Chapter 4The Organization of Life

Section 1

Ecosystems: Everything is Connected

Ecosystem: All of the organisms living in an area together PLUS their physical environment Biotic factors – All the living things in an ecosystem

Fish, coral, shrimp, seaweed, fish poop Abiotic factors - All the nonliving things in an

ecosystem Water, sand, sunlight, temperature

Coral Reef Ecosystem

Ecosystems: Everything is Connected

• Levels of Organization:• Organism – an individual

living thing• Species – can mate and

produce offspring that are fertile

• Population – All members of the same species

• Community – a group of various species that live in the same area and interact (only BIOTIC)

• Ecosystem – (biotic AND abiotic)

• Biosphere – all ecosystems of the Earth

• Habitat – Where an organism lives• Includes biotic and abiotic

factors the organism needs to survive

Section 2

Evolution

Environment can affect an individual speciesCharles Darwin was the first to notice this.

Organisms with certain traits are better able to survive their environment For Example: A lion with sharp claws can kill prey better than one with dull claws

Darwin called this Natural Selection The survival and reproduction of organisms with particular traits

Evolution

• Adaptations – inherited traits that increase an organism’s chance of survival• Future generations

of our lions will have sharper claws this is an adaptation

• Darwin’s finches are a famous example of adaptations

Evolution

Artificial Selection – humans select specific characteristics for organisms Dog breeders –labradoodles Farmers – certain flowers, fruits

and vegetables Seedless Watermelon “Cry free” onions

Evolution

Resistance – the ability of an organism to tolerate a particular chemical designed to kill it

Section 3

Diversity of Living Things

Organisms are classified into 6 kingdoms Archaebacteria and Eubacteria are

similar Single cell Microscopic Cell walls Reproduce by dividing in half ONLY Kingdoms without nucleus

Archaebacteria and Eubacteria are differentArchaebacteria live in extreme environments

Hot springs or ocean sulfur ventsEubacteria is what we know as bacteria

Diversity of Living Things

Fungi Cell wall Nucleus Absorb food through their

body surfacesProtists

Mostly single celled Nucleus Most live in water Examples – amoebas,

diatoms

Diversity of Living Things

Plants Multicellular Cell Walls Make Own Food

Gymnosperms – Woody plants that produce seeds NOT in fruit Example: Pine trees

Angiosperms – flowering plants that produce seeds in fruit Cotton, grasses, flowers, fruit

Diversity of Living Things

Animals Multicellular Cannot make own food

Invertebrates – animals that lack a backbone Ocean animals such as oysters and mollusks (live in

shells) Octupus Insects – have a hard skeleton but no backbone

Vertebrates – animals with a backbone Most live on land (except fish) Mammals – special type of vertebrate

• Warm blooded, fur, and feed young milk

What are you?