Ecology WE WILL: YOU WILL:

Vocabulary Auto- Hetero- -troph Bio - Hydro- Photo- Chemo- -synthesis Word Meaning Auto- Hetero- -troph Bio - Hydro- Photo- Chemo- -synthesis

Vocabulary Auto- Self Hetero- -troph Bio - Hydro- Photo- Chemo- Word Meaning Auto- Self Hetero- -troph Bio - Hydro- Photo- Chemo- -synthesis

Vocabulary Auto- Self Hetero- Other -troph Bio - Hydro- Photo- Chemo- Word Meaning Auto- Self Hetero- Other -troph Bio - Hydro- Photo- Chemo- -synthesis

Vocabulary Auto- Self Hetero- Other -troph Feeder Bio - Hydro- Photo- Word Meaning Auto- Self Hetero- Other -troph Feeder Bio - Hydro- Photo- Chemo- -synthesis

Vocabulary Auto- Self Hetero- Other -troph Feeder Bio - Life Hydro- Word Meaning Auto- Self Hetero- Other -troph Feeder Bio - Life Hydro- Photo- Chemo- -synthesis

Important Vocabulary Auto- Self Hetero- Other -troph Feeder Bio - Life Word Meaning Auto- Self Hetero- Other -troph Feeder Bio - Life Hydro- Water Photo- Chemo- -synthesis

Vocabulary Auto- Self Hetero- Other -troph Feeder Bio - Life Hydro- Word Meaning Auto- Self Hetero- Other -troph Feeder Bio - Life Hydro- Water Photo- Light Chemo- -synthesis

Vocabulary Auto- Self Hetero- Other -troph Feeder Bio - Life Hydro- Word Meaning Auto- Self Hetero- Other -troph Feeder Bio - Life Hydro- Water Photo- Light Chemo- Chemical -synthesis

Vocabulary Auto- Self Hetero- Other -troph Feeder Bio - Life Hydro- Word Meaning Auto- Self Hetero- Other -troph Feeder Bio - Life Hydro- Water Photo- Light Chemo- Chemical -synthesis to make from

Sunlight is the main energy source for life on earth. Organic = anything found in or produced by living things (oxygen, carbon dioxide) Inorganic = things not found in or produced by living things (sunlight)

______________________are organisms that make their own food

Autotrophs are organisms that make their own food

Auto means “self”, troph means “feeder” Autotroph – “self feeder””

Another name for autotrophs is producers because they produce their own food.

Plants are autotrophs that make their own food from sunlight, water, and air. This process is called Photosynthesis

Some bacteria make their food from chemicals Some bacteria make their food from chemicals. This is called __________________.

Some bacteria make their food from chemicals Some bacteria make their food from chemicals. This is called chemosynthesis.

Heterotrophs/ consumers are organisms that need to eat other things Heterotrophs/ consumers are organisms that need to eat other things. They cannot make their own food.

Hetero means “__________” Another name for heterotrophs is_______________ because they consume food Examples – other consumers

Food Chains & Food Webs Visuals used to show feeding interactions between organisms. Arrows always point to the organism that is…. Eating the other

By eating other organisms, heterotrophs get ________ for performing life processes. Ex: Energy

Each level of a food chain or web has a name:

Ecological Pyramids

An ecological pyramid is a diagram that ______________________________________________

An ecological pyramid is a diagram that shows the relative amount of energy or matter contained within each level of a food chain

Energy Pyramid – shows the amount of energy available at each trophic level. Only 10% of the energy available within one trophic level is transferred to the next level.

Example – if the insects provide 1000 kcal of energy to the rodents, the rodents only get 100 kcal other 900 kcal was used by the insects for body processes such as breathing and some was lost as heat.

Lets practice together If the grass contains 1600 kcal, how many kcal transfer to the grasshoppers? 160kcal

If the grass contains 900 kcal, how many kcal transfer to the grasshoppers? How many kcal does the mouse receive from the grass? 90kcal .9 kcal

If the rodents get 750 kcal, how many Calories did the grass contain?

