1 What is Ecology? copyright cmassengale. 2 What is Ecology?? The study of interactions that take place between organisms and their environment.The study

1

What is Ecology?What is

Ecology?

copyright cmassengale

2

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

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

• It It explainsexplains how living how living organisms organisms affectaffect each other each other and the world they live in.and the world they live in.

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

• It It explainsexplains how living how living organisms organisms affectaffect each other each other and the world they live in.and the world they live in.


3

Organisms and Their Organisms and Their EnvironmentsEnvironments

Organisms and Their Organisms and Their EnvironmentsEnvironments


Species interact with both other species and Species interact with both other species and their nonliving environment.their nonliving environment.

InterdependenceInterdependence is a theme in ecology—one change is a theme in ecology—one change can affect all species in an ecosystem.can affect all species in an ecosystem.

4

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

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


5

Levels of OrganizationLevels of OrganizationLevels of OrganizationLevels of Organization• EcologistsEcologists have organized the have organized the

interactions an organism takes interactions an organism takes part in into part in into different levels different levels according to complexityaccording to complexity..

• EcologistsEcologists have organized the have organized the interactions an organism takes interactions an organism takes part in into part in into different levels different levels according to complexityaccording to complexity..


6

Levels of Organization

Levels of Organization


7

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 is made of cells, 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 is made of cells, cells, uses energy, uses energy, reproduces, reproduces, responds, responds, grows, and grows, and developsdevelops


8

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 of the same same speciesspecies, , which which interbreedinterbreed and live in the and live in the same place at same place at the same the same timetime..

•Population:Population:A group of A group of organisms, all organisms, all of the of the same same speciesspecies, , which which interbreedinterbreed and live in the and live in the same place at same place at the same the same timetime.. copyright cmassengale

9

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 speciesspecies that 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 speciesspecies that that live in the live in the same place at same place at the same the same time.time.


10

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

Populations of Populations of plants and plants and animals that animals that interact with interact with each other in a each other in a given area with given area with the nonliving the nonliving components of components of that area. that area.

•Ecosystem:Ecosystem: Populations of Populations of plants and plants and animals that animals that interact with interact with each other in a each other in a given area with given area with the nonliving the nonliving components of components of that area. that area.


Ecosystems can be Ecosystems can be terrestrial terrestrial or or aquaticaquatic……

LakeLake StreamStream

PrairiePrairie ForestForest WetlandWetland

12

55thth Level of Organization Level of Organization55thth Level of Organization Level of Organization•Biosphere:Biosphere:

The portion of The portion of Earth that Earth that supports life.supports life.

•Extends from Extends from about 8km about 8km above the above the Earth’s Earth’s surface to as surface to as far as 8km far as 8km below the below the ocean!ocean!

•Biosphere:Biosphere:The portion of The portion of Earth that Earth that supports life.supports life.

•Extends from Extends from about 8km about 8km above the above the Earth’s Earth’s surface to as surface to as far as 8km far as 8km below the below the ocean!ocean!


13

Components of an Components of an EcosystemEcosystem

Components of an Components of an EcosystemEcosystem

Both livingBoth living (biotic) (biotic) and and nonlivingnonliving (abiotic) (abiotic) factors factors

influence organisms and their influence organisms and their ecosystems.ecosystems.

Both livingBoth living (biotic) (biotic) and and nonlivingnonliving (abiotic) (abiotic) factors factors

influence organisms and their influence organisms and their ecosystems.ecosystems.


14

The Nonliving The Nonliving EnvironmentEnvironmentThe Nonliving The Nonliving EnvironmentEnvironment

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

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

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

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

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

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


http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/69/Lightning_in_Arlington.jpg

15

The Living EnvironmentThe Living EnvironmentThe Living EnvironmentThe Living Environment

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

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

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

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


16

Abiotic or Biotic?Abiotic or Biotic?Abiotic or Biotic?Abiotic or Biotic?

BioticBioticcopyright cmassengale

17


AbioticAbioticcopyright cmassengale

18


AbioticAbioticcopyright cmassengale

19


BioticBioticcopyright cmassengale

20

What level of What level of organization?organization?What level of What level of organization?organization?

OrganismOrganism


21

What level of What level of Organization?Organization?What level of What level of Organization?Organization?

EcosystemEcosystemcopyright cmassengale

22

What level of What level of Organization?Organization?What level of What level of Organization?Organization?

PopulationPopulationcopyright cmassengale

What Does it Mean to Succeed???

Ecological SuccessionEcological Succession

is the process by is the process by which an existing which an existing

ecosystem is ecosystem is gradually replaced by gradually replaced by

another ecosystemanother ecosystem

Ecological Succession of a Pond Ecological Succession of a Pond CommunityCommunity

Begins as a thriving pond Begins as a thriving pond community….community….

The pond begins to fill with organic The pond begins to fill with organic matter like leaves, and silt, a fine matter like leaves, and silt, a fine soil….. soil…..


Over a period of time, the Over a period of time, the pond fills and becomes a pond fills and becomes a marsh…..marsh…..


Eventually the marsh becomes dry Eventually the marsh becomes dry land inhabited by a stable land inhabited by a stable community called a community called a climax climax

communitycommunity


Succession often leads to a Succession often leads to a fairly stable collection of fairly stable collection of

organismsorganisms

There are 2 types of succession There are 2 types of succession that occur in nature…..that occur in nature…..

Primary SuccessionPrimary Succession

&

Secondary SuccessionSecondary Succession

•Occurs in places Occurs in places where no living where no living community existed community existed before (ie. On a newly before (ie. On a newly formed volcanic formed volcanic island)island)

• Occurs in areas Occurs in areas where natural where natural disasters or human disasters or human activities have wiped activities have wiped out a living out a living communitycommunity

33

Organisms in an Organisms in an EcosystemEcosystem


AutotrophsAutotrophs

-Also called -Also called producersproducers

-Photosynthetic and make -Photosynthetic and make carbohydrates by using energy from carbohydrates by using energy from the sunthe sun

-Most numerous organisms in an -Most numerous organisms in an ecosystem!ecosystem!


34



HeterotrophsHeterotrophs

-Also called -Also called consumersconsumers

-Obtain energy by eating other -Obtain energy by eating other organismsorganisms

HerbivoresHerbivores

CarnivoresCarnivores

OmnivoresOmnivores


Detrivores

Decomposers

35

Food ChainsFood ChainsFood ChainsFood ChainsA single pathway of energy A single pathway of energy

transfer is atransfer is a food chainfood chain


36

Food WebsFood WebsFood WebsFood WebsA network showing all paths of A network showing all paths of energy transfer is aenergy transfer is a food webfood web


37

Trophic RelationshipsTrophic RelationshipsTrophic RelationshipsTrophic Relationships


Producer

Secondary Consumer

Tertiary Consumer

Quaternary Consumer

Primary Consumer (Herbivore)

38

Rule of 10Rule of 10Rule of 10Rule of 10


Only 10% of energy is transferred from one trophic level to the

next.Example:-It takes 100 kgs of plant materials (producers) to support 10 kgs of herbivores-It takes 10 kgs of herbivores to support 1 kg of 1st level predators

39copyright cmassengale

Ecosystems contain only a few Ecosystems contain only a few trophic levels because there is a trophic levels because there is a

low rate of energy transfer low rate of energy transfer between each level.between each level.

Energy FlowEnergy Flow

1500 kJ Energy

150 kJ Energy

15 kJ Energy

1.5 kJ Energy

Documents

1 What is Ecology? copyright cmassengale. 2 What is Ecology?? The study of interactions that take place between organisms and their environment.The study