a branch of biology It deals with the relations of organisms to one another and to their physical surroundings.

Biomes

Usually a biome is named after its predominant vegetation A biome is way to describe a large group of similar ecosystems. Biomes have similar weather, rainfall, animals, and plants

Tundra The average temperature in the tundra is around -18 degrees F. The tundra gets around 10 inches of precipitation per year. The tundra has few nutrients to support plant and animal life. Permafrost - Below the top soil, the ground is permanently frozen year round.

Taiga Cold weather – average temperature of 32 degrees F. Dry - Average precipitation is between 12 and 30 inches per year. This forest is covered with evergreen trees Thin layer of soil a long winter and a short summer This forest is covered with evergreen, or coniferous, trees. These are trees that don't drop their leaves, or needles, in the winter. They keep their leaves so they can soak up as much sunlight for as long as possible. The dark green color of their leaves also helps them to soak up more sun and gain more energy through photosynthesis.

Grasslands The temperate grasslands have seasons including a hot summer and a cold winter. Can be -40 – 70 degrees F. The amount of rain is not enough to grow tall trees and produce a forest, but it is enough to not form a desert. 10-35 inches Grasslands are wide expanses of land filled with low growing plants such as grasses and wildflowers.

Desert Drastic temperature changes from 20 degrees-130 degrees 10 inches or less rain in a year. Little to no plant life, mostly cacti Deserts are characterized in an overall lack of water.

Rainforest The temperature is generally between 70- 90 degrees F. 75-100 inches of rain Lots of different types of plant life The rainforest can be divided up into three layers: the canopy, the understory, and the forest floor.

Deciduous Forest The temperature is generally between -20- 90 degrees F. 30-60 inches of rain Fertile soil so lots can grow there. Mostly oak and maple trees Four seasons - There are four distinct seasons: winter, spring, summer, and fall. Each season is about the same length of time.

Individual One single organism

Population All of the same type of organism

Community Multiple populations interacting

Ecosystem A community interacting with all of the biotic and abiotic factors

An ecosystem is an interacting community of organisms, plants and animals, and their physical environments, from soil minerals to geography to weather patterns a specific area where the organisms work together as a unit. It could be any size from a tiny pool of water to hundreds of square miles of desert

Ecosystems contain biotic or living, parts as well as abiotic factors, or nonliving parts which interact Every factor in an ecosystem depends on every other factor, either directly or indirectly

Biotic These are living things in the ecosystem Biotic factors include plants, animals, and other organisms.

Abiotic These are non-living things Abiotic factors include rocks, temperature, and humidity. Sunlight, Precipitation, Water or moisture, Soil or water chemistry (e.g., P, NH4+)

Niche An organisms job in the ecosystem and how it interacts with other biotic and abiotic factors

Predator and Prey predation is a biological interaction where a predator (an organism that is hunting) feeds on its prey (the organism that is attacked). Predators may or may not kill their prey prior to feeding on them, but the act of predation often results in the death of its prey

Commensalism one individual benefits while the other is neither helped nor harmed orchids (examples of epiphytes) found in tropical rainforests grow on the branches of trees in order to access light, but the presence of the orchids does not affect the trees

Mutualism both or all individuals benefit from the relationship leafcutter ants and certain fungi have an obligate mutualistic relationship. The ant larvae eat only one kind of fungi, and the fungi cannot survive without the constant care of the ants. As a result, the colonies activities revolve around cultivating the fungi.

Parasitism one individual, the parasite, benefits from another individual, the host, while harming the host in the process. Parasites feed on host tissue or fluids and can be found within (endoparasites) or outside (ectoparasites) of the host body Ticks, fleas, bed bugs

Parasitism, Predation, and Herbivory Interaction Species 1 Species 2 Mutualism + Competition - Parasitism, Predation, and Herbivory Commensalism neutral