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ECOLOGYECOLOGY

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What is Ecology??What is Ecology??What is Ecology??What is Ecology??

•The study of interactions The study of interactions that take place between that take place between organisms and their organisms and their environment.environment.

• It explains how living It explains how living organisms affect each other organisms affect each other and the world they live in.and the world they live in.

•The study of interactions The study of interactions that take place between that take place between organisms and their organisms and their environment.environment.

• It explains how living It explains how living organisms affect each other organisms affect each other and the world they live in.and the world they live in.

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Habitat & NicheHabitat & NicheHabitat & NicheHabitat & Niche•HabitatHabitat is the is the place a plant place a plant or animal lives or animal lives

•NicheNiche is an is an organism’s organism’s total way of total way of lifelife

•HabitatHabitat is the is the place a plant place a plant or animal lives or animal lives

•NicheNiche is an is an organism’s organism’s total way of total way of lifelife

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The Nonliving The Nonliving EnvironmentEnvironmentThe Nonliving The Nonliving EnvironmentEnvironment

• Abiotic factors- the Abiotic factors- the nonliving parts of an nonliving parts of an organism’s organism’s environment.environment.

• Examples include air Examples include air currents, temperature, currents, temperature, moisture, light, and soil.moisture, light, and soil.

• Abiotic factors affect an Abiotic factors affect an organism’s life.organism’s life.

• Abiotic factors- the Abiotic factors- the nonliving parts of an nonliving parts of an organism’s organism’s environment.environment.

• Examples include air Examples include air currents, temperature, currents, temperature, moisture, light, and soil.moisture, light, and soil.

• Abiotic factors affect an Abiotic factors affect an organism’s life.organism’s life.

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The Living EnvironmentThe Living EnvironmentThe Living EnvironmentThe Living Environment

•Biotic factors- all the Biotic factors- all the living organisms that living organisms that inhabit an inhabit an environment.environment.

•All organisms depend All organisms depend on others directly or on others directly or indirectly for food, indirectly for food, shelter, reproduction, shelter, reproduction, or protection.or protection.

•Biotic factors- all the Biotic factors- all the living organisms that living organisms that inhabit an inhabit an environment.environment.

•All organisms depend All organisms depend on others directly or on others directly or indirectly for food, indirectly for food, shelter, reproduction, shelter, reproduction, or protection.or protection.

SuccessionSuccession

• Replacement of 1 type of community by another at a single location over a period of time

• Begins with pioneer species

• Goes thru succession to maintain equilibrium

• Replacement of 1 type of community by another at a single location over a period of time

• Begins with pioneer species

• Goes thru succession to maintain equilibrium

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copyright cmassengale 7

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What are the Simplest Levels?

What are the Simplest Levels?

•AtomAtom•MoleculeMolecule•OrganelleOrganelle•CellCell•TissueTissue•OrganOrgan•SystemSystem

•AtomAtom•MoleculeMolecule•OrganelleOrganelle•CellCell•TissueTissue•OrganOrgan•SystemSystem

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11stst Level of Organization Level of Organization11stst Level of Organization Level of Organization•Organism:Organism:

An individual An individual living thing that living thing that is made of cells, is made of cells, uses energy, uses energy, reproduces, reproduces, responds, responds, grows, and grows, and developsdevelops

•Organism:Organism:An individual An individual living thing that living thing that is made of cells, is made of cells, uses energy, uses energy, reproduces, reproduces, responds, responds, grows, and grows, and developsdevelops

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22ndnd Level of Organization Level of Organization22ndnd Level of Organization Level of Organization•Population:Population:

A group of A group of organisms, all organisms, all of the same of the same species, species, which which interbreed interbreed and live in the and live in the same place at same place at the same the same time.time.

•Population:Population:A group of A group of organisms, all organisms, all of the same of the same species, species, which which interbreed interbreed and live in the and live in the same place at same place at the same the same time.time.

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33rdrd Level of Organization Level of Organization33rdrd Level of Organization Level of Organization•Biological Biological

Community:Community:All the All the populations populations of different of different species that species that live in the live in the same place at same place at the same the same time.time.

