Today we are covering from the specification:

Use a textbook to find a definition for each of the following key terms:

EcologyEcosystemCommunityPopulationHabitatNicheInterspecific competitionIntraspecific competitionBiotic factorsAbiotic factors

15 minutes

ECOLOGY

What is ecology?

• The word ecology comes from the Greek for “house” (οἶκος – ‘oikos’)

• Why do you think this is

appropriate?

• The study of the environment and the organisms that live there.

Biosphere Biomes Ecosystem Community Populations Individual

The levels on which organisms can be studied

go to FACTORS

Biosphere

• The volume of the earth’s surface where organisms can be found.• It extends from the depths of the ocean (11km below sea level) to at least the highest plant communities (6.2km)

Biome

• The biosphere is made up of several types of biome.• These are classified due to their major vegetation types, for example TUNDRA or TROPICAL RAINFOREST.

Ecosystem

• An ecosystem is a part of a biome.• Biomes themselves are far too large to study so ecology work tends to be based around a particular ecosystem.• Each ecosystem has a characteristic set of plants, animals and microbes.• The organisms in an ecosystem form a self-sufficient unit in balance with their environment.• The interacting organisms and their physical environment.

Community

• This is a group of species that occurs at the same place at the same time.• The word is often used to refer to organisms of a particular kind, such as the plant community on a lawn.

Population

• Ecosystems and communities contain populations of species.• A population is made up of all the members of a species living together in the same place at the same time.• An example would be all the ash trees in a wood.

Habitat

• The area where a particular species lives.

e.g. the African savannah is a habitat of lions the habitat of bluebells is shady areas, generally under trees.

Individual

• Finally each population is made up of many individuals.• The genetic and physiological adaptations of an individual organism to its environment is an important aspect of ecology.

Niche

Look carefully at the information about the 2 sea birds on the next slide...

The cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo)Structural niche:Broad cliff ledges and the sea.

Feeding niche:A bottom feeder. Eats mainly flatfish, prawns etc. from shallow water in estuaries and harbours.

The shag (P. aristotelis)

Structural niche:Cliff ledges and the sea.

Feeding niche:Dives into the water for fish.

What will happen here? How will these species affect each other?

What is a Niche?The niche of a species is its role in the community.

Two species can’t occupy the same niche....

In reality the cormorant and shag are quite different. The shag:• occupies narrower ledges• fishes further out to sea• captures fish and eels from the upper layers of the water

This means they are both able to be successful in the same ecosystem.

Competition

This happens when 2 or more individuals strive to obtain the same resources when these are in short supply.

The more similar the individuals are, the more intense the competition.

Interspecific Competition

Competition between members of different species.

Intraspecific Competition

Competition between members of the same species.

THE DISTRIBUTION PATTERNS OF SPECIES

If an animal survives for a long time in a particular community it must be able to reproduce there.

A large number of biotic and abiotic factors influence how an animal or plant species may interact and change with time.

THE DISTRIBUTION PATTERNS OF SPECIES

Biotic factors are any living factors(e.g predators)

Abiotic factors are any non-living factors (e.g sunlight).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQO5x8Q3e8g

Solar radiation Temperature

Humidity

Day length

Aspect

Soil

Parent material

Salinity Wave actionParasites

Predators

Competitors

Human activity

Atmospheric gases

Wind

Fire

organism

Use a colour key to show BIOTIC and ABIOTIC factors.BOLD arrows show the effect of the factors on the organism. Draw DOTTED arrows to show the effect of factors on one another.

Solar radiation Temperature

Humidity

Day length

Aspect

Soil

Parent material

Salinity Wave actionParasites

Predators

Competitors

Human activity

Atmospheric gases

Wind

Fire

organism

Use a colour key to show BIOTIC and ABIOTIC factors.BOLD arrows show the effect of the factors on the organism. Draw DOTTED arrows to show the effect of factors on one another.

Learning check1. What is a habitat?

2. What is a niche?

3. What is a population?

4. What is a community?

5. What is an ecosystem?

6. What does an organism’s biotic environment consist of?

7. What is the difference between intraspecific and interspecific competition?

8. Hyenas fighting over an animal carcass are engaging in what type of competition?

1. What is a habitat?The place where a species is commonly found.

2. What is a niche?The way a species exploits or functions within its environment. This includes where it lives and where, when and on what it feeds. The role of the species within its habitat.

3. What is a population?All the individuals of a particular species living in a particular area.

4. What is a community?All the populations of different species living and interacting together in a particular area.

Learning check

5. What is an ecosystem?A dynamic but more or less stable and self-perpetuating community of organisms interacting with each other and with their non-living surroundings.

6. What does an organism’s biotic environment consist of?All the other organisms that it interacts with, from predators to pathogens.

7. What is the difference between intraspecific and interspecific competition?Intraspecific competition is competition between individuals of the same species. Interspecific competition is competition between individuals of different species.

8. Hyenas fighting over an animal carcass are engaging in what type of competition?Intraspecific competition.

Learning check

Constructing an ecosystem

• Within any ecosystem there are two main processes to consider:– The flow of energy through the ecosystem.– The cycling of elements through the ecosystem.

• We are going to construct an ecosystem based on these two main principles.

LettuceMakes its own food using energy

from the sun.

GrassMakes its own food using energy

from the sun.

SlugEats lettuce.

AphidEats grass.

GrasshopperEats grass.

CaterpillarEats lettuce.

RabbitEats lettuce and grass.

SpiderEats aphids.

HedgehogEats slugs and caterpillars.

ThrushEats slugs and spiders.

VoleEats grasshoppers.

FrogEats grasshoppers.

Grass snakeEats frogs.

SparrowhawkEats voles and thrushes.

FoxEats hedgehogs, voles and

rabbits.

Constructing an ecosystem

• As well as the cards provided, you will also have to add further information to the ecosystem as some elements are missing.

Constructing an ecosystem

• Cut out all of the cards and try to arrange them in a logical ecosystem.

• Once you’re happy, glue them down.• Draw arrows between organisms to show the flow of

energy (and therefore feeding relationships) within the ecosystem.

• Add labels to show where nutrients/elements are recycled in the ecosystem.

• Around the outside, list any abiotic factors which could affect the individuals in the ecosystem.

An example ecosystem

Summary

Each species occupies an ecological niche within their habitat. A group of one species forms a population. Populations of different species form a community; these live in a habitat. A group of habitats then make up an ecosystem.