What is Ecology ? The study of how organisms interact with one another and their non-living environment

So Then What is an Ecosystem ? Biosphere Ecosystems Communities Populations Organisms An ecosystem is how all of the living and non-living things interact together in an area.

So Then What is an Ecosystem ? Biosphere Ecosystems Communities Populations Organisms Looking at the chart to the right.. Our BIOSPHERE is the part of the Earth where the organisms exist And an ECOSYSTEM is that area where the living and non-living things interact.

Energy for the Ecosystems A. Every ecosystem on Earth gets its energy from the same source: SUNLIGHT!!!

Producers Organisms that can use sunlight or chemical energy to produce food are called: autotrophs

Producers Photosynthesis: most common, uses energy from sunlight to make food Example: Plants, sea weed, algae

Producers Chemosynthesis: uses energy form inorganic chemical compounds to make food Example: Sulfur bacteria in Yellowstone hot springs & deep sea hydrothermal vents

Producers Autotrophs are also called producers Producers/Autotrophs: use energy to build complex organic molecules out of inorganic molecules

Producers Describe the flow of energy through an ecosystem: It goes in one direction from sun  producers  consumers

An ecosystem contains BIOTIC (living) and ABIOTIC (non-living) things Parts of an Ecosystem An ecosystem contains BIOTIC (living) and ABIOTIC (non-living) things Examples of BIOTIC things: • Plants • Animals • Fungi • Bacteria

Parts of an Ecosystem Examples of ABIOTIC things are: • Water • Air An Ecosystem is made of BIOTIC and ABIOTIC Components ABIOTIC components are the NON-living parts of the ecosystem Examples of ABIOTIC things are: • Water • Air • Temperature • Sunlight

Food Chain A Food Chain tells us what eats what in an ecosystem. It shows the series of organisms through which food energy is passed.

Food Chain What is happening in this food chain? The insect is eaten by the frog

Food Chain What does the insect eat? Many insects eat the nectar from flowers

Food Chain What might eat the frog?

Food Chain What does this entire food chain show? 1) The slug eats the plant 2) The frog eats the slug 3) The heron eats the frog

Food Chain The arrow means “is eaten by” In this case the dragonfly is eaten by the frog.

Food Chain Remember… ALL food chains begin with a Producer ( Also known as an Autotroph)

Food Web In an ecosystem, there are many producers and consumers. Instead of a food chain, we can use a food web.

Food Web Humans Blue whale Sperm whale Crabeater seal Killer whale Elephant seal Leopard Adélie penguins Petrel Fish Squid Carnivorous plankton Krill Phytoplankton Herbivorous zooplankton Emperor penguin A food web shows the complex relationship formed by the overlapping and interconnecting food chains.

Energy Pyramid Steps in a food chain are called: Trophic Levels. A Trophic Level is a level of nourishment in a food chain.

Energy Pyramid The pyramid first shows us the Producers. Remember… Producers get their energy from the sun. Producers are the first and largest Trophic Level. Producers

Energy Pyramid Second, we see the Primary Consumers The Primary Consumers get their energy from eating the Producers. Primary Consumers can be either Herbivores or Omnivores. Primary Consumers

Energy Pyramid Third, we see the Secondary Consumers The Secondary Consumers get their energy from eating the Primary Consumers Secondary Consumers are Carnivores or Omnivores Secondary Consumers

Energy Pyramid Fourth, we see the Tertiary Consumers The Tertiary Consumers get their energy from eating the Secondary Consumers Tertiary Consumers are Carnivores or Omnivores Tertiary Consumers

Some energy pyramids can have a fifth Trophic Level.

Primary Producers Producers make their own food, from abiotic factors, such as sunlight or heat from chemical reactions.

Producers are also known as Autotrophs Primary Producers Producers are also known as Autotrophs Some examples are: • Plants • Algae • Bacteria

Consumers Consumers are organisms that get their energy by eating other organisms

Consumers are also known as Heterotrophs Consumers can be: • Herbivores • Carnivores • Omnivores • Detritivores (Decomposers)

Consumers Herbivores eat only plants. Herbivores are also known as Heterotrophs or Primary Consumers Herbivore Examples: • Large Mammals (Such as cattle & deer) • Insects

Carnivores eat other animals Consumers Carnivores eat other animals Carnivores are also known as Heterotrophs or Secondary or Tertiary Consumers Carnivore Examples: • Lions, Tigers • Wolves • Sharks • Snakes

Consumers Omnivores eat both plants and animals Omnivores are also known as Heterotrophs or Consumers Omnivore Examples: • Humans • Bears • Mice • Pigs

Detritivores convert waste into nutrients (also called decomposers) Consumers Detritivores convert waste into nutrients (also called decomposers) Detritivore Examples: • Worms • Beetles • Bacteria • Fungi

Consumers Scavengers break down dead plants and animals (also called heterotroph, consumer) Scavenger Examples: • Vulture • Crow • Hyena

Let’s look at the energy pyramid closer. Energy pyramids: Are a way to graph how much energy is passed up the food chain from one organism to the next

Energy Pyramid Let’s look at the energy pyramid closer. Only 10% of the energy from the prior trophic level is passed on. This is because energy is lost to the environment as heat

Draw an Energy Pyramid

Energy Pyramid If an energy pyramid consists of plants that contain 500,000 calories of food energy, how many calories of energy would be available to consumers at each of the next three trophic levels? Trophic level Primary producers Tertiary consumers Secondary consumers Primary consumers

Energy Pyramid Primary Consumers: Secondary Consumers: 500,000 cal x .1 = 50,000 calories Secondary Consumers: 50,000 cal x .1 = 5,000 calories Tertiary Consumers: 5,000 cal x .1 = 500 calories Trophic level Primary producers Tertiary consumers Secondary consumers Primary consumers

What does these energy numbers tell us?? Food Web What does these energy numbers tell us?? There are very few Tertiary consumers, because it takes a HUGE amount of food energy to support them. For a large population to exist, it needs to feed from the LOWEST trophic level possible, because there is more food energy available. Trophic level Primary producers Tertiary consumers Secondary consumers Primary consumers

Besides the energy pyramid, we can also have pyramids of: Other Pyramid types Besides the energy pyramid, we can also have pyramids of: Numbers Biomass

Represents the amount of living organic matter at each trophic level. Biomass Pyramid Represents the amount of living organic matter at each trophic level.

Pyramid of Numbers Shows the relative number of individual organisms at each trophic level.

Draw a Pyramid of Numbers

Pyramid of Numbers A pyramid of numbers reflects the number of species at each trophic level. For example: if we look at a forest, there may be few rose bushes, but many insects that feed on the rose bushes, with a pyramid like the one below.

For example: Looking at the same forest, the biomass is great. Pyramid of Biomass A pyramid of biomass reflects the total amount of living tissue at each trophic level. For example: Looking at the same forest, the biomass is great.

Sequoia National Park Sequoia Trees Skunks Gray Squirrels Beetles Peregrine Falcons Mice Great Gray Owl Red tail fox Caterpillars Bats Fence lizards Grizzly Bear Bullfrogs Flies California Newt Mountain lions

Food Chain Simulation http://www.explorelearning.com/index.cfm?method=cResource.dspView&ResourceID=381