4. Principles of Ecology
Where does the energy to keep the organisms alive come from?
How do the organisms in the photo get energy?

5. Ecology
The scientific discipline in which the relationships among living organisms and the interaction the organisms have with their environments are studied

6. What factors in an environment influence an organism’s survival?
For example – our survival in this classroom
What do we need to survive?
Is there anything that threatens our survival?

7. Biotic vs. Abiotic
These factors can be divided into living factors and nonliving factors
Examples in an Alaskan Ecosystem
Examples in a Desert Ecosystem

9. Levels of Organization
Organism
Population
Community
Ecosystem
Biome
Biosphere
Add to your notes the definitions of these terms and provide an example using a forest animal

10. A Habitat is the area where an organism lives

11. The niche is the role the organism plays in the habitat
The bear eats berries from the plant and spreads the seeds when it poops
The tree provides a nesting area for the owl
The butterfly acts as a pollinator for the plants
Can you think of any others?

12. Organism Relationships
Parasitism
Mutualism
Predation
Commensalism
Competition
Every types of wildlife is part of a community of plants and animals where are individuals are dependent on others. Any attempt to manage wildlife must take into account the relationships that exist naturally. Because relationships within the wildlife community are constantly changing, it is very difficult to set standard procedures for their management.
The balance of nature is actually a myth because wildlife communities are seldom in a state of equilibrium, The numbers of various species of wildlife are constantly increasing and decreasing in response to each other and to many external factors such as natural disasters. These include fires, droughts, and disease outbreaks. The interference of humans also often upsets the natural balance of nature.

13. Parasitism
Relationship between two organisms, either plants or animals, in which one feeds on the other without killing it.
Parasites can be internal or external
An example of a parasitic relationship is the wood tick, which may live on almost any warm blooded animal. Warm blooded animals have the ability to regulate their body temperatures.

14. Mutualism Two types of animals that live together for mutual benefit
There are many examples of mutualism in the wildlife community
One example of mutualism are tick pickers, birds that remove and eat ticks from many of the wild animals in Africa, to the mutual benefit of both. The wild animals have parasites removed from them, and the birds receive nourishment from the ticks. A moth that lives only on a certain plant is also the only pollinator of that plant in several relationships. Some plant seeds will germinate only after having passed through the digestive tract of a specific bird or animal.

15. WHY IS THIS MUTUALISM?

16. Clownfish And Sea Anemones

17. Predation When one animal eats another animal
Is important in controlling populations of wildlife
Foxes are necessary to keep populations of rodents and other small animals under control. Populations of predators and prey tend to fluctuate widely. When predators and in abundance, prey becomes scare because of overfeeding. When prey becomes scarce, predators may starve or move to other areas. This them permits increase in the population of prey.

18. Lions and Buffalos

21. Commensalism
A Plant or animal that lives in, on, or with another, sharing its food, but not helping or harming it
One species is helped, but the other is neither helped or harmed
Vultures waiting to feed on the leftovers from a cougar’s kill is an example of commensalism. What are some other examples that we could use?

22. Cattle and Egrets

23. Competition When different species of wildlife compete for the same:
food supply
nesting sites
breeding sites
One species may increase in numbers while the other declines
Often the numbers of both species decrease as a result of competition. Owls and foxes both competing for the available supply of rodents and other small animals is an example of competition.
The various relationships that exist between species of wildlife make it necessary to consider more than just one species any time that management is contemplated. Understanding the relationships that exist in the entire wildlife community is essential if wildlife management programs are to be successful.

24. What are these wildebeests and zebras competing for?

25. What are these plants competing for?

26. What resource are these animals and plants competing for?