Chapter 4 The Organization of Life

Section 1

Ecosystems: Everything is Connected Ecosystem: All of the organisms living in an area together PLUS their physical environment Biotic factors – All the living things in an ecosystem Fish, coral, shrimp, seaweed, fish poop Abiotic factors - All the nonliving things in an ecosystem Water, sand, sunlight, temperature Coral Reef Ecosystem

Ecosystems: Everything is Connected Levels of Organization: Organism – an individual living thing Species – can mate and produce offspring that are fertile Population – All members of the same species Community – a group of various species that live in the same area and interact (only BIOTIC) Ecosystem – (biotic AND abiotic) Biosphere – all ecosystems of the Earth Habitat – Where an organism lives Includes biotic and abiotic factors the organism needs to survive

Section 2

Evolution Environment can affect an individual species Charles Darwin was the first to notice this. Organisms with certain traits are better able to survive their environment For Example: A lion with sharp claws can kill prey better than one with dull claws Darwin called this Natural Selection The survival and reproduction of organisms with particular traits

Evolution Adaptations – inherited traits that increase an organism’s chance of survival Future generations of our lions will have sharper claws this is an adaptation Darwin’s finches are a famous example of adaptations

Evolution Artificial Selection – humans select specific characteristics for organisms Dog breeders –labradoodles Farmers – certain flowers, fruits and vegetables Seedless Watermelon “Cry free” onions

Evolution Resistance – the ability of an organism to tolerate a particular chemical designed to kill it

Section 3

Diversity of Living Things Organisms are classified into 6 kingdoms Archaebacteria and Eubacteria are similar Single cell Microscopic Cell walls Reproduce by dividing in half ONLY Kingdoms without nucleus Archaebacteria and Eubacteria are different Archaebacteria live in extreme environments Hot springs or ocean sulfur vents Eubacteria is what we know as bacteria

Diversity of Living Things Fungi Cell wall Nucleus Absorb food through their body surfaces Protists Mostly single celled Most live in water Examples – amoebas, diatoms

Diversity of Living Things Plants Multicellular Cell Walls Make Own Food Gymnosperms – Woody plants that produce seeds NOT in fruit Example: Pine trees Angiosperms – flowering plants that produce seeds in fruit Cotton, grasses, flowers, fruit

Diversity of Living Things Animals Multicellular Cannot make own food Invertebrates – animals that lack a backbone Ocean animals such as oysters and mollusks (live in shells) Octopus Insects – have a hard skeleton but no backbone Vertebrates – animals with a backbone Most live on land (except fish) Mammals – special type of vertebrate Warm blooded, fur, and feed young milk What are you?