Energy flows from the leaf to the mouse
Energy flows
from the snake to the hawk
Name __________________________________ Period ________ Date __________
ECOLOGY NOTES I
PART 1: Food Chains and Levels of Organization in Ecology
Levels of Organization in Ecology • __________ - Group of organisms so similar to
one another that they can breed and produce fertile offspring.
• ______________ - Groups of individuals that belong to the same species and live in the same area.
• Communities - ________________ of different ________________ that live together in a defined area.
• Ecosystem - Collection of all the organisms that live in a particular place, together with their _____________, or physical, environment.
• Biome - Group of ________________ that have the same _____________ and similar dominant communities.
• ______________ - Contains the combined portions of the planet in which all of life exists, including land, ____________, and air, or _____________.
– It extends from about 8 kilometers above Earth's surface to as far as 11 kilometers below the surface of the ocean.
Levels of Organization in Ecology • Individual → Species → _____________ → Community → Ecosystem → Biome → Biosphere
Food Chain vs. Food Web1. Food Chains follow just ___ path as animals find food. 2. Food Webs show how plants and animals are
connected in ________ ways to help them all survive.
What Do Food Chains and Food Webs Demonstrate?• Both food chains and food webs show the
________________________ in an ecosystem.
LABEL EACH PICTURE AS A FOOD CHAIN OR FOOD WEB.
Trophic Levels • Trophic levels - corresponds to the different ________ or ________ in the food chain.
– The feeding position in a food chain such as primary producers, herbivore, primary carnivore, etc.
• Green plants form the first trophic level, the _______________. • Herbivores form the second ____________ level• Carnivores form the third and even the fourth trophic levels.
Food Chains Always Begin With Plants • Photosynthesis – process used by ___________ that __________ the sun’s energy and use it to
_________ food• Producer – organism that can use the __________ energy to make its own __________.
Eat and Be Eaten• Consumers – organisms that cannot _________ their own food; depend upon _______________.
– Three types of consumers• Herbivores - eat __________• Carnivores – eat _____________• Omnivores – eat both ___________ and _____________• Decomposer – feeds on the waste products or bodies of other _________ organisms
Decomposers• Decomposers – feeds on the ____________ products or ___________ of other dead organisms (both
plants and animals) • Also a _______________
– Includes:• mostly ____________ and ___________• maggots• dung beetles• ________________• sow bugs
Niche• Niche – an organism’s niche describes its _______________ in the ecosystem.• The niche describes the ______________ of the organism in the food chain.• Can be compared to a person’s _________________.
Other Food Chain Terms• Primary Consumer – first _________ (also called first-order consumer) • Secondary Consumer – ___________ consumer (also called second-order consumer) • Tertiary Consumer - _________ consumer (also called third-order consumer)
100% Energy
10% Energy
1% Energy
.1% Energy
Grass → Rabbit → Snake →
Hawk
Other Vocabulary• Autotroph - ___________ its own food• Heterotroph - ________ not make its own food
How Much Energy is Passed On?• Only ______% is passed on to the next trophic
level.• The other ______% is lost/given off as ________.
If a nation is starving, what should they eat? • Let’s think about the starving regions in __________.
– Should they eat producers or consumers? – Grains → Cows
• If they eat cows, _______% of the original energy is ________!– ________ people can be supported with the field of grain.
• They should eat _________!
Food Chains: Matter and Energy• As you go along a food chain, the matter and energy
______________. • This can be represented in a _____________.
Pyramids Pyramids are larger at the bottom…more _________ and
__________ are at the __________ of the pyramid!
Ecological Pyramids • Ecological Pyramid- diagram that shows the relative
amounts of __________ or ___________ contained within each ____________ level in a food chain or food web.
Two Types of Ecological Pyramids 1. Pyramid of Biomass – Represents the _____________
at each ___________ level 2. Pyramid of Numbers – Represents the ____________ of
_______________ at each trophic level
Pyramid of Biomass• Biomass – total ___________ of living ___________ within
a trophic level– Usually expressed in grams per unit area.
• As you go along a food chain, the amount of matter _______________!
Two Different Ways to Draw Pyramid of Numbers
Pyramid of Numbers As you go further down a food chain,
the ____________ of organisms ______________ because there is ________ energy available!
