PRINCIPLES OF ECOLOGYPRINCIPLES OF ECOLOGY

Chapter 2Chapter 2

Organisms & Their Organisms & Their EnvironmentEnvironment

Ch. 2, Sec. 1Ch. 2, Sec. 1

What is Ecology?What is Ecology?

• EcologyEcology = study of interactions = study of interactions between organisms & their between organisms & their environmentenvironment

• Disruptions to the environment can Disruptions to the environment can ripple throughout the entire ripple throughout the entire ecosystemecosystem

BiosphereBiosphere• BiosphereBiosphere = parts of Earth and its = parts of Earth and its

atmosphere that support life, from atmosphere that support life, from the sky down to the bottom of the the sky down to the bottom of the oceanocean

• Biotic FactorsBiotic Factors = the = the living living partsparts of an of an ecosystemecosystem

• Abiotic Abiotic FactorsFactors = the = the nonlivingnonliving parts parts of an of an ecosystem ecosystem (sun, (sun, temperature, temperature, pH, gasses, pH, gasses, water) that are water) that are part of an part of an organism’s lifeorganism’s life

Levels of OrganizationLevels of Organization

• 1. Biosphere1. Biosphere

• 2. Ecosystem2. Ecosystem = = the the bioticbiotic & & abioticabiotic parts of an parts of an environment found environment found in a particular placein a particular place– The The biospherebiosphere is is

made up of many made up of many different different ecosystemsecosystems

• 3. Communities3. Communities = all the interacting = all the interacting living organismsliving organisms in an area, all the in an area, all the different speciesdifferent species

• 4. Populations4. Populations = = all membersall members of the of the same species living in one place, at same species living in one place, at one timeone time

• 5. Organism5. Organism = the = the individualindividual organismorganism

Organisms in EcosystemsOrganisms in Ecosystems

• HabitatHabitat = the place where an = the place where an organism lives out its lifeorganism lives out its life

• NicheNiche = all strategies & adaptations = all strategies & adaptations a species uses in its environment; an a species uses in its environment; an species’ species’ rolerole– What food they eatWhat food they eat– What kind of shelter usedWhat kind of shelter used– Where they reproduceWhere they reproduce

• Having a specific role in an Having a specific role in an environment helps reduce environment helps reduce competition competition

Survival Relationships (2 Survival Relationships (2 kinds)kinds)

• A. SymbiosisA. Symbiosis = organisms living = organisms living closely together; closely together; 3 types 3 types of of symbiosissymbiosis

• 1. Mutualism1. Mutualism = 2 species of = 2 species of organisms benefit from each otherorganisms benefit from each other

• 2. Commensalism2. Commensalism = one species = one species benefits & the other is neither benefits & the other is neither harmed nor benefitedharmed nor benefited

• 3. Parasitism3. Parasitism = one species = one species benefits at the expense of another benefits at the expense of another speciesspecies

• B. PredationB. Predation = a predator eats = a predator eats another organism for foodanother organism for food

•http://www.cstephenmurray.com/onlinequizes/biology/Ecology/typesofinteractionsexamples.htm

PracticePractice• Cowbirds lay their eggs in the nests of other Cowbirds lay their eggs in the nests of other

birds and allow them to raise their chick usually birds and allow them to raise their chick usually at the expense of the offspring of the other at the expense of the offspring of the other species.species.

• What would happen to a forest community if What would happen to a forest community if the cowbird population increased?the cowbird population increased?