1. Ecology 13.1 (Ecologist Study Relationships) and 13.2 (Biotic and Abiotic Factors)

2. What is Ecology  The study of interactions among living things and between living things and their environment  Coined in 1886, it was meant to encourage biologists to pay attention to how things interact  What are the different levels of organization for ecology?

3. Organization  Organism – an individual LIVING thing  Population – group of the same species that live in one area  Community – a group of DIFFERENT species that live in the same area  Ecosystem – includes all biotic and abiotic factors such as climate, rocks, water, etc, etc.  Biome – a major regional or global community

5. Observation of each system  Allows us to study how organisms interact with each other and their environment  Direct – for smaller groups of animals or ones that are easier to track. Can be seen with the naked eye.  Examples?  Indirect – for species that are more difficult to track. Need feces, a recent kill, or GPS tracking  Examples?

6. Experimentation and Modeling  Can be performed in the lab or in the field  Lab experiments are done in controlled indoor facilities  Field experiments are done where the organisms actually live  Results of experiments allow scientists to predict, or model, what will happen to a set of organisms

7. Biotic and Abiotic Factors  What does it mean if something is biotic?  Examples?  What does it mean if something is abiotic  Examples?

8. Biodiversity  Variety of the assortment of living things in an ecosystem  Which has higher biodiversity…?  A rainforest or the desert  Your front yard or a shallow beach?  A parking lot island or a parking lot?

11. Keystone Species  An organism that essentially holds its ecosystem together  May not actually seem all that important  If removed, it can have a drastic effect  Examples of keystone species?

12. Quadrat Study  A 1m x 1m square is placed on the ground  Everything within that “quadrat” is observed and recorded  Biodiversity can vary between quadrats

13. Quadrat Study  Approximately 5 groups  Each will be given a quadrate and lab packet  Pick a zone in the assigned area and set up their quadrat  Group members will observe any biotic AND abiotic factors in their quadrat  Findings will be entered into a report, researched, and presented to the class

15. Quadrat Study  YOU WILL FIND  Vegetation  Bugs  Spiders  Ants  Rocks  Soil  YOU MIGHT FIND  Mammals  Birds  Nests  Snakes  Turtles  Crustaceans