1. Ecology is…the study of how living things interact with their environment.
Living things have an effect on their environment and the environment has an effect on living things.

2. Ecological Heirarchy 1. Biosphere 4. Community 3. Ecosystem 2. Biome
5. Population
6. Organism

3. 1. The Biosphere All of the world’s ecosystems together.
The inhabitable portion of the lithosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere.

4. 2. ECOSYSTEMS
An ECOSYSTEM is…all of the living AND non-living things within an area.
A HABITAT is the place where an organism gets FOOD, WATER, and SHELTER.
An ecosystem can have many different types of habitats within it.

5. Types of Factors in an Ecosystem
BIOTIC Factors- These are the living things in the ecosystem…all of ‘em! This includes the plants and animals as well as microorganisms (like bacteria).
ABIOTIC Factors- These are the non-living things. They include WATER, SUNLIGHT, OXYGEN, TEMPERATURE, and SOIL.

6. ABIOTIC FACTORS Water-
Most living things are mostly water…mostly (70% +/-)!
Water is a crucial reactant in photosynthesis and respiration.

7. Sunlight- … Needed for photosynthesis - a plant or certain bacteria).
Oxygen- Most living things need this gas. Air breathing critters get it from the air. Others get it from the water (there’s oxygen dissolved in the water).

8. Temperature- Every living thing has a range of temperatures within which it can survive. Ever go outside in the middle of winter without a coat?

9. 3. COMMUNITIES
A COMMUNITY consists of all of the populations that live in an area…that’s all the different living organisms.

10. 4. POPULATION
What are these? A population consists of ALL of the members of ONE SPECIES that live in a particular area.
The area can be huge (the entire Earth) or really small (a drop of water).
Some populations migrate (they don’t stay in one place)

11. 5. Organism One saguaro cactus One Atlantic sailfish
An individual living thing.
One saguaro cactus
One Atlantic sailfish
One Escheria coli bacterium
One grey wolf

12. 1. List: as many BIOTIC and ABIOTIC factors as you can find
1.List: as many BIOTIC and ABIOTIC factors as you can find...separate lists please  2. What is the difference between a population and a community? 3. How is a community different from an ecosystem? How are they similar?

13. Interactions Among Living Things
An Organism’s Adaptations Enable it to Survive.
Populations of organisms can accumulate beneficial adaptations over time depending upon the nature of their environment…that’s called NATURAL SELECTION…more on that when we study evolution.
Anyway, every organism has a unique role in it’s ecosystem…that’s called a NICHE.

14. The NICHE includes:
Type of food
How food is obtained
What organisms eat THIS one.
When and how reproduction takes place
Physical conditions required for survival
How the organism interacts with other organisms.

15. Interactions Among Organisms
Let’s look at some major types of interactions
COMPETITION
The struggle between organisms to survive in a habitat with limited resources.
Resources include food, water, space, and mates.

16. Predator-Prey Relationships
Predators their behavior is called…PREDATION.
One organism hunts and kills another.
The predator does the killin’ and eatin’.
The prey does the gettin’ killed and et.
PREDATOR ADAPTATIONS: speed, sharp teeth and/or claws, venom, night vision, radar etc.

17. PREY ADAPTATIONS: Camouflage, protective coverings, warning coloration, mimicry, false coloring
Predation can have a major affect upon prey populations.
If the death rate exceeds the birth rate…population goes down.
Predators and prey have an important relationship. When we interrupt this natural balance…trouble 

18. Check This Out…a pretty typical Predatoy/Prey Relationship Graph.

19. SYMBIOSIS A close relationship between two species in which at least one species benefits.
MUTUALISM: Both benefit (+/+). Such as the clownfish and sea anemone. Each one protects the other against predators.
COMMENSALISM: One benefits, the other gets nothing (+/0). Example: remoras hitch rides on sharks and eat the scraps from the shark’s meal. The shark gets nothing!

20. PARASITISM: One organism benefits; the other organism is harmed (+/-)
PARASITISM: One organism benefits; the other organism is harmed (+/-). The organism that benefits is called the parasite, and the one that is harmed is called the host. Example Fleas and dogs.