Ecology

Presentation

Ecology:the study of the interactions of living organisms

with one another and their environment

Environment:the abiotic and biotic factors that act upon organisms

Abioticthe nonliving parts of the environment including water, rocks, light,

nutrients, soil, and temperature

• Climate – the average weather conditions for an environment

(yearly/ monthly)

• Weather – the daily environmental conditions (daily)

Bioticthe living parts of the environment including bacteria,

protists, fungi, plants, and animals

Levels of Ecology

Organisma living thing; anything that can carry out

life processes independently

Levels of Ecology

PopulationA group of organisms of the same species that

live in a specific geographical area

• Species – a group of organisms that are closely related

and can mate a produce fertile offspring

Levels of Ecology

Communityall of the populations of species that live in the

same habitat and interact with each other

Levels of Ecology

Ecosystema community of organisms and their abiotic environment

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Levels of Ecology

Biomea large region characterized by a specific type of climate

and certain types of plant and animal communities

• Climate patterns – the

sunlight, wind, and water

availability all help to define

a biome

Levels of Ecology

Biospherethe part of the earth where life exists

Introduction to Ecology Video

Population Ecology

Population –This is the same species, at the same time, in the

same place, and reproducing.

Population Ecology

Population Density

• the number of organisms in a given area

Population Ecology

Population Dispersion

• the pattern of organisms within a given area

• may be clumped, uniform, or random

Population Ecology

Population Dispersion

• the pattern of organisms within a given area

• may be clumped, uniform, or random

Population Ecology

Population Demography

• the study of population sizes and distribution

• Growth – populations grow in number by birth or

immigration (going into an area)

• Decline – populations decrease in number by death or

emigration (leaving an area)

Population Ecology

Limiting Factors

• Something that limits (or restricts) the growth of a

particular population

• Resources – food, water, space, jobs, etc.

• Health Conditions – crowding and disease

• Predation by other species:

Ex. Snowshoe hare and lynx

Population Ecology

Population Limiting Factors

• Predation by other species:

Ex. Snowshoe hare and lynx

Prey – organism killed and eaten by another organism

Predator – organism that eats all or part of another

organism after killing it.

Population Ecology

Population Limiting Factors

• Carrying Capacity – refers to the largest population

that an environment can support at any given time.

Community Ecology

Community – all the populations of species that live in the same

habitat and interact with each other

Community Ecology

Competition ( - , - )

• This relationship exists because resources are in small

supply.

• Two species cannot occupy the same niche in an

environment.

Niche – the place or function of a given organism within its

environment. This affects its survival.

Community Ecology

Predation ( + , - )

• Normal – a predator kills and eats its prey

Ex. A lion killing and eating a gazelle

• Parasitism – a parasite harms another organism

Ex. A mosquito biting you

Community Ecology

Predation ( + , - )

• Adaptations for predators to catch prey

Ex. claws, teeth, poisons, speed, and muscle

strength

Community Ecology

Predation ( + , - )

• Adaptations against predators to avoid being caught

Ex. long legs, speed, flight, horns, coloration, and

sense of smell.

• Camouflage – coloration that helps an animal blend in

with the surroundings

• Warning coloration – bright colors such as red, orange,

yellow, or blue

Community Ecology

Predation ( + , - )

• Adaptations against predators to avoid being caught

Ex. long legs, speed, flight, horns, coloration, and

sense of smell.

• Defensive chemicals – ex. Skunk spray

• Mimicry – this is when the coloration makes a harmless

animal look like a harmful animal

Community Ecology

Symbiosis

• This is a close, long-term association between two or

more species.

• Types of symbiotic relationships:

Mutualism

Commensalism

Parasitism

Community Ecology

Symbiosis

• Mutualism ( + , + )

• a relationship between two or more species in which

both organisms benefit

Ex. Hummingbird and flower, bacteria in humans

Community Ecology

Symbiosis

• Commensalism ( + , 0 )

• a relationship between two species where one benefits

and the other is unaffected

Ex. Sharks and remoras

Community Ecology

Symbiosis

• Parasitism ( + , - )

• a relationship between two species in which one

species, the parasite, benefits and the other species,

the host, is harmed.

Ex. Deer and deer ticks

Community Ecology

Symbiosis

Video of Symbiotic Relationships

Ecolosystems

Trophic Structure

Video of Food Chains

Ecosystems

This term refers to all the interacting communities within a

given area plus the abiotic factors affecting it

Abiotic factors mainly deal with energy flow, nutrient

cycling, temperature, and water.

Ecosystems

Trophic Levels – Feeding Relationships

• Producers or Autotrophs

1. Organisms that take the sunlight and inorganic matter

and convert it into organic energy storing molecules

(food/sugars).

2. Producers ‘produce’ the start to all food chains.

Ecosystems

Trophic Levels – Feeding Relationships

• Consumers or Heterotrophs

1.Organisms that cannot make their own food so

they must consume other organisms.

2.They must eat other organisms to obtain energy

and matter.

3.Different levels can occur such as 1° (primary), 2°

(secondary), 3° (tertiary), etc.

4.1° feeds on producers, 2° feeds on 1°, 3° feed on

2° etc.

Ecosystems

Trophic Levels – Feeding Relationships

• Types of Consumers or Heterotrophs1. Herbivores – eat only plants

2. Carnivores – eat only animals

3. Omnivores – eat both plants and animals

4. Scavengers – carnivores that feeds on the bodies of

dead organisms

Ecosystems

Trophic Levels – Feeding Relationships

• Decomposers

Feed on dead, organic matter which they

convert back to the inorganic state for recycling

and use by producers

Community Ecology

Trophic Structure

• Energy flows but matter is cycled.

Matter --------

Energy --------

Community Ecology

Trophic Structure

• Food Chain - A simplified model of energy passing from

one trophic level to the next level.

Community Ecology

Trophic Structure

• Food Web - a model showing possible feeding

relationships that could exist (multiple interacting food

chains)

Field of Beans Lab

Energy Pyramid

Community Ecology

Trophic Structure

Food Chain Game