1. Principles of Ecology
EQ: What are the interactions between the levels of biological communities? How does energy flow through an ecosystem?
Photo by 

2. ECOLOGY - the study of interactions among organisms with each other and with environment BIOSPHERE - portion of planet where life exists

3. Ecological methods - how do we study it. 1. Observing 2
Ecological methods - how do we study it? 1. Observing 2. Experimenting 3. Modeling
Models are created by humans to make predictions.

4. LEVELS OF ORGANIZATION Species - individuals that can breed with one another Population - all the individuals of the same species (ducks) in an area
A population is always composed of same-species organisms

5. Community - all the populations that live together in an area
What is in your backyard community??

6. Ecosystem - the community plus the physical factors in an area (rain, light, soil…)
Examples:
Rotting Log
Koi Pond
Lake
Clump of Dirt
A field
An old maple tree
**EVERY ecosystem includes both biotic (living) and abiotic(nonliving) factors.

7. Biome - large area that has a particular climate, and particular species of plants and animals that live there (ex: tundra)

8. Biosphere - the part of the earth that supports life
Biodiversity: variety of different species living near one another
?? Where do you think there is the most biodiversity on our planet??

9. ENERGY FLOW
Autotroph (producer) - capture energy from environment and convert it into "food”…green plants/algae…
?? What process ??
Heterotroph (consumer) - must eat things to get the energy it needs
Herbivores Omnivores
(plant eaters) (meat and plants)
Carnivores Decomposers
(carnivore eaters) (recycle materials in dead organisms)
Detritivores
(eat fragments of dead
matter in ecosystem)

10. SUNLIGHT is the main source of energy…starts the energy flow
*SUNLIGHT is the main source of energy…starts the energy flow! Remember… Photosynthesis: uses light energy to make "food"

11. Chemosynthesis - makes food from chemicals (some bacteria synthesize food in this way)
Some bacteria live in deep ocean vents, and make their food from chemicals in those vents

12. **Each step in a chain or web is called a TROPHIC LEVEL
FOOD CHAINS AND FOOD WEBS - illustrate the flow of energy in an ecosystem - Food Chain: simple, sequence of feeding relationships - Food Web: complex, network of feeding relationships in a whole ecosystem
**Each step in a chain or web is called a TROPHIC LEVEL

13. Identify: 1. Producers 2. Consumers - Identify them as primary, secondary, tertiary, or quaternary 3. Herbivores 4. Omnivore 5. Carnivore

14. ECOLOGICAL PYRAMIDS