1. THE STUDY OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ORGANISMS AND THEIR ENVIRONMENT
Ecology
THE STUDY OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ORGANISMS AND THEIR ENVIRONMENT

2. MATTER CYCLES
FACTORS INTERACT
ENERGY FLOWS

3. FACTORS INTERACT

4. Biosphere
Life is found in a very narrow layer on the earth, called the biosphere.

5. The biosphere, like the human body, is made up of systems that interact and are dependent on each other.

6. The biosphere’s systems are called BIOMES and biomes are made up of ECOSYSTEMS.
All ecosystems must have a constant source of energy (usually the sun) and cycles or systems to reuse raw materials.
Examples are the water, nitrogen and carbon cycles.

7. An ecosystem is made up of all the biotic (or living) and the abiotic (or non-living) components in a given area.

8. Abiotic Factors Examples of abiotic factors are sunlight,
The nonliving things in an environment are called ABIOTIC factors.
Examples of abiotic
factors are sunlight,
temperature, rainfall,
climate and soil
conditions.

9. Biotic Factors
Biotic factors are all the living things or their materials that directly or indirectly affect an organism in its environment.    

10. Biotic Factors also include
parasitism
disease
predation

11. We can think about the interactions and types of living things by organizing them into groups, smallest to largest.
A species includes only one type of organism.
Example:
rabbit

12. A population includes all members of one species that live in the same area.
Example: all the rabbits in Burlington

13. A community includes all of the different species that live in the same area.
Example: all the rabbits, ants, maple trees, dogs, etc. that live in Burlington

14. An ecosystem includes both the community and the abiotic factors.
Example: the Burlington community plus the cars, buildings, rocks, air…

16. The organisms in a habitat can be organized in the following way…
ecosystem
community
species
population
Click for labels to appear in order from species to ecosystem. Prompt students to predict how this diagram will help them remember the order. 16

17. Heterotrophs vs Autotrophs Or, in other words, Consumers vs Producers

18. Autotrophs
A group of organisms that can use the energy in sunlight to convert water and carbon dioxide into glucose (food)
Autotrophs are also called producers because they produce all of the food
Without autotrophs, there would be no life on this planet

19. Autotrophs – plants and algae

20. Autotrophs Chemotrophs
Autotrophs that get their energy from inorganic substances, such as salt
Live deep down in the ocean where there is no sunlight
Ex. Bacteria and Deep Sea Worms

21. Heterotrophs Organisms that do not make their own food
Another term for Heterotroph is consumer because they consume other organisms in order to live

22. Heterotrophs

23. Heterotrophs/Consumers
5 categories

24. Heterotrophs
1. Scavengers/Detritivores – feed on the tissue of dead organisms (both plants and animals)
Ex. – Vultures, Crows, and Shrimp

25. Heterotrophs 2. Herbivores – eat ONLY plants
Ex. – Cows, Elephants, Giraffes

26. Heterotrophs
3. Carnivores – eat ONLY meat
Ex. – Lions, Tigers, Sharks

27. Heterotrophs 4. Omnivores – eat BOTH plants and animals
Ex. – Bears. Raccoons and Humans

28. Heterotrophs
5. Decomposers – absorb any dead material and break it down into simple nutrients or fertilizers
Ex. – Bacteria, Slime molds, and Mushrooms

29. Symbiosis
A close and permanent association between organisms of different species

30. Symbiosis 3 types of relationships
1. Commensalism – a relationship in which one organism benefits and the other is not affected
Example: Barnacles on a whale

31. Symbiosis
2. Mutualism – a relationship in which both organisms benefit from each other
Example: Birds eating pest off a rhino’s back

32. Symbiosis
3. Parasitism – A relationship in which one organism benefits and the other is harmed
Example: Ticks on a dog

33. Population growth factors

34. Factors that affect population growth
Limiting factor - any biotic or abiotic factor that restricts the existence of organisms in a specific environment.
EX. - Amount of water
Amount of food
Temperature
Predation 34

38. Factors that affect population growth
Carrying Capacity - the maximum population size that can be supported by the available resources
There can only be as many organisms as the environmental resources can support
Although several species may share a habitat they each have their own niche. A niche is a very narrow range where a species fits within a habitat. 38

40. 40

41. J- curve
S- curve

42. 42

43. Human Population Growth43

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45. Human Population Growth45