energy in food molecules flows from one organism to the next Food chains always begin with a producer Usually 3-5 links Decomposers are not always shown since they act at every level.

. FOOD WEB - A complex diagram representing the many energy pathways in an ecosystem Energy moves in one direction from one organism to the next. Any energy not immediately used by an organism is stored in its tissues. Only the energy stored in an organism’s tissues can be used by the next consumer.

Food Web

Energy Pyramid A diagram that shows the amount of energy that moves from one feeding level to another in a food chain or web. The energy pyramid has a large base and becomes smaller towards the top.

Energy Pyramid The producer level has the most energy available. As energy moves up the pyramid, each level has less energy available than the level below. Some energy is released as heat into the atmosphere. Energy moves UP the pyramid

ENERGY PYRAMID 1 st level (bottom) =Producers - food enters the ecosystem through photosynthesis 2 nd Level = Primary consumers (herbivores)- organisms eat producers 3 rd Level =Secondary consumers (carnivores)- eats other animals (Next levels = Tertiary consumer, Quaternary consumer) The organism at the top is the top predator.

Label the levels