1. An Introduction To Ecology

2. Ecology – study of interactions between organisms and environment.
Consists of abiotic (nonliving; i.e. temperature, light, etc) and biotic (living) factors.

4. Organism – one individual / biotic factor
Population – group of individuals of same species living in an area.
Community – all organisms of all species that live in an area.
Ecosystem – above plus abiotic factors.
Biosphere – sum of all ecosystems.

5. Blurt it out!!! 
I will show you a picture or explanation, and you BLURT out whether I’m representing
- organism
- population
- community
- ecosystem
READY? OK!

13. In summary, the levels go as so..

14. http://people. hofstra. edu/geotrans/eng/ch8en/conc8en/img/biosphere

15. Distribution affected by temperature, water, sunlight, wind, and rocks and soil.
Type of each will determine what can live there.

17. Temperature and water are biggest factors.
Biomes – major types of ecosystems.
Determined by proximity to equator, closeness to ocean, mountains, etc.

19. Aquatic biomes 2 types – marine and freshwater.
Stratified vertically – photic zone (light) and aphotic zone (little light).
Bottom of aquatic is benthos – food is detritus that falls from above.

21. Freshwater – close to shore – littoral zone.
Open water – limnetic zone.
ALakes classified by nutrients – 1eutrophic – shallow and nutrient-rich; 2oligotrophic – deeper and nutrient-poor.

22. Oligotrophic lake

23. Eutrophic lake

24. * BWetlands – area covered with water; supports plants.
CEstuaries – area where freshwater meets ocean.
Intertidal zone – land meets water.
DCoral reefs – dominated by coral.

25. Wetlands

26. Estuary

27. Coral Reef

28. EOceanic pelagic biome – away from shore.
Abyssal zone – lowest part of benthos; deep-sea hydrothermal vents help chemoautotrophic organisms.

29. Abyssal zone

30. Terrestrial biomes
Defined vertically from the canopy at top to the permafrost at the bottom.
ATropical forest – little light reaches ground because of deep canopy.
Rainfall determines life in area.

31. Tropical Forest In Madagascar

32. BSavanna – scattered trees and grasses.
Fire helps increase diversity.
Has rainy season.
CTemperate grassland – seasonal drought, fires prevent tree growth.
Most used for farming.

33. Savanna

34. Grasslands

35. DDeserts – sparse rain, some are cold.
Plants have structures to allow survival (i.e. water storage, alternative forms of photosynthesis)
EChaparral – evergreen shrub; long, hot, dry summers with fires.

36. Desert

37. Chaparral

38. FTemperate deciduous forest – small mammals, leaves fall during autumn.
GConiferous forest – cone-bearing trees, trees have needles.
HTundra – permafrost covers ground, low diversity.

39. Deciduous forest

40. Coniferous forest

41. Tundra