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Ecology

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

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Ecology

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  1. Ecology

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

  3. Biosphere Ecosystem Community Population Organism

  4. Organism -any unicellular or multicellular form exhibiting all of the characteristics of life, an individual. • The lowest level of organization

  5. 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.)

  6. Community -several interacting populations that inhabit a common environment and are interdependent.

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

  8. Biosphere - life supporting portions of Earth composed of air, land, fresh water, and salt water. • The highest level of organization • All organisms found here

  9. II. Biomes and Aquatic Life Systems A. Biomes: • Land portion of the biosphere • Distinct climate and specific life-forms adapted for life within that climate. Climate - long-term patterns of weather is the primary factor determining the type of life B. Aquatic life zones: • Marine and Freshwater

  10. Desert Coastal chaparral and scrub Coniferous forest Coniferous forest Prairie grassland Deciduous forest Appalachian Mountains Mississippi River Valley Great Plains Rocky Mountains Great American Desert Sierra Nevada Mountain Coastal mountain ranges 15,000 ft 10,000 ft Average annual precipitaion 5,000 ft 100-125 cm (40-50 in.) 75-100 cm (30-40 in.) 50-75 cm (20-30 in.) 25-50 cm (10-20 in.) below 25 cm (0-10 in.) Ecosystem Concepts and Components Fig. 4.9, p. 76

  11. C. Ecotone • Transitional zone between two ecosystems • A mixture of species found in both ecosystems as well as organisms that are unique to the ecotones.

  12. Land zone Transition zone Aquatic zone Number of species Species in land zone Species in aquatic zone Species in transition zone only Ecosystem Boundaries: Ecotones Fig. 4.10, p. 77

  13. List the factors affect the survival of the organisms in this aquarium?

  14. 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)

  15. Abiotic Factors • The non living factors, called abiotic , are the physical and chemical characteristics of the environment • Examples: Temperature, humidity, pH, salinity, oxygen concentration, amount of sunlight, available nitrogen, and precipitation

  16. 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

  17. 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

  18. A. Major Non-Living Components • Each population has a “Range of Tolerance” to abiotic factors. • These are the minimum and maximum levels that can be tolerated by an organism. *Limiting Factors of Water; D.O. Salinity Light Penetration Nutrients *Limiting Factors of Land; Precipitation Temp. Latitude Sunlight

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

  20. Lower limit of tolerance Upper limit of tolerance No organisms Few organisms Few organisms No organisms Abundance of organisms Population size Optimum range Zone of intolerance Zone of physiological stress Zone of physiological stress Zone of intolerance Low High Temperature

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

  22. Feeding Relationships Producer- all autotrophs (plants),they trap energy from the sun • Bottom of the food chain

  23. Feeding Relationships Consumer- all heterotrophs: they ingest food containing the sun’s energy • Herbivores • Carnivores • Omnivores • Decomposers

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

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

  26. Feeding Relationships Consumer- Carnivores- eat meat • Scavengers • Feed on carrion, dead animals

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

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

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

  30. Symbiotic Relationships Commensalism- one species benefits and the other is neither harmed nor helped Ex. orchids on a tree Epiphytes: A plant, such as a tropical orchid or a bromeliad, that grows on another plant upon which it depends for mechanical support but not for nutrients. Also called xerophyte, air plant.

  31. Symbiotic Relationships Commensalism- one species benefits and the other is neither harmed nor helped Ex. polar bears and cyanobacteria

  32. Symbiotic Relationships Parasitism- one species benefits (parasite) and the other is harmed (host) • Parasite-Host relationship

  33. Symbiotic Relationships Parasitism- parasite-host Ex. lampreys, leeches, fleas, ticks, tapeworm

  34. Symbiotic Relationships Mutualism- beneficial to both species Ex. cleaning birds and cleaner shrimp

  35. Symbiotic Relationships Mutualism- beneficial to both species Ex. lichen

  36. This relationship enables each to tolerate harsh conditions where neither could survive alone. In this partnership, the fungus furnishes the alga with water, prevents overexposure to sunlight, and provides simple mineral nutrients, while the photosynthesizing alga supplies food to the fungus even if no other organic material is available.

  37. = 1 species

  38. 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.

  39. Trophic Levels Biomass- the amount of organic matter comprising a group of organisms in a habitat. • As you move up a food chain, both available energy and biomass decrease. • Energy is transferred upwards but is diminished with each transfer.

  40. Trophic Levels E N E R G Y Tertiary consumers- top carnivores Secondary consumers-small carnivores Primary consumers- Herbivores Producers- Autotrophs

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