Biosphere: This is the portion of the Earth that supports living things. The climates, soils, plants, and animals in one part of the world can be very different from those in other parts of the world.

Abiotic Factors The nonliving parts of an organism’s environment. –Air currents –Temperature –Moisture –Light –Soil –Climate –pH –Fire

Water is needed to carry out all life processes.

Water Video Clip

 Air is a combination of nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide, and a few trace elements

Air Video Clip

 Soil is a combination of decomposing organisms, minerals, and moisture  Its characteristics depend on the amount of rainfall and the temperature

Soil Video Clip

 The range of temperatures in an area determines the organisms that live there  The seasons on earth are determined by the distance of the earth from the sun  The tilt of the earth toward or away from the sun affects temperature

Heat Video Clip

 Sunlight is reflected, transmitted, and absorbed by the earth  Sunlight controls the temperatures on earth

Light Video Clip

 Sunlight is 5 times more intense at the equator than the poles  Since less sunlight hits the poles, it is colder there

List all 5 abiotic factors *Remember- “a” means not “biotic” means living

Biotic Factors Living organisms in the environment are biotic factors.

Levels of Organization Organism Population Community Ecosytem Biosphere

Organism=Living Thing Organism Population Community Ecosytem Biosphere

Mr. Sefcheck is an organism

Population- all individuals of the same organism living in an area. Organism Population Community Ecosytem Biosphere

Population Video

A population of Sefchecks

Community- populations of different organisms living in an area. Organism Population Community Ecosytem Biosphere

Community Video

Ecosystem- consists of communities and abiotic factors Organism Population Community Ecosystem Biosphere

Communities Abiotic factors Elephants Giraffes Zebras All living together soil water sunlight

African grasslands This is an example of an Ecosystem

Biosphere- made of all ecosystems on earth. Organism Population Community Ecosystem Biosphere

shelter space food water

Habitat is where an organism lives.

Habitat Video

What is a biotic factor? What is an abiotic factor?

What is a habitat? List 4 parts of a habitat.

Give an example Of the following: organism population community ecosystem biosphere

Population Growth

Limiting Factors What are limiting factors? Factors that can limit the growth of organisms. What limiting factors may exist within an ecosystem? –Light –Water –Soil pH

Draw an age structure diagram of a population that is decreasing in size. What is carrying capacity? Can it ever change? What is exponential growth? What is logistic growth? What is the boom and bust cycle What is the difference between density dependent and density independent factors?

A niche is all strategies and adaptations a species uses in its environment. It is all the interactions with the biotic and abiotic parts of its habitat.

These are large regions with a distinct climate and specific life forms. E.g. Desert, grassland. Each biome may have many ecosystems with communities adapted to the changes in soil, climate and other factors throughout the biome. Terrestrial ecosystems are found on land. The marine and freshwater portions of the biosphere are divided into aquatic life zones.

What is ecology? (oikos = house or place to life; logos = study of) Ecology is the study of the way living things interact with each other and their physical surroundings. It looks at the ways an organism is molded by its surroundings, how they make use of these surroundings, and how the area is altered by the presence and activities of organisms. These interactions involve energy and matter, which must flow through the organism if it is to stay alive.

is the genetic diversity, species diversity and ecological diversity that are so important to life on this planet. It is the result of adaptations that have evolved over billions of years due to environmental changes in the Earth’s past. Biodiversity

Survival Relationships Most species survive because of the relationships they have with other species.

Predator-Prey Video

Pesticides Video

Symbiosis The relationship in which there is a close and permanent association between organisms of different species. It means “living together”. There are three types of symbiosis: Mutualism Commensalism Parasitism

Mutualism A symbiotic relationship in which both species benefit from each other. Ex. Lichen= algae + fungus (Alice algae and Freddy fungus had a lichen for each other)

Commensalism A symbiotic relationship in which one species benefits and the other is neither harmed nor benefited. Ex. Moss growing on a tree trunk.

Parasitism A symbiotic relationship in which a member of one species derives benefit at the expense of another species. Ex. A dog with ticks.

Elephantitis

How Organisms Obtain Energy An organism that uses light energy or energy stored in chemicals to make energy-rich compounds are known as autotrophs. Ex. Photoautotrophs Ex. Chemoautotrophs

An organism that cannot make its own food and feeds on other organisms is called a heterotroph.

A heterotroph that feeds only on plants is called a herbivore.

Heterotrophs that eat other heterotrophs are called carnivores.

Scavengers eat already dead animals.

Decomposers(detrivores) break down the complex compounds of dead and decaying plants and animals into simpler molecules that can be more easily absorbed. Ex. Fungus and bacteria

Flow of Energy in Ecosystems A food chain is a simple model that are used to show how matter and energy move through an ecosystem. Autotrophs to heterotrophs to decomposers (detrivores) Each organism in a food chain represents a feeding step known as a trophic level.

Food Chain Video

Ex of Trophic Levels Starts with producers A first order heterotroph (= primary) is an organism that feeds on plants. Ex. grasshopper

A second order heterotroph (=secondary)is an organism that feeds on the first order heterotrophs. Ex. The bird that feeds on the grasshopper.

A third order heterotroph (=tertiary) feeds on the second order heterotroph also known as a carnivore.

A fourth order hetertroph (=quaternary) is an organism that feeds on a third order hetertroph.

Food Webs A food web shows all the possible feeding relationships at each trophic level in a community.

Energy Pyramids An energy pyramid shows how energy flows through an ecosystem.

The amount of available energy decreases at each succeeding trophic level. The total energy transfer from one trophic level to the next is only ten percent because organisms fail to capture and eat all the food energy available at the trophic level below them.

Energy Pyramid Video

Heat is NOT recycled!

The Water Cycle

Evaporation = Liquid water becomes water vapor. Transpiration = Water given off by plants through their leaves (stomata). Precipitation = Water vapor becomes liquid water or snow.

Water Cycle Video

Transpiration

The Nitrogen Cycle

Nitrification = bacteria change unuseable nitrogen into useable for plants. Denitrification = bacteria change useable nitrogen back into atmospheric nitrogen. Ammonia (nitrates) = most common nitrigen containing molecule given off by organisms as a waste product (through their urine). Protein = nitrogen containing molecule found and needed in organism.

Nitrogen Cycle

The Carbon dioxide-Oxygen Cycle

Heterotrophs give off carbon dioxide. and take in oxygen. Autotrophs give off oxygen and take in carbon dioxide.

Oxygen-Carbon Dioxide Video

The Greenhouse Effect

Satellite GOES 6 monitors infrared reflected by Earth

The Ozone Hole

The Phosphate Cycle