Do Now Which layer of the atmosphere do most living organisms interact with? Which layer of the Earth’s structure do most living organisms interact with? How does the amount of water available in a habitat affect the kinds of living things found there?

Unit 2A Students will be able to describe what “life” is and levels of ecological analysis.

THE NATURE OF ECOLOGY Ecology is the study of connections in nature between organisms and their nonliving environment.

Living organisms acquire & store nutrients & energy in order to survive, grow and reproduce

Earliest organisms: chemosynthetic bacteria getting energy/nutrients from geothermal vents

Over time mutations cause new species evolve (Variation + Competition + Time) = Biodiversity

Organisms are classified into different species based on genetic similarities (interbreeding test)

Members of the same species interact in groups called populations

Populations of different species living and interacting in an area form a community

A community interacting with nonliving elements of its environment makes up an ecosystem

Biogeochemical cycles describe how nutrients flow through ecosystems (esp. C, N, H 2 O)

Ecosystems with similar climates are grouped in to biomes

There are many niches within each ecosystem filled by different species adapted to the biome.

Communities Subatomic Particles Atoms Molecules Protoplasm Cells Tissues Organs Organ systems Organisms Populations Communities Ecosystems Biosphere Earth Planets Solar systems Galaxies Universe Species Ecosystems Biosphere

Communities Populations Organisms Ecosystems Biosphere Acquires nutrients & energy to survive, grow and reproduce Organisms of the same species interacting in an area Populations of different species in an area Community of species + nonliving (abiotic) environment

Organism  Population  Community  Ecosystem

What would each of the following be: Organism, Population, Community or Ecosystem? Wolves in Yosemite A squirrel in the park CCECHS Yoda Tigers at the L.A. Zoo Many different fish in an aquarium The Pacific Ocean The students and staff at CCECHS Yoda

Group Work 1. Identify a species of organism 2. Describe the habitat where we can find a population of that species 3. What kind of genetic diversity exists in that population? 4. What kind of ecosystem does that population live in? 5. What other populations of species make up the community found in those ecosystems? Repeat this process for a second species