ECOLOGY

The study of

interactions of organisms and their environment

Levels of Organization

• Individual Organisms (Species)

• Populations

• Communities

• Ecosystems

• Biosphere

Organisms/Species

• A human (Homo sapien)

• Deer• Piranaha• Worm• Bigfoot?

Populations

• Same species living in same area

• Species? -can breed and produce offspring that can have babies

Communities

• Coral Reef• Cedar swamp• Vernal pool

Ecosystems

• Tropical rainforest• Desert• Temperate

deciduous forest (ours)

• Ponds• Coral reef

Biosphere

Physical Conditions

ABIOTIC - non-living• Sunlight• Water• Temperature• Soil• Wind• Disturbance

BIOTIC - living things• Bacteria• Protists• Fungus• Plants• Animals

PRODUCER

- an organism that makes its own food (autotroph) - becomes food for other organisms.

CONSUMER

- organism that obtains food by eating others (producers or other consumers)

DECOMPOSER

- organism that breaks down wastes and dead organisms

HERBIVORE

- consumer that eats only producers.

OMNIVORE

- consumer that eats both producers and consumers (plants, fungi, and meat)

CARNIVORE

- consumer that eats only other consumers (exclusively meat-eaters)

FOOD CHAIN

- pathway of food transfer from one trophic level to another.

FOOD WEB

-pattern of feeding in an ecosystem consisting of interconnected and branching food chains

Energy Pyramid

Primary Succession

• The development of brand new land – (volcano created new land)

Secondary Succession

• A once established forest is destroyed and has to start growth over. For example a forest fire

Mutualism

• Both species benefit

Commensalism

• One species benefits the other gets nothing

Parasitism

• One species harms another • Think parasite

Predation

• Predator Prey – One eats the other