1. Ecological Address Tells about: Where the organism lives
What kind of climate the organism lives in
What kind of neighboring organisms there may be
Ecological Address is a term currently used to define the elements of the environment that characterize a specific locale at a certain time.
there are NINE Parts to Your Ecological Address:
RIVER BASIN
TOPOGRAPHY
WETLANDS
GROUNDWATER
CLIMATE
SOIL
AIR
BIODIVERSITY
ENERGY

2. Effect of Latitude on Climate
Earth has 3 main climate zones caused by the unequal heating of the Earth’s surface
The 3 main climate zones are:
Polar- very cold areas where the sun’s rays strike the earth at a low angle
2. Temperate- sit between the polar and tropical zones, they are most effected by the changing angle of the sun which causes seasons
3. Tropical- most near the equator, receive direct or nearly direct sunlight year-round making the climate almost always warm

3. NC Climate

4. Recall: Abiotic factor Biotic factor -physical characteristic
-living characteristic
Biotic factor
biotic means living (ie. insect, bacteria, growth-rate, etc.) abiotic means not-living (ie. sunlight, water, etc.)

5. Within the Ecosystem… An organism’s address or habitat
Biotic and abiotic factors determine the survival and growth of an organism and the productivity of the ecosystem in which the organism lives
Example: You live in Durham and Princess Peach lives at the castle

6. Niche An organism’s occupation
A range of physical and biological conditions in which an organism lives and uses the conditions
The combination of biotic and abiotic factors in an ecosystem often determines how many niches there are
What they eat, physical conditions they require, how and when it reproduces
Example: Your niche is being a student. You have different niches because you take different classes. Princess Peach’s niche is being a princess and Mario’s niche is being a plumber.

7. Ecosystems and Populations
Succession
Boardworks A2 Biology
Ecosystems and Populations
Succession is the gradual change in a community over time.
Primary succession occurs when organisms colonize a lifeless habitat.
During succession the organisms within an ecosystem change its abiotic conditions.
Secondary succession occurs when organisms recolonize a devastated ecosystem.
This allows better adapted organisms to colonize the area, replacing its current inhabitants.
Photo credit (lichen on a lava flow): © 2009 Shutterstock, Patricia Hoffmeester
Photo credit (burnt woodland): © 2009 Shutterstock, Dven 7

8. During primary succession, a pioneer species is the first species to colonize an area that has had a disturbance and is barren.
Example: Lichens are often the pioneer species on volcanic rock

9. During secondary succession, an ecosystem is changed by natural causes such as fires or by human interaction such as farming. When the interactions are over, the community interactions tend to restore the ecosystem to its original condition.
Fact: Some seeds need fire in order to sprout!

10. Climax Community
A stable community with a high number of competitive species is called a climax community

11. Symbiosis Any relationship in which two species live closely together
There are 3 types of symbiosis
Mutualism
Commensalism
Parasitism

12. Mutualism Both species benefit from the relationship
Example: Some flowers and insects depend on each other. The flowers need the insects to pollinate them and the provide insects with food.

13. Commensalism
One member of the interaction benefits and the other is neither helped nor harmed
Example: Some barnacles attach themselves to whales. The barnacles do not help nor harm the whale. As the water rushes past the whale the barnacles get the food particles carried by the water.

14. Parasitism
When an organism lives on or inside another organism and harms it. The parasite gets all it’s nutritional needs from the host.
Example: Tapeworms, fleas, ticks, lice

15. Predators and prey
A predator is an animal that hunts and kills other animals for food. The animal that is eaten is the prey.
For example, lynxes are a type of wild cat that hunt snowshoe hares in northern parts of North America.
Photo credit (left and right): © 2006 Jupiterimages Corporation
The size of the two populations are very closely linked.
Why do you think this is?

16. Prey population changes
The hare population follows a cyclical pattern, where it rises and falls in a fairly regular cycle. Why is this?
The hare population changes due to both the vegetation growing season and changes in the lynx population.
Individual hares must compete for food and mates, and must also avoid being killed by lynxes, their predators.

17. Predator population changes
The lynx population also follows a cyclical pattern very similar to the hare population. Why is this?
The lynx is very dependent on hares for food, so as the hare population changes so does the lynx population.
This is why the lynx population rises and falls slightly after the rise and fall of the hare population.

18. Symbiosis Comic
Create 3 comic strips to represent the symbiotic relationships of commensalism, mutualism, and parasitism.