Population Changes in Food Chains • What would happen to this bird if the population of caterpillars decreases?
_____________________________________________________________
• What would happen to the bee population if the flower population exploded? _____________________________________________________________
• If the snake population decreases (refer to picture below), what would happen to the other organisms in the food chain?______________________________________________________________________________
Other Pyramid of Numbers If you have a __________ _______________
(such as a tree), the pyramid of numbers may look ____________ in shape.
A large tree supports a lot of ______________.
Name __________________________________ Period ________ Date __________
ECOLOGY NOTES II
PART 2: Interactions
1. Predation - The _________________ of prey as a means of maintaining ________.
One organism benefits One organism is killed
2. Parasitism - One organism (the _____________) benefits and the other (the ___________) is harmed, but is still _____________.
Can be considered a special case of _______________. Because the parasite needs the host to remain alive, it is
typically advantageous for the parasite NOT to __________ its ____________.
List three examples of parasites: ______________, ______________, ________________
3. Mutualism - Any relationship between two species of organisms that benefits _________ species.
Examples of Mutualism o ________________o _________ Dispersal o Lichens
4. Commensalism - Relationship between two species where one species ______________ from the relationship and the second species is ______________.
Examples of Commensalism: ______________ and _______________
Interactions SummaryType of
InteractionOrganism 1 Organism 2
Predation
Parasitism
Mutualism
Commensalism
PART 3: Carrying Capacity and Predators
Carrying CapacityCarrying Capacity - Number of species that can be _____________by an _______________.
Population Growth is Represented with an S-Curve
Factors that Limit a Population 1. Loss of ___________2. Climate Change 3. _______________4. Not Enough _________
PredatorsA predator is an animal or other organism that _________ and __________ other organisms.
Can be ______________ or ______________
The Importance of Predators 1. We need them to ____________ the ________________ power of most animals. Predators are
nature’s _________________. Without predators to control the populations, certain species like mice would ___________
out other species and would also destroy their _____________.2. They also get __________ of weak, crippled, stupid, stunted, and ______________ organisms.
For Example: In the Adirondacks of New York state, a healthy ___________population is expected to take approximately ____________ white-tailed _________ per year (Hosack 1996). But nearly ___________ deer die each year of _____________ during the harsh winters.
Predator/Prey Relationship
Large PredatorsThe number of large predators are _________________.PART 4: Cycles
Summarize what this graph is demonstrating: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The Water Cycle Water
• The total ____________ of water on earth_____________ change.
• Water in Earth’s oceans does _______ remain there indefinitely. Water is constantly ______________ through the water cycle.
Energy for the Water Cycle• The ________ provides energy for the water cycle.
Evaporation• Water is _________ from the soil and from all surface water (lakes,
streams, ponds, oceans) through evaporation or transpiration.1. Evaporation – occurs when the sun’s energy __________
the water, changing it from its _____________ state into its _______________ state (known as water ___________)
2. Transpiration – loss of water vapor from the__________ of plants through the ______________ (openings in leaves)
Condensation• Condensation – process of water vapor changing from ___________________
into its ____________ form 1. As warm humid air __________, it loses energy and ___________.2. As the air ___________, the water vapor collects on small particles
(such as dust or volcanic ash) in the atmosphere and forms ___________.
Precipitation• When the droplets become too _____________ to remain in the atmosphere
they begin to __________l. 1. Precipitation – all moisture _____________ from the atmosphere
• The ________________ of the air determines the form of precipitation:1. ________2. Sleet3. ________4. Hail
Where Does The Precipitation Fall? 1. Ocean or Other Bodies of Water
– Most precipitation falls here since most of the earth’s surface is covered by _________.2. Land
– May flow over the surface as runoff, which flows into __________ or ____________.– May enter the __________
Infiltration• Infiltration – process of precipitation entering the ___________
– The water can _________ or percolate through the soil and rocks until it reaches a layer of impermeable ___________ or clay.
– This layer of __________ is called groundwater.– This layer of permeable (___________) rock where the water is stored is called an aquifer.
Carbon-Oxygen CyclePhotosynthesis
Using ___________ energy, plants combine
N=N → 2NH3
_________________ (CO2) from the atmosphere and __________ (H20) to form ___________ and ___________ in the process of photosynthesis.
