The Biosphere!
Chapter 3
3-1 What is Ecology?
Study of the interaction among organisms and between organisms and their environment
Coined by Earnest Haeckel in 1866
Biosphere: planet, life, water, land, air and part of the atmosphere
Levels of Organization
Study of the interactions between a particular organization and its surroundings.
SpeciesPopulationCommunityEcosystemBiomeBiosphere
Levels of Organization
SpeciesGroup of organisms so similar that they can breed and produce fertile offspring.
PopulationGroups of individuals that belong to the same species living in the same area.
Levels of Organization
CommunityGroups of different populations within a defined area.
EcosystemCollection of organisms that live in a particular place with nonliving; or physical environment.
Levels of Organization
BiomeGroup of ecosystems that have the same climate and similar dominant communities.
BiosphereThe earth
Ecological Methods of Study
Tools and techniques for studying the living world.
Observing
Experimenting
Modeling
3-2 Energy Flow
Producers: Sunlight is the main source of energy for life
It is the ultimate producer
Autotrophs
Energy Flow
Autotrophs:Photosynthesis
ChemosynthesisWithout the presence of light this process is used to release energy from inorganic molecules
Energy Flow
Consumers:Heterotrophs
Herbivores
Carnivores
Omnivores
Detritivores
Decomposers
Feeding Relationships
Energy flows through an ecosystem in one direction:
From sun or inorganic compounds
To autotrophs
Then to various heterotrouphs
Feeding Relationships
Relationships between producers and consumers is based on who eats whom
Food Chains
Food Webs
Trophic Levels
Food Chains
Transfer of energy by eating and being eaten.
ExampleAlgae Zooplankton Small fishSquid Sharks
Pg. 69 in book
Food WebA network of interconnecting food chains.
Quaternary,
tertiary,
and secondaryconsumers
Tertiaryand
Secondaryconsumers
Secondaryand
Primaryconsumers
Producers(plants)
Primaryconsumers.
Food Web
Figure 3-8
Trophic Level
Each step in a food chain or food web
Quaternaryconusumers
Trophic level
Tertiaryconsumers
Secondaryconsumers
Primaryconsumers
Producers
Hawk
Snake
Mouse
Grasshopper
Plant Phytoplankton
Zooplankton
Herring
Tuna
Killer whale
A aquatic food chainA terrestrial food chain
Ecological Pyramids
Diagram that shows the relative amounts of energy or matter within each trophic level
3 Types:Energy Pyramid
Biomass Pyramid
Pyramid of Numbers
Energy Pyramid
Shows the relative amount of energy available at each trophic level. Organisms use about 10 percent of this energy for life processes. The rest is lost as heat.
100% Producers
10% First Level
Consumers
1% Second Level
Consumers
0.1% Third Level Consumers
Biomass Pyramid
Amount of living organic matter in each trophic level.
5000g of Grain
500g of chicken
50g of Human Tissue
Pyramid of Numbers
Shows the relative number of individual organisms at each trophic level.
5000 Flowers and Grasses
50 Rabbits
and Mice
5 Snakes
1 Hawk
3-3 Cycles of Matter
Matter is recycled within and between ecosystems
Biogeochemical Cycle: Elements, chemical compounds and other forms of matter are passed from one organization to another and from one part of the biosphere to another
The Water Cycle
Evaporation: Liquid to atmospheric gas
Transpiration:Evaporation from leaves; from liquid water to water gas
The Water Cycle
Condensation
Seepage
Runoff
Precipitation
TranspirationEvaporation
RootUptake
Nutrient Cycles
Carbon Cycle
Nitrogen Cycle
Phosphorus Cycle
Carbon Cycle
Carbon plays a major role in live.
4 major processes to move carbon through this cycle:
Biological Processes
Geochemical processes
Mixed biogeochemical processes
Human activities
Carbon Cycle
CO2 in atmosphere
Photosynthesis
Cellularrespiration
Burning offossil fuelsand wood
Carbon compoundsin water
Detritus
Primaryconsumers
Higher-levelconsumers
Decomposition
Nitrogen Cycle
All organisms require nitrogen to make amino acids which are the building blocks for proteins.
Nitrogen fixation:Bacteria convert ammonia to nitrates and nitrites.
Phosphorus Cycle
It is essential to living organisms because it forms part of DNA and RNA.
Released as rocks and sediments break down.
Nutrient Limitations
Factors that controls the primary productivity of an ecosystem is the amount of available nutrients.
Limiting Nutrient: a single nutrient that is scarce or cycles very slowly