ECOLOGYThe Organization of Life

BASIC TERMINOLOGY• Organism – individual

• Population – group organisms

• Community – group interacting populations

• Ecosystem – specific geographic region where populations interact with one another & the environment

BASIC TERMINOLOGY• Habitat – where organism lives

• Biosphere – portion earth supports life

• Niche – organism’s role/job

FACTORS IN ECOSYSTEM• ABIOTIC– Non-living

• Sun• Water• Temperature• Air• Soil quality• Salinity• Weather

• BIOTIC– Living

• Plants• Animals• Bacteria• Fungi

NICHES• Autotroph/producer– Makes own food– Green plants

• Heterotroph/consumer– Gets energy from

consuming other organisms

– Animals, mushrooms

NICHES• Herbivore– Eats plants

• Omnivore– Eats both

plants/animals

• Carnivore– Eats meat

NICHES• Scavenger– Eats carrion

• dead material

• Decomposer– Decays (breaks down)

dead matter

PREDATOR/PREY • Predator– hunter

• Prey– hunted

SYMBIOSIS • Commensalism– Long-term

interaction of 2 organisms where:• 1 benefits• 1 unaffected

SYMBIOSIS• Mutualism– Long term

interaction where both species benefit

SYMBIOSIS• Parasitism– Long term

interaction where:• 1 species benefits• 1 species is harmed

FOOD CHAIN• Shows transfer of energy

FOOD WEB• Shows all relationships in ecosystem

ENERGY OR BIOMASS PYRAMIDS

SUCCESSION• Natural changes in an ecosystem

over time

PRIMARY SUCCESSION• Occurs in newly

formed areas – never inhabited before– Newly formed

islands– Cooled lava spills– After landslides

(newly exposed surfaces)

SECONDARY SUCCESSION• Occurs in previously

colonized, but disturbed or damaged areas– Fires, natural disaster– Farming– Clear-cutting – Construction– Introduction foreign

species

PIONEER COMMUNITY• 1ST organisms

inhabit an area• Gradual buildup

from simple more complex

• Bacteria simple producers &

consumers complex producers & consumers

CLIMAX COMMUNITY• Stable & mature• Little change occurs• Large diversity of complex species

Stages in Ecological Succession

POPULATION DYNAMICS• Populations experience exponential

growth

POPULATION DYNAMICSDensity Dependent Factors• Impacted by

population• As population

increases, the affects of these factors also increases– Disease– Competition– Predation– Reproduction

Density Independent Factors• Not impacted by

population• Same affect

regardless of population– Natural disasters– Weather patterns

LIFE HISTORY PATTERNSRapid

• Small• Short life span• Quick gestation period• Many offspring• Little parenting

Slow• Large• Long life span• Long gestation period• Few offspring• Increased parenting

LIMITS ON POPULATIONS• Predation – eliminate slow, weaker

species of group• Competition – survival of fittest,

compete limited resources• Crowding – causes increases in stress– Causes decreases in fertility rates &

parenting skills– Causes increase in hostility rates

NUTRIENT CYCLES

NUTRIENT CYCLES

NUTRIENT CYCLES

NUTRIENT CYCLES

LIMITING FACTORS• Abiotic factors that restrict the survival of

living things.• Used to separate/identify biomes– Geographic regions with unique

characteristics• Examples:– Temperature– Precipitation– Oxygen– Salinity– Sunlight

MARINE BIOME•Characteristics: high salinity (salt)•Location: oceans & seas•Vegetation: seaweed, kelp, •Animals: shrimp, jellyfish, shark, whales•Terms:•Photic zone – shallow (light pass thru)•Aphotic zone – deeper (no light)

ESTUARY•Characteristics: tidal zone, range salinity•Location: bays, tidal zones, gulf region•Vegetation: grasses•Animals: birds, snails, clams, oysters, crabs, starfish•Terms:• Intertidal zone – area btw high & low tides

FRESHWATER BIOME•Characteristics: little/no salinity•Location: lakes, streams, ponds, rivers•Vegetation: algae, cattails, grasses•Animals: fish, insects, crayfish, frogs•Terms:•Turbidity – moving water •More movement = more oxygen

TUNDRA•Characteristics: treeless, long summers, little winter sun, poor soil•Location: Canada, Russia, Alaska•Vegetation: grasses, moss lichen•Animals: insects, fox, rodents, caribou, reindeer•Terms:•Permafrost – permanently frozen ground

TAIGA•Characteristics: coniferous forest, poor soil, long severe winter•Location: Canada, N. Europe, N. Asia•Vegetation: pine, fir, hemlock, spruce•Animals: rabbits, lynx, caribou, moose, woodpecker

TEMPERATE FOREST

•Characteristics: deciduous trees, 4 seasons•Location: East US, Europe•Vegetation: Maple, Oak, Birch, Hickory•Animals: bear, deer, robins, raccoon•Terms:•Deciduous – trees lose leaves

TROPICAL RAIN FOREST

•Characteristics: warm, wet, humid, most diversity•Location: islands, equatorial regions•Vegetation: broad lush plants, flowers, vines, palms, fruit trees•Animals: monkey, sloth, frogs, snakes, parrots

DESERT•Characteristics: dry & arid•Location: SW US, N. Africa, Middle East•Vegetation: cacti, creosote bushes•Animals: rodents, snakes, lizards, scorpions, turtles, hawks•Terms:• Succulent - cactus

GRASSLANDS•Characteristics: ideal growing season, good soil quality, dry•Location: central regions•Vegetations: grass, grains, crops, wildflowers•Animals: bison, prairie dogs, birds, lions, elephants•Terms:• Prairie – US• Steppe – Russia• Savanna – Serengeti• Pampas - Argentina