4/7

• Pick up: –Ecology Booklet

• If you missed a TEST come see me now! • REMINDER: OLC fieldtrip Thursday

wear old shoes!

Ecology—the scientific study of interactions between different organisms and between organisms and their environment or surroundings

A. Biotic—living factors that influence an ecosystem

B. Abiotic—non-living factors that influence an ecosystemex: temperature, humidity, wind, soil, sunlight

AutotrophsA. Sunlight is the main energy source for life on

earth

B. Also called producers

C. Use light or chemical energy to make food1. Plants -- land2. Plant-like protists (algae) – upper layers of ocean3. Photosynthetic bacteria – tidal flats and salt marshes

D. Photosynthesis—use light energy to convert carbon dioxide and water into oxygen and carbohydrates

(Remember: CO2 + H2O O2 + C6H12O6)

E. Chemosynthesis—performed by bacteria, use inorganic chemical compounds to produce carbohydrates ex: sulfur in tidal flats

Light Energy

Heterotrophs

A. Organisms that rely on other organisms for their energy and food supply

B. Also called consumers

Herbivores—obtain energy by eating only plants

Carnivores—eat only animals

Omnivores—eat both plants and animals

Decomposers—breaks down dead organic matter ex: bacteria, protists and fungi

Detritivore – eats dead plant and animal material (detritus)

Piscivore – carnivore that eats only fishFrugivore – herbivore or omnivore that eats

mainly fruitInsectivore – carnivore that eats mainly insects

Feeding Interactions

A. Energy flows through an ecosystem in one direction—from the sun or inorganic compounds to autotrophs (producers) and then to heterotrophs (consumers)

B. Food Chain—series of steps in which organisms transfer energy by eating and being eaten

1. Arrows go in the direction of how energy is transferred

2. Start with producer and end with top consumeror carnivore

Ex: grass cricket frog raccoon

C. Food Web—network of food chains within an ecosystem

Which of the organisms above is the producer?

Which of the organisms above is the top consumer?

Hawks

Weasels Raccoons

Mice

Grass

GrassHawks

4/8

• Get out: – Ecology Booklet

• Reminder: OLC on Thursday – Test corrections and make-ups today after school

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysa5OBhXz-Q

• Wolves change rivers

Warm-Up:

• With your table partner, use as many cards as you can to create a food chain. STOP!

• Once you are done, try and make a food web connecting all of your cards.

D. Trophic Levels—each step in a food chain or food web

1. Level 1—Producers (autotrophs)

2. Level 2—Primary Consumers(herbivores) – 1o consumers

3. Level 3—Secondary Consumers (carnivores or omnivores) – 20 consumers

4. Level 4—Tertiary Consumers (carnivore—usually top carnivore) – 3o consumers

5. Level 5 – Quaternary consumers – 40 consumers

Hawks

Weasels Raccoons

Mice

Grass

Food Webs

IV. Ecological Pyramids

A. Diagram that shows the relative amount of energy or organisms (matter) contained within each trophic level of a

food chain or web

B. Energy Pyramid shows relative amount of energy available at each trophic level

1. Organisms in a trophic level use 90% of the available energy for life processes (such as growth,

photosynthesis, cellular respiration, metabolism, etc.) and release some energy as heat

Remember: Every chemical process that happens in your body releases heat as a byproduct (ex: burning calories).

2. Rule of 10—only about 10% of the available energy stored within a trophic level is transferred to

the next higher trophic level

C. Biomass Pyramid—represents the amount of living organic matter at each trophic level

Represents amount of energy available at each level as well as amount of living tissue—both decrease with each increasing trophic level

Energy and Biomass Pyramid (together)

Why do you think this occurs?

EOC Practice Question

4/10

–Turn in • Desert Food Web– Stack A• OLC Activity – Stack B

–Reminders: • Ecology Quiz Next Thursday

V. Ecological Interactions between organismsA. Competition—when two organisms of the same or

different species attempt to use an ecological resource in the same place at the same time.Ex: food, water, shelter

Direct competition results in: winner (survives and reproduces) loser (dies, fails to reproduce)

survival of the fittest (natural selection)

Monkeys compete with each other and other animals for food.

Rams compete with each other for mates.

B. Habitat—where an organism lives, includes both biotic and abiotic factors.

C. Niche—the ecological niche involves both the place where an organism lives and the roles that an organism has in its habitat; how an organism lives and uses its habitat.

