EcologEcologyyChapter 3: The BiosphereChapter 3: The Biosphere

What Is Ecology?What Is Ecology? EcologyEcology- is the study of the interactions among - is the study of the interactions among

organisms and between the organisms and the organisms and between the organisms and the environments in which they live. environments in which they live.

((ecoeco means “house”) means “house”) ..

Biotic factorsBiotic factors – – all living thingsall living things Ex. Types of plants, animals, bacteria, Ex. Types of plants, animals, bacteria,

fungi, etcfungi, etc..

Abiotic factorsAbiotic factors – – all non-living thingsall non-living things Ex. Climate, temperature, amount of rainfall, Ex. Climate, temperature, amount of rainfall,

humidity, light, wind, soil type, nutrients humidity, light, wind, soil type, nutrients available, etc.available, etc.

Smallest Largest

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Individual Population Community Ecosystem Biome Biosphere

Ecological Levels of OrganizationEcological Levels of Organization

Levels of OrganizationLevels of OrganizationSummarySummary

SpeciesSpecies-or individual-or individual PopulationPopulation- all of one species- all of one species CommunitiesCommunities-all populations-all populations EcosystemsEcosystems- all populations + environment- all populations + environment BiomeBiome- large stable ecosystems- large stable ecosystems

BiosphereBiosphere-- Part Part of Earth where life of Earth where life exists (all biomes)exists (all biomes)

Species / IndividualSpecies / Individual

A group of similar looking organisms that A group of similar looking organisms that can breed with one another to produce can breed with one another to produce fertile offspring.fertile offspring.

PopulationsPopulations Groups of individuals within the same Groups of individuals within the same

species that live in the same area species that live in the same area (habitat).(habitat).

CommunitiesCommunities All Populations of various species that All Populations of various species that

live together in a defined area.live together in a defined area.

EcosystemsEcosystems all members of a all members of a

community community & the & the physical environmentphysical environment they live inthey live in

What abiotic factors are present?What abiotic factors are present?

What biotic factors are present?What biotic factors are present?

• Habitat: place where an organism lives

BiomeBiome

large, stable large, stable groups of ecosystemsgroups of ecosystems that that share the share the same biotic and abioticsame biotic and abiotic factors factors

Highlighted Regions

Tropical Rainforest

BiosphereBiosphere

The part of Earth where life exists.The part of Earth where life exists.

What term is used to refer to each of the following?

_________________1. Lake Houston (location)

_________________2. Mississippi river and all of the forms of life that are sustained by it

_________________3. A flock of ducks

_________________4. The Sahara desert

_________________5. All livable areas on Earth

_________________6. All the deer, ducks, shore birds, fish and rabbits in an area

Habitat

Population/species

BiomeBiosphere

Ecosystem

Community

Practice:Practice:Species / Individual

Population

Community

Ecosystem

The flow of energy through an ecosystem The flow of energy through an ecosystem begins with the begins with the SUNSUN, and is passed on through , and is passed on through various organismsvarious organisms

Sunlight Producers Consumers Decomposers

Producers:Producers:Sunlight Producers Consumers Decomposers

ProducersProducers autotrophic organisms autotrophic organisms that are able to make own food that are able to make own food from a inorganic substances. from a inorganic substances.

Ex. Plants, algae (phytoplankton-Ex. Plants, algae (phytoplankton-microscopic marine plant life)microscopic marine plant life)

Consumers:Consumers:CConsumers:onsumers: heterotrophic heterotrophic

organisms that get energy by organisms that get energy by eating producers and other eating producers and other consumers. (ex. Deer, hawk, consumers. (ex. Deer, hawk, bear)bear)

Sunlight Producers Consumers Decomposers

Consumers:Consumers:HerbivoresHerbivores:: eat producers (plants) eat producers (plants)

ex. Deer, grasshopper, cowex. Deer, grasshopper, cow

CarnivoresCarnivores:: eat other consumers (meat) eat other consumers (meat)ex. Frog, wolf, hawkex. Frog, wolf, hawk

OmnivoresOmnivores:: eat producers and consumers eat producers and consumersex. Grizzly bear, humansex. Grizzly bear, humans

DetritovoreDetritovore:: organic wastes and dead bodies of organic wastes and dead bodies of plants and animals…. ex. mites, plants and animals…. ex. mites, `̀earthworms, snails, crabs, vulturesearthworms, snails, crabs, vultures

Sunlight Producers Consumers Decomposers

Consumers:Consumers:

Herbivore Carnivore

Omnivore & decomposers

Level of Consumers:Primary consumer Secondary consumer3rd, 4th …level consumer

________________ __________________

_______________________ can be 1st,2nd or higher level consumer

Sunlight Producers Consumers Decomposers

Decomposers:Decomposers: Obtain energy from eating the remains of other Obtain energy from eating the remains of other

organisms (recyclers) Ex.organisms (recyclers) Ex.

