ECOLOGICAL RELATIONSHIPS

Ecology l The study of relationships between organisms and their environment

Ecosystem Organization l Every organism has a habitat where it lives and l a niche which is its role or job in the ecosystem.

Ecosystem Organization l Organism is a single living thing.

Ecosystem Organization l Population is the number of individuals of the same species in the same place.

Ecosystem Organization l Community is all of the different populations living in a given area.

Ecosystem Organization l Ecosystem is all of the communities (biotic) and all of the physical factors (abiotic) in an area.

Ecosystem Organization l Biome – a large area that has the same climate and communities l Biosphere - all of the areas on earth where organisms live.

Producer Organism that can make its own food.

Autotroph Organism that can make its own food.

Heterotroph Organism that eats other organisms

Herbivore Organism that eats only plants

Primary Consumer Organism that eats Producers

Secondary Consumer Organism that eats Primary Consumers

Carnivore Organism that eats animals

Omnivore Organism that eats both plants and animals

Parasite Organism that lives on, or in, another organism and gets nutrition from host. (+/-)

Commensalism One organism benefits while the other isn’t affected. (+/0)

Mutualism When two different species both benefit from a relationship. (+/+)

Predation One animal eats another animal (+/-)

Organism 1Organism 2 Parasitism Mutualism Commensalism Predation Competition Key: + (benefits)- (harmed)0 (not affected)

Ecological Relationships l What is parasitism? l What is mutualism? l What is commensalism? l What is predation? l What is competition?

Relationships Between Organisms Symbiosis parasitism mutualismcommensalism two organisms that live in close contact to each other for long periods of time

Relationships Between Organisms Not Symbiosis competition predation

Ecological Relationships l A lichen is a relationship between a fungus and an algae. The fungus provides nutrients to the algae and the algae provides food for the fungus. l The algae gets nutrients (benefits) and the fungus gets food (benefits)

Biodiversity l The variety of organisms, their genetic differences and the communities and ecosystems in which they occur

Changes of Ecosystems Over Time l Succession – a somewhat regular progression of species replacement. l Ecosystems change through the process of succession

l Primary Succession – succession that occurs where life has not existed before on a new habitat: new land mass l Secondary Succession – succession that occurs in areas where there has been previous growth: abandoned fields, forest clearings l No two successions are alike Changes of Ecosystems Over Time

Succession l Pioneer Species – The first organisms to live in a new habitat where soil is present l Tend to be small, fast-growing plants l Then alders, grasses and shrubs l Finally, larger trees like spruce and hemlock