Overarching Theme Interactions INTERCONNECTEDNESS Ecology studies the connections between all living things and their environments. What are population dynamics? How do Fungi and Viruses affect populations? Big Idea All living things are limited by factors in the environment. Kingdom Fungi is extremely diverse and plays a vital role in the environment as decomposers and recyclers of organic material while viruses are non-living microscopic agents found everywhere that invade cells and have a profound impact on the living world.First off What is Ecology? from the Greek work Oikos = house

-study of all relationships and interactions that occur amongst living things and also between living things and their non-living environment

Flow of EnergySun is the _____________ source of energy. _____________, which are (usually)_________________ organisms that make their own food from __________________ substances. Whereas, _________________ get their energy directly or indirectly from ________________.

Primary consumers are _______________, which eat only ______________. Examples are:____________________________________________.

Secondary consumers feed on herbivores and are called _____________________. Examples are:_______________________________________________________.

There may be tertiary (third level) or ________________ consumers (fourth level) as well.

__________________ are responsible for recycling the energy from non-living organic matter (i.e. dead things).

Each step in the series of organisms eating each other is called a ______________ level. Trophic levels can be represented by foods or by food pyramids (which we will see later).

InteractionsA.__________________Factors- non-_________________ environmenti. CO2:required by _______________ and _________________________ii. ___________: required by _______________________Affected by: altitude (higher up, less O2)iii. ______________: all organisms rely on sunlight for energy, but only autotrophs have the ability to convert solar energy into chemical energy.light intensity varies with: altitude (higher up, __________light), atmospheric filters (ozone, clouds, smog, rain)iv. Geographic formations: Mountains, valleysv. ____________________: Dependent on: Altitude (higher up, colder), latitude (warmest at equator)vi. Humidityvii. SalinityB. _______________________ Factors- living environmente.g. ferns, grass, trees, predators, prey, competitorsetc

Vocabulary1. ________________: group that _________________ and produces ________________ offspring2. Population: group of interacting and interbreeding individuals in a _______________ area3. _____________________: all the populations of organisms ____________ in a ____________ area. This is the level at which ecology is studied and analyzed.4. Ecosystem- all the ________________ that _______________ __________________ in an area including the water, soil and climate.Types of OrganismsProducer- organism that makes its __________ food and are the _____________ of a food chain Autotroph- organism that makes _______________ compounds from inorganic substances in the environment (producer)Consumer- organism that obtains energy by ________________ other living things e.g animals)___________________ - animal that eats only other animals ( consumer) Herbivore-______________- eating animal (consumer)__________________- plant and animal- eating animal (consumer)_________________ - agent that breaks down the bodies of ________________ organisms and _______________(consumer)

Symbiotic Relationships- an on-going relationship that exists between two different species = symbiosisa) Mutualism organisms that live closely together and benefit each otherb) Commensalism one organism benefits and the other is neither harmed nor helped.c) Parasitism one organism benefits at the expense of another.

Energy TransferThe transfer of energy through an ecosystem can be shown in food chains, food webs and pyramids of energy. A. Food ChainNature often works in a ____________. Plants and animals live, die, are decomposed and ________________ again. Plants/producers make the food, animals, eat the producers, and decomposers break down leftovers.Eg._______________ _________________Consumer ______________ Consumer _______________ ConsumerExample:grass cow humansB. Food Webs Most animals eat more than _________ food so they belong to more than one food chain. When two or more food chains overlap this is called a food _____________.C. Food Pyramids A food pyramid shows many _____________ if read from the __________ of the pyramid ( 1st ________________ level) to the _________.1. The amount of _______________ decreases as it moves up 2. The amount of __________________ decreases3. The number of _____________________ decreases

__________ Percent Rule: only 10% of the energy from one ________________ level is stored in the next. 90% of the energy is _____________ to: i) __________________ii) ________________________ iii) __________________iv) ____________________ food Learning Activity

Put the following organisms into a logical food chain. Arrow points to the thing doing the consuming.

Ex. Fern, moth, weasel, mousefern moth mouse weasel

1. clam, killer whale, plankton, otter

2. trees, shrew, owl, mites

3. hawk, acorn, squirrel, owl

4. shark, fish, plankton, shrimp

5. coyote, hillbilly, garbage, raccoon

6. cats, spider, grass, birds, grasshopper

Food Webs

Food webs show all possible relationship between organisms living in the same ecosystem.