Earthworms and termites (detritivores) also aid in the breakdown of organic matter, which replenishes nutrients to the soil.

•Two Principle Decomposers:

Bacteria and Fungi

Sunlight Producers Consumers Decomposers

Bacteria

Termites

Worms

Fungi

1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th

Feeding RelationshipsFeeding Relationships

Decomposers

Each step in the food chain or web is called a trophic level, or a feeding relationship between organisms.

What is always found at the second trophic level?

Food ChainsFood Chains Food ChainFood Chain a series of steps in which a series of steps in which

organisms transfer energy by eating and organisms transfer energy by eating and being eaten.being eaten.

The arrows show the flow of energy and matter as one organism is eaten by another.

Energy flows to

Energy flows to

Energy flows to

Tro

phic

Lev

els

1st

4th

3rd

2nd

5th

Producers

Secondary consumers Carnivores

3rd consumers Carnivores

4th consumers Top Carnivores

Primary consumers Herbivores

Food WebsFood Webs Food Web:Food Web: links all the food links all the food

chains in an ecosystem chains in an ecosystem together.together.

Any changeAny change in a population or in a population or trophic level of a food chaintrophic level of a food chain can seriously altercan seriously alter all other all other organisms of the food web!organisms of the food web!

A A healthy ecosystemhealthy ecosystem has a has a large diversity of lifelarge diversity of life because because of the availability of of the availability of alternative alternative food sourcesfood sources. .

When studying the overall health of an

ecosystem, we study food webs.

1.1. What would happen to this food web is the plants What would happen to this food web is the plants were removed? ___________________________were removed? ___________________________

2.2. Which organism is most vulnerable to changes in Which organism is most vulnerable to changes in populations?______________________________populations?______________________________

3.3. What happens to the owl population if the foxes we What happens to the owl population if the foxes we killed off by humans?________________________killed off by humans?________________________

The frog has only one food sourceThe frog has only one food source

All populations would die outAll populations would die out

The owl pop. would increaseThe owl pop. would increase

Practi

ce:

We can show what goes on with the help of a Food Web

What would happen if a disease killed off many of the hawks?

There will be nothing to

eat the snakes, so

their numbers will

increase.

All the frogs get eaten

No frogs.

More crickets

Most of the cattail gets eaten by the

crickets

Now the crickets don’t have enough

food so their numbers go down

..and so on. Numbers of each species have an effect on the numbers of the

other species in the web.

ECOLOGICAL ECOLOGICAL PYRAMIDSPYRAMIDS

Ecological Pyramids: Ecological Pyramids: show relative show relative amounts of energy or matter amounts of energy or matter contained within each trophic contained within each trophic levellevel in a food chain or food web. in a food chain or food web.

Energy Pyramid:Energy Pyramid:A A pyramid of energypyramid of energy illustrate the loss of usable energy illustrate the loss of usable energy

at each feeding level. at each feeding level. Of all the energy consumed by one level, 90% of the Of all the energy consumed by one level, 90% of the

energy is used in the individual’s metabolism. (and lost as energy is used in the individual’s metabolism. (and lost as heat)heat)

Only about 10% of the energy available Only about 10% of the energy available within one trophic levelwithin one trophic level is transferred to is transferred to organisms at the next trophic level.organisms at the next trophic level. (locked in body (locked in body tissues)tissues)

1000 Kcal: plankton

There is very little energy transferred to support higher trophic levels

Kcal= kilocalorie

Why do most food chains have no more than 4 or 5 Why do most food chains have no more than 4 or 5 trophic levels?trophic levels?

1 Kcal: Humans10 Kcal: tuna

100 Kcal: zooplankton

Pyramid of NumbersPyramid of Numbers show how many individuals are required to show how many individuals are required to

support the next level of feeding.support the next level of feeding.

Why must there be so many more individuals Why must there be so many more individuals at lower trophic levels?at lower trophic levels?

Higher trophic levels have to eat more to get the same amount of energy due to the 10% rule.

Water and Nutrient Water and Nutrient CyclesCycles Energy Energy cannot be recycledcannot be recycled or used again. or used again.

