Levels of Organization  Science deals with everything from the very small to the very large.  To make sense of things on very different scales, we organize the world into LEVELS OF ORGANIZATION.  Each Level of organization is a different way of looking at the world in terms of size.  Once they have created different levels, scientists can formulate theories and laws that work on that level, without worrying about the others 

Levels of Organization  Scientists divide the world up into LEVELS OF ORGANIZATION so that they can formulate theories for one level without having to worry about other levels.  Examples:  Why does water have certain qualities?  How do Monarch butterflies know where to migrate to?  Why does the Earth go around the Sun?  Some scientists believe that someday all levels will be explained by a “Theory of Everything”.  Or, maybe not!

Organism  An organism is a single plant, animal, or other living thing. Bacteria, aphids, eagles, elephants are all organisms  A SPECIES is a group of similar organisms that can breed and are alive at the same time

Population  A population is a group of organisms from the same same species that live in the same area

Community  A community is a collection of populations that live in the same area. A community is made up of many different populations from many different species.

Ecosystem  An ecosystem is a collection of ALL organisms that live in a particular place. Unlike a community, an ecosystem includes the non-living environment as well as all living things.

Check for understanding

Biomes  The next largest unit in biology is a Biome  A biome is a group of ecosystems that have the same climate and similar biological communities  Because animals can move and migrate, biologists use plants and climate to distinguish between biomes.

#1.11 Aim: How do we recognize biomes? Agenda QOD (5) HW #7 q’s? Lesson: biomes (15) Activity: Research (15) Summary (5) HW: Biomes Research Project Desert

#1.11 Aim: How do we recognize biomes? Agenda QOD (5) HW #7 q’s? Lesson: biomes (15) Activity: Research (15) Summary (5) HW: Biomes Research Project Temperate Forest

Tropical Forest

T Tundra

Savanna

Aqautic Biomes

Biosphere  In biology, the biosphere is the largest level of organization.  Bio = life  Sphere = ball  Biosphere = life ball. The part of Earth in which life exists including land, water, and air.

Create a graphic Organizer:

Habitat  A habitat is a place where a population (or an individual organism) typically lives  characterized by physical conditions  e.g. salinity (amount of salt), light, or temperature  Large scale: (Biome): coral reef, freshwater, desert, tropical forest, grassland, etc.  Small scale: freshwater pond, oakwood or rocky shore

Habitat  Habitat is the ADDRESS of an organism.  WHERE an organism lives  What is the habitat of a Prairie Dog? A whale? What about your habitat?

Talk to your neighbor  If you ask someone where an organism lives, that person might answer “on a coral reef” or “in the desert.”  These answers give the environment or location, but ecologists need more information to understand fully how an organism fits into its surroundings.  What else do they need to know?

Ecological Niche  Includes:  Resources: what is needed for this organism to survive?  Habitat: where does this organism live?  Interactions with other organisms: what does this organism eat, hunt, or use for energy? What eats or hunts it?  Reproduction: how does this organism reproduce?

Ecological Niche  An organism’s niche describes not only the environment where it lives, but how it interacts with other organisms and the environment.  In other words, an organism’s niche includes not just the habitat, but also the way in which the organism uses its habitat to survive and reproduce.  If a habitat is an organism’s address, than a niche is an organism’s OCCUPATION.

Twenty Questions  Think of an animal you know well….DONT SAY IT OUT LOUD!

Biotic Factor  Bio means life.  Biology – study of life  Biosphere – life ball  So, a BIOTIC FACTOR is a living part of an ecosystem!

What are the BIOTIC FACTORS in this ecosystem?

Abiotic Factor  A means not / without  Anonymous – without a name  Atheist – without God  So, an ABIOTIC FACTOR is a non-living part of an ecosystem

What are the ABIOTIC FACTORS in this ecosystem?

Abiotic and Biotic factors can also change an ecosystem  How can ABIOTIC FACTORS change?  Climate: Temperature, humidity, weather can all change from season to season or over many years  Water: Floods and droughts can change the amount of water  Soil: Soil can be eroded, washed away or changed in other ways  How can BIOTIC FACTORS change?  A new species can enter an ecosystem  A population can grow in number, sometimes dramatically  An existing species can leave, migrate, or go extinct

Unintended Consequences  An unintended consequence is something you didn’t expect to happen.  When a new ABIOTIC or BIOTIC factors are introduced into an ecosystem, there are often many unintended consequences. Examples: Sinking of ships in shallow waters Prohibition of alcohol in 1920’s

California Condors  DDT, a pesticide, was used to kill weeds on California farms….

Invasive Species  An invasive species is an organism from a different part of the world that has been introduced into the ecosystem.  Invasive species are often very successful in their new environment. They do so well that they push out other organisms and disrupt the ecosystem  Invasive species are usually introduced into a new environment by humans, either by accident or on purpose.

Pop Quiz  Is an invasive species an Abiotic or a Biotic factor? Why?  Was the DDT that killed the California Condors abiotic or biotic?

The Rocky Mountain Pine Beetle  /america-s-disappearing-forests.html?scp= /america-s-disappearing-forests.html?scp=1

The Rocky Mountain Pine Beetle  What is an epidemic?  Which tree does the Pine Beetle attack?  What are two causes for the Pine Beetle outbreak?  Name 2 unintended consequences of the Pine Beetle epidemic?

Do you think that the Pine Beetle epidemic is caused by ABIOTIC or BIOTIC factors?

Pair and Share  Read your article and answer the questions on your activity sheet.  Then, summarize your article to your partner.  Write down some notes about the invasive species your partner read about  Finally, brainstorm some ways of stopping these invasive species with your partner

Exit Slip  1. Explain the difference between an abiotic and a biotic factor. Give an example of each.  2. Explain the difference between a habitat and a niche.  3. What is an invasive species? Give an example.