Draw a possible food web for the following organisms:

Hawk

Bear Eagle

CatWolfFish

MouseNutSquirrel

Grains/BerriesQUESTIONS

1. What will happen to the food web if the squirrel were removed?

2. What reasons are there for a sudden or gradual disappearance of a species?

3. What do we call it when a species permanently disappears from the planet? From one area?

4. What would happen to the ecosystem if there was a new species such as a goat introduced?

5. Based on your own knowledge describe the impact of humans on natural ecosystems.

Population Dynamics Populations of species are affected by density, spatial distribution and growth rate

Population DensityPopulation = the number of one kind of organism in a defined area Population Density = number of organisms per unit area, e.g. Three egrets per square metre

Population Limiting Factors-keeps population levels in check (no extinction; doesnt take over the world!)1) Density- ____________________ Factors - the _____________ dense the population, the _________________ the effect of these factors-includes the following: ___________________/__________________ Predation/parasitism/_________________________ _________________________ _________________________/ emigration Crowding/_________________2) Density-________________________ Factors-not influenced by population density-includes the following: __________________________ Rainfall Humidity ______________________ disaster

Types of Population GrowthA. ____________________ Growth ( Linear Growth = _____________ line) Increase in population size by a ______________ percentage of the population of each generation e.g. population of 100 that grows at a rate of 50%. In two years population will be ____________________, ________________

Diagram

-seen in ____________________ conditions (has proper ___________________________, _____________________, ________, no ___________________________, parasites)-_____________________________ rate is high and mortality is ______________

B. Growth with Limits ( _______________- shaped Curve) ___________________ area with proper conditions; population will increase ____________ Eventually, the conditions are _____________ and _____________ build up & become _________________. Population will _______________, _________________, and eventually die out

Diagram

C. Exponential Growth Often seen in _______________ populations ( binary fission) Population __________________ every generation under ________________ conditions

Diagram

D. S-Shaped Curve (Logistic Growth)-nature is an _______________ system- energy & nutrients are constantly inputted from outside the area- population increases ____________________-then ____________ out at the __________________ ___________________ (number of individuals of a species an environment can support for an indefinite time period)Diagram

E. Boom and Bust Similar to exponential growth, but only occurs in special circumstances Rapid population ____________________, followed by massive ____________________ Only occurs in ____________________, rapidly reproducing species such as algae, lemmings, locusts, etc, - i.e. organisms with short lifespan and lots of offspring Can be related to seasonal cycles related to rainfall, nutrient availability, temperature and also to predator-prey interactionsDiagram

Confirm Your Learning Population Growth Curves and Regulation Sheet

Kingdom Fungi Fungus is Latin for mushroomGeneral Characteristics multicellular (except yeast), eukaryotic, heterotrophic includes the mushrooms, yeasts, mildews, rusts, smuts and most molds (not all fungi are mushrooms!) all parts of fungus are composed of long, thread-like extensions called hyphae in turn, the hyphae form a dense mat called a mycelium the fungus you see above ground is called the fruiting body, this is the reproductive structure hyphae provide evolutionary advantage by increasing surface area and thus, absorptive capability have cell walls composed of chitin (also saw this protein in exoskeletons of arthropods) they lack chlorophyll, so are not photosynthetic, instead they produce enzymes that breakdown material in their surroundings (are all decomposers) most reproduce sexually as well as asexually, very complex reproductive strategies three main ways to get nutrients, but all digest food before they absorb it

Taxonomy fungi are divided into 4 phyla (plus one extra!) based on their reproductive structures

1) Phylum Chytridiomycetes (Algal or Protist-like fungi) Known as water molds since they do not normally exist on land However, if the right conditions exist (lots of moisture, high humidity) they can grow on land and when they do can cause serious crop diseases, including potato blight Are the only fungi that produce motile spores that can swim through dew and raindrops to get to new sources of food

2) Phylum Zygomycetes (Common Molds) includes common bread molds (Rhizopus spp.) produces billions of spores that exist on the surface of just about everything! Once conditions are favourable (think bacteria - warmth, moisture and food available), these spores grow The root-like hyphae that penetrate the surface of the food they absorb are called rhizoids, these anchor the fungus to the food, release digestive enzymes and absorb digested organic material Stem-like hyphae that run along the surface of bread are called stolons

