Chapter 2 Interaction of living Things: 6 th Grade

Section 1 All things are connected in the web of life. Scientists who study the web of life specialize in the science of ecology. Ecology is the study of interaction of organisms with one another and with their environment. Two parts to an environment: Biotic: living Abiotic: non living.

Section 1 Arranged into levels Organism: ex. lion Population: group of individuals of the same species that live together. Community: consists of all the population of species that live and interact in an area…animals and plants. Ecosystem: Community of organisms and the abiotic environment of the community. Biosphere: part of the earth where life exists.

Section 1 Habitat: the environment where an organism, population, or species live. Our home is our habitat. Niche: The totality of an organisms adaptations. How its lifestyle is fitted to live in its community.

Section 2 Energy connection: Producers: organisms that use sunlight to make food. They do this by photosynthesis. Most are plants but some are algae and bacteria. What is a producers in the area of Chattanooga? Consumers : Organisms that eat other organisms. They cannot use the suns energy to make their own food.

Section 2 Three types of consumers: Herbivore : eats only plants Carnivore : eats only other animals Omnivore : eats both plants and animals. Decomposers: Get energy by breaking down dead organisms. Bacteria and fungi are decomposers.  Nature’s Recyclers

Section 2 Heterotrophs: an organism that cannot make its own food and must get energy from other organisms. Autotrophs: makes its own food from simple raw inorganic materials.

Section 2 Food chain Food web

Section 2 Energy pyramid: Grass uses most of the energy it gets from sunlight for its own life processes. Primary consumer: uses 10% of energy it gets from producer. Secondary consumer: uses 10% of energy it gets from primary consumer. Tertiary consumer: uses 10% percent of energy gained from secondary consumer. These are called trophic levels. Pyramid shape can tell you the number of a species. So, what must there be more of?

Section 3 Limiting factor: when a resource limits the size of a population. Ex. food, water, shelter, etc. Carrying capacity: the largest population an environment can support at any given time. Four main ways organisms can interact: Competition Predators Prey Symbiotic relationships

Section 3 Competition for food, shelter, water, space, sunlight, etc. Happens within a population. Can also happen between populations. Predator: eat the prey Prey: is eaten or hunted by the predator. Bird and worm: classify each?

Section 3 Predator adaptations: Cheetah, snapping turtle, lion, goldenrod spiders. Prey adaptations: camouflage—mimic stones, twigs, blend into environment Poisonous—skunk (defense chemical), ants, wasp, poison dart frogs, some butterflies Power in numbers—more ears and eyes, Ex: whitetail deer. Difference btw. Poisonous and venomous? Can you name some adaptations?

Section 3 Symbiosis is a close, long term association between two or more species. Three types: Mutualism: both benefit—bacteria in your stomach, termites and flagellites. Pitcher plant and spider. Commensalism: one benefits and one is unharmed— barnacles on a whale, the fish that follow sharks. Parasitism: is benefits and one is harmed—virus and humans. Change over time Pollinator: carries pollen from one flower to another. Flowers and animals have changed over time to coexist.