1. Ecology
Chapter 3

2. Ecology
Branch of biology that
developed from natural
history

3. Ecology DEF: Interaction between an organism and its environment
Combination of chemistry, physics, geology, biology

4. Biosphere Portion of Earth that supports life
Extends high in the atmosphere to bottom of oceans

5. Biosphere Consists of living and
non-living organisms within the environment

6. Biosphere Abiotic Factors - non-living things
Biotic Factors - all living things

7. Biosphere 2

8. Biosphere 2

9. Population Group of organisms from one species
Live in the same place at the same time & interbreed

10. Population Compete for food, water, mates, etc.
*Resource sharing determines how large and far apart populations are

11. Community Contains several interacting populations
Change in one population will cause change in other populations

12. Ecosystem
Interaction among populations in a community and the community’s physical surroundings (abiotic factors)

13. Ecosystem DIFFERENT TYPES OF ECOSYSTEMS:
Terrestrial - forests, meadows, desert

14. Ecosystem DIFFERENT TYPES OF ECOSYSTEMS: Aquatic - (2 types)
Freshwater - ponds, lakes, streams
Salt water - marine

15. Aldo Leopold A Sand County Almanac Jan 11, 1887 to April 21, 1948
“The land is a community is the basic concept of ecology, but that land is to be loved and respected is an extension of ethics.”
Aldo Leopold

16. Recap . . . Organism - 1 animal (species)
Population - several animals of same species
Community - more than 1 species
Ecosystem - biotic and abiotic factors within area
Biome - group of ecosystems
Biosphere - Earth

17. 1. Producers - ENERGY . . Primary Producers
Autotrophs - use energy from sun or chemical compounds to make own food and nutrients

18. 2. Consumers - ENERGY . . . Heterotrophs - depend on
autotrophs for energy

19. Types of Heterotrophs:
a. Herbivore - feeds only on plants
b. Carnivore - feeds on other heterotrophs
Scavenger - feed on dead animals
c. Omnivore - feeds on both plant and animal

20. 3. Decomposers - (aka - detrivores)
ENERGY . . .
3. Decomposers - (aka - detrivores)
- Break down and absorb nutrients from dead animals
- Break down complex compounds into simple ones

21. FOOD CHAIN . . .
Used to show how matter and energy move through an ecosystem
Autotrophs Heterotrophs
Decomposers

22. FOOD CHAIN . . . Contains 3 to 5 “links” in length
Example: algae  fish  heron
Energy decreases after each link
*some may be lost as HEAT

24. Tertiary consumer
Secondary consumer
Primary consumer
Producers

26. (aka - Secondary & Tertiary consumers) (aka - Primary consumers)
Trophic Levels
Omnivores
Carnivores
(aka - Secondary & Tertiary consumers)
Herbivores
(aka - Primary consumers)
Producers

27. Ecological Interactions
FOOD WEB . . .
Interconnected food chains
Shows all possible feeding relationships at each trophic level
More realistic than food chain because animals eat more than 1 species
Ecological Interactions

28. Predator or Prey Game

29. Habitat
Place where organisms live out life
Can change due to natural or human causes
Made up of food, shelter, other essential resources

30. Niche A role and position a species has in its environment
Includes interactions with biotic and abiotic factors of habitat
Individuality reduces competition with other species

31. Relationships . . .
Predator - animals that kill and eat others
Prey - animals that the predators eat

32. Relationships . . .
Symbiosis – close & permanent association between organisms
Commensalism Mutualism
Parasitism .

33. Commensalism

34. Mutualism

35. Parasitism

36. Commensalism
One benefits, other not harmed
or benefited

37. Commensalism
Trees & moss
Clown fish & sea anemones

38. Mutualism
Both benefit
Acacia tree & Ants page 69
Ants & aphids
Lichen

39. Parasitism One benefits at others expense Ticks & fleas
Tapeworms & roundworms

40. Warning

44. Questions to think about . . .
Do nutrients cycle through a food chain?
YES - decomposers return nutrients to soil

45. Questions to think about . . .
Does energy cycle through a food chain?
NO - the sun provides the energy that drives the food chain