Name ___________________ Period _____

Ch 3-6 Notes: Ecology Words to Know: ecology, biosphere, biotic, abiotic, ecosystem, community, population, autotrophs, heterotrophs, herbivores, carnivores, omnivores, detritovores, scavengers, food chain, food web, trophic levels, nutrient, limiting nutrient, weather, climate, ozone layer, greenhouse effect, niche, habitat, competition, predation, predator, prey, keystone species, symbiosis, mutualism, commensalism, parasitism, primary succession, secondary succession, carrying capacity, renewable resource, nonrenewable resource, biological magnification, biodiversity, ecological hot spot, ecological footprint, conservation

The BiosphereWhat is Ecology?

ecology: the study of the __________________ among organisms and between organisms their __________________biosphere: all parts of the Earth where __________________ _________________ (land, water and air) biotic: the __________________ factors in an ecosystem

Ex: abiotic: the __________________ factors in an ecosystem

Ex: Levels of Organizationecosystem: interactions among the community and __________________ factors community: group of interacting __________________ population: group of one species living in the same place at the __________________

Energy, Producers and Consumers autotrophs: An organism that can __________________ its own food; use __________________ or

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__________________; also called __________________. heterotrophs: An organism that has to get its food from __________________; also called __________________. Types of Heterotrophs herbivores: eat only __________________ carnivores: eat only __________________ omnivores: eat both ____________________________________ detritovores: break down __________________material; __________________ scavengers: eat ____________________________________

Energy Flow in Ecosystems food chain

food web

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trophic levels: Each step in a __________________. • As you move up trophic levels, __________________ of the energy is __________________. Pyramids Energy Pyramid __________________

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Cycles of Matter

nutrient: __________________ an organism needs to sustain life. Carbon, Nitrogen & Phosphorous

limiting nutrient: the nutrient whose supply __________________ productivity of producers

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Nitrogen Cycle

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Phosphorous Cycle

Ecosystems and Communities

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Niches and Community Interactionsniche: __________________ an organism does to __________________.

• All __________________ and __________________conditions. • What it eats, where it lives (__________________), how it avoids predators, etc.

competition: Occurs when two organisms want the same resource at the same time. Competitive Exclusion Principle: No two species can occupy the same niche at the same time. predation: An interaction where one organism __________________ and __________________ on another organism. predator: __________________ prey: __________________ keystone species: A species that exerts strong control on the structure of a __________________ so that changes to its population causes __________________ changes

Ex: sea otters symbiosis: Any relationship in which two species ____________________________________together. mutualism: __________________ species __________________

Ex: bees and flowers commensalism: one species __________________ while the other is not __________________

Ex: barnacles on a whale parasitism: one species __________________, while the other is __________________ Ex: tapeworms-YUK!

SuccessionEcological Succession primary succession: occurs where there is _________

Ex: after a _________ erupts secondary succession: occurs where there is _________

Ex: after a ______________

Climate

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weather: the ______________ condition of the Earth at a particular _________ and _________ climate: the average, ______________conditions of ______________ and ______________

Effect of Latitude on Climate

• The tilt of the Earth creates climate zones based on latitude: Heat Transport in the Biosphere

• Unequal heating of the Earth drives _________ and ______________. • Air and water near the equator _________ and _________.

ozone layer: Layer of the Earth’s atmosphere (_________km above Earth) containing _________ (O3)

• Absorbs 93-99% of _________ The Greenhouse Effect: Natural situation where _________ trap the sun’s heat energy in the _________.

• Maintains our _________. (Earth would be _________cooler without it.)

Humans in the Biosphere carrying capacity: The ______________ number of individuals of a particular species that a particular environment can ______________. renewable resource: can be ______________ by a healthy ecosystem

Ex: trees, wind nonrenewable resource: ______________ be replenished by natural processes in a ______________ amount of time

Ex: fossil fuels biological magnification: ______________ concentration of a harmful substance in organisms at higher ______________ levels in a food chain biodiversity: All of the organisms in the ______________ conservation: “wise use”; studying the loss of biodiversity & ways it can be ______________

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ecological hot spot: a place where significant numbers of species and habitats are in ______________ danger of extinction ecological footprint: The total area of functioning land and water ecosystems needed to ______________ resources and ______________ the wastes of an individual or population. ) - Used to calculate the biosphere’s carrying capacity for ______________.

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