Ecology pp. 1021-1027

Introduction Ecology = the study of organisms and their relationships with each other & the environment Environment can be divided into 2 parts: 1. Biotic (living components) - examples: 2. Abiotic (nonliving components)

Energy Flow Through an Ecosystem Types of organisms: Producers, consumers, or decomposers Each step in the flow of energy is a trophic or feeding level

Producers Photosynthetic organisms Produces their own food from inorganic substances autotrophs

Consumers Get energy either directly or indirectly from producers Heterotrophs Primary consumer (1°) = herbivores Secondary consumers (2°) eats primary consumer Tertiary consumers (3°) eats secondary consumers Quaternary consumers (4°)…. Carnivores

Decomposers get energy from dead tissues & organic waste

Ecological Pyramids Graphical representations of the trophic structure of ecosystems 3 types Pyramid of energy Pyramid of biomass Pyramid of numbers

Basic Form:

Feeding Relationships Food chain: series of organisms through which energy is passed Example: wheat  vole  owl

Food web: complex relationship of interconnecting & overlapping food chains Example: Fig. 47-21 p. 1027