Ecology

ECOLOGY - the study of interactions among organisms with each other and with environment BIOSPHERE - portion of planet where life exists

LEVELS OF ORGANIZATION Organism – individual animal or plant in an area Species - individuals that can breed with one another Population - all the individuals of the same species (ducks) in an area

A population is always composed of same-species organisms

Community - all the populations that live together in an area

Ecosystem - the community plus the physical factors in an area (rain, light, soil..) Examples: Rotting Log Koi Pond Lake Clump of Dirt A field An old maple tree

List as 3 living things you may in the ecosystem illustrated. Seagull, fish, crawfish, seal, seaweed, fungus These “living things” are called biotic factors. List 3 non-living things you may find in the ecosystem illustrated. Rocks, water, air, sunlight, soil These “non-living things” are called abiotic factors.

List the levels of an ecosystem from least inclusive (top) to most inclusive (bottom) and provide examples of each. Organism Species Population Community Ecosystem

Habitat - the place in which an organism lives provides the kinds of food and shelter, the temperature, and the amount of moisture the organism needs to survive

Niche - The specific role that an organism plays in its ecosystem

What is the difference between a habitat and a niche? The place where an organism lives its habitat. How an organism survives is its niche. A habitat is an organisms address. A niche is an organisms job.

Biome - large area that has a particular climate, and particular species of plants and animals that live there (example - tundra)

Biosphere - the part of the earth that supports life

Chemosynthesis - makes food from chemicals (some bacteria synthesize food in this way) Some bacteria live in deep ocean vents (openings in the ocean floor), and make their food from chemicals in those vents

Types of Consumers What They Eat Levels of Consumers Energy Flow in an Ecosystem Food webs - illustrate the flow of energy in an ecosystem Producers - capture energy from environment and convert it into "food” (autotrophs) Consumers - must eat things (heterotrophs) Types of Consumers What They Eat Levels of Consumers Herbivores Vegetation Primary Carnivores Meat Secondary and Tertiary Omnivores Veggies and Meat Secondary or Tertiary Decomposers Dead organisms

Identify and List: Primary Consumers grasshopper, rat, rabbit, squirrel Secondary Consumers rat, frog, fox, snake Tertiary Consumers owl, snake Find the Omnivore. rat

Relationships in an Ecosystem Suppose you buy a house. A friend moves in and helps pay your mortgage, bills, and groceries. Who benefits from this relationship: you and friend Who is harmed from this relationship: no one This relationship is called mutualism You live in an apartment complex and must drive your car to work everyday. A co-worker lives in the same complex and carpools with you but does not help pay for gas. friend commensalism You have a friend who constantly asks you to borrow a pencil (and forgets to return it), borrows notebook paper, and never returns the favor. you parasitism In all 3 circumstances, do the people involved have a relationship with each other? yes This is called symbiosis

A close relationship between two organisms Based on the previous questions, write your own definitions for the relationships in an ecosystem… Symbiosis: A close relationship between two organisms Mutualism: Relationship where both benefit and no one is harmed Commensalism: Relationship where one benefits and the other neither benefits nor is harmed Parasitism: Relationship where one benefits and the other is harmed

Biogeochemical Cycles = biology + geology + chemical   Matter is not used up, it is transformed, the same molecules are passed around (Conservation of Matter) Graphics  Carbon Cycle Water Cycle Nitrogen Cycle

Use this illustration for your homework since the copy is very light and hard to see! 