1 What is Ecology?

2 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.

3 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

4 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.

5 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.

abiotic biotic Which are abiotic factors? Which are biotic factors?

7 Levels of Organization

8 What are the Simplest Levels? AtomAtom MoleculeMolecule OrganelleOrganelle CellCell TissueTissue OrganOrgan SystemSystem

9 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.

10 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

11 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.

12 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.

13 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)

14 5 th Level of Organization Biosphere: The portion of Earth that supports life.Biosphere: The portion of Earth that supports life.

15 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.

16 What level of organization? Organism

Which level is this? Population

Which level is this? Community

Which level is this? Individual organism

20 What level of Organization? Population

Which level is this? Ecosystem

22 What level of Organization? Community

Symbiosis A close relationship between two organisms There are 3 types of symbiosis…

Symbiosis Def. – the way two different species live together Mutualism – both organisms benefit from their relationship (cleaning shrimp; termites) Commensalism – one organism benefits and the other neither benefits nor is harmed (little fishies that follow the sharks, they are too small for the shark to eat, but they feed on the pieces of food that the shark drops) Parasitism – one organism benefits, while the other is harmed (tapeworms) 24

Mutualism The bird picks bugs off of the larger animal and eats them. The larger animal gets rid of pests. The butterfly gets food from the flower. The flower gets pollinated as the butterfly travels between different plants.

Commensalism The smaller remora shark hitches a ride attached to a larger animal (usually a whale or another shark). It eats scraps of food leftover from the larger animal’s meals. The larger animal is unharmed.

Parasitism The fly lays its eggs within the larvae of another animal. When the fly eggs hatch, they eat the surrounding tissues of the victim.

Interactions Even though some organisms can live with each other “peacefully”, we must take into consideration survival. Predator-Prey Relationship – one organism hunts another organism for food Competition – two different organisms have to compete against each other for the same resource 28

29 Energy Flow in an Ecosystem

30 Energy Flow Energy in an ecosystem originally comes from the sunEnergy in an ecosystem originally comes from the sun Energy flows through Ecosystems from producers to consumersEnergy flows through Ecosystems from producers to consumers –Producers (make food) –Consumers (use food by eating producers or other consumers)

31 Producers Sunlight is the main source of energy for most life on earth.Sunlight is the main source of energy for most life on earth. Producers contain chlorophyll & can use energy directly from the sunProducers contain chlorophyll & can use energy directly from the sun

32 Autotrophs An Autotroph is any organism that can produce its own food supply!An Autotroph is any organism that can produce its own food supply! Autotrophs are also called ProducersAutotrophs are also called Producers Plants, algae, some protists, & some bacteria are examplesPlants, algae, some protists, & some bacteria are examples

33 Niche of a Producer Captures energy and transforms it into organic, stored energy for the use of living organisms.Captures energy and transforms it into organic, stored energy for the use of living organisms. May be photoautotrophs using light energy (e.g. plants)May be photoautotrophs using light energy (e.g. plants) May be chemoautotrophs using chemical energy (e.g. cyanobacteria)May be chemoautotrophs using chemical energy (e.g. cyanobacteria)

34 Photoautotroph Producer That Captures Energy from the sun by: –Photosynthesis Adds Oxygen to the atmosphereAdds Oxygen to the atmosphere Removes Carbon Dioxide from the AtmosphereRemoves Carbon Dioxide from the Atmosphere Algae

35 On LandOn Land –Plants In The SeaIn The Sea –Algae Tidal Flats & Salt MarshesTidal Flats & Salt Marshes –Cyanobacteria Habitat of Photoautotrophs

36 Chemoautotrophs Capture energy from the bonds of inorganic molecules such as Hydrogen SulfideCapture energy from the bonds of inorganic molecules such as Hydrogen Sulfide Process is called ChemosynthesisProcess is called Chemosynthesis Often occurs in deep sea vents or gut of animalsOften occurs in deep sea vents or gut of animals Called a Black smoker (thermal vent)

37 Tube Worms living in Black Smoker

38 Consumers Heterotrophs eat other organisms to obtain energy. (e.g. animals) HerbivoresHerbivores –Eat Only Plants CarnivoresCarnivores –Eat Only Other Animals

39 Consumers Heterotrophs eat other organisms to obtain energy. Omnivores (Humans)Omnivores (Humans) –Eat Plants & Animals Detritivores (Scavengers)Detritivores (Scavengers) –Feed On Dead Plant & Animal Remains (buzzards) DecomposersDecomposers –Fungi & Bacteria

40 Feeding Relationships Energy flows through an ecosystem in one direction from producers to various levels of consumers

41 Feeding Relationships Food ChainFood Chain –Simple Energy path through an ecosystem Food WebFood Web –More realistic path through an ecosystem made of many food chains

42 Food Chain Producer ( trapped sunlight & stored food) 1 st order Consumer 2 nd Order Consumer 3 rd Order consumer 4 th Order Consumer

Food Chains Show who ate who Arrow points to where energy goes

44 Name the Producer, Consumers & Decomposers in this food chain:

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46 Food Web

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48 Trophic Levels Each Level In A Food Chain or Food Web is a Trophic Level. ProducersProducers –Always The First Trophic Level –How Energy Enters The System HerbivoresHerbivores –Second Trophic Level

49 Trophic Levels Carnivores/OmnivoresCarnivores/Omnivores –Make Up The Remaining Trophic Levels Each level depends on the one below it for energy.

50 Ecological Pyramids Graphic Representations Of The Relative Amounts of Energy or Matter At Each Trophic Level May be: Energy Pyramid Biomass Pyramid Pyramid of Numbers

51 Energy Pyramid

52 Biomass Pyramid

53 Pyramid of Numbers

Energy Pyramid 54

Cycling of Nutrients: Water Cycle

Cycling of Nutrients: Nitrogen Cycle

Cycling of Nutrients: Phosphorus Cycle

Cycling of Nutrients Carbon Cycle 58

Population Growth How fast do populations grow? –Starts slow…increases fast –Exponential growth = “J curve” –Sigmoid growth = “S curve”

Population Growth Will populations keep increasing? –No! something always runs out –Called “limiting factors” Can you think of any examples?

Population Growth Two types of limiting factors: –Density dependent More affected when population is larger Examples: food, water, shelter –Density independent Does NOT matter how many are in the population Examples: flood, tornado, etc

Population Growth So, how many can live in a habitat? –Carrying capacity # of organisms environment can support –If population goes above the CC, death rate will increase

Communities Communities differ because… –they have different combinations of biotic & abiotic factors vary –Climates differ…so organisms differ –Organisms are limited by resources available (limiting factors) –most organisms can live only within certain range of conditions (tolerances)

Communities Communities change over time because… –Organisms can change environment so it’s unsuitable for its continued survival –The final, stable community is the “climax community”

Communities Succession – change in communities over time

Communities & Biomes Primary succession Happens where life has never been before Can you think of some examples? Secondary succession Happens where life has been before Can you think of some examples?

Biodiversity What is BIODIVERSITY? –Bio = ? –Diversity = ? Important because –Living things are interdependent –Brings stability to ecosystems –Humans depend on it

Human Impact Habitat destruction –Clear-cutting, development, acid rain, habitat fragmentation Ozone depletion –CFC’s in atmosphere; more UV hitting Earth Pollution –Burning fossil fuels; greenhouse effect Threats to biodiversity –Pollution, habitat loss destroy organisms, exotic species (i.e. zebra mussels and lampreys)

Habitat Fragmentation 69

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