Interactions Among Interactions Among OrganismsOrganisms

What is Ecology?What is Ecology?

Ecology is the study of organisms and the living Ecology is the study of organisms and the living and non-living parts of their environment.and non-living parts of their environment. There are many levels of organization in ecology. There are many levels of organization in ecology.

Levels include:Levels include: BiosphereBiosphere – all the area on the surface of earth and in the – all the area on the surface of earth and in the

atmosphere that supports lifeatmosphere that supports life BiomeBiome – large area characterized by climate and particular – large area characterized by climate and particular

plants and animalsplants and animals EcosystemEcosystem – a group of organisms living together and the – a group of organisms living together and the

environment around themenvironment around them CommunityCommunity – all of the interacting – all of the interacting populationspopulations in an area in an area PopulationPopulation – all of the organisms of the same – all of the organisms of the same speciesspecies living living

in an areain an area OrganismOrganism – A single living thing – A single living thing

Abiotic vs. Biotic FactorsAbiotic vs. Biotic Factors

AbioticAbiotic Factors Factors are all of the are all of the non-non-livingliving components components of the ecosystem. of the ecosystem.

Examples would be:Examples would be:1.1. WaterWater

2.2. Sunlight Sunlight

3.3. Oxygen Oxygen

4.4. TemperatureTemperature

5.5. Soil Soil

Biotic Factors are Biotic Factors are all of the all of the livingliving components of components of the ecosystem.the ecosystem.

Examples would Examples would be:be:1.1. PlantsPlants

2.2. InsectsInsects

3.3. Larger animalsLarger animals

Which level is it?Which level is it?

Identify the level of Identify the level of ecological ecological organization organization represented by represented by each picture.each picture.

A herd of buffalo.A herd of buffalo.

Which level is it?Which level is it?

All of the living and All of the living and non-living parts of non-living parts of

a ponda pond

Which level is it?Which level is it?

African savannahAfrican savannah

HabitatHabitat

The The habitathabitat is the is the place where an place where an organism lives.organism lives. An environment that An environment that

provides the things the provides the things the organism needs to live, organism needs to live, grow, and reproduce is grow, and reproduce is called its called its habitathabitat..

Several species can live Several species can live in the same in the same habitathabitat but but will use the resources in will use the resources in different ways.different ways.

NicheNiche

A A nicheniche is the role of an is the role of an organism in its habitat or organism in its habitat or how it makes its living.how it makes its living. A niche includes the type A niche includes the type

of food the organism eats, of food the organism eats, how it obtains this food, how it obtains this food, and which other organisms and which other organisms use the organism as food.use the organism as food.

A niche also includes when A niche also includes when and how the organism and how the organism reproduces and the reproduces and the physical conditions that it physical conditions that it requires to survive.requires to survive.

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Ecological RelationshipsEcological Relationships

Ecological Relationships can be Ecological Relationships can be classified as: classified as: competitioncompetition, , predation,predation, or or symbiosissymbiosis..

CompetitionCompetition

CompetitionCompetition is the struggle is the struggle between organisms to survive as between organisms to survive as they attempt to use the same limited they attempt to use the same limited resource.resource.

Organisms compete for: food, water, Organisms compete for: food, water, and living space. and living space.

PredationPredation

In predation, one In predation, one organism, the organism, the predatorpredator, kills and , kills and eats another, the eats another, the preyprey.. The relationship of The relationship of

predator and prey predator and prey is essential to is essential to keeping populations keeping populations of both animals at of both animals at normal levels.normal levels.

Defense StrategiesDefense Strategies

Mimicry: look like something else to Mimicry: look like something else to trick would-be predatorstrick would-be predators

Protective covering: hard outer shellProtective covering: hard outer shell False coloring: like “false eyespots” to False coloring: like “false eyespots” to

trick would-be predatorstrick would-be predators Warning coloring: tell predators not to Warning coloring: tell predators not to

eat iteat it Camouflage: blend in with surroundings Camouflage: blend in with surroundings

SymbiosisSymbiosis is a close is a close relationship between two relationship between two species that benefits at species that benefits at least one of the species.least one of the species.

There are three types of There are three types of symbiosis:symbiosis:

1.1. MutualismMutualism

2.2. CommensalismCommensalism

3.3. ParasitismParasitism

MutualismMutualism

In In mutualismmutualism, both , both organisms benefit organisms benefit from one another.from one another. For example: A For example: A

clownfish and a sea clownfish and a sea anemone have a anemone have a mutualistic relationship. mutualistic relationship. The fish is protected by The fish is protected by the anemone and the the anemone and the anemone receives anemone receives scraps of food from the scraps of food from the clownfish.clownfish.

CommensalismCommensalism

In In commensalismcommensalism, one organism , one organism benefitsbenefits from the other. The other from the other. The other organism is neither helped nor harmed.organism is neither helped nor harmed.

This is usually a relationship between a This is usually a relationship between a small organism and a larger organism small organism and a larger organism where the smaller organism benefits.where the smaller organism benefits. The benefit is usually shelter, The benefit is usually shelter,

transportation, defense, or food.transportation, defense, or food.

CommensalismCommensalism

An example is the An example is the relationship of the relationship of the remora and the remora and the shark. The remora shark. The remora receives food in receives food in the form of scraps the form of scraps that come from the that come from the shark, but the shark, but the shark is unaffected.shark is unaffected.

ParasitismParasitism

In In parasitismparasitism, one , one organism benefits organism benefits and the other is and the other is harmed.harmed. The organism that The organism that

benefits is called benefits is called the parasite.the parasite.

The organism that The organism that is harmed is called is harmed is called the host.the host.

ParasitismParasitism

Tapeworms and Tapeworms and liver flukes are liver flukes are examples of examples of parasites that live parasites that live in the bodies of in the bodies of other organisms other organisms (endoparasites). (endoparasites). They feed off the They feed off the host and cause host and cause disease.disease.

Summary of Symbiotic Summary of Symbiotic RelationshipsRelationships

RelationshipRelationship Organism 1Organism 1 Organism 2Organism 2

MutualismMutualism

CommensalisCommensalismm

ParasitismParasitism

Which relationship is it?Which relationship is it?

An American robin An American robin builds a nest in a builds a nest in a red maple tree red maple tree

Which relationship is it?Which relationship is it?

A tick makes its A tick makes its home on a white-home on a white-tailed deer tailed deer

Which relationship is it?Which relationship is it?

A Nile crocodile will A Nile crocodile will open its mouth and open its mouth and allow the Egyptian allow the Egyptian plover to feed on plover to feed on any leeches that any leeches that are attached to its are attached to its gums gums

Which relationship is it?Which relationship is it?

A red fox hunts and A red fox hunts and consumes a black consumes a black rat snake rat snake

Which relationship is it?Which relationship is it?

A certain type of A certain type of paramecium engulfs paramecium engulfs unicellular green algae unicellular green algae into vacuoles within its into vacuoles within its cell. The algae are cell. The algae are allowed to utilize allowed to utilize carbon dioxide carbon dioxide produced by the produced by the paramecium and the paramecium and the paramecium is able to paramecium is able to utilize food produced by utilize food produced by the algae. the algae.