In 25 words, Journal 3/11 What is ecology? Vocab quiz & Vocab in your own words DUE today! Writing pre-assessment DUE today Journal 3/11 In 25 words, What is ecology? What is the difference between an abiotic factor and a biotic factor? AGENDA: 1. New vocab list 2. Notes on introduction to ecology 3. Adaptation vs. acclimation worksheet

Vocab quiz & Vocab in your own words FRIDAY Journal 3/12 In 25 words, Where does all energy in an ecosystem come from? What is a food web? AGENDA: 1. Finish notes 2. Practice- energy transfer in ecosystems

Vocab quiz & Vocab in your own words DUE today! Writing pre-assessment DUE 3/11 (Monday) Journal 3/8 In 25 words, Describe some ways you can help prevent ecosystem destruction. AGENDA: 1. Vocab Quiz & check vocab quiz 2. Go over test 3. Test corrections/ Finish Mono Lake writing pre-assessment

Test corrections: For each question you missed: Write out the question Write out the correct answer

Vocab quiz & Vocab in your own Fri. 3/8 Writing pre-assessment DUE 3/11 (Monday) Journal 3/7 In 25 words, Describe some of the impacts of lowered water levels on the Mono Lake ecosystem. If absent yesterday- describe how humans can impact ecosystems. AGENDA: 1. Finish writing pre-assessment

Vocab quiz & Vocab in your own Fri. 3/8 Writing pre-assessment DUE 3/11 (Monday) Journal 3/6 In 25 words, 1. What is an ecosystem? How do humans impact ecosystems AGENDA: 1. Introduction to Mono Lake 2. Writing pre-assessment

What is Mono Lake?

Photo taken in 1962 when the water level was already 7 Photo taken in 1962 when the water level was already 7.5 meters (25 feet) below the original level. The same tufa towers in a photo taken in 1968. The tufa towers are completely exposed in this photo taken in 1995.

Problems of lowered water levels Higher salt concentrations in the lake kills lake organisms and organisms that feed off of lake organisms Exposure of a land bridge that coyotes can now use to eat the chicks of the birds who nested on Negit “Island” Loss of tufa towers & unique microorganisms

Writing Pre-assessment 1. Read the article given to you 2. Respond to the prompt below: “Describe the environmental impacts of removing water from the Mono Lake.” At least 1 page 10 points Bonus points if you type it at home! You can email it to me to print if you don’t have a printer sbrown@ringgold.org Due Monday March 11th

What is Ecology?

Ecology The study of the interactions between organisms and the living and nonliving components of their environment--- INTERDEPENDENCE (interconnectedness)!!

Ecological Models Physical, conceptual, or mathematical representations of the components of an ecological system Used to help plan and evaluate solutions to environmental problems

Levels of Organization Ecologists have organized the interactions in which an organism takes part into different levels according to complexity.

1st Level of Organization Organism: An individual living thing that is made of cells, uses energy, reproduces, responds, grows, and develops

2nd Level of Organization Population: A group of organisms, all of the same species, which interbreed and live in the same place at the same time.

3rd Level of Organization Biological Community: All the populations of different species that live in the same place at the same time and interact (solely biotic in terms of composition).

4th Level of Organization Ecosystem: Populations of plants and animals that interact with each other in a given area, along with the abiotic components (physical and chemical) of that area. [terrestrial or aquatic]

5th Level of Organization Earth:apple::biosphere:skin of apple Biosphere: Broadest, most inclusive level, i.e., the thin volume of Earth and its atmosphere that supports life (5 to 6 miles above surface to deepest part of the oceans)

The Nonliving Environment Abiotic factors- the nonliving parts of an organism’s environment. Examples: temperature, humidity, pH, salinity, oxygen concentration, nitrogen availability, soil, and precipitation.

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.

Abiotic or Biotic? Biotic

Abiotic or Biotic? Abiotic

Abiotic or Biotic? Abiotic

Abiotic or Biotic? Biotic

Organisms in a Changing Environment Acclimation: Adjusting tolerance to abiotic factors over the course of a lifetime VS. Adaptation: genetic change in a species or population that occurs from generation to generation over time

Control of Internal Conditions Conformers (Cold-Blooded): organisms that change their internal conditions as their external environment changes Regulators (Warm-Blooded): Organisms that use energy to control some of their internal conditions Dormancy: strategy for surviving unfavorable conditions through reduced activity Migration: strategy for surviving unfavorable conditions through moving to a more favorable habitat

Habitat & Niche Habitat is the place a plant or animal lives Niche is an organism’s total way of life, to include the range of conditions that it can tolerate, the resources it uses, the methods by which it obtains resources, the number of offspring it has, the time of reproduction, and all other interactions with the environment Generalist (e.g. opossum) Specialist (e.g. koala bear)

6CO2 + 6H2O + sunlight & chlorophyll C6H12O6 (glucose) + 6O2 Energy Transfer Begins with the SUN Photosynthesis 6CO2 + 6H2O + sunlight & chlorophyll C6H12O6 (glucose) + 6O2

Energy Transfer Producers: autotrophs that capture energy and use it to make organic molecules *Photosynthesis *Chemosynthesis Biomass: organic material that has been produced in an ecosystem

Energy Transfer Consumers: heterotrophs that obtain energy by consuming organic molecules made by other organisms *Herbivores: eat producers *Carnivores: eat other consumers *Omnivores: eat both producers and consumers *Detritivores: feed on the “garbage” of an ecosystem -Decomposer: a detritivore that releases complex molecules that cause decay

Energy Flow Trophic Level: indicates organism’s position in a sequence of energy transfers *1st trophic level = producers *2nd trophic level = herbivores *3rd+trophic level = consumers -Higher trophic levels contain less energy, so they support fewer individuals

Food Chains and Food Webs Food Chain: single pathway of feeding relationships among organisms in an ecosystem that results in energy transfer Food Web: Interrelated food chains in an ecosystem On average, only 10% of the total energy consumed in one trophic level is incorporated into organisms in the next

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

Food Web

ON A SEPARATE SHEET OF PAPER, CREATE A FOOD WEB The Planktonic Algae grows suspended in the lake waters. The Benthic Algae grows attached to the lake bottom. The algae provide the food for the brine shrimp and the brine flies, the two major herbivores. The brine flies require submerged hard-rock or tufa surfaces for reproduction and shallow waters for feeding. The brine shrimp inhabit the open waters of the lake. The shrimp and flies provide most of the food for the large numbers of birds that use the lake. The brine shrimp provide the food for three bird species: California Gulls: About 40 to 50 thousand breeding adults use the lake as a nesting area. They nest on the irregular terrain and on the islands, and they feed on the shrimp at the surface of the lake. Eared Grebes: Around 750 thousand use Mono Lake as a migratory stopover for molting and fattening. They feed on both shrimp and flies, and they feed below the surface as well as at the surface. Wilson's Phalaropes: An estimated 80 thousand use Mono Lake as a migratory stopover for molting and fattening. They feed on shrimp and flies at the surface.

Ecosystem Recycling As energy and matter flow through an ecosystem, matter must be recycled and reused. Substances such as water, carbon, nitrogen, calcium, and phosphorus each pass between the living and nonliving worlds through biogeochemical cycles

Carbon Cycle Carbon Cycle

Phosphorus Cycle