ECOLOGY

What is Ecology? The study of interactions among organisms and between organisms and their environment.

Foundation of Environmental Science Ecology: the study of how living organisms interact with each other and their nonliving environment

Ecology studies how all of these living and nonliving things interact

What is an ecosystem?

Defining an ecosystem Ecosystem: all the organisms living in an area together with their physical environment Forest Ecosystem Pond Ecosystem Vacant Lot Ecosystem Desert Ecosystem

All Ecosystems are connected How does your ecosystem impact the Atlantic Ocean?

Parts of an ecosystem

Parts of an ecosystem In order for an ecosystem to survive it needs five basic components: Energy Mineral Nutrients Water Oxygen Living Organisms

What are some parts of this ecosystem?

If your are conducting a study of the interactions of vegetation, animals, mineral composition of the soil, and water levels in a saltmarsh. You are studying the saltmarsh ___. ECOSYSTEM

Biotic and Abiotic Factors Biotic: living & once living parts of an ecosystem Plants, animals, bacteria, dead organisms, wastes Abiotic: nonliving parts of an ecosystem Air, water, soil, sunlight, temperature

What are some biotic AND abiotic parts of this ecosystem?

Organizing Biotic Parts

Organism: an individual living thing - you, a tree, a fox, a rose - smallest unit Species: groups of closely related organisms that can mate & produce fertile offspring - red foxes, or black widow spiders, or grizzly bears

Species: groups of organisms that resemble each other in appearance, behavior, chemistry and genetic makeup…able to reproduce 8.7 million species (1.3 million identified) Mostly insects/micro Tropical forests

Insects 751,000 Known species 1,300,000 Plants 248,400

Population: all the members of the same species that live in the same place at the same time Field mice living in a corn field, grizzly bears of Yellowstone Park Members breed with one another, rather than with other populations

Community: a group of various species that live in the same place and interact with each other Pond Community Pineland Forest Community

Biosphere: all parts of the Earth where life is found

Habitat Habitat: the place where an organism lives Organisms are well suited for their habitat

Habitats provide an organism with resources— anything an organism needs to survive and reproduce, including food, shelter, and mates

Habitat Influenced by temperature and precipitation

Climate vs Weather Weather – current condition of the atmosphere Climate – the general weather conditions prevailing in an area over a long period