Ecology

1. Ecology • Ecology is the scientific study of interactions among organisms and between organisms and their environment Species population community Ecosystem Biome Biosphere

2. Levels of Organization Species is a group of organisms so similar to one another they can breed and produce fertile offspring. Ex. homo sapiens (humans). Population- Groups of individuals belonging to the same species that live in the same area. Ex. Elmwood park population

3. Levels of organization • Community assemblages of different populations that live in the same area. EX. the humans, birds, bees, squirrels, mice, mosquitoes, and bacteria that live in Elmwood Park. Ecosystem is a collection of (biotic) organisms that live in a particular place, together with their non-living (a biotic) environment. Ex. aquatic life in the Passaic River.

4. A biome is a collection of ecosystems that have the same climate and similar dominant communities. Ex. the rain forest Biosphere- The Earth in which life exists, land, water, and atmosphere.

5. Ecological Methods • Observing- Field biology gathering demographic data. • Experimenting- Biologist may set up artificial environments in a laboratory and manipulate conditions. • Modeling-Many ecological phenomena occur over long periods of time. Biologist use mathematical formulas based on data collected. Ex. effects of global warming on ecosystems.

6. Check Point • List the six different levels of organization from smallest to largest? • Describe the three basic methods of ecological research. • describe two ways in which you interact with the land, water, and air- every day. • Suppose you wanted to know if water in a certain stream was safe to drink which ecological method would you employ and why?

7. Energy Flow Producers- Make their own energy. • Autotrophs- Obtain energy from the sun. Ex. plants, algae, and bacteria 6CO2 + 6H2O C6H12O6 +6O2 light

8. 2. Chemotrophs - obtain energy from chemicals in a process known as chemosynthesis. Ex. sulfur bacteria

9. Consumers • Heterotrophs – consume other organisms for energy. • Herbivores-Eat plants. • Carnivores- Eat meat. • Omnivores- Eat plants and animals. Ex. humans • Detritivores- Feed on dead plant and animal matter. Ex. mites, earthworms, crabs, and snails.

10. Food Chains • The energy flow from one trophic level to the other is know as a food chain • A food chain is simple and direct • It involves one organism at each trophic level • Primary Consumers – eat autotrophs (producers) • Secondary Consumers – eat the primary consumers • Tertiary Consumers – eat the secondary consumers • Decomposers – bacteria and fungi that break down dead organisms and recycle the material back into the environment

11. Food Chain

12. Food Chain • Energy flows algae→zooplankton→small fish→squid→shark Sun Or chemical energy Producers Consumers

13. Food chain Food web (just 1 path of energy) (all possible energy paths)

15. Food Web • In reality feeding relationships are more complex then can be shown in a food chain. • We represent the complex network of organisms in an ecosystem with a food web. See page 71.

17. Food Web

18. Food Web

23. Biomass • The total mass of the organic matter at each trophic level is called biomass • Biomass is just another term for potential energy – energy that is to be eaten and used. • The transfer of energy from one level to another is very inefficient (10% Law)

24. Biomass

25. Ecological Pyramid • An ecological pyramid shows the relationship between consumers and producers at different trophic levels in an ecosystem • Shows the relative amounts of energy or matter contained at each trophic level • The Pyramid shows which level has the most energy and the highest number of organisms

26. Ecological Pyramid

27. Trophic Levels E N E R G Y Tertiary consumers- top carnivores Secondary consumers-small carnivores Primary consumers- Herbivores Producers- Autotrophs

29. Ecological Pyramid

30. Ecological Pyramid • Which level has the most energy? • Which level has the most organisms? • Which level has the least organisms? • Which level has the least energy?