2. ECOLOGY The study of interactions of organisms and their environment

3. Levels of Organization Individual Organisms (Species) Populations Communities Ecosystems Biosphere

4. Organisms/Species A human (Homo sapien) Deer Piranaha Worm Bigfoot?

5. Populations Same species living in same area Species? -can breed and produce offspring that can have babies

6. Communities Coral Reef Cedar swamp Vernal pool

7. Ecosystems Tropical rainforest Desert Temperate deciduous forest (ours) Ponds Coral reef

8. Biosphere

9. Physical Conditions ABIOTIC - non-living Sunlight Water Temperature Soil Wind Disturbance BIOTIC - living things Bacteria Protists Fungus Plants Animals

10. PRODUCER - an organism that makes its own food (autotroph) - becomes food for other organisms.

11. CONSUMER - organism that obtains food by eating others (producers or other consumers)

12. DECOMPOSER - organism that breaks down wastes and dead organisms

13. HERBIVORE - consumer that eats only producers.

14. OMNIVORE - consumer that eats both producers and consumers (plants, fungi, and meat)

15. CARNIVORE - consumer that eats only other consumers (exclusively meat-eaters)

16. FOOD CHAIN - pathway of food transfer from one trophic level to another.

17. FOOD WEB -pattern of feeding in an ecosystem consisting of interconnected and branching food chains

18. Energy Pyramid

19. Primary Succession The development of brand new land – (volcano created new land)

20. Secondary Succession A once established forest is destroyed and has to start growth over. For example a forest fire

21. Mutualism Both species benefit

22. Commensalism One species benefits the other gets nothing 

23. Parasitism One species harms another  Think parasite

24. Predation Predator Prey – One eats the other