ECOLOGY

Based on these cartoons, what do you think ecology means?

What is ecology? The scientific study of interactions between organisms and their environment Focuses on energy transfers between organisms

- The environment is made up of two factors: Abiotic Biotic All the nonliving parts of the environment Example: soil, air, water, light, and temperature All the living organisms Example: plants and animals

Ecological Divisions Range from the biosphere which is the broadest to the individual organism Biosphere = life supporting portions of Earth composed of air, land, fresh water, and salt water Contains all ecosystems on Earth Highest level of organization

Ecological Divisions Cont’d Ecosystem = all the biotic and abiotic factors with which they interact in a given area Can be marine or terrestrial (land)

List all the biotic and abiotic factors in this ecosystem.

Ecological Divisions Cont’d Community = several different interacting organisms that share a common environment and are interdependent Includes plants and animals

Ecological Divisions Cont’d Population = a group of organisms, of the same species, living in the same place at the same time that interbreed and compete with each other for resources Food, water, shelter, mates

Ecological Divisions Cont’d Organism = any unicellular or multicellular form exhibiting all the characteristics of life An individual Lowest level of organization

Using the same picture as before, identify a community, population, and organism

Niche Vs. Habitat Niche = the role a species plays in a community (job) Determined by limiting factors Any biotic or abiotic factor that restricts the number of organisms in a specific environment Examples: amount of water and/or food, temperature Habitat = the place where an organism lives (address)

Feeding Relationships There are three main types of feeding relationships Producer-Consumer Predator-Prey Parasite-Host

Feeding Relationships Cont’d Producer = all autotrophs (plants):they trap energy from the sun Forms the bottom of all food chains Consumer = all heterotrophs: they ingest food containing the sun’s energy Herbivore – Eat plants, primary consumers, prey animals Carnivore – Eat meat, can be secondary, tertiary, or quaternary consumers Scavenger – feed on carrion (dead animals) Predator – hunt prey animals for food Omnivore – Eat plants and animals Decomposer- breakdown dead and decaying plants and animals

Classify the following organisms as carnivores, omnivores, decomposers or herbivores

Trophic Levels Trophic levels represent a feeding step in the transfer of energy and matter in an ecosystem Each link in a food chain is known as a trophic level Food Chain = simple model that shows how energy and matter are transferred through an ecosystem Arrows point in the direction of energy flow

Trophic Levels Cont’d Food web = shows all possible feeding relationships in a community at each trophic level Represents a network of interacting food chains

Food chain Food web (just 1 path of energy) (all possible energy paths)

Draw another food chain that can be found in this food web

Energy and Biomass Pyramids Energy Pyramids show the amount of energy available at each trophic level The amount of energy available decreases as you move up the levels Biomass Pyramids = show the amount of biomass available at each trophic level The amount of biomass at each trophic level decreases as you move up the levels Biomass = the amount of organic matter (living tissue) comprising a group of organisms in a habitat

Trophic Levels E N R G Y Producers- Autotrophs Tertiary consumers- top carnivores Secondary consumers-small carnivores Primary consumers- Herbivores Producers- Autotrophs