1. Ecology

2. A. Ecology
The study of interactions between organisms and their environment.

3. B. Ecosystem
The living and the nonliving things in an area.

4. C. Habitat
The place where an organism lives and provides the needs for that organism.

5. D. Abiotic Factors
The nonliving factors that effect living things.

6. E. Biotic Factors
The living things in the environment. Ex: plants and animals.

7. Biotic Factors Cont’d
1. Water - all life processes depend on water.

8. Biotic Factors Cont’d
2. Soil - determines the types of plants that can live in a certain location.

9. Biotic Factors Cont’d
3. Sunlight - provides energy for all living things.

10. Biotic Factors Cont’d
4. Temperature - determines the organisms that can live there.

11. Biotic Factors Cont’d
5. Oxygen - most living things require it to live.

12. F. Levels of Organization

13. 1. Organism
An individual living thing.

14. 2. Population
All the members of one species that lives in the same place at the same time.

15. 3. Community
All of the populations of different species that live in the same place (all biotic factors).

16. 4. Ecosystem
All of the biotic and abiotic factors in a particular area.

17. 5. Biome
A group of ecosystems that share the same climate and have similar types of communities.

18. 6. Biosphere
The highest level of organization; the layer of the Earth that supports life.