1. Unit 3 – Biology: Sustainable Ecology

2. Is there life on this planet?

3. Life on Planet Earth
What special features and conditions does Earth have that make life possible?
Some people say that Earth itself is a living organism. Does that seem possible to you?

4. Biology is the study of living things
Ecology is the study of the relationships between
organisms, and organisms and their environment.

5. Levels of Ecological Organization
Organism: A single living thing
Ex. Animals, Insects, Bacteria, Plants
2) Population: A group of individuals of the same species,
living together in the same region
Ex. white pines, Colonel By students, a hornets nest
Community: A group of organisms, naturally connected
and living in the same region
Ex. a lake including the turtles, fish, frogs, algae, bact.

6. Ecosystem: The interactions between the biotic
community (the living organisms) and the abiotic (non-
living environment)
Biome: A large geographical region with a particular
climate and characterized by particular plants and
animals
Ex. desert, arctic, rain forest, ocean, swamp etc.
Biosphere: The part of the Earth where organisms exist
naturally

7. Ecosystems
An area in which living organisms interact with other living components (biotic) and non-living components (abiotic)
All the living organisms that share a region and interact with each other and their non-living environment.

8. Abiotic Factors
The non-living components of an ecosystem.

12. Biotic Factors
The living or once living parts of an ecosystem. Ex: plants and animals.

13. Ecosystem What level is this? Biotic factors Present?
Kingfisher, Frog, Fish,
Snail, Water boatman,
Pond skater, Dragonfly
Abiotic factors Present?
Sunlight, Water, Soil

14. Abiotic
Never-living: light from the sun, humidity, temperature, the concentration of oxygen in the air, water, wind, precipitation.
Biotic
living: plants, animals, bacteria, etc.
Once-living: fossil fuels, leaves, wood, paper, etc.

15. Why study ecology? Ecology is the study of relationships that living
organisms have with each other and with their natural environment.
 To find out how the world works and how our environment affects human lives.
 To observe organisms interact with each other and with their environment
 To find out how our actions impact our environment, and how to protect it (sustainability)

16. What is Sustainability?
The ability to maintain an ecological balance.
Sustainability creates and maintains the conditions under which humans and nature can exist in productive harmony, that permit fulfilling the social, economic and other requirements of present and future generations

17. What is a sustainable ecosystem?
Populations of living organisms can continue to interact and reproduce indefinitely.
One that can survive and thrive without humans having to continually add or take out of the system.
a system that survives, functions, and is renewed over time; a system in which people can continue to live and flourish for many generations.

18. How would you describe a tropical rain forest?
Biotic Factors
large, tropical deciduous trees with a wide variety of plants spread along the forest floor. There may also be a number of different animals ranging from weird insects to monkeys, snakes, and large jungle cats.

19. How would you describe a tropical rain forest?
There is one biotic factor in this
description, what its it?
Abiotic Factors
underlying the lush forest is a loose soil rich in nutrients and a large amount of decaying organic matter, important in returning nutrients to the soil. Temperatures are generally warm and precipitation is abundant.

20. Earth’s 4 Spheres

21. The Atmosphere What is it? What is it made of? What does it hold in?
A layer of gases surrounding the earth.
What is it made of?
Nitrogen, Oxygen, Carbon dioxide, Water vapour, other gases
What does it hold in?
Thermal energy
What does it block out?
Ultraviolet light
After students complete the table above, ask them which features of the atmosphere help make life possible. Have volunteers supply answers. Point out that:
• all living things need water, carbon dioxide, and oxygen
• thermal energy held in keeps temperatures moderate for life
• UV light blocked helps protect life

22. Lithosphere
Earth’s Solid Outer Layer

23. All of Earth’s water, in solid, liquid, and gas form.
Hydrosphere
All of Earth’s water, in solid, liquid, and gas form.

24. Biosphere The zone around the earth where life can exists.
Locations where life can exist within the atmosphere, lithosphere, and hydrosphere.

26. HMWK
Complete the handout
Silence of the frogs