Principles of EcologyPrinciples of Ecology

• Where does the energy to keep the Where does the energy to keep the organisms alive come from?organisms alive come from?

• How do the organisms in the photo How do the organisms in the photo get energy?get energy?

EcologyEcology

• The scientific The scientific discipline in which discipline in which the relationships the relationships among living among living organisms and the organisms and the interaction the interaction the organisms have organisms have with their with their environments are environments are studiedstudied

What factors in an What factors in an environment influence an environment influence an organism’s survival? organism’s survival? • For example – our survival in this For example – our survival in this

classroomclassroom– What do we need to survive?What do we need to survive?– Is there anything that threatens our Is there anything that threatens our

survival?survival?

Biotic vs. AbioticBiotic vs. Abiotic

• These factors can be divided into These factors can be divided into living factors and nonliving factorsliving factors and nonliving factors

Examples in an Alaskan EcosystemExamples in an Alaskan Ecosystem

Examples in a Desert EcosystemExamples in a Desert Ecosystem

Levels of OrganizationLevels of Organization

• OrganismOrganism

• PopulationPopulation

• CommunityCommunity

• EcosystemEcosystem

• BiomeBiome

• BiosphereBiosphere

Add to your notes the definitions of these Add to your notes the definitions of these terms and provide an example using a forest terms and provide an example using a forest animalanimal

A Habitat is the area where anA Habitat is the area where an organism lives organism lives

The niche is the role the The niche is the role the organism plays in the habitat organism plays in the habitat

• The bear eats berries from the plant The bear eats berries from the plant and spreads the seeds when it poopsand spreads the seeds when it poops

• The tree provides a nesting area for The tree provides a nesting area for the owlthe owl

• The butterfly acts as a pollinator for The butterfly acts as a pollinator for the plantsthe plants

• Can you think of any others?Can you think of any others?

Organism RelationshipsOrganism RelationshipsOrganism RelationshipsOrganism Relationships

• ParasitismParasitism

• MutualismMutualism

• PredationPredation

• CommensalismCommensalism

• CompetitionCompetition

ParasitismParasitismParasitismParasitism

• Relationship Relationship between two between two organisms, either organisms, either plants or animals, plants or animals, in which one feeds in which one feeds on the other on the other without killing it.without killing it.

• Parasites can be Parasites can be internal or externalinternal or external

MutualismMutualismMutualismMutualism

• Two types of Two types of animals that live animals that live together for mutual together for mutual benefitbenefit

• There are many There are many examples of examples of mutualism in the mutualism in the wildlife communitywildlife community

WHY IS THIS MUTUALISM?WHY IS THIS MUTUALISM?

Clownfish And Sea Clownfish And Sea AnemonesAnemones

PredationPredationPredationPredation

• When one animal When one animal eats another eats another animalanimal

• Is important in Is important in controlling controlling populations of populations of wildlifewildlife

Lions and BuffalosLions and Buffalos

CommensalismCommensalismCommensalismCommensalism• A Plant or animal A Plant or animal

that lives in, on, or that lives in, on, or with another, with another, sharing its food, but sharing its food, but not helping or not helping or harming itharming it

• One species is One species is helped, but the helped, but the other is neither other is neither helped or harmedhelped or harmed

Cattle and EgretsCattle and Egrets

CompetitionCompetitionCompetitionCompetition

• When different When different species of wildlife species of wildlife compete for the same:compete for the same:– food supplyfood supply– nesting sitesnesting sites– breeding sitesbreeding sites

• One species may One species may increase in numbers increase in numbers while the other while the other declinesdeclines

What are these wildebeests What are these wildebeests and zebras competing for?and zebras competing for?

What are these plants What are these plants competing for?competing for?

What resource are these What resource are these animals and plants competing animals and plants competing for? for?