1. The study of the interactions between organisms & the environment.
ECOLOGY
The study of the interactions between organisms & the environment.

2. Review basic Ecology vocabulary:
organism = a living thing extinct = species that is no longer living
energy = ability to do work endangered = species at risk of becoming extinct
food = substance an organism needs for energy bio- = prefix that means “life”
habitat = home for an organism biology = the study of life
predator = organism who hunts & eats another one hierarchy = ranking in order
prey = organism who is hunted & eaten by another
photosynthesis = process when plants make their own food using sunlight for energy
*Activity = for 60 seconds, review these terms with a partner
*If you don’t understand any of the basic terms on this slide, please come to Knight Time or tutoring!

3. Review basic Ecology vocabulary:
Producers = (also called autotrophs) make their own food using sunlight; plants, algae, & some bacteria
Consumers = (also called heterotrophs) eats other organisms for energy;
animals & fungi
carnivore = only eats animals (cat, dog, lions, crocodiles, T-rex)
herbivore = only eats plants (cows, bees, pandas, deer, termites, lemurs)
omnivore = eats both plants & animals (humans, bears, squirrels, turtles, fish)
Decomposers = (process called rotting) breaks down dead organisms into soil; bacteria & fungi
*optional activity = review these terms with a partner
*optional activity = make a drawing of these 3 functional groups in your notes

4. Biotic = living components of an ecosystem Abiotic = nonliving components of an ecosystem
Place the following terms on the Venn diagram in your notes:
grass sunlight spiders climate flowers
rotting tree air fish water dead frog U.V. light
sun living temperature squirrel soil nonliving

5. We like to party!!!

7. Organization Biosphere - areas of planet earth that support life
(air, land, water, volcanic thermal vents…what?)
Biome - an ecosystem that occupies a particular climate zone
Ecosystem - all the living & nonliving things that interact in a particular area
Community - different groups of populations in the same area
Population - group of one type of organism
Organism - individual living thing

8. Where would a biome fit into this hierarchy?

9. Long term temperature & weather conditions in a particular area.
Climate Biome
Long term temperature & weather conditions in a particular area.
Plants, animals, & ecosystems adapted to a particular climatic condition.
Essential question: What are some specific ways climate affects a biome?
Cacti must conserve water in the desert because of dry conditions.
Fish have gills to breathe the dissolved oxygen in the water they live in.
Polar bears have large amounts of fat to store energy to survive arctic conditions.

10. Biomes Polar Temperate Tropical Global region example: Abiotic Biotic
Koppen Climate Zone
Biome
Polar
(no summers)
example:
polar climate zone
tundra biome
Temperate
humid subtropical climate zone
temperate deciduous
forest biome
Tropical
(no winters)
tropical dry climate zone
savanna biome
*optional activity = biomes activity or worksheet

12. Which has more biodiversity?

13. endangered or few species
Biodiversity
Bio = “life” Diversity = “variety” Biodiversity is the variety of life on Earth and the essential interdependence of all living things.
variety of genes (DNA)
variety of species
Healthy balanced
ecosystems
No genetic variety
endangered or few species
Unbalanced
ecosystems

14. Do we need balance in the biosphere?
Is that important?
Hold that thought...

15. Energy Flow
The flow of energy (like food) through an ecosystem is one of the most important factors that determines how much life it can sustain.
Note: Do not write this slide… just read it & think about it silly!

16. Energy Flow
Food Chain = Movement of food energy from a lower level organism to a higher level one.
Food Web = Complex system of interlocking food chains within an ecosystem.
REALLY IMPORTANT =
The arrows ALWAYS point in the direction of the energy flow.
Almost all food chains & food webs start with the energy from the sun.

17. I said food chains NOT Two Chainz!

18. Carrying Capacity
The maximum number of organisms an ecosystem can hold.
Think of an ecosystem as a bucket that can only hold so much.

19. How many deer can a forest ecosystem hold?
What does it depend on?

20. How many fish can an aquarium hold?
What does it depend on?

21. These things depend on limiting factors.
What are limiting factors?

22. Something that causes the size of a population to decrease.
Limiting Factors
Something that causes the size of a population to decrease.
Some basic limiting factors are food, shelter, water, space, temperature, fertilizer, pH, medicine, & predation.
Only one factor can be limiting at any given time or place.
Essential Question: How have human needs for energy, food, transportation, space, technology, beauty, & recreation created limiting factors for biodiversity in the biosphere?

23. Population Size Population = birth rate - death rate
birth rate = how fast a population reproduces death rate = how fast a population dies
Population = birth rate - death rate
if birth rate > death rate then population grows or increases
if birth rate < death rate then population shrinks or declines

24. Human Population Growth
Fun Fact:
Demographers estimate that, in the decade of the 1990’s, the Atlanta metro (driving distance) area grew in population faster than any other area in the history of human civilization.
Human Population Growth

25. How does population growth affect our resources?

26. Human Impacts
Urban development (humans building stuff) has caused deforestation, logging, draining wetlands, & habitat destruction.
Various forms of pollution like chemical spills or fertilizer “eutrophication” can change the balance in an ecosystem.
Hunting & farming are both unnatural limiting factors.
Harvesting, mining, & drilling take away natural resources.

27. Impact on the environment
Human Impacts
Category
What humans need
What humans do
What happens
Impact on the environment
Energy
coal
burn coal
SO2 released into air
creates acid rain
Food
Cheap food
Concentrated animal farms
Excessive manure runoff
eutrophication
Space
Homes & malls
Beauty

28. Anything used by humans as an energy source.
Energy Resources
Anything used by humans as an energy source.
Can be replenished or replaced in short amount of time.
Once used up, they are gone for millions of years.

29. Organism that takes resources away from a native (natural) species.
Invasive Species
winter
spring
Holy KUDZU Batman!!!
Organism that takes resources away from a native (natural) species.
summer
fall

30. Agriculture
The domestic cultivation (farming) of plants & animals for food or products.
Why Till?
Tractor
this is Tilling
Pros: Control weeds, mix the soil, & make level.
Cons: Dries soil, causes erosion, & loss of CO2.

31. Sustainability
To live in a way that natural resources (such as energy & materials) are not depleted or permanently damaged.

34. Carbon Footprint
Amount of CO2 emitted (released) due to the consumption of fossil fuels by a particular person or group.