Biotic and Abiotic Factors

• Biotic Factors are the living components of an ecosystem. (predator/prey interactions)

• Abiotic Factors are the nonliving parts of the ecosystem. They are considered to be LIMITING FACTORS that determine which types of organisms can live there. Examples: ????

An organism’s role in its environmentis its niche.

If two species are trying to use the same niche, competition will occur and only one species will successfully survive there.

Symbiosis is a relationship where twoorganisms live very close to one another.

There are three major types of symbioticrelationships.

1. Mutualism – both organisms benefit.Sea anemone and clownfish

2. Commensalism – one organism benefits,the other is neither benefits nor it harmed.

bird and capybara

3. Parasitism – a symbiotic relationship where one organism benefits and theother organism is harmed.

parasitic videos

AP Bio:

Aposematic coloration

Batesian mimicry

Mullerian mimicry

Ecological Succession is a series of predictable changes in abiotic and biotic parts of a community of organisms over time.

Succession starts with pioneer organismsand over many years results in a climaxforest community that is very stable.

http://www.physicalgeography.net/fundamentals/9i.html

Succession on Land

http://www.biology.duke.edu/bio217/2005/nlg3/CC_ecology.htm

Forest Fire

http://fire.cfs.nrcan.gc.ca/research/climate_change/carbon/carbon_postfire_e.htm

Succession

Primary succession would occur on rock after a volcanic eruption.

Secondary succession would occur after a man-made disturbance such as a fire or deforestation.

http://www.kidfish.bc.ca/images/lake%20succession.gif

Succession in a Lake Ecosystem

Biome –

Renewable Resources – can be restoredduring your lifetime.

Non-renewable Resources – cannot be restored during your lifetime.

Burning non-renewable resources (fossilfuels) as an energy supply causes an increase in production of greenhousegases like…..

This may lead to global warming.

• Acid Precipitation – Precipitation with a pH level below 5.2.

• The primary cause is burning of fossil fuels which releases nitrogen and sulfur compounds that turn acidic when mixed with water vapor in the atmosphere.

Burning non-renewable resources (fossilfuels) as an energy supply causes environmental problems like acid rainbecause…..

Use of aerosol products and refrigerants causes the release of CFC’s (chloro-flourocarbons) into the atmosphere. This causes depletion of the ozone layer (which normally protects the earth from harmfulultraviolet light.)