ECOLOGY

Ecology: the study of the interactions of living things with each other and their physical environment

Organisms Animalia Plantae Fungi Protista An organism is a living thing that has needs to survive. It belongs to one of the following kingdoms: Animalia Plantae Fungi Protista Monera (Archaebacteria and Eubacteria)

Ecosystem An ecosystem is all the organisms that live in an area together with the nonliving factors of the environment. The example is a pond ecosystem.

An ecosystem is self-sustaining if the following requirements are met: 1. A constant source of energy and a living system capable of incorporating this energy into organic molecules (molecules in living things). 2. A cycling of materials between organisms and their environment.

Environments These are the surroundings and the conditions under which an organism lives.

Interactions This includes how the populations of organisms interact with each other in a given area (biotic factors). This also includes how organisms affect and interacts with the non-living (abiotic factors) around them.

Biotic factors: all the living things that directly or indirectly affect the environment ** Thus, the organisms, their presence, parts, interaction, and wastes are all biotic factors.

Abiotic factors: those physical and chemical factors in the environment which affect the ability of organisms to survive and reproduce.

Some Abiotic Factors: 1. intensity of light 2. range of temperatures 3. amount of moisture 4. type of soil or rock type 5. availability of substances such as minerals 6. supply of gases such as oxygen, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen 7. pH

Energy Flow If an ecosystem is to be self-sustaining it must contain a flow of energy. Those life activities that are characteristic of living organisms require an expenditure of energy.

The pathways of energy through the living components of an ecosystem are represented by food chains and food webs. Producers convert the radiant energy of the sun into the chemical energy of food.

Nutritional Relationships: Producers: can make their own food from the energy of the sun, water, and CO2 from the air. Carry out the process of photosynthesis. Consumers: can NOT make their own food and are dependent on other organisms for their food. Carry out the process of respiration. Decomposers: Cannot make their own food. They are also dependent on other organisms. They break down dead organisms or waste materials from dead organisms for their nutrietns.

What happens during photosynthesis? Plants capture light energy and use that energy to make glucose Sunlight provides the energy needed by chlorophyll to change molecules of carbon dioxide and water into glucose Oxygen is also released in this reaction

What happens during respiration? Glucose molecules break down to release energy This process requires oxygen This process produces water and carbon dioxide as waste products Occurs in the mitochondria Most organisms carry on cellular respiration

Food chain: involves the transfer of energy from green plants through a series of organisms with repeated stages of eating and being eaten Food web: In a natural community, the flow of energy and materials is much more complicated than illustrated by any one food chain.

FOOD CHAIN

Food Chains A food chain traces the path of energy as it moves from one organism to the next in an ecosystem. Energy begins with the sun so producers make their own food. The primary consumer is the first to feed. The secondary consumer feeds on the primary consumer. The tertiary consumer feeds on the secondary consumer.

Food Web

Food Webs Most organisms are part of more than one food chain. A food web is a system of several overlapping food chains.

Energy Flow: Energy flows through ecosystems in one direction, typically from the Sun, through photosynthetic organisms, including green plants and algae, through herbivores, to carnivores, and finally decomposers.

Food Web Interactions: Producers: (plants) -- the energy of the community is derived from the organic compounds in plants - (grass in the web above)

Primary Consumer: (always a herbivore) - feeds on plants (mice, grasshoppers, and rabbits in the web above)

Omnivores may be primary or secondary consumers. Secondary Consumer: (usually a carnivore) -- feeds upon other consumers (frogs, sparrows, snakes, and foxes above) (The hawk is a secondary or 3rd level consumer depending on the availability of food.) Omnivores may be primary or secondary consumers.

Tertiary Consumers Tertiary Consumer: (Always a carnivore) --feeds on other consumers that feed on a consumer that fed on a previous consumer. These creature are at the top of their food chain!!

Decomposers: break down organic wastes and dead organisms to simpler substances (ex. bacteria of decay) ** Through decomposition, chemical substances are returned to the environment where they can be used by other living organisms.

Autotrophs/Heterotrophs Autotrophs make their own food (producers). Heterotrophs must obtain their food, (consumers).

