Part 1 2013-2014

ECOSYSTEM STRUCTURE AN ECOSYSTEM IS MADE UP OF BIOTIC

AND ABIOTIC FACTORS INTERACTING ADAPTED FROM MS. DAVIS

A species way of life, including everything it needs for survival.

ECOLOGICAL NICHE

Generalist Specialist

A species way of life, including everything it needs for survival.

ECOLOGICAL NICHE

Generalist Specialist Can live in many different places, eat a lot of foods and tolerate a lot of conditions. •  Ex: cockroaches, deer, grass

and humans. •  Can often take over in large

numbers.

A species way of life, including everything it needs for survival.

ECOLOGICAL NICHE

Generalist Specialist Can live in many different places, eat a lot of foods and tolerate a lot of conditions. •  Ex: cockroaches, deer, grass

and humans. •  Can often take over in large

numbers.

Can only live in one habitat, eat one type of food and tolerate one climate. •  Ex: shore birds, giant pandas,

redwoods and polar bear •  Easily pushed to extinction.

 It is not uncommon for the niches of two species to overlap.  The overlap increases competition and can therefore limit population growth.  This produces five main types of interactions among species.

Community Interactions

Niche: a position or role taken by a kind of organism within its

community.

 The competition between two or more species for the same limited resources in the environment such as food, space, sunlight.

1. INTERSPECIFIC COMPETITION

 When species competing for the same niche evolve special traits to allow then to share.  Ex: Butterflies and moths - time  Ex: Birds and bats –time  Ex: Warblers - space

1. INTERSPECIFIC COMPETITION RESOURCE PARTITIONING

 When a predator feeds on all or part of another organism known as its prey.

2. PREDATION

 One organism (parasite) gains energy by living on or inside a host organism.

 Or by stealing resources

3. PARASITISM

 Two organisms interact in a manner that is a beneficial to both in some way.

4. MUTUALISM

 This interaction benefits one species but has little to no impact on the other.

5. COMMENSALISM

Part 2 ECOSYSTEM STRUCTURE

 Large regions characterized by similar climate, rainfall, plants, and animals regardless of their global locations.

BIOMES

 62% of the earths terrestrial ecosystems are being used unsustainably

HUMAN IMPACT

Sustainably = use of a resource to insure it will be

around for future generations.

 GPP- Gross Primary Production. Total amount of solar energy that producers captures via photosynthesis

 NPP- Net Primary Productivity. Energy captured subtract energy lost

A species that plays such a vital role in sustaining the community’s habitat and biodiversity that its disappearance has a disproportionately large impact on the community.

KEYSTONE SPECIES