1. What is the biosphere and how is it organized?
Ecology
What is the biosphere and how is it organized?

2. Biosphere
Area of the earth where life exists; extends from ocean depths to a few kilometers above land

3. Biomes
An extensive area of similar climate and vegetation; there are six terrestrial biomes and three aquatic biomes.

4. Ecosystem
A physically distinct, self-supporting unit of interacting organisms and their environment.
Ex. Forest or pond

5. Ecosystem Four important processes:
Production of energy (usually from sunlight)
Energy transfer
Decomposition
Reuse of nutrients

6. Ecosystem Includes biotic and abiotic factors Biotic - living things
Abiotic - nonliving things
Ex. Temperature, light, nutrients

7. Fill It In …
Simple picture of an ecosystem (label a biotic and abiotic factor):

8. Communities & Populations
Communities - all the ecosystems interacting biotic factors
Communities may be broken down into smaller units called populations

9. Fill It In …
Simple picture of a community:

10. Communities & Populations
Populations - a group of individuals that belong to the same species and occupy the same area and share common resources

11. Fill It In …
Simple picture of a population:

12. Communities & Populations
Each population has a specific niche, which means total way of life.
The niche includes habitat, place in food web, competition, interrelationships, and resource needs (temperature, water)

13. Communities & Populations
A community may have 1000’s of populations (tropical rainforest) or relatively few (tundra)

14. Check Yourself!
List the levels of organization of the biosphere from highest level (biosphere) to the most specific level (niche).
What is the difference between an ecosystem and a community?
What four essential processes would be found in an ecosystem?
a. c.
b d.

15. Check Yourself!
List the levels of organization of the biosphere from highest level (biosphere) to the most specific level (niche). BIOSPHERE -> BIOME -> ECOSYSTEM -> COMMUNITY -> POPULATION -> INDIVIDUAL (NICHE)
What is the difference between an ecosystem and a community?
What four essential processes would be found in an ecosystem?
a. c.
b d.

16. Check Yourself!
List the levels of organization of the biosphere from highest level (biosphere) to the most specific level (niche). BIOSPHERE -> BIOME -> ECOSYSTEM -> COMMUNITY -> POPULATION -> INDIVIDUAL (NICHE)
What is the difference between an ecosystem and a community? ECOSYSTEM = BIOTIC & ABIOTIC FACTORS (LIVING & NONLIVING); COMMUNITY = BIOTIC FACTORS ONLY (ONLY LIVING)
What four essential processes would be found in an ecosystem?
a. c.
b d.

17. Check Yourself!
List the levels of organization of the biosphere from highest level (biosphere) to the most specific level (niche). BIOSPHERE -> BIOME -> ECOSYSTEM -> COMMUNITY -> POPULATION -> INDIVIDUAL (NICHE)
What is the difference between an ecosystem and a community? ECOSYSTEM = BIOTIC & ABIOTIC FACTORS (LIVING & NONLIVING); COMMUNITY = BIOTIC FACTORS ONLY (ONLY LIVING)
What four essential processes would be found in an ecosystem?
a. ENERGY PRODUCTION c. DECOMPOSITION
b. ENERGY TRANSFER d. REUSE OF
NUTRIENTS

18. SKIP TO PAGE 200

19. How do living things interact in a community?
Competition - a struggle for resources among organisms.
Ex. Nesting space for birds

20. Fill It In …
Picture of competition:

21. How do living things interact in a community?
Predation
Predators are organisms that consume other organisms
Ex. Zebra eating grass (?)
Prey are organisms that are being consumed.
Ex. Earthworm being eaten by a bird

22. How do living things interact in a community?
Symbiosis - two organisms of different species living together in a close, permanent relationship; 3 types

23. 3 types of symbiosis:
Mutualism - two organisms benefit each other (+,+)
Ex. Termite and protozoan
Ex. Lichen - an alga and a fungus

24. 3 types of symbiosis:
Parasitism - one organism benefits and the other is harmed (+,-)
Ex. Tapeworm and human
Ex. Mistletoe and tree

25. 3 types of symbiosis:
Commensalism - one organism benefits and the other is unaffected (+,0)
Ex. Clownfish and sea anemone
Ex. Whale and barnacles

26. Fill It In …
Fill in the correct type of symbiosis for the following symbols:
+,+ __________________
+,- ___________________

27. Check Yourself!
Which biotic relationship is defined as a “struggle for resources”?
In your backyard, you observe a snake entering your birdfeeder. Who is the predator and who is the prey?
What is symbiosis?

28. Check Yourself!
Which biotic relationship is defined as a “struggle for resources”? COMPETITION
In your backyard, you observe a snake entering your birdfeeder. Who is the predator and who is the prey?
What is symbiosis?

29. Check Yourself!
Which biotic relationship is defined as a “struggle for resources”? COMPETITION
In your backyard, you observe a snake entering your birdfeeder. Who is the predator and who is the prey? PREDATOR = SNAKE; PREY = BIRD
What is symbiosis?

30. Check Yourself!
Which biotic relationship is defined as a “struggle for resources”? COMPETITION
In your backyard, you observe a snake entering your birdfeeder. Who is the predator and who is the prey? PREDATOR = SNAKE; PREY = BIRD
What is symbiosis? CLOSE, PERMANENT RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TWO ORGANISMS