1. What is ECOLOGY?
 The study of the relationship of organisms to their physical (nonliving) and biological (living) environment.

2. Abiotic Factors (Nonliving)
Rainfall
Temperature
Sunlight
Air currents
Soil
Rocks
Etc…

3. Biotic Factors (Living)
Competition
Symbiotic relationships , such as parasitism (shown left)
Predation
(All living things)

4. Levels Of Organization in Ecology

5. ORGANISM
Any living thing

6. POPULATION
A group of organisms of the same species that live together in one place at one time

7. interacting populations
Community
A collection of
interacting populations

8. Ecosystems
Consists of a community and the physical surroundings (abiotic factors)

9. The Biosphere
The area on Earth where life exists (includes the air, land, and water)

10. What is the difference between HABITAT & NICHE?

11. Habitat
The place where an organism lives…its “ecological address”

12. Niche The role and position a species occupies in its environment –
its “job”
Many organisms may occupy the same habitat, but have different niches….

13. What is Symbiosis?
The relationship between organisms of two different species where at least one organism benefits.
For example, the red fox's habitat might include forest edges, meadows and the bank of a river. The niche of the red fox is that of a predator which feeds on the small mammals, amphibians, insects, and fruit found in this habitat. Red foxes are active at night. They provides blood for blackflies and mosquitoes, and are host to numerous diseases. The scraps, or carrion, left behind after a fox's meal provide food for many small scavengers and decomposers. This then is the ecological niche of the red fox. Only the red fox occupies this niche in the meadow-forest edge communities. In other plant communities different species of animal may occupy a similar niche to that of the red fox. For example, in the grassland communities of western Canada and the United States, the coyote occupies a similar niche (to that of the red fox.)

14. Predator or Prey Predation: One organism kills and consumes another
Prey: the organism which the predator eats

15. Parasitism ( +, -) Cat Flea Athlete’s Foot: Fungus! Deer Tick
One organism, the parasite, benefits & the other, the host, is harmed!

16. Mutualism ( +,+) Both organisms benefit from the relationship.
Ant & Acacia Tree
Oxpecker & Rhino

17. Commensalism (+, 0) One organism benefits, the other gains nothing!!
Barnacles on Whale
Clownfish & sea anemone
One organism benefits, the other gains nothing!!

18. Summary of Symbiosis…Let’s Watch.

19. The End!
HAPPY Monday!!!!