1. Levels of Organization

2. I. Levels of Organization
A. Ranges from a single individual to the entire Biosphere
1. Species
2. Populations
3. Communities
4. Ecosystem
5. Biome
6. Biosphere

3. II. Energy Flow A. Sunlight is the main E source for life on earth
1. Autotrophs are producers that use this process to feed the world
2. Done in 2 ways:
a. Photosynthesis
Taking suns E and changing it to a chemical E

4. b. Chemo synthesizers: Break down E from inorganic molecules
1. Found in volcanic vents on ocean floor and in Yellowstone hot springs

5. c. Consumers are heterotrophs that rely on other organisms
1. Herbivores
2. Carnivores
3. Omnivores
4. Decomposers

6. III. Feeding Relationships
A. Energy flows in 1 direction sun autotrophs Heterotrophs
1. Food chain is the transfer of energy by eating and by being eaten

7. Food Chain

8. B. Food Webs link all the food chains in an ecosystem together
Each step in a food web are called a trophic level
1st level Producers
2nd or higher is the consumers

9. IV. Role of the climate
A. Climate is the year-after-year conditions of a region
1. Earth has 3 main climate zones
A. Temperate zone: sits between polar and tropic zone
Climate ranges from hot to cold
Tilt causes light to be direct and indirect at times

10. B. Tropical Zone: near the equator.
Light is more direct
Warm year around
C. Polar Zone: Areas around the north and south poles
Sun light strikes at a low angle

11. V. What shapes an Ecosystem
A. Niche: Conditions in which an organism lives and the way an organism uses those conditions
1. For EX:
Place in food web
Temperature needed to survive

12. Bull frogs eats worms, spiders, small fish, or even mice
Niche Example:
Bull frogs eats worms, spiders, small fish, or even mice
Predators like herons, raccoons, snakes prey on bull frogs
Must live by water and body temp is regulated by the surrounding water.
Hibernate in the mud during winter
No 2 species share the same niche
Don’t write notes just listen

13. VI. Community Interactions
A. Community interactions affect an ecosystem
1. Competition
2. Predation
3. Symbiosis
Mutualism: Both species benefit
Commensalisms: One is benefited and the other is unharmed
Parasitism: One is benefited and the other is harmed

14. Commensalism
Parasitism

15. Examples of Keystone Species
Helps soil formation, keep prairie
grasses Short and helps feed
170 species
Gopher tortoise helps build homes
For other organisms by burrowing
In the ground