Ecology Two

Community Interactions Habitat- place where organism lives Niche- role and position a species has in its needs for food and shelter all interactions with living and non-living parts of its environment Only one organism can occupy a niche in an ecosystem Example: a predator feeding on weak or sick animals in an ecosystem

Habitat vs niche http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2L6N2diE8jc&feature=related

Nutrition and Energy Flow The ultimate source of energy is… the SUN!

Nutrition and Energy Flow Food Chains- shows how matter and energy flow from autotroph to heterotroph to decomposer Autotroph/Producers use sun’s energy to create chemical compounds (photosynthesis) Ex. – plants and algae Carnivores/ 2nd and 3rd Order Consumers- feed on other animals Herbivores/1st Order Consumers- feeds on plants Heterotrophs/Consumers- organisms that feed on other organisms

Nutrition and Energy Flow Decomposers- break down and absorb nutrients from dead organisms Ex.- fungi and bacteria

Food chain http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DyszfWU1C2E&feature=related

Nutrition and Energy Flow Food Webs- all possible feeding relationships in a community

Food Web http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KyefVtxY-oI&NR=1

Nutrition and Energy Flow Trophic Levels- a feeding step in a food chain only pass on approximately 10% of energy to next trophic level

Nutrition and Energy Flow

Trophic level http://www.youtube.com/watch?annotation_id=annotation_710147&feature=iv&src_vid=qtZcN4bzsrA&v=qUZkWZ12A8s

Parts of the ecosystem Abiotic factors- non-living parts of the environment Ex.- air temp.,water, light, soil Biotic factors- all living organisms that inhabit an environment

Abiotic and abiotic factors http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=woSO0D94VGA http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-wpbhnom70&feature=fvsr

Nutrition and Energy Flow Energy flows through an ecosystem, cannot be recycled Matter (Carbon, Nitrogen, Oxygen) cycles in an ecosystem

Cycles in an Ecosystem Carbon Cycle

Cycles in an Ecosystem Water Cycle

Changes in an Ecosystem What would a football field look like in thirty years if it was not cared for or played on? ?

Changes in an Ecosystem Succession- orderly, natural changes and species replacements that take place in the communities of an ecosystem

Primary Succession colonization of a new site from rock; can occur after volcano eruption Lichen & Mosses  ferns grasses & shrubs  pines hardwoods

Succession Begins with: Pioneer plants- first organisms to inhabit an area Ex. Moss and lichen Ends with: Climax community- remains stable over long periods of time with little or no change

Secondary Succession sequences of changes that take place after a community is disrupted by natural or human actions. Ex.- abandoned building, fire, hurricane

Succession Links Mount St Helen’s http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BaRAGzjSkzo&feature=related Student project succession http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=vNHnwHaSolA&feature=fvwp Succession Song http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzE6BNNLew0

Biomes of the World Tundra Taiga Temperate forest Tropical Rainforest Biome- a large group of ecosystems that share the same type of climax community Tundra Taiga Temperate forest Tropical Rainforest Grasslands Desert

} Terrestrial Biomes 3 factors that influence type of biome Latitude Sample Climatograph 3 factors that influence type of biome Latitude Altitude precipitation } Influences temperature

Tundra Permafrost -soil remains permanently frozen Long winters and darkness, Short summers Low temperatures Very little rainfall Plants- fast life cycles Animals-thick fur

Taiga Foggy, wet climate, acidic soil Plants- large coniferous forest (firs, pines) Flexible branches of conifers to bend with ice and snow Animals- Moose, elk, wolves , caribou, porcupines, black bear

Temperate Forest has definite seasons mixture of trees (pines and hardwoods-deciduous trees) Plants- shed leaves in winter Animals- Deer, opossum, black bear, fox, squirrel, many bird species and insects

Tropical Rainforest At equator almost constant temperature of 25 oC most rain fall very humid greatest biodiversity Soil is nutrient poor Plants- large variety, adapted to grow tall to find light, vines, canopy Animals-Toucans, monkeys, gorilla, snakes, lizards, parrots

Grasslands steppe, plains, savanna, or prairie Uneven rainfall Plants- Scattered trees, grass varies in length Animals-Bison, antelope, gophers, jackrabbits, sheep African savanna- lion, tiger, elephant, cheetah, zebra, antelope

Desert low rainfall long droughts Plant shallow root systems– absorb little rainfall quickly leaves are needles to prevent water loss Cuticle- waxy coating on needles (leaves) Cacti Animals- small, active at night to prevent dehydration lizards, kangaroo rat, scorpions, snakes

Biome links http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WuejxJttBqo&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&v=dTaWsFct32g&NR=1

PLANT RESPONSES & ADAPTATIONS: Tropism: Plant’s response to its environment Geotropism- Response to gravity; roots down, stems up Phototropism- Response to light; sunflower “heads” turning toward sun Thigmotropism- Response to touch; vine climbing trellis Hydrotropism- the way a plant grows in response to water

http://leavingbio.net/plant%20responses.htm#tropisms