1. Ecology

2. Ecology
The scientific study of interactions between organisms and their environments

3. The living environment: Biotic Factors
As far as we know life exists only on Earth
Living things are found in air, on land, and in both fresh and salt water.

4. Flora- plant life
Fauna- animal life

5. The Biosphere is the portion of Earth that supports life.

6. The biosphere extends from high in the atmosphere to the bottom of the oceans.

7. Nitrogen gas makes up most of the Earth’s atmosphere.

8. All the living organisms that inhabit an environment are called biotic factors.

9. The nonliving environment: Abiotic Factors
Abiotic Factors are the nonliving parts of the environment.

10. Examples include air currents, temperature, moisture, light, and soil.

11. Organization of Life Organisms Populations Communities Ecosystems
Biosphere

12. Population
A group of organisms of one species living in the same place at the same time that interbreed.

13. A collection of interacting populations.
Community
A collection of interacting populations.

14. Ecosystem
Made up of the interactions among the populations in a community and the community’s physical surroundings, or abiotic factors.

15. Example Population – Giraffe Community – Giraffes, Zebra, Elephants
Ecosystem – Animals, Grass, Water, Dirt

16. Terrestrial Ecosystems
Located
on land.

17. Aquatic Ecosystems Occur in either fresh water or salt water
Saltwater ecosystems occupy approximately 75% of the Earth’s surface.

18. The role that a species plays in a community.
Niche
The role that a species plays in a community.

19. Place where an organism lives out its life
Habitat
Place where an organism lives out its life

20. Autotrophs
Producers
Make own food through photosynthesis

21. Heterotrophs
Cannot make their own food
Consumers

22. Herbivore
A consumer that feeds only on plants

23. Scavenger
Animals that feed on carrion, refuse, and dead organisms

24. Omnivores
Consume a variety of foods that include both animal and plant materials.

25. Decomposers
Break down dead and decaying plants and animals into simpler molecules that can be absorbed.

26. Decomposer - Mushrooms

27. Carnivore
A consumer that feeds only on other animals

28. Symbiosis “living together”
there are several kinds of symbiotic relationships

29. 1. Commensalism
One species benefits and the other neither benefits or is harmed

30. Another example of Commensalism-
Emperor Shrimp and Sea Cucumber- shrimp rides around on the sea cucumber and is able to find more food sources this way; this neither helps or hurts the sea cucumber!!!

31. 2. Mutualism Both species benefit
Like lichen (combo of fungus and either algae or bacteria)

32. More examples of Mutualism:
1. Sea anemone and clown fish- sea anemone provides home for clown fish and clown fish provides food for anemone
2. Ants and aphids- ants protect aphids and aphids produce honeydew which ants feed on

33. 3. Parasitism One organism derives benefit at the expense of the other
Like a tapeworm in the human intestine

34. Food Chain
Simple model that scientist use to show how matter and energy move through an ecosystem;
consists of producers, consumers, & decomposers

35. Food Chain Algae - Fish - Heron
Usually consist of 3 links but most have no more than 5 links

36. A link is an organism in a food chain

37. First Trophic Level
Made up of photosynthetic autotrophs - the producers

38. 1st Order Consumers
Herbivores
Do not eat any other consumer

39. 2nd Order Consumers Carnivores - meat eaters
They feed on 1st order consumers

40. 3rd Order Consumers
Carnivores that feed on 1st and 2nd order consumers

41. Food Web
All the possible feeding relationships at each trophic level in a community

42. When moving from one trophic level to a higher trophic level, the amount of usable energy decreases. (10% Rule)

43. Also, when moving from one trophic level to a higher level, the number of organisms and the biomass decreases.

44. 1. Make a Food Web - Look on page 410 in text to see an example
1. Make a Food Web - Look on page 410 in text to see an example. Be sure to draw your arrows showing how the energy is flowing. Arrows will be drawn from producers to consumer, etc. !!!
Seeds, berries, grasses, grasshopper, mouse, squirrel, snake, deer, raccoon, hawk, bear
Indicate trophic levels as well as producers, omnivores, herbivores, and carnivores

45. Assume that you are a decomposer. Write a paragraph that describes
a) what you look like
b) where you live
c) what you are going to have for breakfast, lunch, and dinner,
d) what your job is now and what it will be when you grow up.