Section 2.1 Principles of Ecology and relationships

What is ecology? Study relationships between living organisms – Also btw living organisms and their environment How do they study? – Observation – Model: reduce variables – Experiment

Organizing the environment Grouped into levels of complexity From narrow -> broad – organism – population – biological community – ecosystem – biome – Biosphere

Terminology Biotic factors – All living factors in environ – Examples: Abiotic factors – All non-living factors in environ – Examples:

Organisms -> Communities Organism – Single individual – Ex: Population – Group of organisms: same species/place/time – Ex: Community – Group of populations at same place/same time (all biotic) – Ex:

Ecosystem -> Biosphere Ecosystem – Community (biotic) + abiotic factors – Ex: Biome – Group of ecosystems with similar climates/communities Biosphere – Portion of Earth that supports life – Very thin layer (few miles up/down) near surface

Interactions Community – Competition – Predation – Symbioses Relationships between 2 organisms living together Mutualism +/+ Commensalism +/ Parasitism +/-

Interactions II Ecosystems – Habitat Where you live – Niche Role you play in environment Generalist vs. Specialist

Section 2-2 “When I was a kid my favorite relative was Uncle Caveman. After school we'd all go play in his cave, and every once in a while he would eat one of us. It wasn't until later that I found out that Uncle Caveman was a bear.”

Energy Flow Autotrophs – Get energy using sun + inorganics (CO2) to make food A few use chemicals instead What is ultimate source of energy for life? Heterotrophs – Get energy by eating other organisms Herbivores: eat autotrophs Carnivores: eat other heterotrophs Omnivores: eat auto and heterotrophs Detritivores: eat dead stuff, recycle nutrients

Energy Flow II E flow modeled by food web or chain – Consist of series of steps – Each step = trophic level Food Chain shows 1 path only (ex grass->rabbit->fox) Food Web shows many pathways for energy flow Model Ecosystems

Web vs. Chain

Ecological Pyramids Diagram represents relative amts of: – Energy, biomass, or # of organisms per trophic level

Biological Cycles Energy flows in 1 direction (sun -> decomposers) – Ends up as heat eventually Nutrients cycle (conservation of matter) – Biogeochemical cycles: fancy name to show both biotic and abiotic processes involved Nutrients stored & released from water/rock/etc Also stored in organisms & released by decomposers

The Water Cycle

Water Cycle II Vapor -> condense -> surface(ground) -> vapor Water vapor – 90% evaporation occurs from streams/lakes/oceans – 10% from plant transpiration Freshwater – Critical to all organisms survival – Only 3% of total water and 69% of that is locked in ice – Icemakers are destroying the world

The Carbon Cycle

Carbon (Oxygen) Cycle Carbon stored as rock (CaCO3) and fossil fuels – Fossils fuels use trapped biotic Carbon Released when dissolved/burnt as CO2/carbonates Autotrophs store C in organic molecules (psyn) Heterotrophs release CO2 from food (respiration)

The Nitrogen Cycle

Nitrogen Cycle II Atmosphere = ~78% N2 gas (unusable) Nitrogen usable as nitrates (nitrites, ammonia) – Some bacteria can convert N2 into nitrates Nitrogen fixation (then used by plants/animals) – Lightning storms can convert some as well Some bacteria convert nitrates to N2 gas (cycle) – Denitrification Nitrogen = most needed nutrient usually (fertilizer)

The Phosphorus Cycle

Phosphorus Cycle II Short term: – water/soil -> producers -> consumers -> decomposers -> water/soil Long term: – Solidifies and forms rock to store – Weathers/erosion releases from rock

FQ 4 1.A 2.B 3.C 4.D A. autotroph B. herbivore C. heterotroph D. decomposer Principles of Ecology Chapter Formative Questions What type of organism is the foundation of all ecosystems?

FQ 5 1.A 2.B 3.C 4.D Principles of Ecology Chapter Formative Questions A. They feed on fragments of dead plants and animals B. They feed on organisms by releasing digestive enzymes. C. They get energy from inorganic substances to make food. D. They use chlorophyll to capture energy from the sun. How do detritivores obtain their energy in an ecosystem?

FQ 6 1.A 2.B 3.C 4.D A. carnivores B. herbivores C. autotrophs D. heterotrophs Principles of Ecology Chapter Formative Questions Which type of organism exists at all trophic levels except the first trophic level?

