1. Ch 52: Intro to Ecology and the Biosphere

2. Ecology
Study of the interactions between organisms and the environment
Evolution link:
Differential survival and reproductive success based on the individual interactions of organisms and their environment lead to evolution

3. Levels of Organization for Life
Atom
Molecule
Macromolecule
Organelle
Cell
(Tissue, Organ, and Organ system) – depending on the species of organism you are investigating

4. Levels of Organization for Life
Organism
Population
Community
Ecosystem
Biosphere
Ecology focuses on these last 5 levels

5. Abiotic Factors Shape Biotic Factors
If a single abiotic factor is changed it can have impacts on the whole ecosystem – on both biotic and other abiotic factors
Ex: if rainfall amounts change, it can impact the growth of plants and water availability for animals. It can also impact the local climate and weather which can change air temperature

6. Biomes Terrestrial Biomes: Tropic rainforest Desert
Temperate Grasslands
Savanna (type of grassland)
Temperate Deciduous Forest
Taiga
Tundra
Very large regions of Earth that are defined by the amount of precipitation and temperature of the area
Each region has its own dominant vegetation and animal life

7. Climograph

10. Aquatic Biomes Freshwater, Marine, and Estuaries
Defined by salinity of the water
Estuaries – transition zone between a river and the sea and creates a mix of fresh and salt water with the changing of tides

11. Aquatic Biomes Benthic zone = bottom
Organisms that live here can be used as biological indicators meaning that when theses organism’s numbers decrease it can indicate possible pollution issues
Photic zone = receives light
Aphotic zone = does not receive light

12. Aquatic Biomes
Thermoclines= narrow layers of fast temperature change that separate a warm upper layer of well mixed water and cold deeper waters
Thermoclines can influence weather patterns

13. Freshwater Biomes
Oligotrophic lakes = deep lakes that are nutrient- poor and oxygen-rich and contain sparse phytoplankton
Often has clear water with high drinking-water quality

14. Freshwater Biomes
Eutrophic lakes = receive high nutrient content from runoff and lower oxygen content with a high concentration of phytoplankton
High nutrients cause photosynthetic organisms (algae) to accumulate on the surface
Light can’t penetrate down into the lake which causes other producers to die off
Detrivores (ex: bacteria) use up oxygen as they decompose the dead organic matter
Lower oxygen levels means fish can’t survive

15. Simple Video
Eutrophication and Dead Zone Video