Interactions of Living Things

The environment consists of: Biotic Factors (living things) – Plants – Animals – Bacteria, fungi, protists Abiotic Factors (nonliving things) – Sunlight – Water – Soil – Weather

Factors in the environment Biotic: Things living or were alive. Abiotic: Nonliving

Levels of Organization Cells → Tissues → Organs → Organ Systems → Organisms Organism (Species) → Population → Community → Ecosystem  Earth

Levels of organization An organism is a living thing. A species is a group of organism that share most characteristics and can breed with one another. A population is composed of all the organism of a species that live in the same place at the same time.

Levels of organization A community is made up of all the populations that live in an area at the same time. An ecosystem is made up of one or more communities and their nonliving environment.

Levels of organization A Squirrel All the squirrels in the forest The squirrels, trees, grass, bushes, birds, insects, deer in the forest The squirrels, trees, grass, bushes, birds, insects, deer in the forest AND water, sunlight, rocks, soil Organism Population Community Ecosystem

Roles in an ecosystem Habitat: place where an organism lives Niche: how an organism acts within its ecosystem (Its job)

An organism’s habitat Is the environment in which it lives An organism’s niche is the role it plays in the environment – Fungus = decompose – Plant = to produce food The niche is the smallest part of the environment An organism’s niche depends on where its habitat is

Population Size Changes Over Time Limiting Factors are things that keep populations from growing (Slow Population Growth) – Food, Water – Mates – Shelter The largest population an environment can support is the carrying capacity

Organisms compete for Food Mates Water Living space Sunlight

Organisms have adaptations to help them survive Wings – for flying Long arms – swimming Gills – life underwater Special teeth – for eating certain foods Horns – protection Coloring - camouflage

Adaptation Adaptation is anything that helps an organism survive in its environment. It also refers to the ability of living things to adjust to different conditions within their environments. – Structural adaptation Protective coloration Mimicry – Behavior adaptations Migration Hibernation/Estivation

Structural adaptations A structural adaptation involves some part of an animal's body. – Teeth – Body coverings – Movement

Protective Coloration Coloration and protective resemblance allow an animal to blend into its environment. Another word for this might be camouflage. Their camouflage makes it hard for enemies to single out individuals.

Mimicry Mimicry allows one animal to look, sound, or act like another animal to fool predators into thinking it is poisonous or dangerous.

Predators and Prey Predator does the hunting and eating Prey is the one being eaten

Symbiosis is when two different species Develop a close relationship with each other – Mutualism: two organisms live together and BOTH benefit – Commensalism: two organisms live together but only ONE benefits – Parasitism: one organism benefits while the other is harmed

Symbiosis: Close interaction between species Commensalism: 1 benefits while the other is unaffected. Parasitism:1 benefits, while the other is harmed Mutualism: Both Benefit

Energy flow in Ecosystems Producers (autotroph) : organisms that make their own food (photosynthesis). – Plants, algae, and some bacteria Consumers (Heterotroph): organisms do not make food (consume other organisms) ex. All animals, some plants – Primary Consumer: Eats producers/plants – Secondary Consumer: Eats primary consumers – Tertiary Consumer: Eats secondary consumers

A Food Chain shows How energy flows from one organism to the next Energy flow: Sun  producer  herbivore-carnivore-omnivore  scavenger  decomposer

A food web exists to show Several food chains that are linked together Some animals eat more than one kind of food

Energy Pyramids demonstrate That most of the energy at each energy level is used up at that level Less energy is available for organisms that are higher on the food chain – $20

Energy flow in Ecosystems Decomposers: organisms that break down the remains of dead organisms – Ex. Fungi and bacteria – Some organisms can be both decomposers and consumers like earthworms and insects

Energy flow in Ecosystems Food Chains: show the flow of energy from producer to different levels of consumers to decomposers. Food Webs: an interconnected network of food chains within an ecosystem