1. 4.1 Species, communities, and ecosystems
Ecology
4.1
Species, communities, and ecosystems

2. 4.1.1 A group of organisms that can interbreed and produce fertile offspring.
Species
Similar looking
Genetically distinct from other species
Common phylogeny (family tree)
Hybrids usually can’t produce
Mule
Zorse
liger
Members of a species can become reproductively isolated and become separate species

3. 4.1.2 Speciation Geographical barrier Southern California
Northern California
Geographical
barrier

4. Primary consumer 4.1.4 4.1.5 Detritivore Consumers Heterotrophs
Producer
Autotroph
4.1.3
Primary consumer 4.1.4
Organisms that eat non-living organic matter.
Detritivore
Organisms that live on or in non-living organic matter,
secreting digestive enzymes and absorbing the
products of digestion
Saprotroph

5. 4.1.7 What is a community? How can they interact?
A group of populations (species) living and interacting with each other in an area.
How can they interact?
Feed on each other
Provide each other with things they need (symbiosis)
Protection
Provide habitat

6. What is an ecosystem?
Populations of different species living together (community) with their abiotic environment.
Abiotic?
Non-living
Examples? pH
temperature
water
light
air
rocks

7. Abiotic factors can influence where within a community a certain species lives.
By comparing abiotic factors with species, scientists can study how one influences the other
Random sampling

8. 4.1.9 Where do autotrophs get their nutrients?
Autotrophs make the food they need from their inorganic (abiotic) surroundings.
Carbon dioxide
water
sunlight
nutrients
Ecosystems must recycle nutrients such as carbon nitrogen and phosphorus

9. 4.1.10 The supply if inorganic nutrients is maintained by nutrient recycling .
Decomposers
break down the body parts of dead organisms.
Proteins broken down into ammonia NH3, then ammonia broken down to release nitrogen and NO3-
Soil (humus) is formed by decomposers adding organic debris and nutrients released by decomposers.

10. 4.1.11 Ecosystems have the potential to be sustainable over long periods of time.
Producers take inorganic molecules and make organic ones. Consumers eat the producers. Consumers die and are broken down by decomposers
Nitrogen cycle Why is nitrogen important?
Nucleic acids and amino acids