1. Introduction to Ecology

2. What is Ecology?
Study of organism interactions with other organisms and the environment

3. Habitat & Niche Habitat is the place a plant or animal lives
Niche is an organism’s total way of life

4. What shapes an Ecosystem?
Biotic factors: all living organisms within an ecosystem
ie – animals, fungus, plants, bacteria
Abiotic factors: physical and non-living factors within an ecosystem
ie – soil type, sunlight, temperature, precipitation

5. What are the Simplest Levels?
Atom
Molecule
Organelle
Cell
Tissue
Organ
System

6. Levels of Organization
Species
Population
Community
Ecosystem
Biome
Biosphere

7. 1st Level of Organization
Organism: An individual living thing that is made of cells, uses energy, reproduces, responds, grows, and develops
Ex: 1 zebra

8. Population Groups of the same species that live in one particular area
Ex: all elephants that live in the African savanna

9. Community
Groups of different populations that live in a particular area.
Ex. All living things found in the African savanna such as elephants, giraffes, lions, grasses, trees, etc

10. Ecosystem All living AND non-living components to a particular area
Ex. All the animals of the African savanna plus the climate such as temperature, precipitation and soil type

11. Biome Group of ecosystems that have the same climate and communities
Ex: Savanna

12. 6th Level of Organization
Biosphere: The portion of Earth that supports life.

13. What level of Organization?
Species/Population

14. Energy Flow Through an Ecosystem
Food Chains, Food Webs, Energy Pyramids

15. 6CO2 + 6H2O + sunlight C6H12O6 + 6O2
Energy Flow
Main source of Energy – SUN
Autotrophs/Producers – use sunlight or chemicals to produce organic compounds
6CO2 + 6H2O + sunlight C6H12O6 + 6O2

16. The energy that is not used by producers can be passed on to organisms that cannot make their own food.

17. Heterotrophs/consumers – must take in organic compounds in order to make energy
Primary Consumers or Herbivores – only eat plants
Secondary Consumers or Carnivores – only eat animals
Tertiary/Quartenary Consumers or Omnivores – eat both plants and animals
Detritivores – eat dead material
Decomposers – break down organic matter

18. Trophic Levels Shows the amount of energy contained at each level
Three types:
Energy pyramids
Biomass pyramids
Pyramids of numbers

19. Energy Pyramids Organisms need energy They get energy from food
Use energy in respiration, movement , reproduction
Only 10% of energy is passed from one trophic level to the next

21. Energy Pyramids

22. Energy Pyramids Show
Amount of available energy decreases down the food chain
It takes a large number of producers to support a small number of primary consumers

23. Biomass Pyramid
Biomass – total amount of living tissue within a trophic level
Grams of organic matter/unit area
Shows amount of potential food

24. Pyramid

25. Food Chains Show Available Energy

26. Pyramid of Numbers
Shows the number of individual organisms in each trophic level

27. The transfer of energy from the sun to producer to primary consumer then to higher order consumers can be shown in a FOOD CHAIN.

28. Food Webs: Are interconnected food chains
They show the feeding relationships in an ecosystem

29. Identify the Producers, Consumers, & Decomposers:
Count the Food Chains!