6 Levels of environmental organization

Introduction to ecology

ECOLOGY The study of the interactions of living organisms with one another and with their environment

organism A living thing

Population A group of organisms of the same species that live in a specific geographical location

Community All the populations of species that live in the same habitat and interact with each other

Ecosystem A community of organisms and their abiotic environment

biome A major regional community of organisms, defined by climatic conditions and plant communities living there; they contain many ecosystems.

Biosphere The part of the Earth where life exists

Example Organism = Single student Population = 7th grade students at DMS Community = ALL students at DMS Ecosystem = DMS (students, staff, the classrooms, desks, etc.) Biome = All the middle schools in Cobb County

AC Questions for back of flip book What is the definition for ecology? What is the definition for ecology in your own words? What is an abiotic factor? What is a biotic factor? Imagine a horse in a forest. Name 1 abiotic factor and 1 biotic factor in the forest that the horse would interact with and how? Within a biome, how can the environment be organized into levels from complex to simple.

OL Questions for back of flip book What is the definition for ecology? What is an abiotic factor? What is a biotic factor? List 3 abiotic factors, then list 3 biotic factors. How do the populations in a community depend on each other?