ECOSYSTEM NOTESECOSYSTEM NOTESVideo Clips 1-4 United StreamingVideo Clips 1-4 United Streaming

H.I.P.P.O.H.I.P.P.O.THREATS TO BIODIVERSITYTHREATS TO BIODIVERSITY

•Habitat LossHabitat Loss

•Introduced SpeciesIntroduced Species

•Population GrowthPopulation Growth

•Population activitesPopulation activites

•OverconsumptionOverconsumption

What makes invasive species What makes invasive species so successful?so successful?

• Lack of competitionLack of competition

• Lack of predatorsLack of predators

• New and abundant resourcesNew and abundant resources

• Fill a new “niche” Fill a new “niche” •Show United Streaming Clip 5Show United Streaming Clip 5

EXAMPLES OF NICHES

Show united streaming clip 6

RESULTS

CONCLUSION

Ocean

EXPERIMENT

Low tide

High tide

Low tide

High tide

Chthamalus

BalanusOcean

Can a species’ niche be influenced by competition?Can a species’ niche be influenced by competition?

What effect will the removal of Balanus have on Chthamalus?

?

FUNDAMENTAL NICHES - WHERE AN ORGANISM

CAN LIVE

REALIZED NICHES – WHERE AN ORGANISM ACTUALLY

LIVES

• natural historynatural history --the study of plants --the study of plants and animals, including where they grow and animals, including where they grow and live, what they eat, or what eats and live, what they eat, or what eats themthem

• These data reflect the status or health of These data reflect the status or health of the world in which you live and the world in which you live and ultimately you.ultimately you.

Studying natureStudying nature

• Branch of biology that developed from Branch of biology that developed from natural historynatural history

• Study of interactions that take place Study of interactions that take place between organisms and their between organisms and their environmentenvironment

What is ecology?What is ecology?

• includes using descriptive and includes using descriptive and quantitative methods – measurement quantitative methods – measurement and observationand observation

Ecological researchEcological research

• biospherebiosphere -portion -portion of Earth that of Earth that supports living supports living thingsthings

• high in the high in the atmosphere to the atmosphere to the bottom of the bottom of the oceansoceans

The BiosphereThe Biosphere

•Organisms affected Organisms affected by both the physical by both the physical or nonliving or nonliving environment and by environment and by other living thingsother living things

• nonliving parts of an organism’s nonliving parts of an organism’s environment environment

• effects on living things and often effects on living things and often determine which species survive in a determine which species survive in a particular environmentparticular environment

Examples:Examples:

• air currentsair currents

• temperaturetemperature

• moisturemoisture

• lightlight

• soilsoil

Abiotic factorsAbiotic factors

Organisms are affected by abiotic factorsOrganisms are affected by abiotic factors

5

10

15Food Production in Salt Bush

10 20 30 40 50Temperature (°C)

Food

pro

duct

ion

(mg

of g

luco

se/h

r)

Section 2.1 Summary – pages 35 - 45Section 2.1 Summary – pages 35 - 45

Biotic factorsBiotic factors

• living organisms affect other living living organisms affect other living organismsorganisms

• All the living organisms that inhabit an All the living organisms that inhabit an environment.environment.

• All organisms depend on others directly All organisms depend on others directly or indirectly for food, shelter, or indirectly for food, shelter, reproduction or protectionreproduction or protection

Levels of OrganizationLevels of Organization• Ecologists studyEcologists study

– individual organisms, individual organisms,

– interactions among organisms of same interactions among organisms of same species,species,

– interactions among organisms of different interactions among organisms of different species,species,

– effects of abiotic factors on interacting effects of abiotic factors on interacting speciesspecies• Levels of organization:Levels of organization:

– organisms organisms

– populationspopulations

– communitiescommunities

– ecosystemsecosystems

OrganismOrganism• An individual living thing that is made of An individual living thing that is made of

cells, uses energy, reproduces, cells, uses energy, reproduces, responds, grows, and develops.responds, grows, and develops.

Interactions within populationsInteractions within populations• A A population population - a group of organisms, all - a group of organisms, all

of the same species, which interbreed of the same species, which interbreed and live in the same area at the same and live in the same area at the same timetime

Interactions within populationsInteractions within populations

• may compete with each other for may compete with each other for resourcesresources– food, water, mates, or otherfood, water, mates, or other

• Competition always occurs Competition always occurs – whether in short supply or notwhether in short supply or not

Interactions within communitiesInteractions within communities

• Several different populations make up a Several different populations make up a biological communitybiological community

• interacting in a certain area at a certain interacting in a certain area at a certain timetime

Interactions within communitiesInteractions within communities

• A change in one population in a A change in one population in a community may cause changes in the community may cause changes in the other populations.other populations.

