copyright cmassengale *What is Ecology?? The study of interactions that take place between organisms and their environment. It explains how living organisms affect each other and the world they live in. copyright cmassengale

The Nonliving Environment *Abiotic factors- the nonliving parts of an organism’s environment. Examples include air currents, temperature, moisture, light, and soil. Abiotic factors affect an organism’s life. copyright cmassengale

The Living Environment *Biotic factors- all the living organisms that inhabit an environment. All organisms depend on others directly or indirectly for food, shelter, reproduction, or protection. copyright cmassengale

Energy Flow Through an Ecosystem Food Chains, Food Webs, Energy Pyramids copyright cmassengale

copyright cmassengale *Begins with the SUN Photosynthesis 6CO2 + 6H2O + sunlight & chlorophyll C6H12O6 + 6O2 copyright cmassengale

copyright cmassengale Photosynthesis DO NOT COPY Chemical reaction where green plants use water & carbon dioxide to store the sun’s energy in glucose ENERGY is stored in glucose Glucose is stored as starch in plants copyright cmassengale

copyright cmassengale *Organisms that can make glucose during photosynthesis are called PRODUCERS. copyright cmassengale

Producers use most of the energy they make for themselves. copyright cmassengale

copyright cmassengale *Producers use cellular respiration to supply the energy they need to live. copyright cmassengale

copyright cmassengale 6O2 + C6H12O6 -->  6H2O + 6CO2 + energy *CELLULAR RESPIRATION is the chemical reaction that releases the energy in glucose.It makes energy in the form of ATP. copyright cmassengale

copyright cmassengale The energy that is not used by producers can be passed on to organisms that cannot make their own energy. copyright cmassengale

*Organisms that cannot make their own energy are called CONSUMERS. copyright cmassengale

*There are 4 general types of consumers: Herbivores eat only plants Carnivores eat only animals Omnivores eat plant and animals Decomposers break down decaying organisms

Zebras eat grass. They are herbivores. Cows are herbivores.

Herbivores Hippos are herbivores. Rhinos are herbivores.

Not all carnivores have razor sharp teeth. Lions definitely eat meat! Not all carnivores have razor sharp teeth.

*Consumers that eat producers to get energy: Are primary consumers copyright cmassengale

*A Consumer that Eats Another Consumer for Energy: Is called a secondary consumer May be a carnivore or a omnivore May be a predator May be a scavenger copyright cmassengale

*A consumer that eats a consumer that already ate a consumer: Is called a tertiary consumer May be a carnivore, a omnivore, predator or a scavenger

*Consumers that eat other dead consumers are called scavengers

*The transfer of energy from the sun to producer to primary consumer then to higher order consumers can be shown in a FOOD CHAIN.

A lot of the energy is lost as heat, but some energy is stored and can passed on to another consumer. **10% rule – only 10% of the energy at one level is transferred to the next level.

More Food Chains

*Food Webs: Are interconnected food chains They show the feeding relationships in an ecosystem

Food Chains Show Available Energy

Another way of showing the transfer of energy in an ecosystem is the ENERGY PYRAMID

Energy Pyramids Show ?? What can you tell me about this pyramid copyright cmassengale

*Energy Pyramids Show Amount of available energy decreases for higher consumers Amount of available energy decreases down the food chain It takes a large number of producers to support a small number of primary consumers It takes a large number of primary consumers to support a small number of secondary consumers

How Many Chains are in this web? copyright cmassengale

Identify the Producers, Consumers, & Decomposers: Count the Food Chains! copyright cmassengale

We can show what goes on with the help of a Food Web

What would happen if a disease killed off many of the hawks?

There will be nothing to eat the snakes, so their numbers will increase.

All the frogs get eaten

No frogs. More crickets

Most of the cattail gets eaten by the crickets

Now the crickets don’t have enough food so their numbers go down

..and so on. Numbers of each species have an effect on the numbers of the other species in the web.

copyright cmassengale What is ecological succession? copyright cmassengale

copyright cmassengale This series of predictable changes that occurs in a community over time is called ecological succession. Sometimes, an ecosystem changes in response to an abrupt disturbance. At other times, changes occur gradually. There are two types: primary and secondary. copyright cmassengale

copyright cmassengale *Primary Succession On land, succession that occurs on surfaces where no soil exists is called primary succession. For example, primary succession occurs on rock surfaces formed after volcanoes erupt. The first species to populate the area are called pioneer species copyright cmassengale

In this example, a volcanic eruption has forms an island.

copyright cmassengale Mosses soon appear, and grasses take root in the thin layer of soil. copyright cmassengale

copyright cmassengale Eventually, tree seedlings and shrubs sprout among the plant community. copyright cmassengale

copyright cmassengale Secondary Succession All or part of an ecosystem can be changed by natural events, such as fires. When the disturbance is over, community interactions that replace the ecosystem to its original condition are called secondary succession.  (Think of this as a replacement community.) copyright cmassengale