Ecology

Ecology  “study of the interactions between the organisms and their environment”

Ecosystems Biotic Living parts of the ecosystem Plants, animals Abiotic Non-living parts of an Organisms environment Water, air, soil, rocks, Minerals, metals

Ecology Concepts  Population – the organisms of the same species in the same area at the species in the same area at the same time same time A. Factors that limit population growth A. Factors that limit population growth 1. land/shelter availability 1. land/shelter availability 2. food availability 2. food availability 3. used up resources 3. used up resources 4. natural disasters 4. natural disasters

 Community – the biotic parts of an ecosystem ecosystem

 Habitat – includes everything the everything the organisms organisms needs to survive needs to survive A. Endangered Species A. Endangered Species Act Act B. Destroy habitat you B. Destroy habitat you destroy species destroy species - #1 cause of - #1 cause of extinction extinction

 Niche – way of life of the organisms A. Niche Particulars A. Niche Particulars 1. mating 1. mating 2. feeding 2. feeding 3. transportation 3. transportation 4. dinural v. nocturnal 4. dinural v. nocturnal 5. annual rhythms 5. annual rhythms *if the niche changes, then the species must either adapt or die

Trophic Levels/Feeding Levels

Food Chain v. Food Web

Food Pyramid of Energy Flow  Energy is lost at each level

Biotic Relationships

 “associations/relationships among living things”

Examples  Competition – when 2 organisms compete for the same thing compete for the same thing A. Intraspecific v. Interspecific A. Intraspecific v. Interspecific

 Predation – predators eat prey 1. Predator/prey relationship 1. Predator/prey relationship 2. Kaibab Plateau 2. Kaibab Plateau

 Symbiosis – occurs when 2 organisms or different species live in close association with one another 1. parasitism 1. parasitism 2. commensalism 2. commensalism 3. mutualism 3. mutualism 4. mimicry 4. mimicry

Parasitism  “one organism obtains nutrients from a host organism”  One benefits; one suffers

Commensalism  “one organism benefit, the other is neither helped or nor harmed”

Mutualism  Both benefit

Mimicry  “when a harmless species resembles a poisonous or distasteful one”

Behavior  “is a way that organisms respond to a stimulus”  Two Types a. Learned a. Learned b. Innate b. Innate

Learned Behavior  Learning how to respond to a stimuli, usually by observation or trial and error A. Imprinting – behavior learned at an A. Imprinting – behavior learned at an extremely young age extremely young age B. Habituation – animal learns to ignore B. Habituation – animal learns to ignore what should be a what should be a dangerous stimulus dangerous stimulus

Imprinting

Habituation

Innate Behavior  Born with it A. instincts A. instincts B. caused by genetics B. caused by genetics

Biological Rhythms  “innate behavior which occurs in cycles”  Circadian Rhythms – occurs in 24hr cycles A. nocturnal A. nocturnal B. dinural B. dinural C. biological clock C. biological clock

 Annual Rhythms – yearly cycle A. Plant Cycles A. Plant Cycles 1. annual plants 1. annual plants 2. biennial plants 2. biennial plants 3. perrineal plants 3. perrineal plants

 Hibernation – period of reduced metabolism that allows animals to survive bad conditions A. aestivation – really deep sleep A. aestivation – really deep sleep

 Migrating Rhythms – entire population moves moves

 Tidal Rhythms – associated with tides a. occurs in 12 hr cycles a. occurs in 12 hr cycles b. most lunged animals move at high b. most lunged animals move at high tide tide

Population in Detail

 Exponential Growth  model of population growth that  model of population growth that describes a population that increases describes a population that increases rapidly after only a few generations rapidly after only a few generations  larger the population gets, the faster it  larger the population gets, the faster it grows grows  limiting factor  limiting factor

 Carrying Capacity  number of individuals the environment  number of individuals the environment can support over a long period of time can support over a long period of time  includes limiting factor  includes limiting factor

 2 types of limiting factors a. Density-independent factors a. Density-independent factors 1. weather, floods, fires 1. weather, floods, fires 2. reduce population by same proportion regardless of size 2. reduce population by same proportion regardless of size b. Density-dependent factors b. Density-dependent factors 1. resource limitations 1. resource limitations 2. triggered by increasing population 2. triggered by increasing population

Ecosystem Recycling “each substance travels from the abiotic portion of the environment into living things and back again”

The Water Cycle  Continuous process of process of recycling earth’s recycling earth’s water water

The Carbon Cycle  Cellular respiration, combustion, and decomposition of organic matter are major sources of CO 2  By burning fossil fuels, we increase the amount of CO 2 in the atmosphere

The Nitrogen Cycle 1.All organisms need nitrogen to make proteins and nucleic acids 1.Bacteria transform nitrogen through nitrogen gas  ammonia (ammonification)  nitrite (nitrification)  nitrate (which plants use). These bacteria are called nitrogen fixing. These bacteria are called nitrogen fixing.

Natural Resources and Pollution

Natural Resources  “useful things found in the environment”  Two Types 1. Renewable – can be replenished 1. Renewable – can be replenished ex) sunlight, air, plants, animals ex) sunlight, air, plants, animals 2. Nonrenewable – cannot be 2. Nonrenewable – cannot be replenished replenished ex) metal, fossil fuels, minerals, water ex) metal, fossil fuels, minerals, water  Conservation – process of preserving natural resources and using them wisely

Pollution  “unwanted things in the environment” ex) toxic waste, smoke/exhaust ex) toxic waste, smoke/exhaust  2 Classifications 1. Biodegradable – can be decomposed 1. Biodegradable – can be decomposed 2. nonbiodegradable – cannot be 2. nonbiodegradable – cannot be decomposed decomposed

Sources of Pollution  Agriculture A. pesticides  DDT  enters water  protists absorb it  eagles and falcons eat the fish  DDT causes thin shells when birds lay their eggs A. pesticides  DDT  enters water  protists absorb it  eagles and falcons eat the fish  DDT causes thin shells when birds lay their eggs

 Industry A. dumping things and smoke stacks A. dumping things and smoke stacks B. two laws called The Clean Air Act and The Clean Water Act B. two laws called The Clean Air Act and The Clean Water Act

 Domestic A. garbage and sewage A. garbage and sewage

Main Pollution Problems  Acid Rain/Precipitation 1. “when chemical from burning fossil fuels combine with water in the air to lower the pH of precipitation” 1. “when chemical from burning fossil fuels combine with water in the air to lower the pH of precipitation” *Solution – stop burning fossil fuels *Solution – stop burning fossil fuels

 Greenhouse Effect/Global Warming 1. rise in the average global temperatures due to an increase in CO2 1. rise in the average global temperatures due to an increase in CO2 * solution – stop burning fossil fuels and * solution – stop burning fossil fuels and stop cutting down trees stop cutting down trees

 Ozone Depletion 1. CFC’s get into the atmosphere and “eat” the ozone 1. CFC’s get into the atmosphere and “eat” the ozone *solution – get rid of CFCs *solution – get rid of CFCs