Types of Heterotrophs: Saprophytes: include those heterotrophic plants, fungi, and bacteria which live on dead matter - AKA decomposers Herbivores: plant-eating animals Carnivores: meat-eating animals Omnivores: consume both plants and meat

Types of Carnivores: Predators: animals which kill and consume their prey Scavengers: those animals that feed on other animals that they have not killed

Energy Transfer: Each consumer level of the food pyramid utilizes approximately 10% of its ingested nutrients to build new tissue. This new tissue represents food for the next feeding level. Yummy!

Energy Pyramids The decrease in available energy at each level of a food chain is shown in an energy pyramid.

Biomass: amount of organic matter The decrease of energy at each successive feeding level (trophic level) means that less biomass can be supported at each level. Thus, the total mass of carnivores in a particular ecosystem is less than the total mass of the producers. (A pyramid of biomass illustrates this.)

There is a decrease in the overall energy in each level as you move up the food web. This means that there is much more energy in the producer level in a food web than at the consumer levels. Also, this means that there is more energy at the primary consumer level than at the secondary consumer level.

The remaining energy is lost in the form of heat and unavailable chemical energy. Eventually, the energy in an ecosystem is lost and is radiated from the earth. Thus, an ecosystem can not survive without the constant input of energy from the sun.

Ecological Organization: Organism: A living thing (individual such as a plant or animal). Species: Similar organisms that can reproduce fertile offspring. Population: all the members of a species inhabiting a given location Community: all the interacting populations in a given area Ecosystem: the living community and the physical environment functioning together as an independent and relatively stable system. Biome: Geographic area on Earth that contains ecosystems with similar biotic-abiotic features and climate characteristics. Biosphere: The part of Earth able to support life.

Factors that affect Populations For any population to thrive, there must be enough food, water and living space. Such factors are limiting factors because they limit how many organisms can live in an environment.

Relationships between Populations Different species, or kinds, or organisms living together interact with one another. The relationships can be divided into three main categories: Competition Predation Symbiosis Competition

Competition In all environments, organisms with similar needs may compete with each other for resources, including food, space, water, air, and shelter.

** The more similar the requirements of the organisms involved, the more intense the competition.

Competitive Exclusion Principle If two different species compete for the same food source or reproductive sites, one species may be eliminated.

Predation This is the feeding relationship in which one animal captures and eats another animal for food. The animal that is eaten is the prey. The animal eating the prey is the predator.

Symbiotic Relationships: Symbiosis: a close relationship between two species. Types of (symbiosis): MUTUALISM PARASITISM COMMENSALISM

2. Mutualism: both organisms benefit from the association Clownfish & Anemone: Nile crocodile & plover bird The tentacles provide a clownfish The crocodile will open protection from predators. The its mouth when it needs a clownfish lure fish towards the teeth cleaning. The plover Anemone so that it can feed. feeds on the food provided by the crocodile.

3. Parasitism: the parasite benefits at the expense of the host ex. athlete's foot fungus on humans, tapeworm and heartworm in dogs

Commensalism: one organism is benefited and the other is unharmed ex. barnacles on whales, orchids on tropical trees

Carrying Capacity the maximum number of organisms the resources of an area can support The carrying capacity of the environment is limited by the available abiotic and biotic resources, as well as the ability of ecosystems to recycle the residue of dead organisms through the activities of bacteria and fungi.

Niche (Job): the organism's role in the community, particularly its role in relation to food with other species. Habitat - a place where a plant or animal can get the food, water, shelter and space it needs to live.

Woodpeckers make holes in this cactus to live. When the woodpeckers are finished with this housing, the elf owl and the screech owl move in. The elf owl eats insects and the screech owl occupies the same habitat, but have different niches.

The environment may be altered in substantial ways through the activities of organisms, including humans, or when the climate changes. Although these alterations are sometimes abrupt (ex. Natural disasters), in most cases species replace others, resulting in long-term gradual changes in ecosystems.

Positive Human Influence Humans have changed the capacity of an environment to support specific life forms. People have created wetlands and nesting boxes.

Negative Human Influence

It's Up To You Protect the wonderful world around you! Remember each habitat is a unique place where plants and animals make their home. We share this Planet with them…….it is not only ours! We hold the future of this beautiful Planet in our hands. Our future and our children’s and their children’s future depends on the environmental choices we make today…..MAKE THE RIGHT ONES!!!!!!