1. Ecology Ecology is an integrated and dynamic study of the environment and the organisms that inhabit it.

2. Origin of Ecology Greek origin of the word: OIKOS = household LOGOS = study of… Ecology is the study of the “house/environment” in which we live.

3. ECOLOGY: Levels of Organization - a hierarchy of organization in the environment

4. Ecological Levels of Organization

5. Levels of Organization Organism- one individual (living) Ex: A moose

6. Levels of Organization Population- groups of individuals that belong to the same species and live in the same area. Ex: Many moose

7. Levels of Organization Community- groups of different populations (more than one population or different groups of species) Ex: Many groups of moose beavers, trees, grass (all living)

8. Habitat vs. Niche Habitat- an area where an organism lives. Niche- the role an organism plays in it’s environment. Habitat is like an address in an ecosystem and a niche is like an occupation in an ecosystem.

9. Levels of Organization Ecosystem- all organisms in a particular area along with the nonliving factors (abiotic). Ex: Many groups of moose, beavers, trees, grass, rocks, water, mountains

10. Levels of Organization Biome- group of ecosystems that have the same climate and similar dominant communities Ex: tropical rain forest, tropical savanna, temperate grassland, desert, deciduous forest, temperate forest, northwestern coniferous forest, boreal forest (taiga), tundra, and ice caps

11. Levels of Organization Biosphere- all of the planet where life exists, includes land, water, and air. Life extends 8 km above and 11 km below the surface of the Earth.

12. Ecology… views each locale as an integrated whole of interdependent parts that function as a single unit.

13. The interdependent parts are…

14. Nonliving Sunlight nutrients in the soil and water. Producers (autotrophs) green plants Tundra

15. Consumers (heterotrophs) herbivores and carnivores Decomposers (detritivores) fungi and bacteria Caribou Fungi

16. What shapes an ecosystem? This includes the interactions between non-living and living components of our environment. Abiotic: non-living components in the environment… Sunlight Water Wind Nutrients in soil Heat Humidity Solar radiation Atmosphere, etc.

17. What shapes an ecosystem? Biotic: Living Components of the environment… Plants Animals Bacteria Arthropods Organisms that were once living

18. Poster project Pick something relevant to you, ie. Your favorite book, comic book, video game, etc., Must have picture for each level Create a levels of organization poster showing how it is organized from organism to biosphere. Must have definition about each level and state if it has Biotic or Abiotic factors or both and explain what those words mean