1. Ecology What is “Ecology”? Are humans a part of ecology?
The study of interactions among organisms and between organisms and their physical environment
Are humans a part of ecology?

2. Levels of Organization
Individual Organism
Population:
A group of individuals in the same species that live in the same place at the same time
Community:
A group of different populations living together in the same place
Ecosystem:
All the organisms that live in a place, together with their physical environment
Biome:
A group of ecosystems that share similar climates and typical organisms
Biosphere:
Our entire planet, with all the organisms and physical environments

3. Levels of Organization
Yellowtail Snapper (Individual Organism)
School of snapper (Population )
Coral Reef (Ecosystem)
Coral Reef Distribution (Biome)
Earth (Biosphere)

4. Abiotic vs. Biotic Factors
ABIOTIC FACTORS
BIOTIC FACTORS
Definition
Physical (non-living) components of an ecosystem that influence an organism
Biological (living) components of an ecosystem that influences on rganism
Examples
Sunlight, heat, humidity, soil, rain
Plants, animals, fungi, bacteria

5. Abiotic vs. Biotic Factors: Examples

6. Energy in Organisms Organisms need energy for:
Growth
Reproduction
Metabolism
BUT, no organism can create energy, they can only transform it.
SO, where does it come from??

7. Primary Producers (a.k.a. Autotrophs)
ENERGY SOURCE: Capture energy from SUN or CHEMICALS and convert it into forms that organisms can use (sugars)
Photosynthesis = use of light energy
Chemosynthesis = use of chemical energy
Examples?

8. Consumers (a.k.a. Heterotrophs)
ENERGY SOURCE: Acquire energy from other organisms
Many types of consumers, classified by how they get energy and nutrients
Herbivores: consume plants (leaves, seeds, fruits)
Carnivores: kill and consume other animals
Omnivores: consume a mix of plants and animals
Scavengers: consume animals that have already been killed
Detritivores: feed on detritus (dead organic matter)
Decomposers: chemically digest dead organic matter

9. Classify that Organism!

10. Classify that Organism!