1. “Introducing Ecology”
Write everything that is Underlined

2. Ecology
Eco
logy
the study of the relationships between biotic and abiotic factors in environments
eco (G) root home, abode
log, -o, y (G) suffix study of
ecosystem
ecoclimate
ecotourism
climatology
epidemiology
zoology

3. An organism is an individual living thing (such as an alligator)

4. A population is a group of the same species that lives in one area.
Organism

5. A community is a group of different species that live together in one area.
Population
Organism

6. While the earth is huge, life is found in a very narrow layer, called the biosphere. If the earth could be shrunk to the size of an apple, the biosphere would be no thicker than the apple's skin.

7. The biosphere, like the human body, is made up of systems that interact and are dependent on each other.
The biosphere’s systems are called ECOSYSTEMS.

8. An ecosystem includes all of the organisms as well as the other nonliving things in a given area. (such as climate, soil, water, rocks)
Ecosystem
Community
Population
Organism

9. A biome is a major regional or global community of organisms characterized by the climate conditions and plant communities that thrive there.
Biome
Ecosystem
Community
Population
Organism

10. Biome
a major regional or global biotic community, a super ecosystem, defined chiefly by the dominant forms of plant life and the prevailing climate

11. Major Biomes of the World
desert
grassland
tropical rain forest
deciduous forest
coniferous forest
tundra
ocean

12. Levels of Organization
biome
group of organs working together
one individual living thing
group of different kinds of tissues working together
all organisms of the same kind living in one area
large region with typical plants and animals that includes several ecosystems
all living and nonliving things interacting within a certain area
all interacting populations in an ecosystem
group of similar cells organized to work together
smallest unit of living things
ecosystem
community
population
organism
organ system
organ
tissue
cell

13. Section 13.2 KEY CONCEPT: Every ecosystem includes both living and nonliving factors.

14. Elements in an Ecosystem
Biotic factors are living things.
Remember, BIO means LIFE! (like Biology)
plants
animals
fungi
bacteria

15. Examples of Biotic Factors
include plants, animals, fungi, microorganisms

16. Abiotic factors are nonliving things.
Remember, “A” means NOT (like Asymmetrical means not symmetrical)
sunlight
temperature
wind
Moisture
Water, rain, clouds
soil

17. Examples of Abiotic Factors
include air, water, soil, temperature, wind, source of energy (usually sun)

18. Ecological Niche
A plant's or animal's ecological niche is a way of life that is unique to that species.
Niche and habitat are not the same. While many species may share a habitat, this is not true of a niche. Each plant and animal species is a member of a community.
The niche describes the species' role or function within this community.

19. For example, the red fox's habitat, which might include forest edges, meadows and the bank of a river, is shared with many animals .
The niche of the red fox is that of a predator which feeds on the small mammals, amphibians, insects, and fruit found in this habitat. Red foxes are active at night. They provide blood for blackflies and mosquitoes, and are host to numerous diseases. The scraps, or carrion, left behind after a fox's meal provide food for many small scavengers and decomposers. This, then, is the ecological niche of the red fox.
Only the red fox occupies this niche in the meadow-forest edge communities. In other plant communities different species of animal may occupy a similar niche to that of the red fox.

20. If you moved this stone the whole arch would fall down
Changing one factor in an ecosystem can affect many other factors.
A keystone species is a species that has an unusually large effect on its ecosystem.
Keystone
If you moved this stone the whole arch would fall down

21. Keystone species form and maintain a complex web of life.
creation of
wetland
ecosystem
increased waterfowl
Population
increased fish
population
nesting sites for birds
keystone species

22. Review questions
What is Ecology?
Define organism, population, community, biome, biotic, and abiotic factors.
Give two examples of biotic and abiotic factors.
What is a keystone species?
What does every ecosystem include?