1. What is ecology?
Ecology- the scientific study of interactions between organisms and their environments, focusing on energy transfer
It is a science of relationships.
What do you think about when I say ecology? Recycling? Acid rain?

2. What do you mean by environment?
The environment is made up of two factors: Biotic factors- all living organisms inhabiting the Earth Abiotic factors- nonliving parts of the environment (i.e. temperature, soil, light, moisture, air currents)
When I say environment you think what—weather. Well Ok but it it much more than that

3. Biosphere Ecosystem Community Population Organism
Just like with classification, ecology is hierarchal. Each level builds on itself and they fit together like nesting boxes.
Population
Organism

4. The lowest level of organization
Organism- any unicellular or multicellular form exhibiting all of the characteristics of life, an individual.
The lowest level of organization
The lowest level is the individual. The organism. Here we see a salmon and a bear as examples of organisms. REMINDER: organisms die, species go extint

5. Population-a group of organisms of one species living in the same place at the same time that interbreed and compete with each other for resources (ex. food, mates, shelter)
The next level is a population. A population consists of a single species living together and breeding. Give me an example of a population. Ex. large mouth bass living in Lake Meade. Beetles living under the same log. Here we have salmon spwning and two bears fishing.

6. Community- several interacting populations that inhabit a common environment and are interdependent.
Next level is a community which is several populations living together and depending on each other. What does interdependent mean? An example of a community is shown here with the bear and the salmon. They both live in a common environment and the bear needs the fish for food? How does the salmon need the bear?

7. Ecosystem- populations in a community and the abiotic factors with which they interact (ex. marine, terrestrial)

8. The highest level of organization
Biosphere- life supporting portions of Earth composed of air, land, fresh water, and salt water.
The highest level of organization
Lets review. Organisms make up populations, populations make up communities, communities and abiotic factors make up ecosystems, and all of the ecosystems make up the biosphere. From one to many and each depending on the other.

9. What are the Abiotic factors?
Sunlight – needed for plants for photosynthesis
- warmth
Ex. Little life in the depths of ocean because it is dark and cold
Water – life made up of 70-80% water
Needed for chemical reactions
Ex. Plants wilt and die for lack of water, humans can live for ____ days without water

10. Abiotic Factors Temperature – Ideal temp for life is 00C – 500C
Needed for chemical reactions
Ex. Life cannot survive in the depths of the ocean and in the poles
Soil – inorganic components needed by plants to grow, anchor to soil, hold water, shelter for other animals, bacteria, fungi, animals etc.

11. Abiotic Factors
Wind – Moves clouds, water (current that bring nutrients to the surface of water), blows soil, disperses seeds etc
Severe Disturbances – Fires, tornadoes, hurricanes, doughts, vocanic erruptions disturb the ecosytem drastically. Some organims have adapted to it while others may die out in that area
Climate – the sum total of all the abiotic factors that influence the biotic factors of that area

12. A Biome is an area that has a specific type of abiotic and biotic factor
For each Biome give a major abiotic factor
Desert
Tundra
Rainforest
Deciduous Forest
Taiga or Coniferous Forest
Grassland or Savanna
Abiotic factor
Very Dry and hot
Very Cold and dry
Wet
Wet and fertile
Cold,
Dry and hot