1. Introducing

2. eco- = environment, habitat
Ecology
Eco
logy
the study of the relationships between biotic and abiotic factors in environments
eco- = environment, habitat
-logy= study of
ecosystem
ecoclimate
ecotourism
climatology
epidemiology
zoology

3. Levels of Organization
biosphere
biome
one individual living thing
group of organs working together
all organisms of the same kind living in one area
all interacting populations in an ecosystem
any place that life can exist on Earth
large region with typical plants and animals that includes several ecosystems
all living and nonliving things interacting within a certain area
group of different kinds of tissues working together
group of similar cells organized to work together
smallest unit of living things
ecosystem
community
population
organism
organ system
organ
tissue
cell

4. Ecosystem Biotic Factors Abiotic Factors
includes all abiotic and biotic factors in one particular environment
Biotic Factors
Abiotic Factors
the living parts of an ecosystem
the nonliving parts of an ecosystem

5. Examples of Ecosystems
Coral Reef in Belize
Mountains in Colorado
Arizona Desert

6. Ecosystems Biotic Abiotic
do not necessarily have clear boundaries due to biotic and abiotic changes
can change daily as things move from one ecosystem to another
Biotic
Abiotic
migration, seed dispersal
flood, erosion, drought

7. include plants, animals, fungi, microorganisms
Bio
Biotic Factors
include plants, animals, fungi, microorganisms
Bio = life
biotechnology
biomechanics
biosphere
biofeedback
biostatistics
biography
biotic
biology

8. Examples of Biotic Factors

9. Biotic Factors interact with each other in complex ways
parasitism mutualism competition
such as
also interact with abiotic factors in the ecosystem
dependent upon water, minerals, temperature, light
**Abiotic factors DETERMINE Biotic factors**

10. Biotic Factors Competition Predators Microbes
Living organisms are affected by the living components of its environment.
Competition
Predators
Food
Shelter
Mates
Light
Microbes
Dinosaur example

11. Abiotic Factors A
include air, water, soil, temperature, wind, source of energy (usually sun)
a, an = not, without
abiotic
amusia
amoral
atoxic

12. Examples of Abiotic Factors

13. Abiotic factors are the non-living Components of the Environment
Abiotic factors include:
Sunlight
Water
Temperature
Wind
Soil
Special events such as:
Fires
Hurricanes
Floods
Volcanic eruptions
Tsunamis

14. Other Abiotic Factors
Here are some abiotic factors that you may not have thought about.
Calcium: The lack of availability of calcium will restrict the distribution of land snails. If there is no calcium a shell can’t be secreted.
Sand: the size of the sand grains in the soil can impact animal that are burrowers.
Temperature: colder towards the poles or higher elevation. Organisms in temperate climates must withstand hot and cold temps.
Nitrogen: Not just nitrogen, but nitrate (NO3). This is the form of nitrogen
used by plants. When nitrate is not readily available in the soil, some
plants supplement it with a meat diet. (insectivorous plants).

15. ATMOSPHERE & CLIMATE - Huge impact on ecosystems
- Determines types & distribution of organisms

16. Difference between weather & climate?
Weather is the day-to-day conditions of an area
Climate is the prevailing weather conditions of an area throughout the year (temperature, precipitation, humidity, etc.)

17. Wind Patterns  Ocean Currents
Wind flow = blue & tan arrows
Ocean currents = pink arrows
Ocean currents
Created by the flow of winds.
Ex: The Gulf Stream is one such current.
Without the heat in this mass of water, the climate of northern Europe would be much cooler.
This would alter the biological communities found there.

18. Rain shadows greatly affect the availability of moisture!
Land masses affect atmospheric movements
Rain shadow effects are seen when moist oceanic air masses encounter mountains.
The moist air is forced up, cools, and releases its moisture in the form of rain.
On the back side of the mountains, the cooled air descends towards the surface, but is quite dry.
This may create arid or semi-arid conditions.