1. Aim: How are populations limited by the carrying capacity of the environment? DN: Explain the difference between population, community and ecosystem. Give an example of each. HW: Read pp 124-127 in textbook. Complete questions on page 137 # 24, 25, 26, 27, 32

2. Relationships in an Ecosystem: Predator vs. Prey PhotosynthesisWater Cycle The stability of an Ecosystem is dependent on the balance of these relationships/cycles.

3. How many students can be in a classroom? 24 students

4. What limits the size of the student population? The number of desks, number of teachers, space

5. What factors can affect the size of a population ? Limiting Factors- anything that limits the size of a population Abiotic Biotic

6. What abiotic factors limit the size of a population? Energy, temperature, water, carbon dioxide, oxygen, soil, minerals, pH, nutrients These resources are finite (limited) not infinite (unlimited)

7. What biotic factors limit the size of a population? Competition - the population that is the best adapted to the environment will increase and the other population will die out or will migrate

8. What are some examples of competition in an ecosystem? Indirect Competition – struggle for resources among organisms in an ecosystem. The organisms best adapted to get the resources will survive and the other organisms will die or migrate.

9. Predator Prey relationships – cyclical changes Direct Competition – organisms hunt and kill each other

11. Carrying Capacity The maximum number of organisms that the ecosystem can support. It is determined by the limiting factors & competition.

12. What happens to new, small populations? The population usually will increase until the carrying capacity is reached and then the population will remain stable.

13. Can the carrying capacity of an environment change? Yes, anytime there is a natural catastrophe or when humans take space away from the ecosystem