What is an Ecosystem? Ecology is the study of the interactions of living organisms with one another and with their physical environment.

Vocabulary habitat – the place where a particular population of a species lives population – a group of species community – made up of the many different species that live together in a habitat ecosystem – consists of a community and all the physical aspects of its habitat

abiotic factors – the physical aspects of a habitat; ex; soil, water, air biotic factors – the organisms in a habitat; living organisms biodiversity – a measure of the number of species living within an ecosystem; ecosystems contain diverse organisms

Ecosystems change through the process of Succession. succession – the replacement of one type of community by another at a single location over a period of time primary succession – succession that begins in an area that previously did not support life

pioneer species – the first organisms to live in a new habitat; usually small, fast growing plants secondary succession – the process by which one community replaces another community that has been partially or totally destroyed

Environmental Disturbances: fire flood crop harvesting logging disease drought climax pioneer species

Which diagram shows 1° succession? B.

Which diagram shows 2° succession? B.

What are the pioneer species in A and B?

Typical Stages of Succession This chart represents a typical succession that is observed in New York State.   The annual grasses represent the pioneer species or first organisms in this succession.   The beech-maple forest would represent a typical Northern New York climax community.   The climax community will last hundreds or thousands of years unless disrupted.  pioneer community climax community