Principles of ecology Chapter 13

Ecology __________ the study of interactions among living things, and their surroundings We did not study our entire _________ as a whole unit until scientists found the importance of ecology The need to know how all _________ affect one another Ecology can be _________ into several different levels

Ecology organization __________ an individual living thing such as a alligator __________ a group of the same species that live together (alligators in a swamp) __________ a group of different species that live together in one area Alligators, turtles, birds, fish, plants that live in the Florida __________ __________ includes all organisms as well as the climate, soil, water, and nonliving things in a particular area ________ a regional or global community of organisms

How ecology is studied _____________ Watching and recording how species of living and nonliving things are changing Test particular portions of the ecosystem to identify strengths or weaknesses of the ecosystem and how they can be changed Questions scientists pose can sometimes not be answered easily so they must use models to make predications or record their data

Biotic & Abiotic Factors _________ livings things in the ecosystem Plants, animals, fungi, bacteria __________ nonliving things in the ecosystem Moisture, temperature, wind, sunlight, soil Biotic and Abiotic factors work together for the ______________ of the ecosystem ___________ can change from year to year depending on the number of plants, animals, natural disasters, climate, and ____________ Examples?

Biodiversity ____________ is the assortment, or variety, of living things in an ecosystem The amount of _____________ depends on the type of climate that is present _____________ have much more biodiversity than tundra because more species of living and nonliving organisms can live in that climate

Keystone species ______________ a species that has an unusually large effect on its ecosystem If something happens to this __________ it affects the entire ecosystem both living and _________ Beavers Change free-flowing dams into ponds, wetlands, and meadows Allows different types of birds, fish , and vegetation to grow and thrive

Energy __________ organisms that produce their own food Another name for producers is __________ Plants __________ organisms that produce their energy by the food that they eat Another name for consumers is Heterotrophs __________ rely on producers for their survival

Producers Almost all producers obtain their energy from the ____________________ What is Photosynthesis? Not all __________ are able to use sunlight to produce _________ Some produce energy through the process of _______________ _______________ process by which an organism forms energy using chemicals rather than sunlight as its energy source This is found in the deep parts of the ocean where there is no light

Food Chain Food chain a sequence that links species by their feeding relationships Consumers __________ an organisms that only eats plants __________ organisms that only eat animals __________ organisms that eat both plants and animals __________ organisms that eat dead organic matter __________ break down organic matter into compounds __________ consumers that feed on a very small number of organisms Florida snail kites (eat apple snails) __________ consumers that have a varying diet (eat all sorts of things)

Trophic levels The levels of nourishment in a __________ ____________ herbivores because they are the first consumer above the producer trophic level ____________ carnivores that eat herbivores ____________ carnivores that eat secondary consumers

Trophic Levels

Food Web __________ a model that shows the complex network of feeding relationships and the flow of energy within and sometime beyond an __________

Food web

Cycling of matter ___________________________ Matter and energy cannot be created or destroyed. It can only change form We have several cycles we utilize on ________ Examples Hydrologic ___________ Carbon __________ Phosphorus

Hydrologic Cycle The pathway _______uses to distribute itself throughout earth in different ______ This is an important _____ because we need water to survive and because _____of Earth’s _______ is composed of water

Biogeochemical Cycle Movement of a particular chemical through the _________ and geological parts of the ____________

Oxygen Cycle Plants release __________ as a waste product during __________________ ______ and animals consume oxygen and release ____________ as a waste product

Carbon Cycle ________ is the building block of ________ Carbon is used to make our four __________________ Proteins ________ Carbohydrates _______ Carbon is the leading ____________ to promote climate change

Carbon Cycle

Nitrogen Cycle ____ of earth is composed of ________________ However, most _________ cannot use nitrogen in its natural form They need nitrogen changed into _________ (NH3) _________ (NO3-) ____________ can be “fixed” into these two usable forms of nitrogen products by bacteria living in the soil or cyanobacteria in __________ ecosystems

Nitrogen Cycle

Phosphorus cycle The entire _______________ occurs underground Phosphate is released by the ____________ of rocks Plants and fungi near by are able to take up the _______________ When plants and animals die and decay the ____________ is released back into the soil

Phosphorus Cycle

Natural disruptions _________ can be disrupted by natural disasters or because of human __________ _____________ can wipe out an entire population of an organism and ruin the ecosystem The __________ will release gases, ashes and other substances into the environment _____________ and Nitrogen found in these substances can block and reduce sun light reaching earth which harms plants and ______________ species Natural __________can force elements into water or _______ that they are not supposed to be

Human disruptions Poor farming __________ can ruin the cycle of chemicals found in the soil Feedlots produce an ___________ amount of waste products and the waste can leach into ground water, rivers, or streams and _________ the water Cars, factories, and power plants burn ___________ and release carbon into the atmosphere as _______________ An increased amount of __________ in the atmosphere has contributed to climate change

Pg. 411 Read Ch. 13.6