1. Ecology

2. Ecology  Study of the interactions between organisms and their environments.  Environmental levels of organization:

3. 1. Biosphere  Broadest level of ecological organization.  The thin volume of Earth and atmosphere where life is found.

4. 2. Ecosystem  Smaller unit of the biosphere.  Includes the organisms and non-living environment in a particular place.  Ex: A pond ecosystem- fish, frogs, algae, pH, temperature

5. 3. Community  All the interacting organisms in an area.  Ex: Pond community- fish, turtles, algae and bacteria

6. 4. Population  The members of a single species.  Ex: Population of frogs in a pond.

7. 5. Organism  Simplest level of organization.  Ex: A frog

8. Where does an organism live?  Habitat: Environmental area where a species lives.

9. Niche  The role or interactions an organism has in its environment.  Includes: range of conditions that the species can tolerate, the resources it uses, the methods it uses to obtain resources, the number of offspring.

10. Generalists  Species with broad niches; they can tolerate a wide range of conditions and use a variety of resources.

11. Specialists  Species that have narrow niches; they are very limited in the conditions and resources they can use.

12. Why does it live there?  Generally depends on several environmental factors:  Abiotic  Biotic

13. Abiotic Factors  The physical and chemical characteristics of an environment.  Includes: soil, temperature, pH, salinity, oxygen concentration, sunlight, and precipitation, etc.  Varies by place and over time.

14. What is soil?  Soil: is a complex mixture of inorganic minerals, decaying organic matter, water, air, and living organisms

15. How is soil produced?  Produced by a process called weathering, which breaks down rocks via erosion and decomposition

16. Layers of Soil  Topsoil: uppermost layer that consists of twigs, leaves, insects, etc  Subsoil: consists of rock particles and minerals  Weather Rock: made of bits of rock broken (bedrock)

17. How Does Soil Differ?  Differs according to mineral content, pH, organic content, etc.  Differs according to location or biome that it is found in.

18. Biotic Factors  The living factors that affect an organism.  Includes the presence of organisms, and their interactions  Ex. Parasitism, disease, predation

19. Competition  When two or more species use the same limited resource.  Results in reduction of species population or elimination of one species  Example of resources: food, light, soil

20. Predation  Important interaction that controls population size.  Results in adaptations of both predator and prey.  Think of examples:

21. Camouflage  Body pattern or coloration, allows species to blend in with surroundings

22. Mimicry: one species resembles another  Harmless resembles a harmful

23. Top: Harmless species Bottom: Poisonous species

24. Mimicry: one species resembles another  Harmless resembles a harmful  Several harmful species resemble each other.

25. Various wasp species

26. Symbiosis  A close, long-term relationship between organisms of two species.  3 types:  Parasitism  Mutualism  commensalism

27. Parasitism  The host is harmed and the parasite is benefitted.  Parasites tend to be highly adapted for the host they feed on.  Ectoparasites feed outside the body.  Endoparasite live inside the body.

28. Examples of parasitism  Leeches, mosquitoes, tapeworms

29. Mutualism  Both species benefit.  Think of some examples:

30. Commensalism  One species benefits and the other species is unaffected.

31. Example: epiphyte- grows on a host plant for support.