1. Ecology

2. Ecology
Ecology is the study of ecosystems

3. Ecology
Ecologists have organized the living world into levels, for example:
*organism
*population
*community
*ecosystem

4. An Organism An individual living thing that is 1. made of cells
2. uses energy
3. reproduces
4. responds to the environment
5. grows and develops

5. A Population
A population is a group of organisms, all of the same species, which interbreed and live in the same area at the same time.

6. A Community
A community is made up of interacting populations in a certain area at a certain time.

7. An Ecosystem
An Ecosystem is a population of microorganisms, plants and animals that interact with each other in a given area and with the abiotic components of that area.

8. Abiotic and Biotic Factors
Abiotic Factors – Anything that is nonliving
Ex. Water, soil, weather conditions, nutrients and temperature
Biotic Factors – living organisms
Ex. All bacteria, protists, fungi, plants and animals

9. An oak tree ecosystem composed of various communities of organisms

10. What is Climate?
Weather is the day to day condition of Earth’s atmosphere at a particular time and place

11. What is Climate?
Climate is the interplay of many factors including latitude, the transport of heat by winds and ocean currents, and the amount of precipitation that results.
The shape and elevation of landmasses also contribute to global climate patterns.

12. The Greenhouse Effect
Temperatures on Earth remain within a range suitable for life because the atmosphere stabilizes it
Carbon dioxide, water vapor, and a few other atmospheric gases trap heat energy and maintain Earth’s Temperature Range

13. The Greenhouse Effect
These days we have more carbon dioxide from cars: more greenhouse gasses means more heat is trapped
Just like a magnifying glass

14. The Effect of Latitude
Because earth is tilted on a 23.5 degree axis, it receives varying amounts of solar radiation.
This can be demonstrated with a flashlight on a globe.

15. Heat Transport in the Biosphere
Winds form because warm air tends to rise and cool air tends to sink
A similar process happens with water

16. Wind Patterns

17. Ocean Currents

18. Review So Far: What is the difference between weather and Climate?
What is the Greenhouse effect and why is it good?
Name 3 Greenhouse gases

19. Ecological Succession

20. Succession
Primary succession is the sequence of communities forming in an originally lifeless habitat
Primary = first
Succession = series, chain, progression

21. Primary Succession Going from rock to forest
For example: a cooled lava field or bare rock newly exposed by a retreating glacier

23. Formation of Soil
The acidic secretions from lichen and weathering cause the break down of rock and the formation of soil

25. Primary succession
Once soil is formed, small plants and grasses begin to grow from seeds carried to the habitat by wind or animals

26. Primary Succession
The grasses become so dense that the lichens can not get light and they are replaced by additional grasses

27. Primary Succession
After many generations non-woody plants like shrubs, with deeper roots appear, increasing competition for sunlight.
Keep going until we get to mature forests

28. Some communities that continually suffer from disturbances may never develop into a climax community. Example: grassland; frequent fires disrupt succession.

29. Secondary Succession
Secondary Succession –occurs where a disturbance eliminates most organisms but does not destroy the soil.
Examples: fire, storms, human activities

30. Secondary succession
Follows the same pattern as the later steps of primary succession

31. The phases of succession
A pioneer community is the first to colonize a new area. Many times this is lichen, a mutualistic relationship of a fungus and algae.

32. Weeds and grasses Shrubs Smaller trees Large trees Pioneer Community
Climax Community

33. Climax Community – a community that does not undergo further succession
These communities are usually highly diverse and often survive severe disturbances….like forest fires

34. Food Webs Food webs demonstrate the energy flow within an ecosystem.
The main source of energy for all of life is the sun.

35. Trophic Levels
Trophic levels are each step in energy/matter transfer.

36. Niche
a term describing the way of life of a species. Describes how an organism or population responds to the distribution of resources and how it in turn alters those same factors

37. Niches

38. Producers Includes your autotrophic plants
Use energy from the sun and make their own food.
Get eaten
by consumers

39. Consumers
All consumers are heterotrophic – they eat to live, and include:
Herbivores – eat plant material; examples are grasshoppers, mice, rabbits.

40. Consumers
Carnivores – eat other animals, examples are foxes, frogs, snakes
Omnivores – eat both plants and other animals, examples are bears, turtles, etc.

41. Decomposers
Decomposers - break down the complex organic compounds into simple nutrients.
Take care of breaking down (cleaning) dead materials.

43. The more connections and complications a web has, the more stable it is

44. Relationships Predator and Prey – population sizes are closely linked
Increases in the prey population causes an increase in the predator population and vice versa

45. Symbiosis – any relationship where two species live closely together, can be a harmful, beneficial or neutral relationship
1.commensalism – relationship that benefits one species and neither helps or harms the other.
example:
barnacles on a whale

46. 2. Mutualism – relationship where both species benefit
Examples:
pollinators and flowers
Ants on an acacia tree

47. 3. Parasitism – a harmful relationship, where one organism feeds on the body fluids or tissue of another
Host = organism that the parasite feeds on
The parasite is harmful to the host and can even be fatal

48. Competition
Competition occurs when organisms try for the same food or living space.

49. Population Growth
A species’ growth is limited by abiotic and biotic factors.
Called LIMITING FACTORS
examples: food, water, shelter, predation

50. Population Growth
Without these limiting factors, a population would overpopulate itself, thereby increasing competition for resources.

51. Every population has the potential to increase exponentially.
Exponential Growth - Growth in which the rate of growth in each generation is a multiple of the previous generation

52. Population Growth
This type of growth occurs in every population until it reaches it’s carrying capacity.

53. Carrying Capacity
Carrying Capacity- the limiting number of organisms that a given ecosystem can support.
As a population grows, competition for resources increases.

54. Carrying capacity
This competition causes a rise in the death rate and a drop in the birth rate The carrying capacity is met when the # of births = # of deaths.

55. As a population approaches it’s carrying capacity growth slows
Growth STOPS when the carrying capacity is reached

56. Age Structure Histograms
These show the population of a given area at each age level.
This type of chart can be useful in planning ahead in making accommodations for an increase in elderly or child care.