Relationships in Ecosystems from competition to cooperation Obtaining

Relationships in Ecosystems …from competition to cooperation…

Obtaining Energy • Producers: Make their own energy • Photosynthesis: Use sunlight with chlorophyll to produce energy • Chemosynthesis: Use a chemical to produce energy • These organisms are usually found at great depths in the ocean

Obtaining Energy • Consumers: Organisms that cannot make their own food • Herbivores: Eat only plants • Omnivores: Eat plants and meat • Carnivores: Eat only meat • Decomposers: Consume wastes and dead organisms

Niches • Niche: The roll of an organisms in its environment • • What it eats & gets water Where it gets shelter Where it finds it mates and cares for its young Where it avoids danger

Niches • Special adaptations that improve an organisms survival are often part of an organisms niche • A rotting log can provide for many organisms, each with its own niche • What types of niches might be provided by a log?

Symbiosis • Definition: Any close relationship between organisms. • Not all relationships involve food, they also involve resources such as water and shelter.

Symbiosis • Mutualism: A symbiotic relationship in which both species benefit • Commensalism: A symbiotic relationship in which one species benefits, while the other is not affected • Parasitism: A symbiotic relationship in which one species benefits and the other is harmed

Predator & Prey • Predator: • An organism that captures and eats other organisms • Prey: • The organism that is caught and eaten

Predator and Prey • Predators limit the size of the prey population • What benefits might exist due to limiting the prey population? • The existence of predators in an area indicates that many organisms live in the area • Why do you think this is?

Cooperation • Often individuals work together to improve survival • A deer will alert its neighbors to the presence of wolves in an area • These interactions are part of an organisms niche

Your Turn • Choose a local organism. • Write a paragraph (4 -5 sentences) about it’s niche. • • • Where it lives What it eats How it cares for its young Interactions with other organisms Etc.