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Ecology. Ecology. The study of the interaction between biotic and abiotic factors. Biosphere. all of the places on earth where life can exist. Biome. Large regions characterized by a particular geography, climate, flora and fauna. Ecosystem. A place and all of its biotic and abiotic parts.
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Ecology The study of the interaction between biotic and abiotic factors.
Biosphere all of the places on earth where life can exist.
Biome Large regions characterized by a particular geography, climate, flora and fauna.
Ecosystem A place and all of its biotic and abiotic parts.
Community All of the living things in an ecosystem.
Population All of the living things of a particular species in a community.
Organism The individual members of a population.
Exponential Growth Growth without limits. Population growth when there is plenty of food, water, space, shelter, no disease, no predators, etc. Also called Biotic Potential. Human are the only species that can somewhat maintain exponential growth.
Logistic Growth Growth with limits. Reflects population growth in response to limiting factors.
Limiting Factors Anything that limits the growth of a population. The sum total of all limiting factors is environmental resistance. Ex. Food, water, shelter, space, predators, disease, etc.
Density Dependent L.F. Limiting Factors which are impacted by population size. Ex. Competition for resources
Density Independent L.F. Limiting factors which are not impacted by population size. Ex. Natural disasters, fires, freezes, etc.
Carrying Capacity The average population that can be supported by an ecosystem over time due to the presence of limiting factors.
Predator/Prey relationships • Predator hunts, catches and eats prey. • Examples: Cheetahs eat Gazelles, Bobcats and Rabbits, Frogs eat crickets, Crickets eat grass.
Symbiotic Relationships- whenorganisms of different species are interdependent. • Parasitism- one organism is harmed, one benefits. Ex. Ticks on dogs, Tapeworms in humans. • Mutualism- both organisms benefit. Ex. Lichens, intestinal bacteria and humans, Clown fish and sea anemones. • Commensalism- one organism benefits and the other is unaffected. Ex. Cattle Egrets and cows.
Ecosystem Change Ecological Succession
Ecological Succession The changing of an ecosystems community of organisms over time as conditions within the ecosystem are altered by the original community.
Two types of Succession • Primary succession occurs in a place where organisms have not previously existed. Ex. Volcanic islands. • Secondary succession occurs in a place where organisms have already lived. Ex. Burned forest, abandoned farm.
Types of Communities • Pioneer community is the first set of organisms to inhabit an ecosystem. Ex. Lichens, mosses, grasses, insects, rodents. • Transition community is the organisms that succeed the pioneer organisms on the way to a stable climax community. • Climax community is the set of organisms that can survive in the mature, stable ecosystem. Ex. Trees, deer, bobcats, etc.
Energy in Ecosystems Food Webs and Energy Pyramids
Habitat The place where an organism lives.
Niche How an organism makes its living. Where it fits into an ecosystem. It’s chemical and physical needs.
Energy • The ability to do work. • Kinetic energy- energy of movement. Examples: rock rolling downhill, a person running, a car rolling down the road. • Potential energy- stored energy. Examples: a rock sitting at the top of a hill, food, gasoline.
Sun The original source of energy on earth. Plants harness sunlight and turn it into food during photosynthesis.
Food Web Tracks the movement of energy through an ecosystem.
Trophic Levels The feeding levels within a food chain or web.
Producers Make their own food using sunlight during photosynthesis. Ex. Plants.
Primary Consumers Receive their energy from producers. Ex. Rabbits, deer.
Secondary Consumers Receive their energy from primary consumers. Ex. Snake.
Tertiary Consumers Receive their energy from secondary consumers. Ex. Hawk.
Decomposers Consume organisms from each level after death. Recycle nutrients. Ex. Bacteria.
Energy Pyramids Show the transfer of energy between trophic levels.
10% Rule 90% of the energy captured by a trophic level is used and lost while 10% is available for use by the next level.
Matter in Ecosystems Biogeochemical (Nutrient) Cycles
Matter Anything that has mass and takes up space. Energy moves matter around.
Biogeochemical Cycles Track the movement of nutrients through an ecosystem.
Nutrients The building blocks of living matter. Ex. Water, nitrogen, carbon, oxygen
Hydrological Cycle Tracks the movement of water molecules through an ecosystem. We interfere with this cycle by pumping water out of aquifers and off of surface water for irrigation and other uses. We also pollute water with our waste.
Importance of Water • Carries nutrients to the cells. • Carries waste away from the cells. • Is an ingredient of photosynthesis. • Is an ingredient of decomposition. • Is a coolant. • Mixes with other substances to form solutions.Ex. Blood, Kool Aid • Is habitat for living organisms.
Nitrogen Cycle • Tracks the movement of nitrogen through an ecosystem. • Driven by bacterial fixation and decomposition. • Nitrogen is important to plant growth and forms part of DNA in all life. • We interfere with this cycle by mining nitrogen turning it into fertilizer which runs off into stream and lakes causing fish kills.
Carbon Cycle • Tracks the movement of carbon through ecosystems. • Is important because carbon forms many molecules that are found in living things. • Is driven by two processes: photosynthesis and cellular respiration. • We interfere with this cycle by burning fossil fuels which increases greenhouse gases causing global warming.
