The Biosphere

Vocabulary Ecology Biosphere Species Population Community Ecosystem Biome Producer Consumer Autotroph Heterotroph Decomposer Food Chain Food Web Trophic Level Ecological Pyramid Biogeochemical Cycles Evaporation Transpiration Nitrogen Fixation Denitrification Water Cycle Nitrogen Cycle Carbon Cycle

Learning Target I can compare and contrast the different levels of organization in ecology

What is Ecology? It is the study of the interactions between organisms and their environment The interaction between the biotic and abiotic factors

Abiotic Factors The environment’s nonliving components— physical and chemical components that shape the environment

Abiotic Factors Energy source Temperature Water Nutrient Availability

Energy Source Without a constant source of energy, living things die!! What is the primary source of energy for living things on Earth?

You Are Correct! It’s the SUN

Temperature Directly affects metabolism All living organisms have a range of temperature in which they best operate At or below 0 o C and above 45 o C will destroy the enzymes of most organisms.

Water Is essential for all life. Critical for most metabolic chemical reactions Helps maintain body temperature Helps prevent dehydration

Nutrient Availability Nutrients are all the chemical substances an organism needs to sustain its life.

Biotic Factors All of the living organisms in an area

Ecology Levels Of Organization

What is the Biosphere? It is the areas on Earth where life is found It includes any place on land, in the water or in the atmosphere where organisms live

Where are living organisms found in the biosphere? Living organisms are found from about 8 km above the Earth to about 11 km deep in the ocean

Ecosystem All the abiotic factors and biotic factors found in a certain place at any time.

Community All the organisms living in a specific area at a specific time

Population A group of individuals of the same species living in the same area at the same time

Species A group of organisms so similar that they can breed and produce fertile offspring

Learning Target I can compare and contrast the different levels of organization in ecology.

Learning Target I can discuss the flow of energy through an ecosystem. I can create and discuss a food web.

Energy Flow The sun is the main source of energy for life on earth. < 1 % of all sunlight that reaches earth is used by living organisms. What happens to the rest?

Most is reflected off as heat energy.

Producers or Autotrophs Use sunlight or chemicals to make their own food. Examples:

Photosynthesis 6CO 2 + 6H 2 O C 6 H 12 O 6 + 6O 2 Performed on land by plants and in water by algae.

Can organisms make their own food without the aid of sunlight? Chemosynthesis: using chemical energy to make carbohydrates. Usually performed bacteria found in harsh environments –Ocean vents, volcanoes, hot-acidic environments

Consumers or heterotrophs: Must get their energy by eating other organisms HerbivoresOmnivores Decomposers CarnivoresDetritivores HerbivoresOmnivores Decomposers CarnivoresDetritivores

Food Chains

Food Webs More complex than food chains A complex net of interactions among organisms. (interdependence)

Trophic Levels Each location or step in a food chain or food web represents a trophic level. Examples: producers, primary consumers, secondary consumers, etc.

Ecological pyramids Only about ten percent of the energy available within a trophic level is transferred to oragnisms at the next higher level.

Pyramid of Numbers

Biomass Pyramids Biomass and numbers

Learning Targets I can discuss the flow of energy through an ecosystem. I can create and discuss a food web.

Learning Targets I can differentiate between the biogeochemical cycles.

Cycles of matter Unlike energy, matter is constantly being recycled in an ecosystem. Known as biogeochemical cycles

Transpiration The release of water from the leaves of plants. Water is exchanged through a plant’s stomata. Evaporation is the second process that releases water into the atmosphere.

Carbon Cycle 1.Biological processes (photosynthesis, respiration, decomposition) 2.Geochemical processes (volcanoes) 3.Biogeochemical (fossil fuels) 4.Human activity (factories, deforestation, car exhaust)

Nitrogen Cycle All organisms need nitrogen to live. Most abundant gas in atmosphere (80%) Nitrogen gas is unusable for plants Must be “fixed” or changed into the nitrate or nitrite form by bacteria in the soil. Known as nitrogen fixation

Phosphorus cycle P is important in the production of DNA and RNA. Unlike water,oxygen, and nitrogen, phosphorus is NOT found in the atmosphere. Found in rocks and minerals.

Nutrient Limitation When a single nutrient is scarce for a particular ecosystem and limits the growth of organisms in that ecosystem.

Learning Targets I can differentiate between the biogeochemical cycles.