However, However, nutrients/elements in an ecosystem nutrients/elements in an ecosystem can be recycledcan be recycled. .

When an animal dies, its When an animal dies, its mattermatter does not does not disappear; rather, it decomposes and gets disappear; rather, it decomposes and gets used by another organism (through used by another organism (through biogeochemical cycles). biogeochemical cycles).

This occurs through the This occurs through the water cycle, carbon water cycle, carbon cycle, nitrogen cyclecycle, nitrogen cycle, and phosphorous cycle., and phosphorous cycle.

The Water CycleThe Water Cycle1. According to the diagram, where

does evaporation take place from? From Lakes and oceans

2. When water evaporates from the surface of the Earth, what process creates clouds?

Condensation

3. Water falls to the earth in a process called precipitation. What are the 4 types of precipitation?

Rain, snow, sleet, hail

The Water CycleThe Water Cycle4. Plants return excess water to the

atmosphere by evaporating water from its

leaves in a process called:

Transpiration

5. Animals return water by

urination, perspiration, and respiration.

6. Other than plant and animal usage, what are other destinations for the precipitation that falls to the Earth?

It can become surface runoff or groundwater

7. What will ultimately happen to the ground water and surface water runoff?

It flows back to lakes and rivers to be It flows back to lakes and rivers to be evaporated againevaporated again. .

The Carbon CycleThe Carbon Cycle1.1. Name and discuss the Name and discuss the

process that removes process that removes carbon dioxide from the carbon dioxide from the atmosphere?atmosphere?

In In photosynthesisphotosynthesis, , producers remove COproducers remove CO22

gas from the gas from the atmosphere to make atmosphere to make organic molecules organic molecules (sugars).(sugars).

The Carbon CycleThe Carbon Cycle2. Name and discuss the 2. Name and discuss the

processes in which carbon processes in which carbon dioxide is returned to the dioxide is returned to the atmosphere?atmosphere?

Cellular respirationCellular respiration Animals Animals burn the food they eat burn the food they eat releasing COreleasing CO22 gas as a gas as a

waste product.waste product.

Combustion: Burning Fossil Combustion: Burning Fossil FuelsFuels. When they are . When they are burned, COburned, CO22 gas is returned gas is returned

to the to the atmosphereatmosphere and and increasesincreases the amount of CO the amount of CO22

gas in the air.gas in the air.

The Carbon CycleThe Carbon Cycle

3. How is carbon dioxide related to the green house affect?

Carbon dioxide, methane, and other gases trap heat energy and maintain Earth’s Temperature range.

The Carbon CycleThe Carbon Cycle

4. It is thought that global warming is caused by adding carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. What activities (by human or natural causes) are thought to speed up global warming?

Burning fossil, cutting down forest, and polluting oceans (most photosynthesis occurs in oceans)

The Nitrogen CycleThe Nitrogen Cycle1. Bacteria living in the roots of 1. Bacteria living in the roots of

the plant help the plant bythe plant help the plant byconvert nitrogen gas to convert nitrogen gas to ammoniaammonia

2. Bacteria living in the soil help 2. Bacteria living in the soil help plants by plants by converting ammonia and converting ammonia and nitrogen gas into nitrates and nitrogen gas into nitrates and nitrites.nitrites.

3. What process transforms 3. What process transforms nitrogen into usable forms nitrogen into usable forms that plants can use?that plants can use? Nitrogen fixationNitrogen fixation

4. What do plants use these 4. What do plants use these nitrates and nitrites to make?nitrates and nitrites to make? ProteinsProteins

•Air is 78% nitrogen•Nitrogen is one of the elements found in plant fertilizers

•Protein contains nitrogen

The Nitrogen CycleThe Nitrogen Cycle5. Where do animals ultimately get 5. Where do animals ultimately get

their proteins from?their proteins from?

PlantsPlants

6. How has farming affected the 6. How has farming affected the nitrogen cycle?nitrogen cycle?

Fertilizers add nitrogen Fertilizers add nitrogen compounds to soil for plants to compounds to soil for plants to use.use.

7. How has industry affected the 7. How has industry affected the nitrogen cycle?nitrogen cycle?

Burning fossil fuels release Burning fossil fuels release nitrogen compounds that fall to nitrogen compounds that fall to the earth as acid rain.the earth as acid rain.

•Air is 78% nitrogen•Nitrogen is one of the elements found in plant fertilizers

•Protein contains nitrogen