The Significance of Ecology: Understanding Interactions in Nature

2. Ecology Ecologyis the study of interactions between organisms and their environment; focus is on energy transfer – It is a science of relationships!

3. Why does ecology matter? Ecologists complete investigations on the environment, climate change, farming, energy, food, health, green living, and eco friendly products, etc.. • Example problems that ecology handles: • How do humans affect the atmosphere and contribute to global warming? • How does the population of wolves in an area affect the population of rabbits? • Do clownfish and anemone benefit each other?

4. Why does ecology matter? Scenario: Imagine that there is an insect that lives on peanut plants growing on farms in Effingham County. Is there a way that we can limit insect damage to the peanut crops in order to decrease the price of peanuts at the store by 20 cents per pound?

5. Scenario: A cargo ship in Savanna drops off hundreds of crates of produce from Brazil at the port, but unknowingly transports several hundred rats along in the crates. Frightened that the introduced species may bring diseases, the city of Savanna looks for possible solutions to get rid of the rats that are now populating like crazy.

6. Ecology A. There are two parts of an environment : • ____________- all of the organisms that live together and interact with one another.- Living factors Examples: ___________, ______________, _____________, ________________, _____________

7. Ecology A. There are two parts of an environment : • Biotic- all of the organisms that live together and interact with one another.- Living factors Examples: ___________, ______________, _____________, ________________, _____________

8. Examples of Biotic Factors in the Environment • Biotic means having to do with life or living organisms.

9. _________________- part of the environment that includes all of the physical, nonliving, factors. Examples: _____________, _____________, _______________

10. Abiotic- part of the environment that includes all of the physical, nonliving, factors. Examples: _____________, _____________, _______________

11. Examles of Abiotic Factors in the Environment • Abiotic factors are characterized by the absence of life or living organisms. • Sunlight, soil, temperature, and precipitation are examples of abiotic factors in the environment

12. Abiotic and Biotic Factors Section 4-2 Abiotic Factors Biotic Factors ECOSYSTEM Go to Section:

13. Abiotic or Biotic? Biotic (plant) Abiotic (rainwater)

14. Abiotic or Biotic? abiotic abiotic biotic biotic abiotic The air temperature is 45 degrees F = The soil is made of rocks and minerals = A bird lays eggs = Bacteria break down dead organisms = The pH or the water is 2 (acidic) =

15. Abiotic or Biotic? Biotic Abiotic Biotic Biotic

16. Which of the following is a relationship between abiotic and biotic factors? Abiotic Biotic A) The rain on an open field washes away soil B) A hawk hunts a mouse and swoops down into the forest for the kill C) A lake has very acidic water which causes many fish populations to die D) A deer grazes in a field of grasses

17. Ecosystems • Ecosystem: An area containing an interaction of living and non-living factors in an area/region • Example ecosystems: • South Georgia forests (pine forests) • Coastal Plains of Georgia • Okefenokee Swamp ecosystem • Clark’s Hill Lake Ecosystem

18. The organization of our world! The earth is a biosphere Ecosystems are the living and nonliving things in an area Populations are a group of one type of organism living in an area

19. Ecosystem- a community of organisms and its abiotic environment. Abiotic + Biotic = Ecosystem

20. II. Organization in the Environment • _______________- the individual.

21. II. Organization in the Environment • Organism- the individual. • __________________- group of individuals of the same species that live together in the same area at the same time.

22. II. Organization in the Environment • Organism- the individual. • Population- group of individuals of the same species that live together in the same area at the same time.

23. 3. ________________- all of the populations of different species that live and interact in an area.

24. Animals found on the ocean floor 3. Community- all of the populations of different species that live and interact in an area.

25. 4. Biomes are areas on earth that can be characterized by the climate, vegetation, and organisms that live in a specific environment.

26. 5. ______________ The part of the earth and its atmosphere in which living organisms exist.

27. 5. Biosphere The part of the earth and its atmosphere in which living organisms exist.

28. Ecological Levels of Organization Levels of Organization Go to Section:

32. 1.Tropical Rainforest – hot, humid, heavy rainfall, tall trees, occur around the equator, many different species; most live in the canopy, birds, frogs, snakes, monkeys

35. 2. Taiga – coniferous forest; long cold winters; Canada; usually only one or two types of conifers- evergreen trees like pines, bear, caribou, deer, elk, beaver

38. 3. Temperate Deciduous Forest – Eastern U.S. ; leaves of trees change color, warm summers and mild winters; maple, oak, and elm trees, squirrel, deer, fox

41. 4. Desert – hot in the daytime, cold at night; dry; Africa; U.S.; Australia, plants and animals exhibit adaptations and behaviors that help them conserve water; cactus, short shrubs, scorpions, rodents, and snakes.

43. Tundra

45. 5. Tundra – Cold; permafrost- soil is permanently frozen; little rainfall; soggy soil, Arctic; lichen and moss grow, caribou, arctic fox, arctic hare, owl.

50. 6. Savanna- tropical grassland with a few scattered trees; Africa; wet & dry season, have large grazing animals like zebra, elephants, giraffes Prairie – North American Grassland; U.S- very fertile soils