If the rodents get 750 kcal, how many Calories did the insects contain? 4. How many calories did the grass contain? 7500 Calories 75,000 Calories

_______________________- represents the amount of living matter at each trophic level. Biomass Pyramid

Biomass Pyramid measured in g/m2 or kg/m2 _________ usually account for the most biomass Producers

The Carbon Cycle 3 4 2 6 5 1 Free CO2 is found in the atmosphere Plants take in CO2 in order to perform photosynthesis. They release O2 . Animals breathe in O2 and give off CO2 as exhaled waste during respiration. Dead organisms release carbon into the soil as they decompose. Fossil fuels (like oil) are produced from the carbon of dead organisms . Carbon in the soil is used by roots of plants. It is also released into the oceans and used by aquatic plants during photosynthesis.

The Nitrogen Cycle Nitrogen fertilizes the soil with important nutrients that plants need to grow.

Nitrogen is found in the atmosphere in the form of N2 Nitrogen fixation – bacteria “fix” nitrogen so it can be used by plants Nitrates (NO3-) are converted to ammonium (NH4+) by enzymes (biological chemicals that help reactions happen) in a process called Nitrification. Ammonium is taken in by plants through a process called assimilation (when nitrogen fixing is not possible) to help them grow 3 4 2 1

5. Dead organisms release ammonia back into the soil 5. Dead organisms release ammonia back into the soil. This is called ammonification. Fungus (mushrooms) help with this process. Ammonia mixes with the oxygen in the soil and creates Nitrites (NO2-) and Nitrates (NO3-). This is a problem because the negative charge doesn’t let the nitrogen mix with the soil. Enzymes found in animal waste mix with the Nitrites and Nitrates to convert them back to N2 which is released into the atmosphere. This is called Denitrification. 3 4 2 1 7 6 5

Nutrient Limitations

Primary productivity – the rate in which organic matter (carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus) is created to the amount of producers. When a nutrient is in short supply, it limits how much the organisms can grow and reproduce. This is called a limiting nutrient.

When an aquatic ecosystem receives a large supply of a limiting nutrient, such as runoff water from heavily fertilized fields, an algal bloom is the result. Algal bloom – a huge increase in algae production.

Results of an algal bloom: Sunlight can not get through the thick layer of algae causing plants on the bottom die If the plants on the bottom die, the fish and animals that eat them could starve to death The food chain is disrupted.

Resources may include food, water, shelter, space, oxygen, etc. Carrying Capacity- the maximum population size that can be supported by the available resources Resources may include food, water, shelter, space, oxygen, etc. When the carrying capacity of an area is exceeded, populations will begin to decrease because there aren’t enough resources to support them. Although several species may share a habitat they each have their own niche. A niche is a very narrow range where a species fits within a habitat.

Limiting factors keep populations under control. If one species is disturbed it has an effect on the populations of other species.

Between 1977 and 1980 the wolf population increased quickly How did the Isle Royale wolf population change between 1977 and 1980? Between 1977 and 1980 the wolf population increased quickly

How did the moose population change during that same time period? Between 1977 and 1980 the moose population dropped

How did the wolf population change between 1986 and 1988? The wolf population increased

How did the moose population change between 1986 and 1988? The wolf population increased

The wolf population increased because there were more moose to eat How did the increase in the moose population between 1986 and 1988 effect the wolf population during that same time period? The wolf population increased because there were more moose to eat

The wolves would die out unless they found an alternative food source. If hunters entered the area and wiped out the moose population, predict what would happen to the population of wolves. The wolves would die out unless they found an alternative food source.

Moose are herbivores. If the moose were killed off, what will happen to the amount of grass in the area? The amount of grass may increase because the moose are no longer grazing on it.

Biomagnification, is the increase in concentration of a substance that occurs in a food chain DDT- a harmful pesticide often found in food chains

Ecological Succession

Succession is a series of changes in a community in which new populations of organisms gradually replaces existing populations. There are 2 types of succession:

1. Primary succession – starts from bare rock Pioneer organisms - the first organisms to colonize a new site. ex. Lichens and moss are pioneer organisms.

2. Secondary succession – Takes place on existing soil. Populations grow again after being wiped out by a fire, flood, or other change.

Climax Community/ Mature Community – the most stable community during succession. - composed of large, sturdy hardwood trees.