Ecosystems and Communities

Climate vs. Weather Weather – day to day conditions in a particular place at a particular time. Climate – avg. of temperature and precipitation in a region from year to year.

Greenhouse Effect Where heat is retained in the earths atmosphere by greenhouse gases (CO 2 )

Global Warming Term used to describe an increase in the average temperature of the biosphere Cause is believed to be human activities

What shapes an Ecosystem? Biotic factors – living parts of an ecosystem Abiotic factors – nonliving parts of an ecosystem

What shapes an Ecosystem con’t Habitat – where an organism lives. Niche – an organisms purpose (includes food, space, reproduction, & how it interacts with other organisms)

Community Interactions Competition – occurs when members of the same or different species attempt to use resources in the same place at the same time.

Community Interactions Predation Predator organism that kills (hunts) Prey organism that is the food –Ex. Cat and mouse

Community Interactions Symbiosis – 2 species living closely together –Mutualism both species benefit Ex. Flower & insect

Community Interactions –Commensalism when one member benefits while the other is neither helped nor harmed. Ex barnacles on whales skin –Parasitism when one organism lives on or inside another organism and harms it. Ex. Flea, tick