Example: The ecological niche of a sunflower growing in the backyard includes absorbing light, water and nutrients (for photosynthesis), providing shelter and food for other organisms (e.g. bees, ants, etc.), and giving off oxygen into the atmosphere.

D. Predation—one organism captures and feeds on another organism

1. Predator—one that does the killing

2. Prey—one that is the food

E. Symbiosis—any relationship in which two species live closely together

1. Mutualism—both species benefit (WIN-WIN)a. Ex: insects and flowers

Can you think of any other examples that we’ve talked about in class?

2. Commensalism—one member of the association benefits and the other is neither helped nor harmed.(WIN-0)

Example: barnacles on a whale

3. Parasitism—one organisms lives on or inside another organism (host) and harms it.The parasite obtains all or part of its nutritional needs from the host. (WIN-LOSE)

Example: fleas on a dog

VI. Levels of organization in the biosphereA. Population – group of individuals of same

species living in same areaB. Community – assemblage of different

populations (of different species) living in same area

C. Ecosystem – all organisms in a particular place and the surrounding physical environment

D. Biome – group of ecosystems with same climate and same dominant communities

E. Biosphere – the part of the planet where all life exists; includes land, water, air (atmosphere)

Levels of Organization in Biosphere

4/13

Get out: -Ecology Crossword-Bring to me for stamp if completed

Pick up: Nitrogen Cycle Tutorial sheet-Reminders:

-ECOLOGY QUIZ – Thursday-All extra credit due tomorrow

4/15• Pick up: –Lynx Packet

• Get out HW: put on my desk• Reminder: Quiz tomorrow

4/17

• Pick Up: – Items for Whiteboard practice–Textbook

• Get out: Notes succession/cycles• Reminder: Ecology Test Next Wednesday• Bring tape for stamps! • Have a great Easter

Warm-Up1. Carbon dioxide makes up less than 1 percent of Earth's atmosphere, and oxygen makes up about 20 percent. These percentages are maintained most directly by the processes of —A. absorption and evaporation.B. fertilization and recombination.C. respiration and photosynthesis.D. nitrogen fixation and mineralization.

2. How does a plant take in nitrogen?A. A plant takes in nitrogen as ammonium (NH4+) after a decomposing animal has released the ammonium.B. A plant takes in nitrogen as atmospheric nitrogen (N2) captured directly from the atmosphere.C. A plant takes in nitrogen as nitrates (NO3-) after nitrogen has been transformed by bacteria.D. A plant takes in nitrogen as nitrites (NO2-) received directly from other plants.

3. One of the nutrient cycles moves from an atmospheric gaseous form to the soil through both fixation and biotic assimilation processes, moves through the food web, then is returned to the soil or to the atmosphere. Which cycle fits this description?

A. carbonB. nitrogenC. phosphorusD. water

Warm-Up4. Hundreds of years ago, a volcanic eruption killed many plants and animals on a tropical island. Today, the island looks much as it did before the eruption. Why is this true? A. Destroyed ecosystems always return to their exact original state.B. Altered ecosystems only regain stability from the development of grasses.C. Geographic barriers prevent the migration of animals to island habitats.D. Destroyed environments can recover through ecological succession.

5. Lichens and mosses are often the first organisms to grow in a bare area. Over time, grasses and shrubs will grow where lichens and mosses grew. The grasses and shrubs are able to grow in the area because the lichens and mosses — A. make the environment suitable for complex plants.B. are the producers in every stable ecosystem.C. synthesize specific bacteria for the grasses and shrubs.D. provide enzymes needed for complex plant growth.

Warm-Up Cont.6. The 1988 fires of Yellowstone National Park cleared large areas of vegetation, leaving nothing but soil intact. When life returns to a previously established community such as Yellowstone, this process is – A. primary succession B. biodiversity C. secondary succession D. speciation

7. After a town is abandoned, the concrete parking lots remain empty and inactive for hundreds of years. What is the most likely order of ecological succession in that area? A. Grass → trees → lichens → mossB. Lichens → grass → trees → shrubsC. Shrubs → grass → trees → lichensD. Lichens → grass → shrubs → trees

4/16

• Get out “Lynx Eats Hare” w.s.–Show me completed

assignment for stamp • Get out all stamps – write name

on stamps• Get ready for QUIZ!