•Biological Biological Community:Community:All the All the populations populations of different of different species that species that live in the live in the same place at same place at the same the same time.time.

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44thth Level of Organization Level of Organization44thth Level of Organization Level of Organization•Ecosystem:Ecosystem:

Populations of Populations of plants and animals plants and animals that interact with that interact with each other in a each other in a given area with the given area with the abiotic abiotic components of that components of that area. area. (terrestrial (terrestrial or aquatic)or aquatic)

•Ecosystem:Ecosystem: Populations of Populations of plants and animals plants and animals that interact with that interact with each other in a each other in a given area with the given area with the abiotic abiotic components of that components of that area. area. (terrestrial (terrestrial or aquatic)or aquatic)

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55thth Level of Organization Level of Organization55thth Level of Organization Level of Organization

• Life is found in Life is found in air, on land, air, on land, and in fresh and in fresh and salt water.and salt water.

• The The BIOSPHERE BIOSPHERE is the portion is the portion of Earth that of Earth that supports living supports living things.things.

• Life is found in Life is found in air, on land, air, on land, and in fresh and in fresh and salt water.and salt water.

• The The BIOSPHERE BIOSPHERE is the portion is the portion of Earth that of Earth that supports living supports living things.things.

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Energy Flow in an

Ecosystem

Energy Flow in an

Ecosystem

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Energy FlowEnergy FlowEnergy FlowEnergy Flow

• Energy in an ecosystem Energy in an ecosystem originally comes from the sunoriginally comes from the sun

• Energy flows through Energy flows through Ecosystems from producers to Ecosystems from producers to consumersconsumers– Producers (make food)Producers (make food)– Consumers (use food by eating Consumers (use food by eating producers or other consumers)producers or other consumers)

• Energy in an ecosystem Energy in an ecosystem originally comes from the sunoriginally comes from the sun

• Energy flows through Energy flows through Ecosystems from producers to Ecosystems from producers to consumersconsumers– Producers (make food)Producers (make food)– Consumers (use food by eating Consumers (use food by eating producers or other consumers)producers or other consumers)

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ProducersProducersProducersProducers

•Sunlight is the Sunlight is the main source of main source of energy for most energy for most life on earth.life on earth.

•Producers contain Producers contain chlorophyll & can chlorophyll & can use energy use energy directly from the directly from the sunsun

•Sunlight is the Sunlight is the main source of main source of energy for most energy for most life on earth.life on earth.

•Producers contain Producers contain chlorophyll & can chlorophyll & can use energy use energy directly from the directly from the sunsun

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AutotrophsAutotrophsAutotrophsAutotrophs• An Autotroph is any organism An Autotroph is any organism

that can produce its own food that can produce its own food supply!supply!

• Autotrophs are also called Autotrophs are also called ProducersProducers

• Plants, algae, some protists, & Plants, algae, some protists, & some bacteria are examplessome bacteria are examples

• An Autotroph is any organism An Autotroph is any organism that can produce its own food that can produce its own food supply!supply!

• Autotrophs are also called Autotrophs are also called ProducersProducers

• Plants, algae, some protists, & Plants, algae, some protists, & some bacteria are examplessome bacteria are examples

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ConsumersConsumersConsumersConsumersHeterotrophs eat other Heterotrophs eat other

organisms to obtain organisms to obtain energy. (e.g. energy. (e.g. animalsanimals))

• HerbivoresHerbivores– Eat Only PlantsEat Only Plants

• CarnivoresCarnivores– Eat Only Other Eat Only Other AnimalsAnimals

Heterotrophs eat other Heterotrophs eat other organisms to obtain organisms to obtain

energy. (e.g. energy. (e.g. animalsanimals))• HerbivoresHerbivores

– Eat Only PlantsEat Only Plants• CarnivoresCarnivores

– Eat Only Other Eat Only Other AnimalsAnimals

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ConsumersConsumersConsumersConsumersHeterotrophs eat other Heterotrophs eat other

organisms to obtain energy.organisms to obtain energy.• Omnivores (Humans)Omnivores (Humans)

– Eat Plants & AnimalsEat Plants & Animals• Detritivores (Scavengers)Detritivores (Scavengers)

– Feed On Dead Plant & Animal Feed On Dead Plant & Animal Remains (buzzards)Remains (buzzards)

• DecomposersDecomposers– Fungi & BacteriaFungi & Bacteria

Heterotrophs eat other Heterotrophs eat other organisms to obtain energy.organisms to obtain energy.

