Ecological Organization

What is Ecology? Ecology: is the study of the interactions between organisms and their environment Ecologist: A person who studies Ecology

Ecology is organized into six levels Biosphere Biome Most general (biggest group) Ecosystem Community Population Organism Most specific (smallest group)

Example: One deer, one human Organism: an individual living thing that is made of cells, uses energy, reproduces, grows, and develops. Example: One deer, one human

Population: a group of organisms of one species that live in the same place at the same time Example: Many deer

Communities: all the populations of different species that live in the same place at the same time Example: Deer, zebras, and grass living together

Ecosystem: populations that interact with each other with the abiotic (non-living) factors Example: Grass grows in the ground using sunlight, horse eats grass (grass and horses)

Biomes: large groups of ecosystems that share certain characteristics, such as climate Example: Desert, deciduous forest

Biosphere: the portion of Earth that supports life, includes all the ecosystems on earth Example: Earth

Think: Which Level of Ecology?

Organism, population, community, ecosystem, biome, biosphere What level? Organism, population, community, ecosystem, biome, biosphere Lion

Earth’s crust and atmosphere What level? Organism, population, community, ecosystem, biome, biosphere Earth’s crust and atmosphere

Groups of animals interacting What level? Organism, population, community, ecosystem, biome, biosphere Groups of animals interacting

Organism, population, community, ecosystem, biome, biosphere What level? Organism, population, community, ecosystem, biome, biosphere Groups of lions

Organism, population, community, ecosystem, biome, biosphere What level? Organism, population, community, ecosystem, biome, biosphere The rain forest

Biotic factors: living things Parts of an Ecosystem Ecosystems are made up of biotic (living) and abiotic (non-living) factors Biotic factors: living things Examples: trees, animals, and bacteria Abiotic factors: non-living things Examples: sun, soil, air, water

Think: Biotic and Abiotic

Abiotic or Biotic Cat

Abiotic or Biotic Water

Abiotic or Biotic Rock

Abiotic or Biotic Mushroom

Abiotic or Biotic Bacteria

Abiotic or Biotic Sun

Abiotic or Biotic Virus

Abiotic or Biotic House

Abiotic or Biotic Fish

Organism in Ecosystems Habitat: physical area in which an organism lives A Niche: is the role an organism plays in its environment (how it gets food, finds shelter, and reproduces) A niche includes all of an organism’s interactions with the biotic (living) and abiotic (non-living) parts of its environment Ex. A Bee’s Niche A bee lives in a bee hive, makes honey, and eats nectar from flowers

EXIT TICKET

A. habitat B. community C. niche D. kingdom Question 1 The area in which certain types of plants and animals can be found living in close proximity to each other is called a... A. habitat B. community C. niche D. kingdom

A. Abiotic factors B. Biotic factors C. Biospheric factors Question 2 Nitrogen, oxygen, and carbon dioxide are among the most biologically important atmospheric gases. What are these called? A. Abiotic factors B. Biotic factors C. Biospheric factors D. Habitat factors

A. Commensalism B. Mutualism C. Predation D. Parasitism Question 3 Ostriches and gazelles feed next to each other and guard each other from predators. What type of symbiotic relationship is this? A. Commensalism B. Mutualism C. Predation D. Parasitism

Question 4 A fly lays her young (offspring) on top of a cricket. The fly larvae promptly burrow into the cricket and eat him. Why symbiotic relationship is this? A. Mutualism B. Predation C.Parasitism D. Commensalism

C. Both biotic and abiotic factors D. Succession pattern Question 5 The tropical rain forest is found near the equator. It has abundant rainfall, stays very humid, and experiences an average summer temperature of 25 degrees Celsius. This is a descriptions of the ecosystem’s: A. Biotic factors B. Abiotic factors C. Both biotic and abiotic factors D. Succession pattern

Answers

A. habitat B. community C. niche D. kingdom Question 1 The area in which certain types of plants and animals can be found living in close proximity to each other is called a A. habitat B. community C. niche D. kingdom

A. Abiotic factors B. Biotic factors C. Biospheric factors Question 2 Nitrogen, oxygen, and carbon dioxide are among the most biologically important atmospheric gases. What are these called? A. Abiotic factors B. Biotic factors C. Biospheric factors D. Habitat factors

A. Commensalism B. Mutualism C. Predation D. Parasitism Question 3 Ostriches and gazelles feed next to each other and guard each other from predators. What type of symbiotic relationship is this? A. Commensalism B. Mutualism C. Predation D. Parasitism

Question 4 A fly lays her young (offspring) on top of a cricket. The fly larvae promptly burrow into the cricket and eat him. Why symbiotic relationship is this? A. Mutualism B. Predation C.Parasitism D. Commensalism

C. Both biotic and abiotic factors D. Succession pattern Question 5 The tropical rain forest is found near the equator. It has abundant rainfall, stays very humid, and experiences an average summer temperature of 25 degrees Celsius. This is a descriptions of the ecosystem’s: A. Biotic factors B. Abiotic factors C. Both biotic and abiotic factors D. Succession pattern