FQ 7 1.A 2.B 3.C 4.D A. decomposer B. primary producer C. secondary producer D. top level consumer Principles of Ecology Chapter Formative Questions What type of organism returns nutrients to an ecosystem?

FQ 8 1.A 2.B 3.C 4.D A. biochemist B. ecologist C. geologist D. hydrologist Principles of Ecology Chapter Formative Questions What type of scientist studies water found underground, in the atmosphere, and on the surface of the earth?

FQ 9 1.A 2.B 3.C 4.D A. carbon cycle B. nitrogen cycle C. phosphorus cycle D. water cycle Principles of Ecology Chapter Formative Questions Which biogeochemical cycle involves evaporation, transpiration, precipitation and runoff?

FQ 10 1.A 2.B 3.C 4.D Principles of Ecology Chapter Formative Questions A. photosynthesis B. respiration C. combustion of fossil fuels D. deposition of dead material Which process in this cycle converts carbon dioxide and water into carbohydrates?

CDQ 1 1.A 2.B 3.C 4.D A. predation B. parasitism C. commensalism D. mutualism Principles of Ecology Chapter 2 Chapter Diagnostic Questions The act of one organism consuming another organism for food is _______.

CDQ 2 1.A 2.B 3.C 4.D A. from an autotroph to a heterotroph B. from a heterotroph to an autotroph C. from a carnivore to an herbivore D. from an omnivore to an herbivore Principles of Ecology Chapter 2 Chapter Diagnostic Questions Identify how energy flows through an ecosystem in a typical food chain.

CDQ 3 1.A 2.B 3.C 4.D A. biomass B. energy C. matter D. nutrient Principles of Ecology Chapter 2 Chapter Diagnostic Questions What is a chemical substance that an organism must obtain from its environment to survive?

Use the diagram to compare and contrast biotic and abiotic factors. Give examples of each. Principles of Ecology Chapter 2 Chapter Assessment Questions CAQ 1

Answer: Biotic factors include the living factors in an organism’s environment, such as animals, reptiles, plants, and microscopic organisms. Abiotic factors are the nonliving factors, such as water temperature, rainfall, soil, and available nutrients. Principles of Ecology Chapter 2 Chapter Assessment Questions CAQ 2

Use the image below to explain how decomposers supply phosphorus to soil, groundwater, oceans, lakes, ponds, and rivers. Principles of Ecology Chapter 2 Chapter Assessment Questions CAQ 3

Principles of Ecology Chapter 2 Chapter Assessment Questions Answer: All organisms contain phosphorus. When organisms die or produce waste products, decomposers return the phosphorus to the soil where it can be used again. CAQ 4

The diagram shows how carbon cycles through the environment. Describe how photosynthesis is involved in the carbon cycle. Principles of Ecology Chapter 2 Chapter Assessment Questions CAQ 5

Principles of Ecology Chapter 2 Chapter Assessment Questions Answer: During photosynthesis, green plants and algae convert carbon dioxide and water to carbohydrates and release oxygen into the air. The plants use the carbohydrates for energy. Carbon dioxide is released back into the air through cellular respiration. CAQ 6

STP 1 1.A 2.B 3.C 4.D Principles of Ecology Chapter 2 Standardized Test Practice A. identifying and classifying various species of insects in an ecosystem B. locating fossils of distinct species of turtles in a geographical area C. observing the relationships that woodpeckers have with other species in their environment D. studying the internal organs of a seal to learn how it survives in its environment In what type of activity would you most expect an ecologist to be involved?

STP 2 1.A 2.B 3.C 4.D A. commensalism B. competition C. mutualism D. parasitism Principles of Ecology Chapter 2 Standardized Test Practice Certain types of tropical orchids use trees for support in order to grow higher and obtain more light. This neither harms nor benefits the tree. What type of symbiotic relationship is this?

STP 3 1.A 2.B Principles of Ecology Chapter 2 Standardized Test Practice If an ecologist finds that the long-tailed weasels have disappeared from the desert community, she should conclude that there will be a decrease in the population of coyotes. A. true B. false

STP 4 1.A 2.B 3.C 4.D Principles of Ecology Chapter 2 Standardized Test Practice B. It is consumed by snakes. A. It consumes grasshoppers. D. It is a third-level consumer. C. It consumes both grasshoppers and snakes. Why is this mouse classified as an omnivore?

STP 5 1.A 2.B 3.C 4.D A. decomposition B. denitrification C. nitrification D. nitrogen fixation Principles of Ecology Chapter 2 Standardized Test Practice Which process returns nitrogen to the food web?