Ecology The study of the interactions between organisms and their environment.

The Environment is classified into the following 5 categories ORGANISM POPULATION COMMUNITY ECOSYSTEM BIOSPHERE

Level #1 A single individual ORGANISM

Examples of Organisms This Alligator lives in the Florida Everglades

Examples of Organisms African Zebra that lives in the Savanna

Examples of Organisms Starfish that lives in tidal pool off the Oregon Coast

POPULATION Level #2 Group of individuals of the same species that live together.

Examples of Populations This is a Population of Alligators living in the Florida Everglades

Examples of Populations A population of Zebra’s in the African Savanna.

Examples of Populations A population of starfish off the Oregon Coast

COMMUNITY Level #3 All populations of different species living together in the same area.

Examples of Communities These represent the different types of populations living in the Florida Everglades

Examples of Communities These represent the different types of populations living in the African Savanna

Examples of Communities Tide Pools at the Oregon Coast

ECOSYSTEMS Level #4 Made up of a community of organisms and its abiotic (non-living) environment

Examples of Ecosystems The Florida Everglades

Examples of Ecosystems African Savanna

Examples of Ecosystems Tidal Pools at Seal Rock, Oregon

BIOSPHERE Level #5 Part of the Earth where life exists

BIOSPHERE

TEST YOURSELF DO YOU KNOW… ORGANISM POPULATION COMMUNITY ECOSYSTEM BIOSPHERE

Abiotic and Biotic Factors in the Environment

Biotic ALIVE Abiotic NON-LIVING Water, Weather, Rocks, Temperature, Sunlight

For each picture pick 2 living (biotic) and 2 non-living (abiotic) things

PRODUCER Organism that makes their own food, usually by using energy from sunlight to make sugar. Examples: Grass, Trees

CONSUMER An organism that eats producers or other organisms for energy. Example: Lion, Dog, Horse, Human

DECOMPOSER An organism that get energy from dead organisms. “Nature’s Recyclers” Examples: Mushrooms, Bacteria,

Food chains Quaternary consumers Tertiary consumers Secondary consumers Primary consumers Primary producers Carnivore Herbivore Plant Carnivore Zooplankton Phytoplankton A terrestrial food chainA marine food chain Figure –Link the trophic levels from producers to top carnivores

Food Webs A food web Humans Baleen whales Crab-eater seals Birds Fishes Squids Leopard seals Elephant seals Smaller toothed whales Sperm whales Carnivorous plankton Euphausids (krill) Copepods Phyto- plankton Figure –Is a branching food chain with complex trophic interactions

Food webs can be simplified –By isolating a portion of a community that interacts very little with the rest of the community Sea nettle Fish larvae Zooplankton Fish eggs Juvenile striped bass Figure 53.14