3. *Plants take radiant energy and change inorganic into organic compounds *Food energy is then transformed to the consumers (animals)

4. *This transfer of energy and matter in a community is called a trophic level

5. A. Producers - (autotrophs) make their own food; convert inorganic to organic compounds. B. Consumers - (heterotrophs) obtain nutrients from other organisms. C. Decomposers - organisms that feed on and break down organic matter.

6. A. Herbivore - primary consumer, feed only on plants B. Carnivore - animals that feed on other animals. C. Omnivore - animals that feed on both plants and animals. D. Scavenger - feed on dead organisms. E. Saprobes - obtain food from breaking down the remains of dead plants and animals

7. Trophic Levels - Producers 1 o consumers 2 o consumers3 o consumers Biomass - the total mass of organic matter at each trophic level. *Each trophic level contains stored energy and a fraction of the biomass is passed on to the next trophic level.

8. *Is used to represent the amount of biomass at each trophic level. and show the relationship Up pyramid Energy Trophic levels Biomass

11. Food Chains - a series of organisms through which food energy is passed. Food Web - multiple food chains and feeding relationships

13. Chain Hawk Mouse Wheat Web Fox Hawk Rabbit MouseSnake Wheat *Decomposers are the final consumer in every food chain and food web.

15. Biosphere - region of earth that supports all living things. Ecology - study of organisms and their interactions with the environment (both living and nonliving). Ecologist - a scientist who studies Ecology. * Ecology is also known as Conservation which deals with the preservation, protection, management and renewal of natural resources.

16. Biotic Factors - Abiotic Factors - Levels of Organization- organism, population, community, ecosystem, and biosphere (pg41 Fig 2.4)

17. Ecosystem - combination of the communities of organisms and the abiotic factors in an area. Organisms in Ecosystems Habitat - where an organism resides or lives out its life, a habitat can disappear from an area or change. Niche - the role that an organism plays in its environment. -How does it survive, reproduce, find food, and interact with the parts of its surroundings.

18. I. Symbiosis - a relationship in which 2 different organisms live closely together; it can be either beneficial or harmful to the organisms. Exp: bacteria in your mouth are in a symbiotic relationship with you. A. Mutualism - both organisms benefit from each other. Exp: bacteria in digestive tract of cows, sheep and horses help digest cellulose. Animals benefit by getting the nutrients they need and bacteria have a source of food and a place to live.

19. B. Commensalism - one species benefits and the other is neither harmed nor benefited. Exp - pilotfish live with sharks. It eats scraps left over from the sharks feeding; giving it food. C. Parasitism - one benefits and the other is harmed. Exp - tick, tapeworm, heartworm, lamprey, roundworm parasite - benefits host - harmed

20. *In a balanced ecosystem, each species occupies its own niche and its own habitat or territory. A.Interspecific competition - competition between 2 different species due to niche overlap. B. Intraspecific competition - competition between members of the same species. * influenced by population density and the availability of resources. *Assignment: p39 1-5, p47 1-5

22. CO 2 and O 2 Cycle

24. Nitrogen fixation - N 2 gas is made into useable nitrogen compds (bacteria in roots, soil, and fixation by lightening). Nitrification - NH 3 (ammonia) changed into nitrates (NO 2 and NO 3 ). Ammonification - decomposers break down nitrogen compds in waste into NH 3. Denitrification - bacteria converts NH 3, NO 2 or NO 3 into free nitrogen gas.

25. A. Communities Community - a particular area and all the organisms living in it. I. Living in a Community A. Limiting factors - carrying capacity - the # of organisms that can be supported by a particular area.

26. B. Range of Tolerance - resources become limited and members in a community will compete for food, shelter, etc. This competition may eliminate one or more populations (move/die). Succession - (over time) a community change in which populations of organisms gradually replace the existing ones. * Things that lead to succession: natural disasters, mining, logging, building, farming, etc.

27. I. Primary Succession - change that begins in an area where there is NO existing community (follows avalanches, volcanic eruptions because all soil and living organisms are destroyed). Pioneer Community - 1st group of organisms to occupy an area undergoing primary succession (lichenssoil grassshrubs pines)

28. II. Secondary Succession - change that begins in an area that has been partially destroyed. *Succession will slow down and eventually a stable community will take over called a Climax Community. Read about Biomes on pg 72-87