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What is Ecology?What is Ecology?

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Organisms and Their Environment

Organisms and Their Environment

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What is Ecology??What is Ecology??What is Ecology??

• The study of interactions that take place between organisms and their environment.

• It explains how living organisms affect each other and the world they live in.

•• The The study of interactionsstudy of interactions that that take place take place between organisms between organisms and their environmentand their environment..

•• It It explainsexplains how living how living organisms organisms affectaffect each other each other and the world they live in.and the world they live in.

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Habitat & NicheHabitat & NicheHabitat & Niche•Habitat is the ?

•Niche is an organism’s ?

•• HabitatHabitat is the is the ??

•• NicheNiche is an is an organismorganism’’s s ??

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The Nonliving EnvironmentThe Nonliving EnvironmentThe Nonliving Environment

• Abiotic factors-

• Examples-

• Abiotic factors affect an organism’s life.

•• Abiotic factorsAbiotic factors--

•• ExamplesExamples--

•• AbioticAbiotic factors factors affect an affect an organismorganism’’s life.s life.

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The Living EnvironmentThe Living EnvironmentThe Living Environment

• Biotic factors-

• All organisms depend on others directly or indirectly for food, shelter, reproduction, or protection.

•• Biotic factorsBiotic factors--

•• All All organisms depend on organisms depend on others directly or others directly or indirectlyindirectly for food, for food, shelter, reproduction, or shelter, reproduction, or protection.protection.

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Abiotic or Biotic?Abiotic or Biotic?Abiotic or Biotic?

BioticBiotic

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Abiotic or Biotic?Abiotic or Biotic?Abiotic or Biotic?

AbioticAbiotic

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Abiotic or Biotic?Abiotic or Biotic?Abiotic or Biotic?

AbioticAbiotic

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Abiotic or Biotic?Abiotic or Biotic?Abiotic or Biotic?

BioticBiotic

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Levels of OrganizationLevels of

Organization

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What are the Simplest Levels?What are the Simplest Levels?

• Atom• Molecule• Organelle• Cell• Tissue• Organ• System

•• AtomAtom

•• MoleculeMolecule

•• OrganelleOrganelle

•• CellCell

•• TissueTissue

•• OrganOrgan

•• SystemSystem

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Levels of OrganizationLevels of OrganizationLevels of Organization

• Ecologists have organized the interactions an organism takes part in into different levels according to ___________

•• EcologistsEcologists have organized the have organized the interactions an organism takes interactions an organism takes part in into part in into different levels different levels according to ___________according to ___________

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1st Level of Organization11stst Level of OrganizationLevel of Organization

• __________:An individual living thing that is made of cells, uses energy, reproduces, responds, grows, and develops

•• __________:__________:An individual An individual living thing that living thing that is made of is made of cells, cells, uses energy, uses energy, reproduces, reproduces, responds, grows, responds, grows, and developsand develops

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2nd Level of Organization22ndnd Level of OrganizationLevel of Organization

• Population:.

•• Population:Population:..

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3rd Level of Organization33rdrd Level of OrganizationLevel of Organization

• Biological Community:

•• Biological Biological Community:Community:

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4th Level of Organization44thth Level of OrganizationLevel of Organization

• Ecosystem:•• Ecosystem:Ecosystem:

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5th Level of Organization5th Level of Organization• Biome--Major regional or global community of organisms characterized by the climate conditions and plant communities that thrive there.

• Biome--Major regional or global community of organisms characterized by the climate conditions and plant communities that thrive there.

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Highest Level of OrganizationHighest Level of OrganizationHighest Level of Organization

• Biosphere:The portion of Earth that supports life.

•• Biosphere:Biosphere:The The portion of portion of Earth that Earth that supports supports life.life.

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The BiosphereThe BiosphereThe Biosphere

• Life is found in air, on land, and in fresh and salt water.

• The BIOSPHERE is the portion of Earth that supports living things.

•• Life is found in air, on Life is found in air, on land, and in fresh and salt land, and in fresh and salt water.water.

•• The The BIOSPHERE BIOSPHERE is the is the portion of Earth that portion of Earth that supports living things.supports living things.

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What level of organization?What level of organization?What level of organization?

OrganismOrganism

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What level of Organization?What level of Organization?What level of Organization?

CommunityCommunity

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What level of Organization?What level of Organization?What level of Organization?

PopulationPopulation

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Ecological MethodsEcological Methods

• Observing

• Experimenting

• Modeling

• Observing

• Experimenting

• Modeling

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