1. Ecology Introduction and Biodiversity

2. Standards: BI 6.a-Students know biodiversity is the sum total of different kinds of organisms and is affected by alterations of habitats. BI 6.e-Students know a vital part of an ecosystem is the stability of its producers and decomposers. BI.6.f-Students know at each link in a food web some energy is stored in newly made structures but much energy is dissipated into the environment as heat. The dissipation may be represented in an energy pyramid.

3. Ecology Standard Explanations BI 6.a-Biodiversity is total number of different livings things in an area. Biodiversity is affected by changing habitats.  BI 6.e-Producers and decomposers maintain the stability (balance) of ecosystems. How?  BI.6.f-At each link in a food web some energy is stored, but most energy is lost as heat.

4. Objectives: SWBAT: Explain the role of biodiversity in maintaining the balance of an ecosystem. Demonstrate how energy is transferred and lost in an ecosystem. Explain the various roles of organisms in maintaining the stability (balance) of an ecosystem. Understand the interaction between living and nonliving factors in an ecosystem.

5. Connections between Ecology and Evolution Evolution-change in a species overtime. Ecology-study of ecosystem interactions. Over time individuals within the most well-suited adaptations for an environment survive and reproduce the most. Ex. Predators that are able to catch prey the most effectively survive and pass their traits to the next generation. Prey that are able to escape predators survive and pass their genetic info to the next generation. These organisms are becoming better suited to their environment relative to each other.

6. What is ecology? Ecology-The study of the interaction among living things, and between living things and their environments.

7. The Levels of Organization Atoms Macromolecules Cells Tissues Organs Organ System Organism Population Community Ecosystem Biome

8. What are the levels of organization? Organism-An individual living thing Population-A group of the same species that lives in one area Community-A group of different species that live together in one area Alligator All the alligators in a swamp Groups of alligators, turtles, fish, plants, in the Everglades

9. What are the levels of organization? Ecosystem-Includes all of the organisms as well as the climate, soil, water, rocks, and other nonliving things in an area Biome-A major regional or global community of organisms Decaying Log, Wetlands Subtropical Savanna

10. What is biodiversity? Biodiversity-The variety of living things in an ecosystem. Large assortment of species living together. Biodiversity is important because, the diversity in an ecosystem maintains its stability.

11. What are keystone species? Keystone species-Has an unusually large impact on an ecosystem. Beavers-by constructing a dam, beavers create an ecosystem used by a wide variety of species.

12. Summary Questions: How are the topics of Evolution and Ecology connected? What is an ecosystem? Provide some examples of living and nonliving factors in an ecosystem. Why is the biodiversity of an ecosystem important to its stability?