1. Introduction to Ecology

2. Ecology
the study of interactions between biotic (living) and abiotic (nonliving) factors of an ecosystem
“eco-” = house
“-ology” = the study of
the study of the relationships between organisms and their environments
studies the movement of matter and energy in living things

3. Ecologist
a person who studies ecology

4. Levels of Organization
Individual/Organism
Populations
Community
Ecosystem
Biome
Biosphere

5. Levels of Organization

6. Individual also called an organism
1 individual living thing
the simplest unit of biological organization
Example: 1 elk

8. Population
a number of organisms belonging to the same species that live in a defined area
populations are used by people to describe the number of people living in a city, state, or country
Example: a herd of 10 elk living in a state park

10. Community all the organisms living in a particular area or place
Example: all of the living things (animals, plants, fungi, bacteria, etc.) living in a state park

12. Ecosystem
a biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment
Example: all of the living things in a state park along with the water, soil, rocks, etc.

14. Biome
a large naturally occurring community of flora (plants) and fauna (animals) occupying a major habitat
Example: rainforest, savanna, desert, tundra

16. Biosphere where all living things on Earth live
Example: the surface of the earth (including the bottom of the ocean)

17. Summary: Label the picture.