1. The Study of Interactions between Organisms and their Environment
ECOLOGY
The Study of Interactions between Organisms and their Environment

2. Ecology Vocabulary Population: a particular species in an area
Community: a group of populations in an area
Ecosystem: a community plus its non-living (abiotic) environment
Biosphere: all regions of the planet inhabited by populations
Habitat: The place a population lives
Niche: the role of the population in the environment (what you eat, what you do)

3. ECOSYSTEM FACTORS BIOTIC: Living ABIOTIC:Non-living
AUTOTROPHS (producers)ex. plants
HETEROTROPHS (consumers)ex. Animals an omnivore ,a carnivore and a herbivore are all heterotrophs
DECOMPOSERS ex. Bacteria, fungi
ABIOTIC:Non-living
temperature, sunlight, water, minerals

4. Trophic Levels

5. Trophic Levels
Primary Producers: The autotrophs that capture energy to make food (Plants)
Primary Consumers: heterotrophs that eat autotrophs (herbivores)
Secondary Consumers: heterotrophs that eat other heterotrophs (carnivores)
Higher Level Consumers: carnivores that eat other carnivores
Decomposers: consumers of dead organic material ( Bacteria, Fungi)

7. ENERGY FLOW Food chains: a specific energy pathway
Food webs: complex energy interactions in found in an ecosystem.
Energy pyramids: representation of the total energy available to a trophic level.

9. FOREST FOOD WEB

10. Arctic Marine Food Web

11. Biomass Pyramid

12. Energy Pyramid

13. Kruger Park Battle

14. Growth of Populations
Exponential Growth : the maximum possible growth rate of a population
Carrying Capacity of the Environment: The maximum population that a particular environment can support
Limiting Factors : those environmental factors that keep a population at the carrying capacity, like food, predators, amount of water, how much land there is

15. Population Growth over Time

16. Exponential growth can lead to massive die-off
In 1944, 20 reindeer were brought to St. Matthew Island. Initially there were abundant food sources, and the reindeer population increased dramatically. There were no predators to cull the population. However, about 20 years later, the reindeer had overshot the food carrying  capacity of the island, and there was a sudden, massive die-off.  About 99% of the reindeer died of starvation.
Exponential growth can lead to massive die-off

17. Carrying capacity of the Environment

18. Community Interaction
competition

19. Predator-Prey Interactions
Predators : Organisms that catch and consumed other organisms
Prey : organisms that get consumed.
Top Predator : the organism within a food chain or web that is not eaten by any other organism.

20. Predation

21. Predator – Prey Dynamics

23. Symbiosis
When TWO or more species interact so closely that one or more of them is NECESSARY for the other’s survival.
Examples:
Coral and zooxanthellae algae
Fig trees and fig wasps
Tape worms and humans
Fleas and hairy mammals

24. Mutualism Both organisms BENEFIT from the interaction
Coral and Zooxanthellae
Red billed oxpecker feeds on the ticks
Off the Impalas coat (Africa)
Clownfish and Sea Anemone

25. Crocodile and plover mutualistic relationship
Crocodile and plover mutualistic relationship. Plover cleans crocodiles teeth.

26. Commensalism – one IS HELPED but the other is NOT harmed
Ex. Birds nest in trees

27. Parasitism
One organism
BENEFITS
The other is
HARMED

28. Predator Prey Co-evolution
Protection from Predation (for prey)
Poison : the production of toxins
Camouflage : protective coloration
Mimicry: look alikes
Adaptations to overcome protections (for predators)
Intolerance to poisons : immunity
Use of senses other than sight: hearing, smell

29. Co-Evolution Predator /prey interactions
WARNING coloration says, “Don’t mess with me !!”
POISON IVY – protected from herbivores

30. Camouflage coloration PROTECTIVE catipillar
Stick insects found in Australia

31. Mimicry
Similar colors
Similar DEFENSES
Wasp
bee

32. Mimicry- Fooled Ya! King snake (not poisonous) Coral snake
(VERY poisonous)
Red next to yellow you’re a dead fellow

33. Ecological Succession
The natural progression of SPECIES and their EFFECTS on the environment
PIONEER Species – the first to invade a new environment (bare rock)
MODIFICATIONS by the first group leads to the second, the second the third, etc.
The CLIMAX species will end the succession.

34. Forest Succession

35. Lake Succession LAKE community Sedimentation due to EROSION
SWAMP community forms
Eventually a FOREST community may form

36. Nutrient Recycling Carbon and Oxygen: CO2, O2 (AIR)
Water: H2O (SOLID, LIQUID, GAS)
Nitrogen: N2 (AIR)
Other Minerals : MAGNESIUM, CALCIUM, IRON, ZINC, COPPER, SILICA, ETC.

37. Carbon Cycle Atmospheric CARBON DIOXIDE
Autotrophs CHANGE TO SUGAR C6H12O6
Heterotrophs CHANGE TO CO2 AND ORGANIC MATERIALS.
Decomposers BREAK DOWN ORGANIC MATERIALS TO CO2
Burning of FOSSIL FUELS

39. Water Cycle Evaporation LIQUID TO WATER VAPOR
Transpiration EVAPORATION THROUGH PLANTS
Condensation and Precipitation RAIN,
SNOW, SLEET, HAIL etc.
Runoff and Groundwater INFILTRATION
Liquid water on the surface LAKES,
STREAMS, OCEANS etc.

41. Nitrogen Cycle Nitrogen in the Atmosphere N2 GAS
Nitrogen Fixers BACTERIA ON PLANT ROOTS
Plants and Animals PROTEINS, UREA
Decomposers PRODUCE AMMONIA
Nitrifying Bacteria NH4 -> NO2, NO3
Denitrifying Bacteria NO3-> N2 GAS

43. Other Minerals Rocks and Soil CONTAIN MINERALS
Erosion RELEASES MINERALS
Water dissolves MINERALS
Plants and Algae uptake MINERALS
Animals consume PLANTS AND ALGAE
Decomposers LEAVE MINERALS IN SOIL