1. Ch 4 : Introduction to Ecology
Ecology is the study of INTERACTIONS between organisms and the living (biotic) and nonliving (abiotic) components of their environments.
Observations, data collection, explanation of trends and patterns.
Many/all areas of science
Taxonomy, biochemistry, cell type, etc.

2. Hunter – Gatherer societies 10,000 – 12,000 y.a.
Agricultural societies impact on Earth
Today’s exploding population
> 6 billion

3. Ecology Related Issues
Think “ecosystem services” …. What service does each area do ? What job does it have ? Is it able to efficiently do that job? What is the overall impact?
1. Use of water, energy, food, space and other resources.
2. Disposal of waste is also a big issue
3. Mass extinctions – species are currently disappearing faster than dinosaurs
4. Thinning Ozone layer – related to CFC’s and pollution. Increases UV radiation
5. Green house gasses are increasing – creating global warming.

4. Ecosystem Services
Resources that are produced by natural and artificial ecosystems…. Food we eat, oxygen we breathe, water we drink…….
Purification of water and air
Preservation of soil and renewal of soil fertility
Prevention of drought and flood
Regulation of climate
Maintenance of biodiversity (food, cover, pollination)
Movement and cycling of nutrients (H2O, C, N, etc)
Detoxification and decomposition of wastes
Aesthetic beauty !

8. Biosphere : layer of Earth that supports life roughly 13 miles thick ( 7 miles into atmosphere and 7 miles down into the oceans !!!)
Ecosystems: All of the living organisms and the nonliving environment in a particular place
Biotic (all the living and once-living things)
Abiotic (physical features)
Biomes : large regions of the globe defined by similar climate and vegetation

9. Communities: All the living organisms that interact in a given area
Population: All the members of a given species in a defined area
Species: Organisms that are genetically similar enough to breed in nature and produce viable offspring.
Measure of biodiversity = variety of living organisms in a given area
D, K, P, C, O, F, G, Species (Scientific name)

10. Biotic factors: Abiotic factors : living and once-living
components in the
environment
plants, animals, bacteria
fungi and protista
Abiotic factors :
nonliving components
in the environment; things
Like wind, temperature
precipitation, sunlight

11. Succession
Change in an area’s physical features over time – new species are now better suited or less suited. Species themselves also change physical features. (needles from pine trees make the soil under the tree more acidic – different plants like acidic soil)
Primary succession – start from scratch
Secondary succession – change leads to more change leads to more change
Equilibrium
Pioneer species  changes  climax community

13. Energy Flow Trophic levels….food chains and food webs
10 % rule (Energy pyramid)
What else is the material and energy used for?
GO TO SOCRATIVE APP and answer …
Producers
Plants
Protista like algae
Consumers
Herbivores
Omnivores
Carnivores
Scavengers
Decomposers
Detritivores : eat detritus or ‘waste’ – crayfish chewing on dead fish is different than bacteria or fungi chemically digesting dead fish.

15. Practice Web: Meadow
Construct the following food chains, they will overlap to create a Meadow Food Web
Identify (color code) all the herbivores, carnivores, omnivores and detritivores in the food web when you are finished

16. Socrative quiz continued (701439) …. Give the complete classification
1. Red fox feed on raccoons, crayfishes, grasshoppers, red clover, meadow voles and gray squirrels
2. Red clover is eaten by grasshoppers, muskrats, red foxes and meadow voles
3. Meadow voles, gray squirrels and raccoons all eat parts of white oak trees
4. Crayfishes feed on algae and detritus and they are eaten by muskrats and red foxes
5. Raccoons feed on muskrats, meadow voles, gray squirrels and white oak trees.
Socrative quiz continued (701439) ….
Give the complete classification
(D, K, P, C, O, F, G, sp and scientific name)
of your assigned organism