Chapter 18 Introduction to the Ecology of Organisms Mrs. Stewart Honors Biology

Predict how global climate change, human activity, geologic events, and the introduction of non-native species impact an ecosystem. You’ve learned it if you can: – Predict how a specific environmental change may lead to the adaptations or extinction of a particular species.

One of you is the Tiger (LSU) the other is the Gator (Florida).

Species – all the organisms that can/will interbreed and can produce fertile offspring Population – all members of a species that live in one place/area Community – all the interacting organisms living in one place/area Ecosystem – all the organisms and non-living environment found in one place/area

All organisms interact with all the other living and nonliving parts of their environment An environment consists of everything and every organism in your surroundings

Biotic vs. Abiotic Biotic: Abiotic All the living components of the environment. All the nonliving components of the environment such as physical and chemical characteristics.

Tigers – tell your gator the difference between biotic and abiotic.

Gators – Give your tiger an example of something biotic and abiotic in this environment.

How do autotrophs depend on heterotrophs? How do heterotrophs depend on autotrophs?

Today’s 1 st Class Objective: Explain and draw accurate conclusions from a tolerance curve graph.

Changing Environment Change within habitat: How does an organism survive if environment is always changing? Biotic and abiotic factors are always changing.

Gators – Tell your tigers how an organism survives if the environment is always changing.

Tolerance curve Every organism has a of environmental conditions in which it can tolerate. Tolerance curve: specific range A graph of the performance of an organism versus the value of an environmental variable (usually abiotic factors).

Reading a Tolerance Curve

Summarize Tolerance Curve Tigers– Explain to your gators how to read a tolerance curve and what implications can be found.

Guided Practice

Independent Practice. Look at page 364, Figure 18-5 and answer the following questions on your own. 1. What swimming speeds do the two fish groups have? 2. Would the fish raised at 5°C be able to swim 30 cm/s 2 immediately after being put in 25°C water? Why or why not?

Compare and discuss your answers with another tiger or gator near you.

Acclimation Can a species change it’s tolerance curve? Acclimation: Example: An organism’s change in response to a change in its environment. Altitude sickness Barrel Chest

Acclimate: an individual organism’s changes to surroundings (occurs over short period of time and could potentially change back if environment changes back) Adaptation: a population’s changes to surroundings (occurs over very LONG periods of time)

Dealing with internal conditions Two ways to deal with varying internal conditions: – Conformers: Do not regulate internal conditions. They must remain in the optimal range of tolerance to survive. Regulators: Use energy to maintain some of their internal conditions. They have a wider tolerance curve for these conditions than do conformers. An organism can be both!

Did We…. Describe a tolerance graph? Fish swimming speeds on page 364.

On your Independent Practice paper – 1) Predict what might happen to a bird species that found itself exposed to unusually cold temps earlier than normal. 2) How might your answer to #1 impact the ecosystem in which the bird lives? Turn in your Independent Practice page with these answers when you are finished.

Can you? Predict how global climate change, human activity, geologic events, and the introduction of non-native species impact an ecosystem. You’ve learned it if you can: – Predict how a specific environmental change may lead to the adaptation and/or extinction of a particular species.