1. Species, Communities and Ecosystems
Topic 4.1
Species, Communities and Ecosystems

2. Important Terminology
Species: a group of organisms that can interbreed and produce fertile offspring
Habitat: the environment in which a species typically lives or the location of a living organism
Population: a groups of organisms of the same species that live in the same area at the same time.

3. Community: A groups of populations living and interacting with each other in an area
Ecosystem: A community and its abiotic environment
Ecology: the study of relationships among living organisms and their environment

4. Ecosystem

5. Autotrophs & Heterotrophs
Autotroph: organisms that can produce their own organic molecules from simple inorganic substances.
Plants and most algae
Some chemiosmotic (thermal vents)
“Self feeders”
Also called producers

6. Heterotrophs: must obtain organic molecules from other organisms
“other feeders”
Obtain energy (food) from autotrophs
Also called consumers

7. Decomposers Heterotrophs/consumers Gain energy from non living matter
Detritivores: ingest dead organic matter
Earthworms and vultures
Saprotrophs: secrete digestive enzymes into the dead organic matter in order to digest the material before absorbing the products
Fungi and some bacteria

8. Decomposition of organic material
Decomposers are vital to maintaining a supply of inorganic material such as carbon in the environment through nutrient cycling
Decomposition of organic material
Dead leaves and other parts of plants
Feathers, hairs and other dead parts of animals
Feces from animals
Decomposer
Method of feeding
Examples
Detritivore
Ingests & then digests
Earthworm, vulture
Saprotroph
Digests externally and then ingests
Fungi , bacteria

9. Communities
Formed by populations of different species living together and interacting with each other
Complex relationships
Parasitism (1 benefits, 1 harmed)
Mutualism (both benefit)
Commensalism (1 benefits, does not benefit and is not harmed)

10. Ecosystem
A community forms an ecosystem by its interactions with the abiotic environment
All living organisms plus air, water ,soil etc.
Highly complex interacting system

11. Inorganic Nutrients
Autotrophs & heterotrophs obtain inorganic nutrients from the abiotic environment
Living organisms need a supply of chemical elements
Carbon, hydrogen and oxygen
Nitrogen and phosphorus
Approximately 15 other elements

12. Nutrient cycles
Supply or inorganic nutrients is maintained by nutrient cycling
recycling

13. Sustainability of Ecosystems
Ecosystems have the potential to be sustainable over long period of time
Three requirements for sustainability
Nutrient availability
Detoxification of waste products
Energy availability

14. Mesocosm
Practical #5
Setting up a sealed mesocosm to try to establish sustainability

15. Ecological Levels of Organization Activity
Directions
Pick your favorite species of plant or animal (common name is acceptable)
Using Pg. 37 of the CP text as a guide, show your plant or animal in each ecological level of organization
Grading:
Neatness and color
Include & use correctly each of the following terms
Organism - community
Population - ecosystem