3) Phylum Ascomycetes (Sac Fungi) largest phylum of fungi, 30,000 + species produce spores in a sac-like container called an ascus main group includes yeasts and morels when yeast are actively growing they need to eat a high carbohydrate diet, they tend to eat sugar and starch, the by-product of their feasting is carbon dioxide gas it is this CO2 that makes a yeast bread rise reproduction of yeasts is mainly by budding, morels undergo sexual reproduction and produce a spore-bearing fruiting body

4) Phylum Basidiomycetes (Club Fungi) Has both saprophytic and parasitic members This phyla contains the common fungi that you are familiar with (mushrooms!) The phyla name is from a structure called the basidia, a club-shaped reproductive structure on which there are usually four spores suspended

Plus One!! Phylum Deuteromycetes (Imperfect Fungi) have no visible sexual phase cause ringworm and athletes foot this type of fungus is the source of penicillin, an important antibiotic (used to kill bacteria)

Confirm Your Learning Fungus SheetLearning Activity Mold Lab

Connection to Biological Theme - So, how do Fungi affect Populations? Why are they important to ecosystems?______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Viruses from the Latin word meaning ____________General Characteristics submicroscopic (only discovered in 1944 with the invention of the____________ microscope) are potentially ____________ (disease causing)

A) Classification: Alive or Not? dont fit into 5 kingdom system, not classified as living things, but do have some characteristics of living things

LivinLiving CharacteristicsNonNon-Living Characteristics

-

-

So, are they alive or not?

B) Viral Anatomy 101 very small, between 20-400 ____________ can only be seen with electron microscope

C) Who Attacks Whom? Viruses depend on other cells for ____________ Large scale reproduction within an individual causes diseases that are specific to specific viruses Diseases include

A virus is usually ____________ to a certain host, or range of hosts. i.e. can only infect certain organisms Ex. Rabies, may infect many species including dogs, people, bats, raccoons Colds, only infect respiratory tract in humans Host specificity occurs because viruses have specific ____________ configurations on their capsid that match specific receptors on the host cells membrane, like a ____________ and ____________

D) Reproduction in 5 steps 1. ____________ Virus attaches to a cell wall or membrane of the host at specific ____________ cells2. ____________ The cells wall or membrane is weakened by viral ____________ and the ____________of the virus is injected into the host cell.3. ____________ the DNA of the host cell is ____________ and the viral DNA takes over, making viral proteins and viral nucleic acid.4. ____________ Viral protein coats (capsids) are assembled with the nucleic acids filling the cell. The host cells ____________ systems are used for this.5. ____________ Enzymes dissolve the host cell from within. The cell ____________ (cell________) and the newly formed virus particles are released, free to infect other host cells.

This can happen in two ways1) The ____________ Cycle (see handout)-exactly as above, very fast (as little as 25 minutes for some viruses)-causes lysis (bursting of the host cell)-this type of virus is ____________ (able to cause disease)

2) The ____________ Cycle (see handout)- does not immediately cause cell ____________- viral nucleic acid is incorporated into hosts own DNA- it reproduces inside the hosts genetic code every time a cell replicates-virus can remain ____________ in a cell for years- a ____________ (such as radiation, chemicals, emotional stress) makes virus become active again

E) How Can I Stop/Treat a Virus?

1. First line of defense = ____________! intact skin and mucus membranes keep most viruses out the stomachs ____________ juices kill many pathogens2. Defense #2 = ____________ Once the virus has been in your body for about 10 days, WBCs start making ____________.These circulate through bloodstream and have 2 effectsi) ____________ WBCs to sites of infectionii) ____________ pathogens so they no longer function3. What about drugs?i) ____________ = injections of fake viruses that stimulate the body to produce antibodiesii) ____________ inhibition = use enzymes to destroy receptors and prevent infectioniii) ____________ = a chemical warning (naturally produced ____________ proteins) from an infected cell to surrounding cells to shut down- ends up reducing ____________production so that not enough is present to replicate virus particles

Connection to Biological Theme - So, how do viruses affect populations? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Learning Activity - You will be given a specific ecosystem to research and explain what role fungi and viruses play in it. You will need to name at least one species of fungi and one virus type/strain that lives in this ecosystem. Hand this assignment in on _________________________________.12 | Page