Ecology Guided Notes

What is Ecology? Ecology: the study of interactions of living organisms with one another and with their environment

What is an Ecosystem? Ecosystem: a community of organisms and their environment

What Shapes an Ecosystem?

Organisms are influenced by: Biotic Factors (living) – include all the living things with which organisms interact Abiotic Factors (non-living) – include temperature, soil type and other non-living factors

Together biotic and abiotic factors determine the survival and growth of an organism and the productivity of the ecosystem in which an organism lives  

Habitat – where an organism lives, more than one species can live in the same habitat. Includes both biotic and abiotic . factors   Niche – consists of all the physical and biological conditions in which an organisms and the way in which the organism uses those conditions Includes what an organism eats, how it gets food  

Relationships between Organisms Producer (Autotroph) – a photosynthetic or chemosynthetic autotroph that serves as the basic food source in an ecosystem Consumer (Heterotroph) – an organism that eats other organisms or organic matter instead of producing its own nutrients or obtaining nutrients from inorganic sources Decomposer – an organism that feeds by breaking down organic matter from dead organisms

Relationships between Organisms Primary Producer Primary Consumer Secondary Consumer EXAMPLE

Energy Flow in an Ecosystem – One direction! Sun -> Autotrophs -> Heterotrophs

Trophic levels – each step in a food chain or food pyramid is a trophic level Producers always make up the first trophic level, consumers the higher ones Each consumer depends on the trophic level below it for energy

Every time I increase a trophic level only 10% of the energy is transferred to the next level.

If fox eats a snake that has eaten an insect that fed on a plant, the fox is a… a) Primary producer b) Primary consumer c) Secondary producer d) Tertiary consumer

Is it possible to be a secondary producer? Why or why not?

If only 10% of the energy stored in an organism can be passed on to the next trophic level, of the remaining energy some is used for an organism’s life processes, the rest is used for?

If only 10% of the energy stored in an organism can be passed on to the next trophic level, of the remaining energy some is used for an organism’s life processes, the rest is used for? Eliminated as heat

Ecosystem Changes: -As an ecosystem ages, older inhabitants gradually die out and new organisms move in. -Changes can occur from disturbances, long-term climate changes, introduction of nonnative species, human interactions

Diversity The greater the diversity of species there is… it creates an increase chance that at least some living organisms will survive in the face of cataclysmic changes in the environment. Increased diversity = increased stability