Intro to Ecology

Mike

Ecology: All things are connected! Ecology is the study of interactions between living things (biotic factors) and their environment (abiotic factors).

Producer Obtain energy from the sun. Can produce their own food. Autotroph

Consumer Herbivore-obtain energy by eating plants. Carnivore-obtain energy by eating meat. Omnivore- obtain energy by eating plants and animals. Detritivore- obtain energy by feeding on plant and animal remains Heterotroph

Feeding Relationships Energy flows through an ecosystem in one direction, from the sun or inorganic compounds to autotrophs (producers) and then to various heterotrophs (consumers).

Food Chain Organisms transfer energy by eating and being eaten. Each step in food chain or web makes up a trophic level.

Ten Percent Rule

Symbiosis: “Living together”

Parasitism Species 1 Species 2

Predator/Prey Relationship Species 1 Species 2

Herbivory Species 1 Species 2

Competition Species 1 Species 2

Mutualism Species 1 Species 2

Commensalism Species 1 Species 2

Only drinks from one kind of flower Specialists Only drinks from one kind of flower Only eats prairie dogs Only eats termites Only eats bamboo

Eats seriously anything Generalists Eats anything Eats anything Eats seriously anything