1. What is Ecology ?
The study of how organisms interact with one another and their non-living environment

2. So Then What is an Ecosystem ?
Biosphere
Ecosystems
Communities
Populations
Organisms
An ecosystem is how all of the living and non-living things interact together in an area.

3. So Then What is an Ecosystem ?
Biosphere
Ecosystems
Communities
Populations
Organisms
Looking at the chart to the right..
Our BIOSPHERE is the part of the Earth where the organisms exist
And an ECOSYSTEM is that area where the living and non-living things interact.

4. Energy for the Ecosystems
A. Every ecosystem on Earth gets its energy from the same source:
SUNLIGHT!!!

5. Producers
Organisms that can use sunlight or chemical energy to produce food are called: autotrophs

6. Producers
Photosynthesis: most common, uses energy from sunlight to make food
Example: Plants, sea weed, algae

7. Producers
Chemosynthesis: uses energy form inorganic chemical compounds to make food
Example: Sulfur bacteria in Yellowstone hot springs & deep sea hydrothermal vents

8. Producers Autotrophs are also called producers
Producers/Autotrophs: use energy to build complex organic molecules out of inorganic molecules

9. Producers
Describe the flow of energy through an ecosystem: It goes in one direction from sun  producers  consumers

10. An ecosystem contains BIOTIC (living) and ABIOTIC (non-living) things
Parts of an Ecosystem
An ecosystem contains BIOTIC (living) and ABIOTIC (non-living) things
Examples of BIOTIC things:
• Plants
• Animals
• Fungi
• Bacteria

11. Parts of an Ecosystem Examples of ABIOTIC things are: • Water • Air
An Ecosystem is made of BIOTIC and ABIOTIC Components
ABIOTIC components are the NON-living parts of the ecosystem
Examples of ABIOTIC things are:
• Water
• Air
• Temperature
• Sunlight

12. Food Chain
A Food Chain tells us what eats what in an ecosystem. It shows the series of organisms through which food energy is passed.

13. Food Chain What is happening in this food chain?
The insect is eaten by the frog

14. Food Chain What does the insect eat?
Many insects eat the nectar from flowers

15. Food Chain
What might eat the frog?

16. Food Chain What does this entire food chain show?
1) The slug eats the plant
2) The frog eats the slug
3) The heron eats the frog

17. Food Chain The arrow means “is eaten by”
In this case the dragonfly is eaten by the frog.

18. Food Chain Remember… ALL food chains begin with a Producer
( Also known as an Autotroph)

19. Food Web In an ecosystem, there are many producers and consumers.
Instead of a food chain, we can use a food web.

20. Food Web
Humans
Blue whale
Sperm whale
Crabeater seal
Killer
whale
Elephant
seal
Leopard
Adélie
penguins
Petrel
Fish
Squid
Carnivorous plankton
Krill
Phytoplankton
Herbivorous
zooplankton
Emperor
penguin
A food web shows the complex relationship formed by the overlapping and interconnecting food chains.

21. Energy Pyramid Steps in a food chain are called: Trophic Levels.
A Trophic Level is a level of nourishment in a food chain.

22. Energy Pyramid The pyramid first shows us the Producers.
Remember… Producers get their energy from the sun.
Producers are the first and largest Trophic Level.
Producers

23. Energy Pyramid Second, we see the Primary Consumers
The Primary Consumers get their energy from eating the Producers.
Primary Consumers can be either Herbivores or Omnivores.
Primary Consumers

24. Energy Pyramid Third, we see the Secondary Consumers
The Secondary Consumers get their energy from eating the Primary Consumers
Secondary Consumers are Carnivores or Omnivores
Secondary Consumers

25. Energy Pyramid Fourth, we see the Tertiary Consumers
The Tertiary Consumers get their energy from eating the Secondary Consumers
Tertiary Consumers are Carnivores or Omnivores
Tertiary Consumers

26. Some energy pyramids can have a fifth Trophic Level.

27. Primary Producers
Producers make their own food, from abiotic factors, such as sunlight or heat from chemical reactions.

