1. Ecology

2. Ecology Defined Ecology derives from a greek word that means “home” Scientifically it is the study of interactions between organisms and their environment.

3. Types of Ecology Organismal Ecology – focuses on individual organisms within an environment Population Ecology – focuses on populations of individual species within and environment Community Ecology – focuses on the different species within a community Ecosystem Ecology – focuses on interactions between community members and the abiotic or non-living components of the ecosystem

8. Ecosystems Ecology The biosphere is the broadest level of ecological study and is the sum total of all ecosystems. It connects parts of the lithosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere

9. Abiotic Factors Non-living components of the environment that may or may not influence the biotic or living components of an ecosystem The most important of which are the distribution of: 1.Sunlight 2.Water

10. The Sun and Earth The distribution and intensity of sunlight is dependent on the tilt of the Earth’s axis in relation to the Sun Due to latitudinal difference seasons are apparent in some places

11. Video

12. Seasons Autumnal Equinox (September) suns rays directly over the Equator Winter Solstice (December) suns rays directly over the Tropic of Capricorn Vernal Equinox (March) suns rays directly over the Equator Summer Solstice (June) suns rays directly over the Tropic of Cancer

13. Air Currents & Moisture Sunlight at the Equator causes warm moist air to rise In the upper atmosphere this moist air cools, condenses, and falls as rain 30 o North and South of the Equator are areas that are relatively dry due to the descent of cool dry air This circulation is called a Hadley Cell

14. Hadley Cells

15. Terrestrial Ecosystems Biome are terrestrial ecosystems characterized by the climate (sunlight and moisture) and the resulting major type vegetation Biomes generally correlate with changes in latitude

16. Temperature & Moisture Gradients Tundra Coniferous Forest DesertGrassland Deciduous Forest Tropical Forest

17. Biome Vegetation Tundra Grasses, small wildflowers, cushion plants, and lichen Coniferous Forest Evergreen Needle bearing Trees Desert Cactus Grassland Grasses Deciduous Forest Broadleaf Trees that lose their leaves Tropical Forest Broadleaf Evergreen Trees

18. Aquatic Ecosystems Saltwater – this system is categorized into distinct zones Freshwater – can be classified as either flowing or standing

19. Pale Blue Dot