1. Introduction to the Ecology Unit

2. What is ecology?
Ecology (Def.): The study of interactions that take place between organisms and their environment

3. Review: What does bio- mean?
Biotic (Def.) Factors: Are all the living parts of the environment.
Example: Animals, plants, bacteria
The prefix ‘a-’ means opposite of
Abiotic (Def.) Factors: Are all the non-living parts of the environment.
Example: Dirt, Rock, Water, Air

4. What are the characteristics of an organism (living things)?

5. #1: All living things have an organized structure: composed of one or more cells.

6. #2: All living things need energy

7. #3: All living things reproduce.

8. #4: All living things grow and develop.

9. #5: Living things adapt and evolve.
Ex. Trees adjust to cold, dry winter weather by losing their leaves.

10. Habitat (def.): a place where an organism lives out its life
Ex: lawn, bottom of a stream, forest, pond
Niche (def.): strategies and adaptations a species uses in its environments – how it meets its specific needs for food and shelter, how and where it survives, and where it reproduces

11. Organism (def.) – An individual living (ONE) thing

13. Biosphere: ALL ecosystems put together
Population- a group of individuals of a single species that occupy the same general area.
Community-interacting populations (different species)that live in the same area.
Ecosystem- made of 1 or more communities; an environment of biotic and abiotic factors.
Biosphere: ALL ecosystems put together

14. Population

15. We are a population too  schurz population

16. community

17. ecosystem

18. BIOSPHERE

19. Poster
Organism
Population
Community
Ecosystem