ECOLOGYECOLOGY

Ecology – the scientific study of interactions Ecology – the scientific study of interactions among organisms and between organisms among organisms and between organisms and their environment.and their environment.

LEVELS OF ORGANIZATIONLEVELS OF ORGANIZATION• Biosphere-portions of the planet in which all Biosphere-portions of the planet in which all

of life existsof life exists• Biome- a group of ecosystem that have the Biome- a group of ecosystem that have the

same climate and similar dominant same climate and similar dominant communitiescommunities

Deciduous – forest with leafy treesDeciduous – forest with leafy trees Coniferous – forest with needle type trees Coniferous – forest with needle type trees

( Pine Trees)( Pine Trees)

• Ecosystem- collection of all organisms that Ecosystem- collection of all organisms that live in a particular place, together with live in a particular place, together with their non-living or physical, environmenttheir non-living or physical, environment

• Communities – different populations that Communities – different populations that live in the same arealive in the same area

• Species – organisms that can breed and Species – organisms that can breed and produce fertile offspringproduce fertile offspring

Energy FlowEnergy Flow

• Producers:Producers: Autotrophs – an organism that is capable of synthesizing its own Autotrophs – an organism that is capable of synthesizing its own

food from an inorganic substancefood from an inorganic substance Chemoautotrophs - An organism, such as a bacterium or Chemoautotrophs - An organism, such as a bacterium or

protozoan, that obtains its nourishment through the oxidation of protozoan, that obtains its nourishment through the oxidation of inorganic inorganic chemical compounds as opposed to photosynthesis. chemical compounds as opposed to photosynthesis.

• Consumers:Consumers: HeterotrophsHeterotrophs Herbivores – eat plantsHerbivores – eat plants Carnivores – eat meatCarnivores – eat meat Detritivores (scavangers) eat dead animalsDetritivores (scavangers) eat dead animals Decomposers (bacteria/fungus)Decomposers (bacteria/fungus)

Feeding RelationshipsFeeding Relationships

*Food Chain*Food Chain

*Food Web*Food Web

TROPHIC LEVELSTROPHIC LEVELSLevel’s within the Food WebLevel’s within the Food Web

• Primary Producers Primary Producers

• Primary ConsumerPrimary Consumer

• Secondary ConsumerSecondary Consumer

• Tertiary ConsumerTertiary Consumer

• Quaternary ConsumerQuaternary Consumer

Primary Producers have the mostPrimary Producers have the most

impact on the food webimpact on the food web

Ecological PyramidEcological Pyramid• Energy Pyramid – only 10% of the energy Energy Pyramid – only 10% of the energy

available within one trophic level is available within one trophic level is transferred to organisms at the next transferred to organisms at the next trophic leveltrophic level

• Humans get their energy from food we Humans get their energy from food we measure this energy in the form of caloriesmeasure this energy in the form of calories

Biomass PyramidBiomass Pyramid(Bio-living mass-weight)(Bio-living mass-weight)

• Amount of living Amount of living

tissuetissue

Pyramid of NumbersPyramid of Numbers

• Number of individualsNumber of individuals

at each trophic levelat each trophic level

Water cycleWater cycle• EvaporationEvaporation

• CondensationCondensation

• PrecipitationPrecipitation

• Transpiration – Transpiration – evaporation from plantsevaporation from plants

Carbon Cycle: Carbon Cycle: The carbon cycle diagram serves to The carbon cycle diagram serves to demonstrate how the various supplies of carbon on demonstrate how the various supplies of carbon on earth change forms and ultimately are released into earth change forms and ultimately are released into the atmosphere in dangerous quantities, adding to the atmosphere in dangerous quantities, adding to

the the greenhousegreenhouse effect and effect and global warmingglobal warming. -. -

*Nitrogen Cycle*Nitrogen Cycle

*Phosphorus *Phosphorus CycleCycle

Nutrient LimitationNutrient Limitation• Primary productivity – rate at which organic Primary productivity – rate at which organic

matter is created by producers (how much food a matter is created by producers (how much food a plant makes)plant makes)

• Limiting nutrient when a single nutrient is scarce Limiting nutrient when a single nutrient is scarce or cycles very slowly (farmers apply nitrogen, or cycles very slowly (farmers apply nitrogen,

phosphorus and potassiumphosphorus and potassium))

Algae BloomAlgae Bloom

• When an aquatic ecosystem receives a large When an aquatic ecosystem receives a large input of limiting nutrient (run off)input of limiting nutrient (run off)

• Immediate increase in the amount of algaeImmediate increase in the amount of algae• Algae can’t get enough sunlight die Algae can’t get enough sunlight die • Decomposition user up the available oxygenDecomposition user up the available oxygen• Fish dieFish die

EcosystemsEcosystems

• Biotic – living factorsBiotic – living factors

• Abiotic – non living factorsAbiotic – non living factors

• Together the biotic and abiotic Together the biotic and abiotic factors determine the survival and factors determine the survival and growth of an organism and the growth of an organism and the productivity of the ecosystem in productivity of the ecosystem in which it liveswhich it lives

HabitatHabitat

• Area where an organism lives, Area where an organism lives, includes both the biotic and abiotic includes both the biotic and abiotic factorsfactors

NicheNiche• Includes the type of food the Includes the type of food the

organism eats, how it obtains this organism eats, how it obtains this food, and which other species use food, and which other species use the organism for foodthe organism for food

Community InteractionsCommunity Interactions

• Competition – when organisms of the Competition – when organisms of the same or different species attempts to same or different species attempts to use a resource in the same place or use a resource in the same place or at the same timeat the same time

• Results in a winner and a loserResults in a winner and a loser

Competitive exclusion Competitive exclusion principleprinciple

• No two species can occupy the same No two species can occupy the same niche in the same habitat at the niche in the same habitat at the same timesame time

PredationPredation

• One organism captures and feeds on One organism captures and feeds on another organismanother organism

SymbiosisSymbiosis

1.1. Mutalism – both benefitMutalism – both benefit

2.2. Commensalism – one benefits otherCommensalism – one benefits other

is neither helped or harmed is neither helped or harmed

3. Parasitism- parasite gets it needs 3. Parasitism- parasite gets it needs from host, host weakendfrom host, host weakend

Ecological Succession Ecological Succession

• Ecosystems are constantly changing Ecosystems are constantly changing in response to natural and human in response to natural and human disturbancesdisturbances

Older inhabitants gradually die out and Older inhabitants gradually die out and new organisms move in, causing new organisms move in, causing further changes in the environmentfurther changes in the environment

Primary SuccessionPrimary Succession

Secondary SuccessionSecondary Succession

Movie: Ferngully (all about the Movie: Ferngully (all about the rainforest)rainforest)