Ecology and our WorldEcology The study of interactions between

living things and their environment

Levels in Ecology1. Individual A single member of a

species2. Population A group of individuals

of a species.3. Community Several species in an

area.4. Ecosystem Living and nonliving

things in an area

5. Biosphere All the biomes

How do organisms interact?Producers - organisms that

produce their own energy, and are food for other organisms.

Consumers

They are also called autotrophs

- organisms that have to eat other organisms for their energy

They are also called heterotrophs

Consumers come in a wide variety

Herbivores - Organisms that eat only plant material.

Carnivores - Organisms that eat only other animals.

Omnivores - Organisms that eat both plant and animal.

Detrivores - Organisms that eat “dead matter”

Decomposers - Organisms that break down organic matter

Who eats who?Food Chain - a series of steps showing which organisms

eat which. (transfer energy)

Food Web- a chart linking all food webs in a particular area

Another way to show relationships

Ecological PyramidsBiomass Pyramid

- each level in the pyramid shows the total amount of organisms in the level

Numbers Pyramid

- each level shows the numbers of individuals in the pyramid

Energy Pyramid- each transition shows the amount of loss of energy from one level to the next.

90%90% of energy is lost to heat from one level to the next.

Only 10% of your food is actually incorporated into making you!

Cycles in NatureWater Cycle - shows the different stages that water goes

through in ecology

Carbon Cycle - the carbon that makes you and all other living (and many non living) things is shown moving through the environment.

Nitrogen Cycle - All organisms require nitrogen. This cycle shows how it moves through the environment.

Daily Assignment:

Define:1. Condensation 2. Precipitation 3. Transpiration4. Evaporation 5. Percolation 6. Runoff7. Nitrogen Fixation 8. Denitrification 9. Trophic Level10. Consumer 11. Producer 12. Autotroph13. Heterotroph 14. Biomass 15. Chemosynthesis

Questions from the book:

Section 3-1 section assessment question #1 pg. 65

Section 3-2 section assessment questions # 1-4 pg. 73

Section 3-3 section assessment questions #1-3 & 5 pg.80

How do individuals interact in an environment?The environment contains two different things:

1. Biotic FactorsAll living organisms

2. Abiotic FactorsAll non-living things

Biotic factors in the environment interact in many ways

CompetitionWhen groups are using limited resources Situation leaves winners and losers.

Predation

When one organism feeds on another

They can form a symbiotic relationship

(three different types)

1. MutualismBoth individuals benefit.

2. CommensalismOne is helped, one is neither helped or harmed.

3. ParasitismOne is helped, the other is harmed.

How are new environments created?New land formation happens due to natural occurrences.

Volcanoes Volcanoes

TsunamisBut what happens when the world gets back to normal?

After the new land is created,

Succession takes place.

Primary succession:- (pioneer species) begin to colonize the newly formed land. These are smaller plants and grasses, then trees.

Secondary succession: -happens only when one type of plant replaces another type

Ex. Trees taking over a meadow.

Biomes:Def: a large area that is

characterized by certain soil, climate. plants, and animals.

Daily Assignment:

Define:1. Niche 2. Resource 3. Competitive Exclusion

principle

4. Symbiosis 5. Pioneer species 6. Tolerance

7. Microclimate

Questions from the book:

Section 4-1 section assessment questions #1- 4 pg. 89

Section 4-2 section assessment questions # 1-4 pg. 97

Section 4-3 section assessment questions #1-3 & 5 pg 105