1. Ecology
The study of the relationships between living things and with their environments.

2. The environment is everything that surrounds an animal or plant

3. The habitat is the place where an animal or plant lives

4. Habitats
Each habitat has its own environment which suits the plants and animals that live in it
Each habitat has its own community of plants and animals

5. Interdependence
Animals and plants in a habitat depend on each other for food, shelter and pollination
Examples:
rabbits depend on grass for food
buttercups depend on bees for pollination
hedgehogs need dead leaves for shelter
birds use trees for shelter

6. Food chains Order in which animals eat plants and other animals
Each part of a food chain is a link connected to other links

7. All energy comes from the sun
Plants harness the sun’s energy by photosynthesis

8. Producers
We call plants producers because they produce energy from the sun directly.

9. Herbivores
Many animals eat only plants-they are vegetarians and are called herbivores
Animals that eat plants are primary (first feeding level) consumers

10. Carnivores and Omnivores
Animals that only eat other animals are called carnivores
Animals that eat both plants and other animals are called omnivores
These animals are secondary (second feeding level) consumers

11. Decomposers
Organisms which feed on dead animals and plants eg bacteria, fungi, earthworms
They are consumers as they don’t make their own food
They release minerals locked in dead animals and plants

12. Feeding Relationships
Producers
Consumers
Decomposers
Herbivores
Omnivores
Carnivores

13. Food chains

14. Food chains

15. Food chains

16. Food web In nature single food chains are rare
Usually they are interconnected with each other
These interconnected food chains are called a food web

17. Food web
fox
owl
rabbits
mice
grass
seeds
berries

22. Breaking the Chain Organisms living in a habitat depend on each other.
If one part of a food chain dies out or is greatly reduced, the consumers have to find alternative food, move away, or starve.
This then affects more consumers in the same way.

23. Endangered or Extinct?
The number of people in the world is growing at an alarming rate.
But this is not true for all animals.
In some cases, there are only a few of one type of animal left in the wild.
These animals are endangered.
If they die out completely, they become extinct.

24. Why does this happen?
There are lots of reasons why animals become endangered or extinct.
The most common are:
loss of habitat (woodlands cut down, rivers drying up, hedgerows removed).
chemicals or pollution poison the animals.
hunting (for sport, their fur, tusks or meat).

25. Caring for the Environment
It is in our own best interests to look after the world we live in.
If a habitat is lost or damaged, it has an effect on everything else, even if we do not see or understand it straight away.
Remember - once something becomes extinct, it’s gone forever!

26. Energy transfer The energy for any food chain comes from the sun
When herbivores eat the plants it is passed on
When carnivores eat the herbivores the energy is passed on again
Each organism wastes a lot of energy
The energy gets less and less as we go up the food chain
The number of organisms decreases as we go up the chain

27. Energy transfer

28. Energy and Life
Of all the energy that the sun sends to the Earth, most is reflected or absorbed by the atmosphere or Earth surface
1% of the energy sent by the Sun is available to life on Earth
Of this energy, 3% is trapped by green plants or algae
All life on Earth is therefore due to the ·03% of the energy hitting the Earth from the Sun

29. Rule of ten
Only 10% of energy is transferred from one feeding level to the next
Example:
It takes 100 kgs of plant materials (producers) to support 10 kgs of herbivores
It takes 10 kgs of herbivores to support 1 kg of a first level predator

30. Study of a Habitat Preparation Fieldwork Follow-up activities
Report writing
The study of an ecosystem can be divided into four main stages:
preparation,
fieldwork,
follow up activities and
report writing.
Today we are dealing with preparation, assimilated quantitative study and the presentation of the data from this study, as an example of a follow up activity and finally, writing up of reports. 30

31. Simple Map
Using a suitable scale, draw a baseline on a sheet of graph paper.
From this baseline, measure the perpendicular distances to natural landmarks eg. a path, pond, trees, hedge.
Transfer these measurements to graph paper.
Label all features (living and non-living) in the habitat.

32. Simple Map Locate the compass direction and mark this on the map.
Include a simple key to identify features shown 
Make a simple map of the ecosystem

33. Field Study Collection of plants and animals
Identification of the plants and animals present using simple keys

34. Quadrat A frame that forms a known area Usually square shaped
Can be used to measure frequency
A frame: Can be made of wood,metal,plastic etc
Must be of a known area
Usually square shaped but can be of any regular shape eg circular/hexagonal
Can be used to measure Frequency and Percentage Cover of a species within a selected area
Note:
Assumed that the contents of the quadrat will be representative of the whole sampling area.
Most commomly used sizes: 1m2 and 0.25m2 . Smaller sizes used in determining distribution of lichens and mosses on tree trunks and walls.
Size of quadrat to be used: Optimum quadrat size reached when 1% inc. in quadrat size produces no more than a .5% inc. in no. of species present
No. of quadrats thrown: A satisfactory minimum no. of quadrats is reached when a 1% increase in the no. of quadrats produces no more than a .5% increase in the no. of species found 34

35. Frequency
The chance of finding a named organism within the sample area in a number of quadrats
May be expressed as a percent of the total number of quadrats sampled
Definition from Teacher Guidelines P 22 35

36. Frequency Procedure Throw the quadrat randomly in the sample area
Record the presence or absence of a named organism within each quadrat
Repeat for a number of throws
Tabulate results
We will conduct a Quantitative study to measure frequency
Go through procedure step by step
Next slide to show blank table for recording results 36

37. Tabulation of results Quadrat Number Plant type 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Total
Freq 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Completed table will look something like this:
This has been done on Excel, a spreadsheet programme, where formulae are entered to compute the Frequency and the % Frequency
Graph can be drawn ( Click and a completed graph will appear )
Will give detailed instructions on how to use excel spreadsheet later 37

38. Tabulation of results                        
Plant type
Quadrat Number
Total
Freq 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Dandelion
Nettle
Grass
Dockleaf
Daisy    3
30%       6
60%           10
100%      5
50%
Completed table will look something like this:
This has been done on Excel, a spreadsheet programme, where formulae are entered to compute the Frequency and the % Frequency
Graph can be drawn ( Click and a completed graph will appear )
Will give detailed instructions on how to use excel spreadsheet later     4
40% 38

39. Collection of plants and animals
Pitfall trap
Pooter jar