ECOLOGY
What is Ecology? The scientific study of interactions among organisms and between organisms in their environment, or surroundings
Organization of the Biosphere Levels of organization Biosphere- all of the life on Earth Biome- a large community of flora and fauna, major habitat Ecosystem- a biological system of organisms interacting with each other and the environment Biotic factors living Abiotic factors non living Community- various species that interact with each other (not including abiotic factors) Population- group of organisms from one species in one area Organism- an individual living thing
Levels of Organization:
Factors involved in ecology Abiotic (non-living) such as sunlight, minerals, availability of water Biotic (living) such as predation, symbiosis, and competition between organisms
Practice: Put a B next to all of the things you think are Biotic (living) and an A next to the things you think are Abiotic (nonliving): Plant Human Water Sunlight Flower Minerals Wind Yeast Rock Frog Bird Rain
Niche vs. Habitat NICHE An organism s role or job in a community What does it eat? How does it effect its environment? How does its environment effect it? HABITAT The place where an organism lives Examples are: Tree Rock Water Cave
What is a habitat? Where an organism lives A rotting log is the habitat to many living things such as earthworms, centipedes, ants, and millipedes
What is a niche? What an organism does, it feeds on or its job. Two organisms can share a habitat, but not a niche On our rotting log Centipede predator eat beetles and other animals Worm nourishment from organic material it eats as it burrows Ants eat dead insects Millipede eats dead and decaying leaves near the log
3. Why can these birds live in the same tree? Occupy different niches
Practice Circle the correct answer on your paper: A niche includes the organism s: a) role in the flow of energy through the ecosystem b) role in the recycling of nutrients in the ecosystem. c) role in interacting with other organisms. d) all of the above
Types of Organisms AUTOTROPH ( self-feeder ) Also called Producers They are making or becoming the food for the other organisms Organism who use energy from the sun to make their own food HETEROTROPH ( other-feeder ) Get energy from the autotrophs (or by feeding on heterotrophs who ate autotrophs) Also called Consumers (They are consuming other organisms as food) Must go and get their food Scavengers (Feed on dead animals) Carnivores (Feed on animals) Herbivores (Feed on plants) Omnivore (Feed on both plants and animals) Decomposers (Feed by breaking down complex compounds and extracting the nutrients)
Practice: Autotroph or Heterotroph? Grass uses the chlorophyll in its leaves to turn sunlight in glucose. What kind of organism is it? Cows eat grass to obtain the glucose and other nutrients in the grass. What kind of organism is it?
Community Interactions Competition Occur when organisms attempt to utilize the same resource or place at the same time Predation One organism captures and feeds on another organism Predator-Prey Relationship Symbiosis Two species live and work closely together in a way that benefits both
Competition
Predator-Prey Relationship
Living Together Symbiosis Means Living together Many organisms have symbiotic relationships with other organisms Three types of symbiotic relationships COMMENSALISM One organism benefits, while the other is neither helped nor harmed MUTUALISM Both organisms benefit PARASITISM One organism benefits at the other s expense
Practice: 1. Microorganisms living in the intestines of humans break down the food particles to aid in digestion for the humans. In addition, the microorganisms feed off tiny food particles that the humans ingest. What is this relationship called? 2. Remora sharks have an adhesive disk on the top of their heads. They use this disk to hitch a ride on larger animals, usually whales, which tend to be sloppy eaters. They cause no harm to these animals, and can detach to collect scraps of food floating away from the whale s mouth. This is an example of what?
Change in Ecosystems or Communities over time Ecological Succession: Communities change over time in a predictable, orderly way over many decades Changes in plant communities lead to changes in animal communities
Ecological Succession The series of predictable changes that occurs in a community over time. It eventually leads to the formation of a stable community called a climax community. Primary Succession: occurs on surfaces where no soil exists, such as after a volcanic eruption. The first species to populate the area are called pioneer species (such as lichen). Secondary Succession: occurs when a disturbance of some kind changes an existing community without removing the soil (like forest fires), leads to a climax community Climax community: a community in which the populations remain the same because they are in balance; a climax community will remain until a drastic environmental change occurs
Practice: 1. How are community and an ecosystem different from each other? A. Communities have animals and ecosystems have plants B. Communities have biotic factors and ecosystems have biotic & abiotic factors C. Communities have abiotic factors and ecosystems have biotic factors D. Communities are large and ecosystems are small 2. Primary succession would most likely occur after what? A. forest fire. B. farm land is abandoned. C. a lava flow. D. a severe storm.
Check your answers to the practice questions:
Practice: Put a B next to all of the things you think are Biotic (living) and an A next to the things you think are Abiotic (nonliving): B Plant B Human A Water A Sunlight B Flower A Minerals A Wind B Yeast A Rock B Frog B Bird A Rain
Practice Circle the correct answer on your paper: A niche includes the organism s: a) role in the flow of energy through the ecosystem b) role in the recycling of nutrients in the ecosystem. c) role in interacting with other organisms. d) all of the above
Practice: Autotroph or Heterotroph? Grass uses the chlorophyll in its leaves to turn sunlight in glucose. What kind of organism is it? Autotroph/ Producer Cows eat grass to obtain the glucose and other nutrients in the grass. What kind of organism is it? Heterotroph, Primary Consumer
Practice: 1. Microorganisms living in the intestines of humans break down the food particles to aid in digestion for the humans. In addition, the microorganisms feed off tiny food particles that the humans ingest. What is this relationship called? Symbiosis- Mutualism 2. Remora sharks have an adhesive disk on the top of their heads. They use this disk to hitch a ride on larger animals, usually whales, which tend to be sloppy eaters. They cause no harm to these animals, and can detach to collect scraps of food floating away from the whale s mouth. This is an example of what? Symbiosis- Commensalism
Practice: 1. How are community and an ecosystem different from each other? A. Communities have animals and ecosystems have plants B. Communities have biotic factors and ecosystems have biotic & abiotic factors C. Communities have abiotic factors and ecosystems have biotic factors D. Communities are large and ecosystems are small 2. Primary succession would most likely occur after what? A. forest fire. B. farm land is abandoned. C. a lava flow. D. a severe storm.