Carbon Dioxide + Water → Sugar and Oxygen The product of photosynthesis is a sugar called ___________.
What is Sugar (Glucose) Used For?1. Source of __________2. Building ___________ for other compounds such as proteins, oils, and starches.
Respiration In respiration, the compounds containing carbon (the organic compounds)
are __________ ________, and ______________________ is released. Plants, animals, and microorganisms all carry out _____________!
Is the Carbon-Oxygen Cycle Balanced?• The Carbon-Oxygen cycle is ________ of balance.• There is ________ carbon dioxide being ___________
into the atmosphere than is being ___________.• Most of the carbon dioxide is produced during the process
of _____________ called combustion.• When compounds containing carbon (wood, coal, or oil)
are burned, the carbon is chemically combined with oxygen, and __________________ is _____________.
• The use of carbon dioxide by _________ during photosynthesis is a much _____________ process.
• As a result of the imbalance between these two processes, the level of ___________________ in the atmosphere is _________________.
Decomposers
• When organisms die, decomposers ____________ down the carbon compounds in their bodies, and carbon dioxide is ___________ to the atmosphere.
• During decomposition (decay), other chemicals are also ____________ to the ________ or released into the ________. One of these chemicals is ___________.
Nitrogen CycleNitrogen
• Plants and animals need ____________ to make _____________.• The air is about _______% nitrogen, but plants and animals cannot use nitrogen ___________ from
the _________.
How Do Plants Get Nitrogen?• Special _____________, in the soil and water, must change
or “______” nitrogen gas (N2) into nitrogen fertilizers (NO3-)
or ammonium ions (NH4+) that plants can use.
• These bacteria are called ______________________.
Nitrogen Fixers• Most nitrogen-fixing bacteria live in little _____________, or nodules,
on the roots of plants called _________. o Legumes - Members of a large family of ___________ that include
peas, __________, alfafa, and clover.• Mutualistic Relationship
– The ____________ provide _________ and cover for the bacteria, and the bacteria convert nitrogen gas into __________ for the plant.
How Do Animals Get Nitrogen?• Animals get nitrogen from __________ or from other plant-eating ____________, in the form of
_____________. • Animals must ________ protein to get our nitrogen requirements! We can’t ___________ in nitrogen.
• Nitrogen is recycled by special ____________ • that _________ down the nitrogen compounds
(proteins) in dead plants and animals, and in animal wastes.
• If plants do not use the nitrogen compounds as fertilizer, special forms of bacteria may ____________ it. These bacteria convert the unused fertilizer into nitrogen ________ and ____________ it into the atmosphere.
(REFER TO PICTURE ON THE RIGHT)
ALL NATURAL ECOSYSTEMS DEPEND UPON _____________ TO KEEP THE NITROGEN CYCLE GOING!
Lightning and the Nitrogen Cycle• _____________ plays a small role in the nitrogen cycle.• Lightning ___________ nitrogen and oxygen in the atmosphere.
– The “________” nitrogen, (which is dissolved in the rain) enters the _______.
Human Activities Affect the Nitrogen Cycle• To grow crops that require large amounts of nitrogen, farmers add ____________.• Farmers also plant ____________ crops to take advantage of their natural abilities to ______ nitrogen.
Combustion: Another source of Nitrogen• The ______________ of fossil fuels is another source of _____________.
– Combustion causes nitrogen and oxygen to combine creating nitrogen __________ (NOx).
PART 5: Global Warming and Energy Sources
Greenhouse Effect Greenhouses work by trapping heat from the ________.
The glass panels of the greenhouse let in ___________ but keep _________ from _______________. This causes the greenhouse to _________ up, much like the inside of a _______ parked in sunlight, and keeps the plants __________ enough to live in the winter.
Greenhouse Effect – the ___________ of air caused by the sun’s _______________ (light) passing into the atmosphere and being changed to _________ energy which is trapped by gases in the atmosphere
o Without this blanket of gases, the earth would be _______°F cooler than it is today.o The ice-coated planet would be ____________ to support _________ as we know it today.
