What is Ecology? Mrs. Sandy Gomez

What is Ecology?  The scientific study of:  Interactions among organisms  Interactions between organisms and their environment  Biosphere – portions of the Earth where life exists (land, water, and air)

Levels of Organization SpeciesPopulationsCommunityEcosystemBiomeBiosphere

Levels of Organization  Species – group of organisms that can breed and produce fertile offspring

Levels of Organization  Population – a group of individuals of the same species that live in the same area

Levels of Organization  Community – different populations that live in the same area.

Levels of Organization  Ecosystem – all the organisms plus the nonliving environment

Levels of Organization  Biome – group of ecosystems with the same climate and similar communities

Levels of Organization

Biotic and Abiotic Factors

What are biotic and abiotic factors?

Biotic and Abiotic Factors  Biotic factors – the living things that influence organisms  Abiotic factors – the nonliving things that influence organisms  Light  Soil  Wind  Water  Temperature

Biotic and Abiotic Factors Biotic Factors  Is any living component that affects another organism

Biotic and Abiotic Factors Abiotic Factors  Are the non-living chemical and physical factors in the environment

Biotic and Abiotic Factors  Sometimes, biotic and biotic factors work together.

Ecological Pyramids  Energy Pyramid – shows the amount of energy available at each trophic level  Only about 10% of the energy is transferred to the next level  Biomass Pyramid – shows the amount of living tissue within each trophic level  Pyramid of numbers – shows the number of organisms at each trophic level

Ecological Pyramids

Habitat and Niche  Habitat – the area where an organism lives  Niche – the role an organism plays in its habitat  No two species can share the same niche in the same habitat

Community Interactions  Symbiosis – any relationship in which two species live closely together  Mutualism – both species benefit (flowers & insects)  Commensalism – one species benefits while the other is neither helped nor harmed (orchids in a rainforest)  Parasitism – one organism benefits while the other is harmed (fleas on a dog)

Symbiosis

Ecological Succession  The series of changes that occurs in a community over time  Primary succession – occurs on surfaces where no soil exists (no previous life)  Pioneer species – the first species to populate the area  Lichens → mosses → grasses → shrubs → trees

Primary Succession

Ecological Succession  Secondary Succession – when a disturbance changes the existing community without removing the soil  Tornadoes, fire, clear cutting  Occurs much quicker than primary succession  Climax community – the relatively stable final community