What is ecology?

• The scientific study of interactions between organisms and their environment.

• Interactions can take place between living and nonliving things.

Levels of Organization in Ecology

• Organism – an individual

• Population – a group of organisms of the same species that live in the same place at the same time.

• Community – a collection of interacting populations

• Ecosystem – interactions of living and nonliving things in the community

Ecology Terms: means all the conditions that surround any living organism, both the other living things and the non-living things or physical surroundings.A Habitat- means all the members of a single species that live in a habitat, means all the populations of different organisms living together in a habitat refers to a community of animals, plants and micro-organisms, together with the habitat where they live.

Environment

A place where plants and animals live

Populations

Community

Ecosystem

Organism

http://people.uvawise.edu/cte/documents/Science%20Resources/Principles%20of%20Ecology.pdf

Population

http://people.uvawise.edu/cte/documents/Science%20Resources/Principles%20of%20Ecology.pdf

Community

http://people.uvawise.edu/cte/documents/Science%20Resources/Principles%20of%20Ecology.pdf

Ecosystem

http://people.uvawise.edu/cte/documents/Science%20Resources/Principles%20of%20Ecology.pdf

Distribution of organisms:

Living organisms are NOT evenly distributed around the world. But are adapted to live in particular __________________________.

• Factors that affect the habitat:• ______________- temperature range and rainfall

allow a variety of species to live in a center area. • We can group together ecosystems adapted to

climate conditions into global ecological regions called______________________________.

• III. Major Biomes:• In relationship to biomes and climate:

Habitat

Climate

BIOMES

Tundra

Taiga

Mountain

Desert

TemperateForest

Hot grassland; savannah

Tropical Rainforest

Abiotic Factors

• Nonliving parts of environment

Rainfall levels and rate of water flow

Temperature Water content of Soil

Sunlight

Humus content of soil

Soil pH & nutrient levels

Dissolved oxygenlevels Pollutant concentrations

Biotic Factors

• All the living organisms- which include these examples:

producersConsumers and predators

The number & types of competitors for light, food, space, Shelter, or mating opportunities

The pathogens and parasites

The number & type of insects species

The number & type of decomposers and

The level of species diversity

How organisms obtain energy

• Producers – can make own food; usually use energy from the sun (photosynthesis)

6CO2 + 12H2O C6H12O6 + 6O2 + 6H2O

• Consumers – must eat other organisms; cannot make own food

Different Types of Consumers

• Herbivore – eat only plants

• Carnivore – eat only animals

• Omnivore – eat both plants and animals

• Decomposer – break down and absorb nutrients of dead plants and animals

• Scavenger – eat rotting flesh (like road kill)

Food Chain

• Shows how matter and energy move through ecosystem

• Arrows indicate flow of energy• Only a portion of original energy is passed

on to other organisms in chain (10% each link)

Example:Algae Fish Heron

Food Web

• Made up of many food chains

• Shows all possible feeding relationships in a community

• More realistic than a food chain, because most animals eat more than one thing.

Energy Pyramid

1. _______________________2. _______________________3. _______________________

1. __________________________2. __________________________3. __________________________4. __________________________

Light: photosynthesiswater

Nutrients and Minerals

foodwater

matesshelter

interdependent

Predator and prey

species

Prey

GROWs

REDUCE

Symbiosis

Symbiosis

Barnacles

Commensalism

Lichens

Mutualism

tapeworm

Parasitism KILL

EcologyInterdependence of Organisms

Let’s check for understanding!

Question 1

Which of these does not belong to the

group?

A. Consumer

B. Human

C. Fish

D. Plant

Question 2

All energy transformations in an ecosystem begin with --

A. A scavenger

B. A decomposer

C. The Sun

D. An herbivore

Question 3

In a food chain, which are the most efficient users of solar energy?

A. Herbivores

B. Carnivores

C. Omnivores

D. Scavengers

Question 4

http://www.biologycorner.com/resources/foodweb1.gif

Identify the:1. Producers 

2. Primary Consumers 

3. Secondary Consumers 

4. Herbivores 

5. Carnivores 

6. Omnivores

Plants, berries, leaves, nuts

Grasshopper, squirrel

Frog, mouse, rabbit

Squirrel, grasshopper, rabbit

Fox, frog, owl snake

mouse