ECOLOGYThe study of the interactions between

organisms & the environment.

Review basic Ecology vocabulary:

•organism = a living thing extinct = species that is no longer living

•energy = ability to do work endangered = species at risk of becoming extinct

•food = substance an organism needs for energy bio- = prefix that means “life”

•habitat = home for an organism biology = the study of life

•predator = organism who hunts & eats another one hierarchy = ranking in order

•prey = organism who is hunted & eaten by another

•photosynthesis = process when plants make their own food using sunlight for energy

*Activity = for 60 seconds, review these terms with a partner

*If you don’t understand any of the basic terms on this slide, please come to

Knight Time or tutoring!

Review basic Ecology vocabulary:

•Producers = (also called autotrophs) make their own food using sunlight;

plants, algae, & some bacteria

•Consumers = (also called heterotrophs) eats other organisms for energy;

animals & fungi•carnivore = only eats animals (cat, dog, lions, crocodiles, T-rex)

•herbivore = only eats plants (cows, bees, pandas, deer, termites, lemurs)

•omnivore = eats both plants & animals (humans, bears, squirrels, turtles, fish)

•Decomposers = (process called rotting) breaks down dead organisms into soil;

bacteria & fungi

*optional activity = review these terms with a partner

*optional activity = make a drawing of these 3 functional groups in your notes

Biotic = living components of an ecosystem

Abiotic = nonliving components of an ecosystem

Place the following terms on the Venn diagram in your notes:

grass sunlight spiders climate flowers

rotting tree air fish water dead frog U.V. light

sun living temperature squirrel soil nonliving

Organization

Biosphere - areas of planet earth that support life

(air, land, water, volcanic thermal vents…what?)

Biome - an ecosystem that occupies a particular climate zone

Ecosystem - all the living & nonliving things that interact in a particular area

Community - different groups of populations in the same area

Population - group of one type of organism

Organism - individual living thing

Where would a biome fit into this hierarchy?

biome

Climate Biome

Long term

temperature &

weather conditions in

a particular area.

Plants, animals, &

ecosystems adapted to

a particular climatic

condition.

Essential question: What are some specific ways climate affects a biome?

•Cacti must conserve water in the desert because of dry conditions.

•Fish have gills to breathe the dissolved oxygen in the water they live in.

•Polar bears have large amounts of fat to store energy to survive arctic conditions.

Biomes

Global regionAbiotic Biotic

Koppen Climate Zone Biome

Polar(no summers)

example:polar climate zone

example:tundra biome

Temperateexample:

humid subtropical

climate zone

example:temperate deciduous

forest biome

Tropical(no winters)

example:tropical dry climate zone

example:savanna biome

*optional activity = biomes activity or worksheet

Food Webs

A system of interdependent food

chains

Food Chain

Hierarchical series of organisms

each dependent on the next as

a source of food

Levels of Consumption

Extinction

Organism that takes resources away

from a native (natural) species.

Invasive Specieswinterspring

summer fall

Invasive Species

Which has more biodiversity?

A B

Biodiversity

Bio = “life” Diversity = “variety”

Biodiversity is the variety of life on Earth and the

essential interdependence of all living things.

Biodiversity...Why is it important???

- “At least 40 per cent of the world’s economy and 80

percent of the needs of the poor are derived from

biological resources. In addition, the richer the

diversity of life, the greater the opportunity for medical

discoveries, economic development, and adaptive

responses to such new challenges as climate change.”

The Convention about Life on Earth,

- Variation of genetic codes….

- Resistance to disease…

- Medical Discoveries…

Is that important?

Do we need balance in the biosphere?

Hold that thought...

Carrying CapacityThe maximum number of organisms an ecosystem can hold.

Think of an ecosystem as a bucket that can only hold so much.

How many fish can an aquarium hold?

What does it depend on?

These things depend on limiting factors.

What are limiting factors?

Population Sizebirth rate = how fast a population reproduces death rate = how fast a population dies

Population = birth rate - death rate

if birth rate > death rate then population grows or increases

if birth rate < death rate then population shrinks or declines

Human Population Growth

Fun Fact:

Demographers estimate that, in the decade of the

1990’s, the Atlanta metro (driving distance) area

grew in population faster than any other area in

the history of human civilization.

How does population

growth affect our

resources?

Human ImpactsUrban development (humans building stuff) has

caused deforestation, logging, draining wetlands,

habitat fragmentation & destruction.

Various forms of Pollution like chemical spills

Hunting & farming are both unnatural limiting

factors.

Harvesting, mining, & drilling take away natural

resources.

Invasive Species

Global Warming

Human Impact Examples:

CategoryWhat humans

need

What humans

doWhat happens

Impact on the

environment

Energy coal burning coalSO2 released

into aircreates acid rain

Food cheap foodconcentrated

animal farms

excessive

manure runoffeutrophication

Spacehomes &

mallsdraining

wetlands

reduces buffer

zones

increases

flooding &

pollution

Beauty green yardstoo many water

sprinklers

excessive water

use

fresh water

shortages

Habitat Fragmentation

Habitat Destruction

Mining

Invasive Species

Global Warming and Polar Ice

Caps

AgricultureThe domestic cultivation

(farming) of plants & animals

for food or products.

Tractor

this is Tilling

Pros: Control weeds, mix the soil, & make level.

Cons: Dries soil, causes erosion, & CO2.

Why

Till?

Traditional Farming Issues

1. Biodiversity - Monoculture vs. Polyculture, disease

2. Soil Quality - Erosion, Till vs. Nontill,

3. Fertilizers/Pesticides - Eutrophication

Conventional - Sustainable

Ways to Farm Friendly

No Till planting

Contour plowing

Buy Local

Natural Fertilizers

To live in a way that

natural resources (such as

energy & materials) are not

depleted or permanently

damaged.

Sustainability

Energy Resources• Anything used by humans as an energy source.

Can be replenished or replaced

in short amount of time.

Once used up, they are gone

for millions of years.

Carbon Footprint

Amount of CO2 emitted (released) due to the

consumption of fossil fuels by a particular person

or group.

Ecosphere