Levels of Organization
copyright cmassengale Organism copyright cmassengale
Organism An individual living thing that is made of cells, uses energy, reproduces, responds, grows, and develops Organisms compete for food, water, shelter, and mates
R-strategist Reproduce early in life, have many offspring, no parental care, short life span Examples: roaches, mosquitos, ants
K-strategists Reproduce later in life, have few offspring, show parental care, long life span Examples—humans, elephants, dogs, cats
Population A group of organisms, all of the same species, which live in the same place at the same time and interbreed
Population vocabulary Population size: the number of individuals Population dispersal: how they are distributed Population density: the # of individuals in a given area
Community Collection of all populations of different species that live in the same place at the same time.
Habitat & Niche Habitat is the place a plant or animal lives Niche is the role the organism plays in the community
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copyright cmassengale Fundamental niche All of the possible roles an organism could fill in a community All the resources it COULD use copyright cmassengale
Realized niche The part of the fundamental niche the organism actually uses
Ecosystem Populations of plants, animals, and micro-organisms that interact with each other in a given area and with the abiotic components of that area.
Ecosystem Components Biotic factors- all the living organisms that inhabit an environment Abiotic factors- the nonliving parts of an organism’s environment Examples: air currents, temperature, moisture, light, and soil.
copyright cmassengale Biomes Terrestrial (land based) include the 7 major biomes Tundra --Desert Taiga --Tropical forest Temperate grassland Temperate forest Savanna copyright cmassengale
Aquatic Freshwater—streams, lakes, ponds, rivers Wetlands-swamps, estuaries Marine-oceans (75% of the Earth’s surface)
Biosphere The portion of Earth that supports life.