Ecology The relationship among organisms and their environment

Biosphere The portion of the earth that supports life. The earth and it’s atmosphere.

Biotic Factors The living factors in an organism’s environment. Ex: all of the frogs, fish, algae, etc. that reside in a pond.

Abiotic Factors The nonliving factors in an organism’s environment. Ex: temp., pH, air or water currents, sunlight, soil type, nutrients available in the soil, amount of precipitation

Levels of Organization in Ecology Biosphere  Biome  Ecosystem  Community  Population  Organism

Population Organisms of a single species that share the same location at the same time. Ex: deer population in a forest, all of the fish in a pond

Community Group of interacting populations that occupy the same area at the same time. Ex: all of the fish, algae, turtles, bacteria, frogs, etc. in a pond.

Ecosystem A biological community and all of the abiotic factors that affect it. Ex: all of the organisms in a pond and the soil, water, precipitation, etc.

Biome Large group of ecosystems that share the same climate and have similar types of communities. Ex: Desert, tropical rainforest

Ecosystem Interactions Habitat = an area where an organism lives Ex: animal residing in hollow log Niche = role a species plays in it’s environment

Community Interactions

Competition Occurs when more than one organism uses a resource at the same time. Ex: competition for food & water

Predation The act of one organism consuming another organism for food. Predator = organism that pursues other organism Prey = organism that is pursued Ex: cat and mouse, Venus fly trap & insects

Symbiotic Relationships The close relationship that exists when two or more species live together. Three types: mutualism, commensalism, and parasitism.

Mutualism The relationship where both species benefit. Ex: Lichens (algae & fungus). Algae provides food for fungus, fungus provides habitat for algae. Ex: Pollination. Pollinators = animals that carry pollen = bees, butterflies, bats, birds.

Commensalism Relationship in which one organism benefits and the other is not affected. Ex: clownfish & sea anemone, Spanish moss/oak tree. Spanish moss (flowering plant) grows in oak tree’s branches (habitat).

Parasitism One organism benefits/one harmed External Parasites (Ectoparasites): fleas, ticks, etc. Internal Parasites (Endoparasites): Tapeworms, Roundworms