1. ECOLOGY CHAPTERS 13, 14, AND 15

2. 13-1 WHAT IS ECOLOGY ? Interactions and Interdependence Ecology is the scientific study of interactions among organisms and between organisms and their environment

3. 13-1 WHAT IS ECOLOGY ? Levels of Organization

4. 13-1 WHAT IS ECOLOGY ? Levels of Organization Species group of organisms so similar to one another that they can breed and produce fertile offspring. Example: human beings Population groups of individuals that belong to the same species and live in the same area. Example: Clements High School faculty, students, and staff Community different populations that live together in a defined area. Example: CHS faculty, students, and staff AND the roaches that live here too!

5. 13-1 WHAT IS ECOLOGY ? Levels of Organization Ecosystem collection of all the organisms that live in a particular place, together with their nonliving, or physical, environment. Example: CHS faculty, students, staff and roaches…as well as the building itself, water fountains, desks, etc. Biome group of ecosystems that have the same climate and similar dominant communities. Examples: tropical rain forest, tundra, desert Biosphere contains the combined portions of the planet in which all of life exists, including: land, water, and atmosphere

6. 13-1 WHAT IS ECOLOGY ? Levels of Organization Ecosystem Community Population Individual Biome Biosphere

7. 13-1 WHAT IS ECOLOGY ? Modern Ecological Research Observing first step in asking ecological questions. Experimenting Used to test hypotheses. May set up an artificial environment in a laboratory to imitate and manipulate conditions that organisms would encounter in the wild. Others are conducted within natural ecosystems. Modeling Gain insight into complex phenomena. Many consist of mathematical formulas based on data collected through observation and experimentation. Predictions made are often tested by further observations and experiments.

8. 13-3 ENERGY IN ECOSYSTEMS Where does energy come from? THE SUN! {Main energy source for all life on earth.} Chemicals! Autotrophs Auto=self; troph=feeding Organisms that use energy from the environment to build large organic molecules needed for life (carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids) AKA: producers Photosynthesis use light energy to convert CO 2 and H 2 O into O 2 and carbohydrates. Chemosynthesis use chemical energy to produce carbohydrates

9. 13-3 ENERGY IN ECOSYSTEMS

10. Heterotrophs Hetero=other; troph=feeding Cannot harness energy directly from the physical environment. Rely on other organisms for their energy and food supply. AKA: consumers.

11. 13-3 ENERGY IN ECOSYSTEMS Heterotrophs Herbivores – eat plants Carnivores – eat animals Omnivores – eat both plants and animals Detritivores – feed on plant and animal remains, dead matter Decomposers – break down/recycle organic matter

12. 13-4 FOOD CHAINS AND FOOD WEBS Direction of Energy Flow Flows through an ecosystem in ONE direction, from the sun or inorganic compounds to autotrophs and then to various heterotrophs Energy stored by producers can be passed through an ecosystem along a food chain. Series of steps in which organisms transfer energy by eating and being eaten The arrow points to where the food is going {toward the MOUTH!} Algae Zooplankton Small Fish Squid Shark

13. 13-4 FOOD CHAINS AND FOOD WEBS Direction of Energy Flow Food Web Most feeding relationships are more complex than a food chain Food webs link together all the food chains in an ecosystem

14. 13-4 FOOD CHAINS AND FOOD WEBS Direction of Energy Flow Food Web

15. 13-4 FOOD CHAINS AND FOOD WEBS Trophic Levels Each step in a food chain or web Producers – 1 st trophic level Consumers – 2 nd, 3 rd, 4 th, etc. trophic levels Only 10% of the energy available within one trophic level is transferred to organisms at the next trophic level

16. 13-5 CYCLING OF MATTER REFER TO YOUR CYCLES BOOKLET!

17. 13-6 PYRAMID MODELS Ecological Pyramids Shows the relative amounts of energy or matter contained within each trophic level in a food chain or food web. Energy Pyramid Relative amount of energy available at each trophic level. 0.1% Third-level consumers 1% Second-level consumers 10% First-level consumers 100% Producers

18. 13-6 PYRAMID MODELS Ecological Pyramids Biomass Pyramid Represents the amount of living organic matter at each trophic level. Typically, the greatest biomass is at the base of the pyramid.

19. 13-6 PYRAMID MODELS Ecological Pyramids Pyramid of Numbers Shows the relative number of individual organisms at each trophic level.

