Ecology THE STUDY OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ORGANISMS AND
THEIR ENVIRONMENT
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ENERGY FLOWS MATTER CYCLES FACTORS INTERACT
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Biosphere Life is found in a very narrow layer on the earth,
called the biosphere.
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The biosphere, like the human body, is made up of systems that
interact and are dependent on each other.
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The biospheres systems are called BIOMES and biomes are made up
of ECOSYSTEMS. All ecosystems must have a constant source of energy
(usually the sun) and cycles or systems to reuse raw materials.
Examples are the water, nitrogen and carbon cycles.
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An ecosystem is made up of all the biotic (or living) and the
abiotic (or non-living) components in a given area.
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The nonliving things in an environment are called ABIOTIC
factors. Abiotic Factors Examples of abiotic factors are sunlight,
temperature, rainfall, climate and soil conditions.
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Biotic factors are all the living things or their materials
that directly or indirectly affect an organism in its environment.
Biotic Factors
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Biotic Factors also include parasitism disease predation
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We can think about the interactions and types of living things
by organizing them into groups, smallest to largest. A species
includes only one type of organism. Example: rabbit
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A population includes all members of one species that live in
the same area. Example: all the rabbits in Burlington
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A community includes all of the different species that live in
the same area. Example: all the rabbits, ants, maple trees, dogs,
etc. that live in Burlington
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An ecosystem includes both the community and the abiotic
factors. Example: the Burlington community plus the cars,
buildings, rocks, air
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The organisms in a habitat can be organized in the following
way species community population ecosystem
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Heterotrophs vs Autotrophs Or, in other words, Consumers vs
Producers
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Autotrophs A group of organisms that can use the energy in
sunlight to convert water and carbon dioxide into glucose (food)
Autotrophs are also called producers because they produce all of
the food Without autotrophs, there would be no life on this
planet
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Autotrophs plants and algae
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Autotrophs Chemotrophs Autotrophs that get their energy from
inorganic substances, such as salt Live deep down in the ocean
where there is no sunlight Ex. Bacteria and Deep Sea Worms
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Heterotrophs Organisms that do not make their own food Another
term for Heterotroph is consumer because they consume other
organisms in order to live
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Heterotrophs
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Heterotrophs/Consumers 5 categories
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Heterotrophs 1. Scavengers/Detritivores feed on the tissue of
dead organisms (both plants and animals) Ex. Vultures, Crows, and
Shrimp
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Heterotrophs 2. Herbivores eat ONLY plants Ex. Cows, Elephants,
Giraffes
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Heterotrophs 3. Carnivores eat ONLY meat Ex. Lions, Tigers,
Sharks
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Heterotrophs 4. Omnivores eat BOTH plants and animals Ex.
Bears. Raccoons and Humans
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Heterotrophs 5. Decomposers absorb any dead material and break
it down into simple nutrients or fertilizers Ex. Bacteria, Slime
molds, and Mushrooms
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Symbiosis A close and permanent association between organisms
of different species
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Symbiosis 1. Commensalism a relationship in which one organism
benefits and the other is not affected Example: Barnacles on a
whale 3 types of relationships
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Symbiosis 2. Mutualism a relationship in which both organisms
benefit from each other Example: Birds eating pest off a rhinos
back
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Symbiosis 3. Parasitism A relationship in which one organism
benefits and the other is harmed Example: Ticks on a dog
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Population growth factors
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Factors that affect population growth Limiting factor - any
biotic or abiotic factor that restricts the existence of organisms
in a specific environment. EX. - Amount of water Amount of food
Temperature Predation
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Carrying Capacity - the maximum population size that can be
supported by the available resources There can only be as many
organisms as the environmental resources can support Factors that
affect population growth