1. Ecology Part I

2. ECOLOGY What is ecology?
The study of how living things interact with each other and the environment.
Everything is interconnected

3. BIOTIC FACTORS What are biotic factors?
The living parts of an ecosystem
Name some biotic factors in this pond ecosystem

4. ABIOTIC FACTORS What are abiotic factors?
The nonliving parts of an ecosystem
Abiotic factors include; water, sunlight, air, wind, clouds, temperature, ph (acidity level), soil, and minerals.

5. Levels of Organization
Organism is an individual species in an ecosystem.
Species is a group of similar organisms that can mate with each other and produce fertile offspring.

6. Levels of Organization
Population is all the members of a particular species that’s living in a particular area.

7. Levels of Organization
Community collection of different populations that live together in a certain area.

8. Levels of Organization
Ecosystem is the community (all living organisms) living together with their abiotic factors (physical environment).

9. Levels of Organization
Biome group of ecosystems that have the same climate and dominant communities
Biosphere group of ecosystems that have the same climate and dominant communities (ALL organisms found here)

11. Levels of Organization
Can you pick out the levels of organization in this ecosystem?
Name the examples of organism, species, population, community, and ecosystem.
Organism – ONE striped fish
Species – all striped fish
Population –all striped fish in this body of water on september, 2013
Community – all other fish in body of water
Ecosystem – living and nonliving (ex: water, co2, temp, pH level, oxygen level, salinity of water)

12. Habitat versus Niche Habitat = where a species lives
ALL physical and biological resources available to a species
Different than an ecosystem
Niche = role a species plays in the ecosystem
Ex: how it uses its resources
Ex: number of offspring
Ex: time of activity (nocturnal, diurnal
Physical – pH level, temperature, climate, soil type, rainfall
Biological – food, water, shelter
Each animal has its own “habitat” – all organisms’ habitats make up an ecosystem

13. Beaver Habitat and Niche
Describe the habitat and niche:
Habitat includes (biological and physical factors/abiotic)  biological (what it needs to survive): food source (prey), shelter, water, trees (for shelter? Or home perhaps)….. Physical/abiotic: water, air, trees, mud/soil, temperature/climate
Niche includes (occupation)  creates ponds (habitat), causes flooding, active at night, kills trees, migrates, creates new ecosystem by making ponds (Ex) --- can harm home of other organism by creating a “new ecosystem when making a pond”

14. Generalists and Specialists
species with broad niches
tolerate a range of conditions
use variety of resources
Specialists 
Narrow niches
Cannot tolerate wide ranges of conditions
Require certain foods, climate, etc.
Can you think of an example of each?

15. Energy Transfer in Ecosystems
All organisms need a constant supply of energy to survive!
Energy flows in ecosystems!
Amount of energy an ecosystem receives and the amount transferred from organism to organism effects an ecosystem’s structure

16. The Producers Autotrophs Plants, protists, and bacteria
Producers- capture energy and use it to make organic molecules
What are organic molecules?

17. The Producers
Photosynthetic- use solar energy to power production of organic molecules
Plants, algae, cyanobacteria
Chemosynthetic- use energy stored in inorganic molecules to produce organic molecules
Sulfur bacteria- hot springs/deep sea vents

18. The Consumers ALL animals! Heterotrophs
Consumers- cannot manufacture own food; rely on other organisms for energy and food supply

19. Consumers: Herbivores
Herbivore- obtain energy by eating only plants (producers)

20. Consumers: Carnivore
Carnivore-eats other animals (consumers –ex:herbivores)
What other consumers might this lion eat?

21. Consumers: Omnivores
Omnivore- eats both (plants) producers and consumers (animals)

22. Consumers: Decomposers
Decomposers-organisms that break down dead and decaying organisms
Fungi & Bacteria
Last link in any food chain!
Make molecules available again for autotrophs (soil & water)

23. Consumers: Detrivores
Detrivores-feed on plant and animal remains and other dead matter
Dead matter = detritus

24. Energy Flow
One organism eats another, molecules are metabolized, and energy is transferred
Energy is non-cyclic, unidirectional flow
Organisms are grouped in an ecosystem according to how they obtain energy
Sun/inorganic cmpds  autotrophs (producers)  heterotrophs (consumers)

25. Food Chains
Food Chain-single pathway of feeding relationships among organisms in an ecosystem that result in energy transfer.
Feeding relationships in a real ecosystem are too complex!
Consumers eat more than one type of food!
More than one species may eat the same organism!

26. Food Chain

27. Food Web Food Web- interrelated food chains in an ecosystem.
Links several food chains together
Removal of one
species affects
many other
species!

29. Energy Transfer
Biomass pyramid represents the amount of potential food available for each trophic level in an ecosystem
Biomass- organic material produced in an ecosystem by making organic molecules.
What organisms produce organic molecules?
ONLY energy stored as biomass is available to other organisms in an ecosystem

30. Energy Transfer
Energy pyramids or food pyramids show the amount of energy stored as organic material in an ecosystem.
LOW percentage of energy is transferred from one level to the next
Total mass of any feeding level in a food chain is ONLY 10% of the total mass of the level below it!

34. Energy Transfer Each step in food chain/web/pyramid = trophic level
Producers  1st level
Consumers  2nd , 3rd , or higher trophic levels
Consumers depend on the tropic level below it for energy
Ultimate source of energy = SUN

35. Energy vs. Nutrient Transfer
Energy  continual supply from outside ecosystem
Energy used, then lost
NOT recycled
Nutrients  RECYCLED
via ecosystem

36. Why is Energy Decreasing?
Some organisms escape without being eaten
When an organism is eaten, some molecules will be found in a form that consumers cannot use
NO transfer of energy is 100% efficient!
Some energy will be lost as heat

38. Measuring Productivity
Gross Primary Productivity- rate at which producers in an ecosystem capture the energy of sunlight by producing organic compounds.
Photosynthetic producers use energy and carbon dioxide to make sugars
Use these sugars as food source and to store energy in a form that they can use
What might the producers need energy for?

39. Measuring Productivity
Net Primary Productivity- ecologists measure the rate at which biomass accumulates
Gross Primary Productivity – Rate of Respiration= Net Primary Productivity
Vary between ecosystems
Variations in light, temperature, precipitation, and availability of nutrients affect productivity
Increase in variable will cause an increase in productivity