1 What is Ecology? copyright cmassengale

2

3

4

5

6

7 Organisms and Their Environment copyright cmassengale

8 What is Ecology?? The study of interactions that take place between organisms and their environment.The study of interactions that take place between organisms and their environment. It explains how living organisms affect each other and the world they live in.It explains how living organisms affect each other and the world they live in. The study of interactions that take place between organisms and their environment.The study of interactions that take place between organisms and their environment. It explains how living organisms affect each other and the world they live in.It explains how living organisms affect each other and the world they live in. copyright cmassengale

9 Habitat & Niche Habitat is the place a plant or animal livesHabitat is the place a plant or animal lives Niche is an organism’s total way of lifeNiche is an organism’s total way of life Habitat is the place a plant or animal livesHabitat is the place a plant or animal lives Niche is an organism’s total way of lifeNiche is an organism’s total way of life copyright cmassengale

10 The Nonliving Environment Abiotic factors- the nonliving parts of an organism’s environment.Abiotic factors- the nonliving parts of an organism’s environment. Examples include air currents, temperature, moisture, light, and soil.Examples include air currents, temperature, moisture, light, and soil. Abiotic factors affect an organism’s life.Abiotic factors affect an organism’s life. Abiotic factors- the nonliving parts of an organism’s environment.Abiotic factors- the nonliving parts of an organism’s environment. Examples include air currents, temperature, moisture, light, and soil.Examples include air currents, temperature, moisture, light, and soil. Abiotic factors affect an organism’s life.Abiotic factors affect an organism’s life. copyright cmassengale

11 The Living Environment Biotic factors- all the living organisms that inhabit an environment.Biotic factors- all the living organisms that inhabit an environment. All organisms depend on others directly or indirectly for food, shelter, reproduction, or protection.All organisms depend on others directly or indirectly for food, shelter, reproduction, or protection. Biotic factors- all the living organisms that inhabit an environment.Biotic factors- all the living organisms that inhabit an environment. All organisms depend on others directly or indirectly for food, shelter, reproduction, or protection.All organisms depend on others directly or indirectly for food, shelter, reproduction, or protection. copyright cmassengale

12 Abiotic or Biotic? Biotic copyright cmassengale

13 Abiotic or Biotic? Abiotic copyright cmassengale

14 Abiotic or Biotic? Abiotic copyright cmassengale

15 Abiotic or Biotic? Biotic copyright cmassengale

16 Levels of Organization copyright cmassengale

17 What are the Simplest Levels? AtomAtom MoleculeMolecule OrganelleOrganelle CellCell TissueTissue OrganOrgan SystemSystem AtomAtom MoleculeMolecule OrganelleOrganelle CellCell TissueTissue OrganOrgan SystemSystem copyright cmassengale

18 Levels of Organization Ecologists have organized the interactions an organism takes part in into different levels according to complexity.Ecologists have organized the interactions an organism takes part in into different levels according to complexity. copyright cmassengale

19 1 st Level of Organization Organism: An individual living thing that is made of cells, uses energy, reproduces, responds, grows, and developsOrganism: An individual living thing that is made of cells, uses energy, reproduces, responds, grows, and develops copyright cmassengale

20 2 nd Level of Organization Population: A group of organisms, all of the same species, which interbreed and live in the same place at the same time.Population: A group of organisms, all of the same species, which interbreed and live in the same place at the same time. copyright cmassengale

21 3 rd Level of Organization Biological Community: All the populations of different species that live in the same place at the same time.Biological Community: All the populations of different species that live in the same place at the same time. copyright cmassengale

22 4 th Level of Organization Ecosystem: Populations of plants and animals that interact with each other in a given area with the abiotic components of that area. (terrestrial or aquatic)Ecosystem: Populations of plants and animals that interact with each other in a given area with the abiotic components of that area. (terrestrial or aquatic) copyright cmassengale

23 5 th Level of Organization Biosphere: The portion of Earth that supports life.Biosphere: The portion of Earth that supports life. copyright cmassengale

24 The Biosphere Life is found in air, on land, and in fresh and salt water.Life is found in air, on land, and in fresh and salt water. The BIOSPHERE is the portion of Earth that supports living things.The BIOSPHERE is the portion of Earth that supports living things. Life is found in air, on land, and in fresh and salt water.Life is found in air, on land, and in fresh and salt water. The BIOSPHERE is the portion of Earth that supports living things.The BIOSPHERE is the portion of Earth that supports living things. copyright cmassengale

25 What level of organization? Organism copyright cmassengale

26 What level of Organization? Community copyright cmassengale

27 What level of Organization? Population copyright cmassengale

ECOLOGY The study of living organisms in the natural environment How they interact with one another How the interact with their nonliving environment © 2008 Paul Billiet ODWSODWS

Ecosystem Community + Abiotic environment, interacting © 2008 Paul Billiet ODWSODWS

Community All the populations of the different species living and inter-acting in the same ecosystem 7-spotted lady bird (Adephagia septempunctata) Bean aphids (Aphis fabae) Red ant (Myrmica rubra) and Broom plant (Cytisus scoparius) © 2008 Paul Billiet ODWSODWS

Species A group of organisms that can breed to produce fully fertile offspring Great White Pelican Pelecanus onocrotalus © 2008 Paul Billiet ODWSODWS

Population A group of organism of the same species which live in the same habitat at the same time where they can freely interbreed The black-veined white butterfly (Aporia crataegi) mating © 2008 Paul Billiet ODWSODWS

Biodiversity The total number of different species in an ecosystem and their relative abundance Worcester City Museums © 2008 Paul Billiet ODWSODWS

Habitat The characteristics of the type of environment where an organism normally lives. (e.g. a stoney stream, a deciduous temperate woodland, Bavarian beer mats) © 2008 Paul Billiet ODWSODWS

Energy and organisms Autotrophs Organisms which can synthesise their own complex, energy rich, organic molecules from simple inorganic molecules (e.g. green plants synthesis sugars from CO 2 and H 2 O) © 2008 Paul Billiet ODWSODWS

Heterotrophs Organisms who must obtain complex, energy rich, organic compounds form the bodies of other organisms (dead or alive) © 2008 Paul Billiet ODWSODWS

Detritivores Heterotrophic organisms who ingest dead organic matter. (e.g. earthworms, woodlice, millipedes) © 2008 Paul Billiet ODWSODWS Earth worm (Lumbricus terrestris)

Saprotrophs Heterotrophic organisms who secrete digestive enzymes onto dead organism matter and absorb the digested material. (e.g. fungi, bacteria) Chanterelle (Cantherellus cibarius) © 2008 Paul Billiet ODWSODWS

Feeding relationships  Predators & prey  Herbivory  Parasite & host  Mutualism  Competition Large blue butterfly (Maculinea arion) © 2008 Paul Billiet ODWSODWS

The place of an organism in its environment Niche An organism’s habitat + role + tolerance limits to all limiting factors © 2008 Paul Billiet ODWSODWS

THE COMPETITIVE EXCLUSION PRINCIPLE G.F. Gause (1934) If two species, with the same niche, coexist in the same ecosystem, then one will be excluded from the community due to intense competition © 2008 Paul Billiet ODWSODWS

Niche The niche of a species consists of:  Its role in the ecosystem (herbivore, carnivore, producer etc)  Its tolerance limits (e.g. soil pH, humidity)  Its requirements for shelter, nesting sites etc etc, all varying through time © 2008 Paul Billiet ODWSODWS