1. What is Ecology? Mrs. Sandy Gomez

2. What is Ecology?  The scientific study of:  Interactions among organisms  Interactions between organisms and their environment  Biosphere – portions of the Earth where life exists (land, water, and air)

3. Levels of Organization SpeciesPopulationsCommunityEcosystemBiomeBiosphere

4. Levels of Organization  Species – group of organisms that can breed and produce fertile offspring

5. Levels of Organization  Population – a group of individuals of the same species that live in the same area

6. Levels of Organization  Community – different populations that live in the same area.

7. Levels of Organization  Ecosystem – all the organisms plus the nonliving environment

8. Levels of Organization  Biome – group of ecosystems with the same climate and similar communities

9. Levels of Organization

10. Biotic and Abiotic Factors

11. What are biotic and abiotic factors?

12. Biotic and Abiotic Factors  Biotic factors – the living things that influence organisms  Abiotic factors – the nonliving things that influence organisms  Light  Soil  Wind  Water  Temperature

13. Biotic and Abiotic Factors Biotic Factors  Is any living component that affects another organism

14. Biotic and Abiotic Factors Abiotic Factors  Are the non-living chemical and physical factors in the environment

15. Biotic and Abiotic Factors  Sometimes, biotic and biotic factors work together.

16. Ecological Pyramids  Energy Pyramid – shows the amount of energy available at each trophic level  Only about 10% of the energy is transferred to the next level  Biomass Pyramid – shows the amount of living tissue within each trophic level  Pyramid of numbers – shows the number of organisms at each trophic level

17. Ecological Pyramids

18. Habitat and Niche  Habitat – the area where an organism lives  Niche – the role an organism plays in its habitat  No two species can share the same niche in the same habitat

19. Community Interactions  Symbiosis – any relationship in which two species live closely together  Mutualism – both species benefit (flowers & insects)  Commensalism – one species benefits while the other is neither helped nor harmed (orchids in a rainforest)  Parasitism – one organism benefits while the other is harmed (fleas on a dog)

20. Symbiosis

21. Ecological Succession  The series of changes that occurs in a community over time  Primary succession – occurs on surfaces where no soil exists (no previous life)  Pioneer species – the first species to populate the area  Lichens → mosses → grasses → shrubs → trees

22. Primary Succession

23. Ecological Succession  Secondary Succession – when a disturbance changes the existing community without removing the soil  Tornadoes, fire, clear cutting  Occurs much quicker than primary succession  Climax community – the relatively stable final community