Ecology

1. Ecology

2. Ecology: Abiotic Biotic: Levels of Organization Habitat Niche Capacity Competition Feeding Relationships Symbiotic Relationships Trophic Levels Carrying

3. WHAT IS ECOLOGY? Ecology-the scientific study of interactions between organisms and their environments, focusing on energy transfer Ecology is a science of relationships

4. WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY ENVIRONMENT? The environment is made up of two factors: • Biotic factors- all living organisms inhabiting the Earth • Abiotic factors- nonliving parts of the environment (i.e. temperature, soil, light, moisture, air currents)

5. Biosphere Ecosystem Community Population Organism

6. Organism –a single individual representing a species • The lowest level of organization

7. POPULATION • a group of organisms of one species living in the same place at the same time that interbreed • Produce fertile offspring • Compete with each other for resources (food, mates, shelter, etc.)

8. Community -Populations of different species interacting within an ecosystem.

9. Ecosystem -populations in a community and the abiotic factors with which they interact (ex. marine, terrestrial)

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

11. Biosphere – where all life exists on Earth. • The highest level of organization

12. Interspecific competition- Intraspecific competition- Limiting factor- Carrying Capacity - Fundamental Niche- Realized Niche- Habitat Niche Carrying Cap. Competition

13. Niche -the role a species plays in a community; its total way of life Habitat- the place in which an organism lives out its life Habitat vs. Niche

14. Niche: 2 Types • Fundamental niche- •  includes the total range of environmental conditions and roles that a species could theoretically fulfill • Ex- • You COULD theoretically clean the dishes, dust, vacuum, wash clothes, iron, fold towels, sweep & mop EVERY DAY.

15. Niche: 2 Types • Realized niche- • The roles that the species actually fulfills These are the chores you actually do. You might have really washed the dishes and that was it.

16. A niche is determined by the tolerance limitations of an organism, or a limiting factor. Limiting factor- any biotic or abiotic factor that restricts the existence of organisms in a specific environment. Habitat vs. Niche

17. Habitat vs. Niche • Examples of limiting factors - • Amount of water • Amount of food • Temperature • Amount of space • Availability of mates

18. Carrying Capacity the maximum population size that can be supported by the available resources There can only be as many organisms as the environmental resources can support

19. Survivorship curves • Type 1 TYPE I • Most individuals survive childhood and middle age • rapidly decline in old age • Example: humans Populations.ppt

20. Survivorship curves • TYPE II • Roughly a constant mortality rate throughout individual’s life span • Example: birds Populations.ppt

21. Survivorship curves • TYPE III • Most individuals will die early in life and not make it to adulthood • Example: frogs, plants Populations.ppt

22. Competition • Intraspecific competition  members of the same species compete for limited resources • Interspecific competition  individuals of different species compete for the same resource in an ecosystem 

23. Feeding Relationships • There are 3 main types of feeding relationships 1. Producer - Consumer 2. Predator - Prey 3. Parasite - Host

24. Producers: Consumers: 1.Herbivores 2. Carnivores 3. Scavengers 4. Decomposer Omnivores: Feeding Relationships

25. Feeding Relationships Producer- all autotrophs (plants),they trap energy from the sun • Bottom of the food chain • They do photosynthesis 6CO2 +6H2O +sunlight  6O2 + C6H12O6

26. Feeding Relationships Consumer- all heterotrophs: they ingest food containing the sun’s energy Do cellular respiration C6H12O6 + O2 CO2 + ATP + H2O • Herbivores • Carnivores • Omnivores • Decomposers

27. Feeding Relationships CONSUMERS • Primary consumers • Eat plants • Herbivores • Secondary, tertiary … consumers • Prey on animals • Predators • Carnivores

28. Feeding Relationships Consumer-Carnivores-eat meat • Predators • Hunt prey animals for food.

29. Feeding Relationships Consumer- Carnivores- eat meat • Scavengers • Feed on carrion, dead animals “Detritivores”

30. Feeding Relationships Consumer- Decomposers • Breakdown the complex compounds of dead and decaying plants and animals into simpler molecules that can be absorbed

31. Feeding Relationships Consumer- Omnivores -eat both plants and animals

32. Mutualism Commensalism Parasitism Ex- Ex- Ex- 1 2 1 2 1 2 Symbiotic Relationships

33. Symbiotic Relationships 3 Types of symbiosis: 1. Commensalism 2. Parasitism 3. Mutualism Symbiosis- two speciesliving together

34. Mutualism • Both organisms benefit from the relationship • Organism One Organism Two

35. Mutualism • Both organisms benefit from the relationship Otters and Kelp The otters help the kelp by eating the sea urchins which endanger it. The kelp provides and anchor for the otters while they sleep.

36. The Chital and the Tree-pie • The tree-pies help the chital by stripping the dead velvet from the antlers. This provides them with nourishment Therefore both species are benefiting from this symbiotic behavior.

37. Cleaner Fish and the Moray Eel • The cleaner fish eats parasites and food bits out of the inside of this moray eel. It gets a meal and is protected from predators by the fierce eel.

38. Lichen • Lichen is really two organisms: algae and fungus. The fungus needs food but cannot make it. The algae makes food but needs some way to keep moist. The fungus forms a crust around the algae which holds in moisture. Both organisms benefit.

40. Swollen Thorn Acacia Tree and Ants • The tree provides a nursery for the ants in the thorns and makes special food for the ant babies. • In return the ants sting and attack any other plants or insects that try to invade the tree.

41. Commensalism • One species benefits while the other is unaffected • Organism One Organism Two

42. Commensalism • One species benefits while the other is unaffected The cattle egret and cows The cattle help the egret who look for grasshoppers and beetles that are raised by the cows. Now and then they sit on the back of a cow, looking for ticks and flies. This does not effect the cattle in any way.

43. Barnacles and Whales • Barnacles need a place to anchor. They must wait for food to come their way. Some barnacles hitch a ride on unsuspecting whales who deliver them to a food source. This does not effect the whale in any way.

44. Oak Gall Wasps and Oak Trees • The oak gall wasp stings the oak tree. • the tree then grows a GALL which is a nest for the wasp’s babies. • When the larva hatch, they eat their way out of the gall. • Does not help or hurt the oak tree

45. Parasitism • One species benefits while the other is harmed • Organism One Organism Two

46. Parasitism • One species benefits while the other is harmed Mistletoe is an aerial parasite that has no roots of its own and lives off the tree that it attaches itself to. Without that tree it would die. It slowly chokes out the life of the host tree.

47. Bedbugs • Bedbugs are small, nocturnal parasites that come out of hiding at night to feed on unsuspecting humans.  They feed exclusively on blood!  Their bites often result in an allergic reaction.

48. Tapeworms • The definitive host of the cucumber tapeworm is a dog or a cat (occasionally a human). Fleas and lice are the intermediate host. the dog or cat becomes contaminated when the eggs are passed in the feces, and the flea or louse ingests the eggs.  The dog or cat (or human) is infected when they ingest a flea or louse.  Hence the importance of controlling fleas on your pet!

49. = 1 species

50. Trophic Levels • Each link in a food chain is known as a trophic level. • Trophic levels represent a feeding step in the transfer of energy and matter in an ecosystem.