Part 1

1. ECOLOGY Part 1

2. Ecology:the study of the interactions of living organisms with each other and their environment.

3. Air Land Water BIOSPHERE: the portion of Earth that supports life . . .

4. Organic / Biotic Factors . . .(the living environment) • Plants • Animals • Protists • Bacteria • Fungi • (All living things containing carbon)

5. Inorganic /Abiotic factors . . .(the non-living environment) • Wind • Temperature • Moisture • Light • Soil • Minerals • Fire

6. The physical location in which a given species lives. Habitat:

7. A group of organisms of different species living together in a particular place. Community:

8. a group of organisms of one species that interbreed and live in the same place at the same time. Population:

9. Niche: the role and position a species has in its environment • What it eats • Where it eats • When it eats

10. Symbiosis: close association between two or more organisms of different species. • Commensalism - one benefits, one isn’t affected (eg. Whale & Barnacles) • Mutualism - both benefit (eg. Insects & Plants) • Parasitism - one benefits, one is harmed (eg. Ticks & Dogs)

11. 2.2 Flow of Energy in an Ecosystem Organisms differ in how they obtain energy

12. Ecological (Energy) Pyramid Omnivores - eat anything Carnivores - eat meat Insectivores - eat insects Herbivores - eat plants Producers - make own food Trophic level = feeding step

13. Food chain - shows how energy flows producer herbivore omnivore omnivore producer 1st order consumer 2nd order consumer 3rd order consumer

14. Food web: interconnected food chains Organisms almost always eat, and are eaten by, many different organisms.

15. human grass deer seeds rabbit caterpillar turkey snake hawk beetle coyote chicken frog

16. ECOLOGY Part 2

17. How energy flows . . . • Sun - main source of energy • Autotrophs / producers… can make own food • Heterotrophs / consumers… must eat • Decomposers / saprophytes… fungi & bacteria break down dead materials

18. Cycles Within Ecosystems:Chapter 2.3, pg. 45 - 49 • Water cycle – precipitation and evaporation • Carbon cycle – increasing carbon dioxide traps more heat and causes the “greenhouse effect.” • Nitrogen cycle – (next slide)

19. Nitrogen cycle • Nitrogen fixation is the conversion of… • “N” into usable organic compounds by bacteria • “N” from decaying organisms into ammonia • The release of “N” from organisms that are being decomposed.

20. Adaptation: the process by which a species becomes better suited to its environment. • Coloration • Speed • Migration • Thick fur • Chemical defenses • Hibernation/ Estivation • Size • Thorns and stickers

21. THE END!