Ecology Unit Lesson

1. Ecology Unit Lesson The following power point provides additional information to assist you with answering the homework for the ecology review

2. Ecological Levels of Organization From smallest to largest • Organism (species) • Population • Community • Ecosystem • Biome • Biosphere (Click on the hyperlink to see an example of each)

3. There are inferences of biotic and abiotic interactions depicted in the diagram including but not limited to the fungi (biotic) decomposing the rotting log, the kangaroo (biotic) potentially drinking from the pond, and sunlight (abiotic) providing warmth and energy to promote photosynthesis in the grass, trees and shrubs.

4. mutualism living together R e l a t o n s h i p s Sy mbiot I c Click on each picture to read more about the symbiotic relationship parasitism commensalism

5. herbivore carnivore carnivore A food chain model shows the feeding relationships of organisms and the movement of energy with the direction of the arrows

6. The Food Web model depicts many feeding relationships and many food chains of a community

7. This energy pyramid indicates that amount of energy an organism receives at each trophic level. Each trophic level receives 10% of the energy from the previous level because 90% of the energy is used by the organism for daily life processes or lost at heat energy.

8. Biogeochemical Cycles Click on the hyperlink to see the diagram of each cycle • The Water Cycle • The Carbon Cycle • The Nitrogen Cycle • The Phosphorus Cycle is a model depicting how water cycles through an ecosystem is a model depicting how carbon cycles through an ecosystem is a model depicting how nitrogen cycles through an ecosystem is a model depicting how phosphorus cycles through an ecosystem

9. Succession The natural changes that occur in an area over time Click on each picture to learn more about primary and secondary succession

10. Click on picture to go back to main menu This is a cheetah, an example of a single organism (living thing)or a species of cat

11. Click on picture to go back to main menu This is a population of cheetahs a species living together in the same area

12. This is a community of rhinos, zebras, and antelope- populations living together in the same area Click on picture to go back to main menu

13. Click on picture to go back to main menu This ecosystem consists of animals, birds, grass, trees, a small pond, air and sunshine- all of the biotic and abiotic factors in an area

14. Click on picture to go back to main menu The Tundra is a biome (a region depicted by its climate- avg. temp. and rainfall in a year) closest to the Arctic characterized by short plants, a permanently frozen subsoil called permafrost, and Caribou

15. Click on picture to go back to main menu The biosphere includes all of the parts of the Earth including the atmosphere above and the ocean deep

16. Click on picture to go back to main menu In a mutualistic relationship the Nile bird cleans the teeth of the crocodile

17. Click on picture to go back to main menu The commensal relationship of the remora (sucker fish) and the stingray allow the remora to move from place to place without any effort

18. Click on picture to go back to main menu The pupa of the braconid wasp covers the tomato hornworm and kills it in this parasitic relationship

19. Click on the diagram to learn about the Water Cycle Click here to return to the main menu The Water Cycle

20. Click on the diagram to read an article about the carbon cycle and to complete the carbon cycle assignment sheet Click on the button below to play the carbon cycle game Click here to return to the main menu The Carbon Cycle start

21. The Nitrogen Cycle Click here to return to the main menu To learn more about the Nitrogen Cycle, you will play a game that is set up around the room. You will act as a nitrogen atom and travel from place to place. You will need your passport and the nitrogen assignment sheet as you play the game.

22. The Phosphorus Cycle Study the diagram and describe how phosphorus cycles through an ecosystem Click here to return to the main menu

23. Click here to return to succession menu

24. Secondary succession occurs after a natural disaster such as a forest fire or human action such as clear cutting where much of the vegetation is destroyed, but soil remains for plants to grow again. This form of succession occurs similarly to primary succession except it occurs faster since there is no need to breakdown rock. Click here to return to succession menu