1. The flow of matter and energy through an ecosystem.
Ecology Introduction
The flow of matter and energy through an ecosystem.

2. • Arranging components of a food web according to energy flow.
b. Develop and use models to analyze the cycling of matter and flow of energy within ecosystems through the processes of photosynthesis and respiration.
• Arranging components of a food web according to energy flow.
• Comparing the quantity of energy in the steps of an energy pyramid.
• Explaining the need for cycling of major biochemical elements (C, O, N, P, and H).
02/26/07

3. d. Design a solution to reduce the impact of a human activity on the environment. (Clarification statement: Human activities may include chemical use, natural resources consumption, introduction of non-native species, greenhouse gas production.)
02/26/07

4. What are we learning? Standard Element: SB5.b
b. Develop and use models to analyze the cycling of matter and flow of energy within ecosystems through the processes of photosynthesis and respiration.
• Arranging components of a food web according to energy flow.
• Comparing the quantity of energy in the steps of an energy pyramid.
• Explaining the need for cycling of major biochemical elements (C, O, N, P, and H).

5. d. Design a solution to reduce the impact of a human activity on the environment. (Clarification statement: Human activities may include chemical use, natural resources consumption, introduction of non-native species, greenhouse gas production.)
02/26/07

6. What's alive? Characteristics of Living things Biotic – living things
Require food for energy to carry out life processes
Use energy to maintain homeostasis
Respond to stimuli in their environment
Reproduce similar offspring, passing genetic information to them
Made of cells
Biotic – living things
Nonliving things are called Abiotic

7. What is Ecology? Factors involved in ecology
The scientific study of interactions among organisms and between organisms in their environment, or surroundings
Factors involved in ecology
Abiotic (non-living) ex. Sunlight, water, gravity, temperature, soil
Biotic (living)-plants, animals, bacteria, fungi

8. Levels of Organization
Organism- A living thing- (singular)
Population
All the members of one species in an area-
Same species same place
Community
All the members of the different interacting species in an area
More than one population interacting
Ecosystem
All the members of a community plus the abiotic (physical) factors influencing them
Community interacting with abiotic factors
Biome
Group of ecosystems that have the same climate and similar dominant communities
Biosphere
Entire region of the earth where living things may be found

9. Levels of Organization
Organism- A living thing- (singular)
Population
All the members of one species in an area-
Same species same place
Community
All the members of the different interacting species in an area
More than one population interacting
Ecosystem
All the members of a community plus the abiotic (physical) factors influencing them
Community interacting with abiotic factors
Biome
Group of ecosystems that have the same climate and similar dominant communities
Biosphere
Entire region of the earth where living things may be found

10. Niche vs. Habitat NICHE HABITAT
An organism’s role or job in a community
What does it eat?
How does it effect its environment?
How does its environment effect it?
HABITAT
The place where an organism lives
Tree
Rock
Water
Cave

11. Types of Organisms AUTOTROPH (“self-feeder”)
Also be called Producers
They are making or becoming the food for the other organisms
Organism who use energy from the sun to make their own food
HETEROTROPH (“other-feeder”)
Get energy from the autotrophs
Also be called Consumers
They are consuming other organisms as food
Must go and get their food
Scavengers (Feed on dead animals)
Carnivores (Feed on animals)
Herbivores (Feed on plants)
Omnivore (Feed on both plants and animals)
Decomposers (Feed by breaking down complex compounds and extracting the nutrients)

12. Community Interactions
Competition
Occur when organisms attempt to utilize the same resource or place at the same time
Between species
Within species
Predation
One organism captures and feeds on another organism
Predator-Prey Relationship
Symbiosis
Interaction when two species live closely together

13. “Living Together” Symbiosis “Three types of symbiotic relationships
COMMENSALISM
One organism benefits, while the other is neither helped nor harmed ( + ,0)
MUTUALISM
Both organisms benefit (+,+)
Coevolution- is a type of mutualism
PARASITISM (+.-)
One organism benefits at the other’s expense

14. Food Chain
Simple model that demonstrates how matter and energy flow through an ecosystem
Each link is a “trophic level”
The first level = producers
The second, third, or higher levels = consumers
As you move up the chain, the energy output decreases

15. Food Web
All of the possible feeding relationships in a community at each trophic level
A network of interconnected food chains OR an overlapping of food chains

16. Organization of Life Organism Population Community Ecosystem Biosphere
Biomes- the major ecosystem’s on the Earth.

17. Food chains
A food chain shows how matter and energy flow through an ecosystem.
Food chains begin with producers!
Producers (autotrophs) harness this energy for photosynthesis.
Primary producer is plants
Others are bacteria and algae

18. Food Chains…
Consumers (heterotrophs) are eat other consumers for energy
Herbivores- only eat plants
Carnivores- eat meat (other consumers)
Omnivores -eat everything
Scavenger- eat dead things
Decomposers are a special type of consumer that break down the dead and waste. They recycle the essential nutrients.

20. Trophic levels
Organisms are grouped according to their source of energy.
Each organism in a food chain represent a different trophic level.

21. A food web Many food chains tied together (overlapping food chains)
Many organisms feed on more than one species.

23. The Energy Pyramid Shows the decrease of energy at each trophic level.
The total energy transfer up is about 10%
Not all food that is eaten can be digested
Some of the digested food is used as energy and some is lost as heat

24. The other pyramids Pyramid of numbers Biomass pyramid
Shows the number of organisms on each trophic level
Biomass pyramid
Shows the mass of organisms on each trophic level

25. The Elements
The elements that are the components in all organic molecules must be recycled because there are a finite amount on our planet.
The elements are:
Carbon (C)
Oxygen (O)
Hydrogen (H)
Nitrogen (N)
Phosphorus (P)