Ecology Chapter 3

Ecology Branch of biology that developed from natural history

Ecology DEF: Interaction between an organism and its environment Combination of chemistry, physics, geology, biology

Biosphere Portion of Earth that supports life Extends high in the atmosphere to bottom of oceans

Biosphere Consists of living and non-living organisms within the environment

Biosphere Abiotic Factors - non-living things Biotic Factors - all living things

Biosphere 2

Biosphere 2

Population Group of organisms from one species Live in the same place at the same time & interbreed

Population Compete for food, water, mates, etc. *Resource sharing determines how large and far apart populations are

Community Contains several interacting populations Change in one population will cause change in other populations

Ecosystem Interaction among populations in a community and the community’s physical surroundings (abiotic factors)

Ecosystem DIFFERENT TYPES OF ECOSYSTEMS: Terrestrial - forests, meadows, desert

Ecosystem DIFFERENT TYPES OF ECOSYSTEMS: Aquatic - (2 types) Freshwater - ponds, lakes, streams Salt water - marine

Aldo Leopold A Sand County Almanac Jan 11, 1887 to April 21, 1948 “The land is a community is the basic concept of ecology, but that land is to be loved and respected is an extension of ethics.” Aldo Leopold

Recap . . . Organism - 1 animal (species) Population - several animals of same species Community - more than 1 species Ecosystem - biotic and abiotic factors within area Biome - group of ecosystems Biosphere - Earth

1. Producers - ENERGY . . Primary Producers Autotrophs - use energy from sun or chemical compounds to make own food and nutrients

2. Consumers - ENERGY . . . Heterotrophs - depend on autotrophs for energy

Types of Heterotrophs: a. Herbivore - feeds only on plants b. Carnivore - feeds on other heterotrophs Scavenger - feed on dead animals c. Omnivore - feeds on both plant and animal

3. Decomposers - (aka - detrivores) ENERGY . . . 3. Decomposers - (aka - detrivores) - Break down and absorb nutrients from dead animals - Break down complex compounds into simple ones

FOOD CHAIN . . . Used to show how matter and energy move through an ecosystem Autotrophs Heterotrophs Decomposers

FOOD CHAIN . . . Contains 3 to 5 “links” in length Example: algae  fish  heron Energy decreases after each link *some may be lost as HEAT

Tertiary consumer Secondary consumer Primary consumer Producers

(aka - Secondary & Tertiary consumers) (aka - Primary consumers) Trophic Levels Omnivores Carnivores (aka - Secondary & Tertiary consumers) Herbivores (aka - Primary consumers) Producers

Ecological Interactions FOOD WEB . . . Interconnected food chains Shows all possible feeding relationships at each trophic level More realistic than food chain because animals eat more than 1 species Ecological Interactions

Predator or Prey Game

Habitat Place where organisms live out life Can change due to natural or human causes Made up of food, shelter, other essential resources

Niche A role and position a species has in its environment Includes interactions with biotic and abiotic factors of habitat Individuality reduces competition with other species

Relationships . . . Predator - animals that kill and eat others Prey - animals that the predators eat

Relationships . . . Symbiosis – close & permanent association between organisms Commensalism Mutualism Parasitism .

Commensalism

Mutualism

Parasitism

Commensalism One benefits, other not harmed or benefited

Commensalism Trees & moss Clown fish & sea anemones

Mutualism Both benefit Acacia tree & Ants page 69 Ants & aphids Lichen

Parasitism One benefits at others expense Ticks & fleas Tapeworms & roundworms

Warning

Questions to think about . . . Do nutrients cycle through a food chain? YES - decomposers return nutrients to soil

Questions to think about . . . Does energy cycle through a food chain? NO - the sun provides the energy that drives the food chain