1. Chapter 3-The Biosphere
Unit 1-Ecology
Chapter 3-The Biosphere

2. Ecology Study of interactions among organisms & between organisms and
their environment

3. Ernst Haeckel
1866 coined word “ecology”
Based on oikos = “house”

4. Levels of organization in an organism
Chemicals make up cells…
Which make tissues…
Organs…
Systems…
And finally, the individual organism

5. Levels of organization in ecology
In Ecology, we begin with the individual and move through the levels to the planet, Earth

6. Species Group of organisms with similar characteristics
Able to breed and produce fertile offspring
Species
Hybrid

7. Populations
Group of individuals (of the same species) that live in the same area
Example?
All the fire ants in a pasture

8. Community Groups of different populations that live together Examples?
All the ants, birds, grass, cows, etc in a pasture

9. Ecosystem
Collection of all organisms (biotic) that live in a particular area, together with their non-living (abiotic) parts of an environment
Examples of abiotic factors??
Climate, soil type, amount of rainfall, etc
Southern Pine Ecosystem
Fort Bragg, North Carolina

10. Biomes
A group of ecosystems that have the same climates, and similar dominant communities

11. Biosphere
Contains the combined portion of the planet in which all life exists, including land, water, and air (atmosphere)
specifically… kilometers below ocean floor and 8 km above Earth’s surface

12. Energy flow through the biosphere
Autotrophs (producers)
organisms that make their own food
Heterotrophs (consumers)
Rely on other organisms for their food supply
What’s the ultimate source of energy for all life?
AUTOTROPHS
Water + CO2  Sugar + O2
HETEROTROPHS
Sugar + O2  water + CO2

13. Food chain
Series of steps in which organisms transfer energy by eating and being eaten
Arrow always points to the consumer
Trophic levels

14. Food Chain
The pathway of energy that DECREASES as it passes through the trophic (feeding) levels

15. Food web
Network of complex interactions, linking all of the food chains together

16. Producers (autotrophs)
organisms who make their own food using materials from the environment
Examples?
plants and algae

17. Consumers (heterotrophs)
must get food from some outside source by ingestion or absorption
Examples?
Animals, Fungus
Most bacteria

18. Herbivores (a.k.a. primary consumers) feed directly on producers
Types of Consumers:
Herbivores
(a.k.a. primary consumers)
feed directly on producers

19. Carnivores (a.k.a. secondary consumers) feed on other animals
Types of Consumers:
Carnivores (a.k.a.
secondary consumers) feed on other animals

20. Omnivores feed on both plants and animals
Types of Consumers:
Omnivores
feed on both plants and animals
can be either primary or secondary consumers, depending on food chain

21. Detritivores feed on (and recycle) dead or decaying matter
Types of Consumers:
Detritivores
feed on (and recycle) dead or decaying matter
completing the chain, by returning nutrients needed by producers to the environment
Scavengers eat dead
things but do not recycle
Decomposers feed on dead
things AND recycle them

22. Ecological Pyramids Energy Pyramid Biomass Pyramid Pyramid of numbers
Hawk-eye Question: Why are they shaped as a pyramid?

23. How does this relate to the energy flow through the ecosystem?
What is the relationship between the numbers of producers and Consumers?
How does this relate to the energy flow through the ecosystem?
pyramid of numbers

24. ONLY 10% of energy is passed on to next level
Energy Pyramid
ONLY 10% of energy is passed on to next level
So fewer and fewer organisms can be supported at each level

25. Biogeochemical cycles:
Water (hydrologic) cycle
Driven by solar energy
Recycles water, which is primary component of all life

26. Carbon Cycle driven by photosynthesis & respiration
CO2 in Atmosphere
Carbon Cycle
driven by photosynthesis & respiration
recycles carbon, a primary component of all organic compounds
CO2 in Ocean

27. Nitrogen Cycle
driven by decomposition by nitrifying bacteria and fungi
atmospheric nitrogen must be converted to a usable (by plants)form
N2 in Atmosphere
NO3 –
and NO2 –
NH3

28. Phosphorus Cycle driven by decomposing bacteria & fungi
phosphorus is an important component of ATP, Nucleic acids, & phospholipids

30. Click on image to play video.
The Nature of Cycles
Click on image to play video.