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