20. 13-2 BIOTIC AND ABIOTIC FACTORS Biotic Living things – plants, animals, protists, fungi, bacteria Abiotic Nonliving things – temperature, wind, sunlight, rainfall, soil Biodiversity The variety of living things in an ecosystem

21. 14-1 HABITAT AND NICHE Habitat The area where an organism lives is called its habitat. A habitat includes both biotic and abiotic factors. Niche full range of physical and biological conditions in which an organism lives and the way in which the organism uses those conditions. No two species can share the same niche in the same habitat

22. 14-2 COMMUNITY INTERACTIONS Ecological Relationships Competition Occurs when organisms attempt to use an ecological resource in the same place at the same time. Examples of resources: water, nutrients, light, food, or space. Direct competition in nature often results in a winner and a loser— with the losing organism failing to survive. The competitive exclusion principle states that no two species can occupy the same niche in the same habitat at the same time.

23. 14-2 COMMUNITY INTERACTIONS Ecological Relationships Predation One organism captures and feeds on another organism The organism that does the killing and eating is called the predator, and the food organism is the prey.

24. 14-2 COMMUNITY INTERACTIONS Ecological Relationships Symbiosis Two species live closely together Symbiotic relationships include: Mutualism: both species benefit from the relationship Commensalism: one member of the association benefits and the other is neither helped nor harmed Parasitism: one organism lives on or inside another organism and harms it.

25. 14-3 AND 14-4 POPULATION GROWTH Carrying Capacity Maximum number of individuals of a particular species that the environment can normally support Can change when the environment changes

26. 14-3 AND 14-4 POPULATION GROWTH Population Crash Dramatic decline in the size of a population over a short period of time Factors that limit population growth Density Dependent Affected by the number of individuals in a given area Competition, predation, parasitism, disease Density Independent Limit a population’s growth regardless of the population’s density Natural disasters, human activity

27. 14-5 ECOLOGICAL SUCCESSION Ecological Succession Series of predictable changes that occurs in a community over time Sometimes, an ecosystem changes in response to an abrupt disturbance. At other times, change occurs as a more gradual response to natural fluctuations in the environment. Primary Succession On land, occurs on surfaces where no soil exists. Example: rock surfaces formed after volcanoes erupt. The first species to populate the area are called pioneer species. Secondary Succession Changed by natural events, such as fires. Community interactions tend to restore the ecosystem to its original condition through secondary succession.

28. 4-1 THE ROLE OF CLIMATE What is Climate? Weather is the day-to-day condition of Earth's atmosphere at a particular time and place. Climate refers to the average year-after-year conditions of temperature and precipitation in a particular region. Caused by: Trapping of heat by the atmosphere Latitude Transport of heat by winds and ocean currents Amount of precipitation Shape and elevation of landmasses

29. 4-1 THE ROLE OF CLIMATE Greenhouse Effect Atmospheric gases that trap the heat energy of sunlight and maintain Earth's temperature range include: carbon dioxide methane water vapor The natural situation in which heat is retained in Earth’s atmosphere by this layer of gases Sunlight Earth’s Surface Atmosphere Some heat escapes into space Greenhouse gases trap some heat

30. 4-1 THE ROLE OF CLIMATE Latitude Solar radiation strikes different parts of Earth’s surface at an angle that varies throughout the year. Equator - energy from the sun strikes Earth almost directly. North and South Poles - the sun’s rays strike Earth’s surface at a lower angle. 3 Main Climate Zones polar, temperate, and tropical

31. 4-1 THE ROLE OF CLIMATE 3 Main Climate Zones polar, temperate, and tropical Sunlight Most direct sunlight 90°N North Pole Temperate Tropical Temperate Polar Arctic Circle Tropic of Cancer Equator Tropic of Capricorn Antarctic Circle 90°S South Pole 66.5°S 23.5°S 23.5°N 66.5°N Polar Sunlight 0°

32. 4-1 THE ROLE OF CLIMATE Heat Transport in the Biosphere Unequal heating of Earth’s surface drives winds and ocean currents, which transport heat throughout the biosphere. WINDS 66.5°N N 23.5°N 0° 23.5°S 66.5°S Prevailing winds Southeast Trade Winds Westerlies Polar Easterlies Equator Northeast Trade Winds Westerlies Polar Easterlies

33. 4-1 THE ROLE OF CLIMATE Heat Transport in the Biosphere Unequal heating of Earth’s surface drives winds and ocean currents, which transport heat throughout the biosphere. OCEAN CURRENTS 66.5°N N 23.5°N 00°00° 23.5 23.5°S 66.5°S Equator Warm currents Cold currents