Ecology

What is it? Definition: The study of interactions

between living and non-living things in the environment in which they live

Abiotic = non-living Biotic = living

Why study ecology? The research provides us with information

that is necessary for understanding and resolving many of the environmental and ecological issues that confront us like:

Overpopulation Species extinction Global Warming pollution

2 Ecological Truths: Our planet does not only belong to humans

but also to many other forms of life. The health of the human population

depends on the well-being of much of that life.

Ecosystems Definition: An ecosystem is a collection of

producers, consumers, an decomposers interacting with one another and their environment.

Example: Greenfield Park

Organization of Matter6 levels

1. Organism: an individual living thing

Organization2. Species: a group of organisms that can

reproduce

Organization3. Population: A group of organisms, of the same

species, living in the same area

Levels of Organization4. Community: The

interaction of ALL living things (plants and animals) in a given space.

Levels of Organization5. Ecosystem: The interaction between a

community and its non-living parts (soil, air, water, etc.)

Levels of Organization6. Biosphere: All the

living areas of the Earth

Parts of An EcosystemAbiotic = non-living

Air Water Soil Rocks

Biotic = living Plants Animals Protists Bacteria Fungi

Organisms in an Ecosystem

3 Kinds of Organisms: Primary Producer (autotroph): use

sun’s energy to make food Chemotrophs (a group of bacteria)

harvest their energy from chemicals.

Organisms in an Ecosystem

2. Consumer (heterotroph): Obtain energy by eating other organisms Herbivore: eat only plants

Carnivore: eat only other animals

Omnivore: eats plants and animals

Organisms in an Ecosystem3. Decomposer: Get

energy by breaking down dead matter

Organisms together in an Ecosystem

Habitat Each organism lives in a habitat Definition: the natural physical

environment in which an organism or population influences and utilizes in order to live

Each organism has a “role” in their habitat

Niche Definition: the specific activities and

relationships to other organisms a species has while obtaining and using the resources needed to survive and reproduce

Example: Lions and honey bees

Niche Cont’d Niche Competition

2 Species partially share a niche: both compete in the overlapping parts of the niche for resources, nesting sites, or territory. If the overlap is minimal, both species can coexist.

Example: Lions and hyenas http://www.metacafe.com/watch/384580/rhino_attack/

Niche Cont’d 2 Species have the same

niche: both compete head to head in the niche for resources, nesting sites, or territory. One of the species will be superior to the other in utilizing the niche. The 2nd species disappears from the ecosystem.

Example: Darwin’s Finches

Energy: Essential for Life The sun is the source of energy for all life Plants transfer the sun’s energy into the

building blocks of living tissue Carbohydrates Fats Proteins

through a process called Photosynthesis.

Energy Flow in the Biosphere Energy can’t be

recycled = 1 way flow

Flows through primary producers to final consumers

Energy Flow in the BiosphereTrophic Levels: Feeding

level Each level higher = less

energy Energy is lost through

usage and heat back to the environment

Omnivores, decomposers and scavengers also obtain energy from the energy pyramid

Energy Cycle Only 10% of the energy obtained gets passed on from one

organism to another

Carrying Capacity & Limiting Factor Carrying Capacity: The limit

of individuals in a population an ecosystem can support

Limiting Factor: The factor that limits the carrying capacity

Example: Carrying capacity of elk is 21,000 in Yellowstone National Park, two limiting factors are food and space

Opportunist & Specialist Species Opportunist Species: use the environment

in a number of ways Example: Raccoons Specialist Species: Can

feed on only one type of

Food Example: Anteaters

Food Chain One path of energy from a

Producer to a tertiary consumer Example:

Plants-grasshopper-mouse-owl

Food Web A collection of many food

chains that interact with one another

Food Chain or Food Web?

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4792608939520617017&q=Lion+King+Circle+of+Life&total=623&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=0

Nutrient Cycles

Water Cycle

Water Cycle a.k.a. Hydrologic cycle This cycle describes how water flows from

the atmosphere to earth and back again Precipitation- is water released from clouds

in the form of rain, freezing rain, sleet, snow, or hail.

Run-off is the water that flows from land back into a body of water

Water Cycle Cont’d Condensation-is the process by which

water vapor in the air is changed into liquid water

Condensation forms clouds

and fog Produces rain (precipitation)

Water Cycle Cont’d Transpiration- the release of water vapor from

plants and animals Evaporation-is the process by which water changes from a liquid to a gas or vapor Evapotranspiration=evaporation + transpirationhttp://video.yahoo.com/video/play?vid=1077701735Warner Brothers Anamaniacs

Nitrogen Cycle

Nitrogen Cycle Nitrogen (N) is an element that is required

to make proteins 79% of the air is Nitrogen gas, but most

organisms can’t use it in this form Plants must get (N) in a “fixed” form :

NO3- , NH3, (NH2)2CO Animals must get (N) from plants

4 Process of the Nitrogen Cycle Nitrogen-fixation-taking the (N) from the

atmosphere to make it usable Decay-breaking down organic matter into

ammonium (NH4NO3) Nitrification-Bacteria breaks down the

ammonium to nitrates Denitrification-the process of changing

nitrates to the atmosphere

Phosphorus Cycle

Phosphorus Cycle Phosphorus (P) can only be found in water,

soil, and rock sediments It does not exist in the atmosphere as gas It is the slowest cycle This is often the limiting factor: b/c there

are so little amounts in soil (Fertilizer)

Phosphorus Animals can only attain

(P) by consuming plants or herbivores

Only released by weathering of rocks

Your body needs this for ATP (form of energy)

Your body also needs this for its DNA

Carbon Cycle

Carbon Cycle Carbon is needed to build our living tissue It is the most abundant nutrient It exists in the non-living environment as:

CO2 gas Carbonate rocks Deposits of coal, petroleum,

and natural gas Dead matter from once living things in the soil

Carbon Cont’d Producers transfer Carbon from the atmosphere

from CO2 to organic matter Living organisms eat the producers and pass the

Carbon from one to the next Carbon returns as:

CO2 gas through respiration Burning organic matter (plants/fuel) Decay of organic matter, methane

http://youtube.com/watch?v=c40jebr9jbg

Carbon Cont’d More burning of fossil fuels adds Carbon

into the air Pollution from oil Burning vegetation grazing or deforestation

Contributes to the “Greenhouse Effect” CO2 in the atmosphere prevents heat from

escaping back into space, which makes earth warmer!

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5128613033824536021&q=greenhouse+effect&total=411&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=7