28. Producers are also known as Autotrophs
Primary Producers
Producers are also known as Autotrophs
Some examples are:
• Plants
• Algae
• Bacteria

29. Consumers
Consumers are organisms that get their energy by eating other organisms

30. Consumers are also known as Heterotrophs
Consumers can be:
• Herbivores
• Carnivores
• Omnivores
• Detritivores (Decomposers)

31. Consumers Herbivores eat only plants.
Herbivores are also known as Heterotrophs or Primary Consumers
Herbivore Examples:
• Large Mammals (Such as cattle & deer)
• Insects

32. Carnivores eat other animals
Consumers
Carnivores eat other animals
Carnivores are also known as Heterotrophs or Secondary or Tertiary Consumers
Carnivore Examples:
• Lions, Tigers
• Wolves
• Sharks
• Snakes

33. Consumers Omnivores eat both plants and animals
Omnivores are also known as Heterotrophs or Consumers
Omnivore Examples:
• Humans
• Bears
• Mice
• Pigs

34. Detritivores convert waste into nutrients (also called decomposers)
Consumers
Detritivores convert waste into nutrients (also called decomposers)
Detritivore Examples:
• Worms
• Beetles
• Bacteria
• Fungi

35. Consumers
Scavengers break down dead plants and animals (also called heterotroph, consumer)
Scavenger Examples:
• Vulture
• Crow
• Hyena

36. Let’s look at the energy pyramid closer.
Energy pyramids: Are a way to graph how much energy is passed up the food chain from one organism to the next

37. Energy Pyramid Let’s look at the energy pyramid closer.
Only 10% of the energy from the prior trophic level is passed on.
This is because energy is lost to the environment as heat

38. Draw an Energy Pyramid

39. Energy Pyramid
If an energy pyramid consists of plants that contain 500,000 calories of food energy, how many calories of energy would be available to consumers at each of the next three trophic levels?
Trophic level
Primary producers
Tertiary consumers
Secondary consumers
Primary consumers

40. Energy Pyramid Primary Consumers: Secondary Consumers:
500,000 cal x .1 = 50,000 calories
Secondary Consumers:
50,000 cal x .1 = 5,000 calories
Tertiary Consumers:
5,000 cal x .1 = 500 calories
Trophic level
Primary producers
Tertiary consumers
Secondary consumers
Primary consumers

41. What does these energy numbers tell us??
Food Web
What does these energy numbers tell us??
There are very few Tertiary consumers, because it takes a HUGE amount of food energy to support them.
For a large population to exist, it needs to feed from the LOWEST trophic level possible, because there is more food energy available.
Trophic level
Primary producers
Tertiary consumers
Secondary consumers
Primary consumers

42. Besides the energy pyramid, we can also have pyramids of:
Other Pyramid types
Besides the energy pyramid, we can also have pyramids of:
Numbers
Biomass

43. Represents the amount of living organic matter at each trophic level.
Biomass Pyramid
Represents the amount of living organic matter at each trophic level.

44. Pyramid of Numbers
Shows the relative number of individual organisms at each trophic level.

45. Draw a Pyramid of Numbers

46. Pyramid of Numbers
A pyramid of numbers reflects the number of species at each trophic level.
For example: if we look at a forest, there may be few rose bushes, but many insects that feed on the rose bushes, with a pyramid like the one below.

47. For example: Looking at the same forest, the biomass is great.
Pyramid of Biomass
A pyramid of biomass reflects the total amount of living tissue at each trophic level.
For example: Looking at the same forest, the biomass is great.

48. Sequoia National Park Sequoia Trees Skunks Gray Squirrels Beetles
Peregrine Falcons
Mice
Great Gray Owl
Red tail fox
Caterpillars
Bats
Fence lizards
Grizzly Bear
Bullfrogs
Flies
California Newt
Mountain lions

49. Food Chain Simulation