• Omnivores (Humans)Omnivores (Humans)– Eat Plants & AnimalsEat Plants & Animals

• Detritivores (Scavengers)Detritivores (Scavengers)– Feed On Dead Plant & Animal Feed On Dead Plant & Animal

Remains (buzzards)Remains (buzzards)• DecomposersDecomposers

– Fungi & BacteriaFungi & Bacteria

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Feeding RelationshipsFeeding RelationshipsFeeding RelationshipsFeeding Relationships

Energy flows Energy flows through an through an ecosystem in ecosystem in oneone direction direction

from from producers to producers to various levels various levels of consumersof consumers

Energy flows Energy flows through an through an ecosystem in ecosystem in oneone direction direction

from from producers to producers to various levels various levels of consumersof consumers

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Feeding RelationshipsFeeding RelationshipsFeeding RelationshipsFeeding Relationships• Food ChainFood Chain

– Simple Energy path through Simple Energy path through an ecosysteman ecosystem

• Food WebFood Web– More realistic path through More realistic path through an ecosystem made of many an ecosystem made of many food chainsfood chains

• Food ChainFood Chain– Simple Energy path through Simple Energy path through an ecosysteman ecosystem

• Food WebFood Web– More realistic path through More realistic path through an ecosystem made of many an ecosystem made of many food chainsfood chains

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Food WebFood WebFood WebFood Web

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Trophic LevelsTrophic LevelsTrophic LevelsTrophic LevelsEach Level In A Food Chain or Each Level In A Food Chain or Food Web is a Trophic Level.Food Web is a Trophic Level.

• ProducersProducers– Always The First Trophic LevelAlways The First Trophic Level– How Energy Enters The How Energy Enters The SystemSystem

• HerbivoresHerbivores– Second Trophic LevelSecond Trophic Level

Each Level In A Food Chain or Each Level In A Food Chain or Food Web is a Trophic Level.Food Web is a Trophic Level.

• ProducersProducers– Always The First Trophic LevelAlways The First Trophic Level– How Energy Enters The How Energy Enters The SystemSystem

• HerbivoresHerbivores– Second Trophic LevelSecond Trophic Level

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Trophic LevelsTrophic LevelsTrophic LevelsTrophic Levels•Carnivores/OmnivoresCarnivores/Omnivores

–Make Up The Remaining Make Up The Remaining Trophic LevelsTrophic Levels

Each level depends on Each level depends on the one below it for the one below it for

energy.energy.

•Carnivores/OmnivoresCarnivores/Omnivores–Make Up The Remaining Make Up The Remaining Trophic LevelsTrophic Levels

Each level depends on Each level depends on the one below it for the one below it for

energy.energy.

The maximum amount of ENERGY that passes from

one trophic level to the next is 10%.

90% of the ENERGY at eachtrophic level is used to keep the

organisms alive and is converted to HEAT.

Ecological Relationships

Ecological Relationships

•competition•predation•parasitism•mutualism•commensalism•symbiosis

Competition – two species share a requirement for a limited resource reduces fitness of one or both species

Predation – one species feeds on another enhances fitness of predator but reduces fitness of prey

herbivory is a form ofpredation

Parasitism – one species feeds on another•The parasite species benefits, but the host is harmed.

Mutualism – two species provide resources or services to each other. Both benefit.

Commensalism – one species receives a benefit fromanother species enhances fitness of one species; noeffect on fitness of the other species

Symbiosis – two species live together can includeparasitism, mutualism, and commensalism