• can be minor can be minor – EX: a small increase in number of EX: a small increase in number of

individuals of one population causes a small individuals of one population causes a small decrease in size of another populationdecrease in size of another population

• can be more extremecan be more extreme– Ex: when size of one population grows so Ex: when size of one population grows so

large it begins affecting food supply for large it begins affecting food supply for another speciesanother species

EcosystemEcosystem• Populations of plants and animals that Populations of plants and animals that

interact with each other in a given area interact with each other in a given area and with the and with the abioticabiotic components of that components of that area.area.

• Includes both biotic and abiotic factorsIncludes both biotic and abiotic factors

Table 2.1 Examples of Ecosystems

Terrestrial Ecosystems

• Forest

• Old farm field

• Meadow

• Yard

• Garden plot

• Empty lot

• Compost heap

• Volcano site

• Rotting log

Aquatic Ecosystems

Freshwater

• Pond

• Lake

• Stream

• Estuary

Salt water (marine)

• Ocean

• Estuary

• Aquarium

Other Sites for EcosystemsHuman body

• Skin• Intestine• Mouth

Buildings• Mold in walls,

floors, or basement• Ventilation

systems•Bathrooms

Food• Any moldy food

• Refrigerator

• Two major kinds of ecosystems—Two major kinds of ecosystems—– terrestrial ecosystems and aquaticterrestrial ecosystems and aquatic

• Freshwater ecosystems include ponds, Freshwater ecosystems include ponds, lakes, and streams.lakes, and streams.

• Salt content less than 3%Salt content less than 3%

• Marine or SaltwaterMarine or Saltwater

• Salt content 3-7%Salt content 3-7%

• make up make up approximately 70%approximately 70%

of Earth’s surface.of Earth’s surface.

Organisms in EcosystemsOrganisms in Ecosystems• HabitatHabitat

• place place where where an an organisorganism lives m lives out its out its lifelife

• Supplies Supplies food, food, water, water, sheltershelter

• Supplies Supplies its its needsneeds

Organisms in EcosystemsOrganisms in Ecosystems

• Habitats can change, and even Habitats can change, and even disappeardisappear

• due to both natural and human causes.due to both natural and human causes.

NicheNiche• Several species may share a habitatSeveral species may share a habitat

• resources are often used in different resources are often used in different waysways• A A nicheniche – the role or position a species has in its the role or position a species has in its

environmentenvironment

– how it meets its specific needs for food and how it meets its specific needs for food and shelter shelter

– how and where it surviveshow and where it survives

– where it reproduces in its environmentwhere it reproduces in its environment

NicheNiche

• includes all of a species’ interactions includes all of a species’ interactions with the biotic and abiotic parts of its with the biotic and abiotic parts of its habitathabitat

• Exclusionary PrincipleExclusionary Principle– Two species can’t exist for long in the same Two species can’t exist for long in the same

community if their niches are the samecommunity if their niches are the same

– There must be a variationThere must be a variation

– Adapt, move or die/extinctAdapt, move or die/extinct

SymbiosisSymbiosis

• relationship in which there is a close and relationship in which there is a close and permanent association between permanent association between organisms of different speciesorganisms of different species

• Symbiosis means living together. Symbiosis means living together.

• Three kinds Three kinds – MutualismMutualism

– CommensalismCommensalism

– parasitismparasitism

MutualismMutualism

• both both species species benefitbenefit

CommensalismCommensalism• CommensalismCommensalism

• one species one species benefits and benefits and the other the other species is species is neither harmed neither harmed nor benefitednor benefited

ParasitismParasitism

• harmful to one species, yet beneficial to harmful to one species, yet beneficial to another.another.

• a member of one species derives benefit a member of one species derives benefit at the expense of another species (the at the expense of another species (the host) host)

ParasitismParasitism

• Parasites have evolved in such a way Parasites have evolved in such a way that they harm, but usually do not kill that they harm, but usually do not kill the host species.the host species.

ParasitismParasitism• A predator is a type of consumer. A predator is a type of consumer.

• Predators seek out and eat other Predators seek out and eat other organisms.organisms.

ParasitismParasitism

• Predation Predation – found in all ecosystemsfound in all ecosystems

– includes organisms that eat other includes organisms that eat other

•Prey - Prey - The animals that predators eatThe animals that predators eat

Question 1Question 1 The study of interactions that take place The study of interactions that take place

between organisms and their between organisms and their environment is __________.environment is __________.

D. biology

C. ecology

B. symbiosis

A. abiosis

Question 2Question 2 Which of the following is found in the Which of the following is found in the

biosphere?biosphere?

D. constellation Orion

C. the Sun

B. maria

A. ozone layer

Question 3Question 3 Which of the following is a biotic factor? Which of the following is a biotic factor?

D. light

C. earthworm

B. soil

A. moisture

Question 4Question 4A(n) __________ is a group of organisms, all A(n) __________ is a group of organisms, all of the same species, which interbreed and of the same species, which interbreed and live in the same place at the same time. live in the same place at the same time.

D. habitat

C. ecosystem

B. population

A. biological community