Greenhouse Gases: Carbon Dioxide Carbon Dioxide – Produced during ______________ in plants and animals and the decomposition of
organic mattero The quantity of carbon dioxide _____________ by respiration and decomposition is nearly
________________ by the quantity of carbon dioxide absorbed by ____________during photosynthesis.
o Analysis of carbon dioxide trapped in ________ _______ indicates that the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere changed very __________ during the ten thousand years prior to the ______________ revolution.
Carbon Dioxide Levels Are Rising Human activities have released carbon dioxide into the atmosphere:
o Mainly from the _____________ of fossil fuels o __________________
Global Warming By altering the ______________ composition of the atmosphere, we are _______________ the
“greenhouse effect” and therefore contributing to global warming.o Global Warming – an _____________ in the earth’s average __________________.
According to the World Resources Institute, “Greenhouse warming is the most serious and threatening problem of the century.”
Living in a Warmer World We know that the level of greenhouse gases, especially ___________________, is increasing and, as
the level increases, global _________________ will ___________!!!
Consequences of Global Warming:1. Expansion of seawater and the ____________ of polar ice and snow
The greatest ______________ is along the ________ coast A _________________ rise is predicted along the gulf and Atlantic coasts by ________.
2. In the US, both ______________ and _________________ are expected to increase Precipitation will be concentrated in large ____________ (will reduce infiltration and increase
____________)3. Habitats and Wildlife
Climate zones could _________ and some plants might not be able to _______ to the changes 4. Agriculture
Crops yields will ___________ 5. Weather Predictions
Warmer weather may make the weather ______________ more ____________6. Humans
_________ waves could become more ____________ in some areas Increased temperatures could increase the level of ground-level _________and cause
increased health __________ (asthma and other lung diseases).
What Can You Do? To decrease the threat of global warming, we must ____________ the ______________ of greenhouse
gases.o Increased _______________ (use more energy efficient light bulbs, recycle, car pool, use mass
transit, drive a fuel efficient car) o _______________ energy sources
_________ and __________ energy are the best choices because they produce no carbon dioxide.
Switching to oil or natural gas will produce less carbon dioxide than burning coal. o Plant/Keep more _________!
Renewable vs. Nonrenewable Resources Renewable Resources – Resource that can _________________ quickly and that is _______________.
o Examples: tree, water, windo Not necessarily ______________
Nonrenewable Resources – Resource that ___________ be ______________ by natural processes. o Examples: fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas
Energy Sources 1. Windmill2. ________________Power3. __________ Power (Photovoltaic)4. Nuclear Fission 5. ___________ Fuels
Wind Energy Creating energy from _________. Wind is simple air in motion. It is caused by the uneven ___________ of
the earth’s surface by the ___________. ________________ energy source because the wind will blow as long as
the sun shines. How Do Windmills Work?
o Wind turbines use wind to make electricity. The _________ turns the blades, which spin a _______________, which connects to a ________________ and makes electricity.
Hydroelectric Power Hydroelectric Power – Produce electricity
from _____________.
o How it works : Water is used to turn a ___________(propeller-like piece), which then turns a metal shaft in an electric generator (motor that produces electricity).
o _____________ Energy Source
Solar Power (Photovoltaic) Solar Power - Use __________ energy to make electricity.
o Also called called ____________________. o Examples : solar-powered watch or calculatoro ________________ energy sourceo The ____________ cost a lot and a lot of open
land is needed. o Sun must be _________ to produce ___________!
Nuclear Fission Nuclear Fission – Producing energy by _____________ atoms, or fissioning them.
o To make large-scale use of the energy released in fission, one fission event must trigger another, so that the process spreads thoughout the nuclear fuel as in a set of ___________.
o Can be very dangerous...could be used as a nuclear ____________!o _______________ Energy Source
Fossil Fuels Fossil Fuels – Coal, _______, or natural gas used to produce energy.
o ______________ Energy Sourceo Formed from plants and animals that lived up to _______ million years ago.o Found in ______________ beneath the earth. o The fuels are burned to release the __________ energy that is
___________ within this resource. Combustion – Burning of ______________ to produce energy.
Over _______% of our energy demands are met by the combustion (burning) of fossil fuels.
Increases the amount of ____________________ in our atmosphere.