Ecology Study of interactions between organisms and their
Ecology Study of interactions between organisms and their environments.
Ecology n Ernst Haeckel – coined term Ecology in 1866 n Greek word “oikos” means house n Study of the “house/environment” in which we live.
Ecology n Study of interactions between organisms and their environment
Biotic Factors n n Biosphere – life-supporting layer of Earth Biotic factors – all living organisms in a biosphere * Living organisms that make up an ecosystem
Abiotic Factors n n Nonliving factors in an environment Examples: n n n Air currents Temperature Moisture Light Soil
To study Ecology involves… n For non-living (abiotic) n n n n Climatology Hydrology Oceanography Physics Chemistry Geology soil analysis, etc
To study Ecology involves… n For living (biotic) n n n animal behavior Taxonomy Physiology mathematics (population studies) etc.
Levels of Organization n Ecologist study organisms ranging from the various levels of organization: n Species n Population n Community n Ecosystem n Biome n Biosphere
Species § Group of similar organisms that can breed and produce fertile offspring
Population § group of organisms, all of the same species, which Population interbreed and live in the same area.
Community n n an assemblage of different populations that live together Habitat – physical location of the community
Ecosystem n Collection of organisms that live in a place with the nonliving environment
Biome § Group of ecosystems with the same climate and dominant commuties Tropical rain forest Temperate grassland Temperate forest Tundra Tropical dry forest Desert Tropical savanna Temperate woodland shrubland Northwestern coniferous forest Mountains and ice caps Boreal forest (Taiga)
Biosphere § The part of the earth where life exists including land, water, air, and atmosphere Ecosystem
Feeding Relationships n n Autotrophs – make their own energy Heterotrophs – obtain their energy from consuming other organisms n n Carnivores – eat meat Omnivores – eat meat and plants Herbivores – eat plants Decomposers/Detritivores – feed on plant and animal remains
Trophic Relationships n n n Autotrophs 1 st level consumers (herbivores) 2 nd level consumers 3 rd level consumers 4 th level consumers (top predators)
RULE OF 10 n n Only 10% of energy is transferred from one trophic level to the next. Example: n n It takes 100 kgs of plant materials (producers) to support 10 kgs of herbivores It takes 10 kgs of herbivores to support 1 kg of 1 st level predator
organisms 3 Types of Symbiotic Relationships Relationship Type Species A Species B Commensalism + 0 Mutualism + + Parasitism + -
Additional Terms n n Energy Pyramid – a graphical model of energy flow in an ecosystem Coevolution – a long-term change that takes place in two species because of their close interactions with one another Niche – an organisms’ role in an ecosystem Limiting Factor - an environmental factor that limits the growth, abundance, or distribution of a population of organisms in an ecosystem
Cont. Terms n n Pioneer Species - Species that are the first to colonize a new site or a new ecosystem Ecological Succession - the natural process, following a disturbance, in which one community of plants and animals gradually replaces another
Energy Pyramid
Feeding Relationships n Food Chain – shows how food energy flows from one organism to another n Food Web – network of all the food chains or energy pathways in an ecosystem are shown
Food Web
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