1. Heat Transfer in the Biosphere – Winds and Currents Similar patterns of heating and cooling occur in Earth’s _______. Cold water near the poles ______ and then flows parallel to the ocean floor. oceans sinks It eventually _____ again when it reaches warmer regions in a process called __________. At the same time, winds are pushing the _____________ to new areas. The temperature of the surface currents affects the weather and climate of nearby ___________. rises upwelling surface water landmasses

2. Levels of Ecological Organization Scientists recognize a hierarchy of organization in the environment. Each level has unique properties that result from the interactions among its components. From broadest to most specific, these levels are: 1. The biosphere 2. Ecosystems 3. Communities 4. Populations 5. Organisms

3. The Biosphere The biosphere is the broadest level of ecological organization and includes all other levels. The biosphere contains the combined portions of: the planet in which all life exists, including land, water, and air. All organisms are found within the biosphere. The biosphere extends _________________ the Earth’s surface to the _________________________. Life is not distributed evenly throughout the biosphere. Most organisms are found within: a few meters of the surface of the land or ocean. 5 to 6 miles above deepest parts of the ocean

4. Ecosystems The biosphere is composed of smaller units called ___________. An ecosystem is a collection of: all the organisms that live in a particular place, together with their nonliving, or physical, environment. ecosystems

5. As an example, consider a pond ecosystem. What living organisms might live in this ecosystem? Fish, insects, turtles, plants, algae, bacteria, protists, amphibians. List some of the nonliving components of this ecosystem. a)The level of oxygen and carbon dioxide dissolved in the water. b)The supply of nitrogen and phosphorous. c)The pH of the water. d)The amount of sunlight received by the pond. The interaction between the physical environment and the living organisms will affect their survival.

6. Communities A community is: all of the living organisms found in a particular area. In the pond ecosystem used as an example above, the fish, insects, turtles, plants, algae, bacteria, protists, and amphibians make up a community. A community may contain thousands of species. A scientist who studies communities studies the interactions between these living organisms.

7. Populations A population includes: all the members of a single species that live in an area. Communities are composed of many different populations.

8. Organisms This is the ________ level of organization in ecology. An organismal scientist would concentrate on the adaptations that allow organisms to overcome the challenges of their environment. simplest

9. The Theme of Ecology The theme of ecology is “_________________”. interconnectedness No organism is ________.isolated All organisms interact with other ___________ in their surroundings and with the _______________ of their environment. The survival of the organism depends on these interactions. organisms nonliving portion

10. There is “interconnectedness” in each ecosystem. There is a network in which organisms are linked to other organisms and to the nonliving parts of their surroundings.

11. There is ________________. The members of an ecosystem are dependent on one another for their _______. The plants depend on animals to give off ______________ so they can use it in ______________. interdependence survival carbon dioxide photosynthesis The animals depend on the plants as a source of _____ as well as a source of _______ for _________________. food oxygen cellular respiration The theme is interconnectedness and interdependence.

12. This balance is affected when “_____________” occur. A disturbance is an event that: changes a community by removing organisms from it or altering the availability of resources. Disturbances might include: Fires, floods, droughts, storms, or human activities. disturbances Disturbances

13. Ecosystems are affected by a variety of factors. These factors are divided into two classes: 1. Biotic factors 2. Abiotic factors

14. Biotic factors Biotic factors are the _______ components of the environment and include all of the: living things that affect the organism. living These include every living thing an organism might interact with. Biotic factors affecting a bird might include: Parasites Pathogens Tiny seeds the bird eats The competition with other birds for nesting sites A hawk that might prey on a smaller bird.

15. Abiotic factors These are the nonliving factors that influence or affect the ecosystem. Abiotic factors would include: temperature humidity pH salinity oxygen concentration amount of sunlight soil type rainfall climate wind and precipitation. Which two abiotic factors are the major determiners of the distribution of organisms? Answer: Temperature and the availability of water.

16. Abiotic factors and biotic factors are __________ upon one another. The growth of a plant is dependent on getting nitrogen from the soil. The amount of nitrogen in the soil is affected by the plants that are absorbing the nitrogen. Biotic and abiotic factors determine the survival and growth of the organisms and the productivity of the ecosystem. dependent

17. Habitat -vs- Niche An organism’s habitat is its address. An organism’s niche is its occupation. This woodpecker pecks the tree trunk to get insects for food. This is its niche.

18. Habitat: A habitat is where an organism lives. A habitat involves both _______________ factors.biotic and abiotic

19. Niche: The niche is…. …. a way of life or the role the species plays in its environment. The niche is the full range of physical and biological conditions in which an organism lives and the way in which the organism uses those conditions.

20. The range of conditions the organism can tolerate. The number of offspring it has. The organism’s place in the food chain. The type of food the organism eats. How the organism obtains its food. The physical conditions the organism needs in order to survive. When and how the organism reproduces.

21. No two species can share the ___________________________, but they can occupy niches that are very _______. Three species of North American warbler live in the same spruce trees, but feed at _________________, and in _____________ of those trees. Each warbler has a different ______ within the forest. same niche in the same habitat similar different elevations different parts niche

22. As far as niches go, some organisms are called “__________”, while others are __________.” generalistsspecialists The “generalists” are species with _____ niches. They can tolerate: a range of conditions and use a variety of resources. The opossum is a great example of a generalist. The opossum can live most anywhere in the United States, and it will eat whatever is available. broad The “specialists” have _______ niches. The koala bear eats only one type of food – the eucalyptus leaves, and can survive on nothing else. narrow