Ecology. ECOLOGY - the study of interactions among organisms with each other and with environment.
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Transcript of Ecology. ECOLOGY - the study of interactions among organisms with each other and with environment.
Ecology
ECOLOGY - the study of interactions among organisms with each other and with environment
Understanding Ecology1. Ecological Methods
2. Levels of Organization
3. Feeding Relationships
4. Recycling in Biosphere
Ecological Methods
How can we study ecological relationships?
1. Observing – usually 1st step• Field study• Tagging/Counting
2. Experimenting – test hypothesis• Field study• Smaller artificial environments
3. Modeling – use math/formulas to help predict• Use current and past data to project trends• Often continually tested and modified
Ecological methods - how do we study it?
ObservingExperimentingModeling
Models are created by humans to make predictions.
Sometimes, you must be cautious in how a model interprets data....
Imagine graphing a person's height as they age. One could predict that by the time they were age 30, they would be 22 feet tall.
However, the model would need to account for the slowing of growth after adolescence.
Levels of Organization
• ____________– Group of organism
that can have fertile offspring
Levels of Organization
• Species– Group of organism
that can have fertile offspring
Levels of Organization
• Populations– Groups of ________
_________________
Levels of Organization
• Populations– Groups of individuals
of the same species in the same area
A population is always composed of same-species organisms
Levels of Organization
• _______________– Different populations
that live in a defined area
Levels of Organization
• Community– Different populations
that live in a defined area
Levels of Organization• Ecosystem
– Includes all __________ (living) AND _________ (nonliving) things that are in the same area
Levels of Organization• Ecosystem
– Includes all Biotic (living) AND Abiotic (nonliving) things that are in the same area
Levels of Organization• Biome
– _____________________ that have the same climate and similar communities
Levels of Organization• Biome
– Ecosystems that have the same climate and similar communities
Levels of Organization
• _____________– The Earth itself
(11 miles up, 11 miles down)
Levels of Organization
• Biosphere– The Earth itself
(11 miles up, 11 miles down)
Levels of Organization
What is in your backyard community?
Feeding RelationshipsDescribes relationships among Trophic Levels
What is the ultimate source of energy
that drives ALL food webs?
*SUNLIGHT is the main source of energy*
Photosynthesis - uses light energy to make "food"
Feeding Relationships
Terms to understand
1. Producer (_____________)
2. Consumer (_____________)• Herbivores – • Carnivores – • Omnivores – • Detritivores – • Decomposers –
3. Primary, secondary and tertiary consumers
Feeding Relationships
Terms to understand
1. Producer (Make their own food)
2. Consumer (Need to eat their food)• Herbivores – Eats only plant material• Carnivores – Only eats meat• Omnivores – Eats both plants and animals• Detritivores – Eats decaying plant and animals• Decomposers – Breaks down and recycles dead
material
3. Primary, secondary and tertiary consumers
FOOD CHAINS AND FOOD WEBS - illustrate the flow of energy in an ecosystem
*Note the direction of the arrows, they indicate where the energy is going when
one organism consumes another.
Each step in a chain or web is called a TROPHIC LEVEL
Feeding Relationships
Producer
Primary Consumers
Secondary Consumers
Tertiary Consumers
Identify:
Primary Consumers
Secondary Consumers
Tertiary Consumers
Find the Omnivore.
Feeding Relationships1. Energy Pyramid – ____________________
___________________________________
-Main Point – only 10% of energy is passed on to higher
energy levels
What happens to the other 90% of energy?
Feeding Relationships1. Energy Pyramid – Pyramid that shows the
amount of energy in each trophic level
-Main Point – only 10% of energy is passed on to higher
energy levels
What happens to the other 90% of energy?
Feeding Relationships
Popcorn Race
1. Each individual group member must race around obstacle with popcorn in hands
2. Popcorn must be transferred to each partner
3. Any lost popcorn may NOT be picked up
4. Be fast and try to keep as much popcorn as possible
Feeding Relationships2. Biomass Pyramid – describes amount of
living material (food) available at each trophic level
Why would using corn (ethanol) as a fuel not be the best choice
for our society?
Design a Food Web
• Pick a habitat you are familiar with
• Make a list of at least 30 organisms and group them into producers, herbivores, omnivores, carnivores, and decomposers
• Construct a food web using all of your organisms– Be sure to have your food web show clear
trophic levels for your consumers