Download INTRO TO ECOLOGY

INTRO TO ECOLOGY

ECOLOGY
 The study of interactions among
organisms with each other and with
the environment
*What do you call a scientist who
studies Ecology?
*Comes from the Greek word oikos (house)
BIOSPHERE
 Portion of the Earth that supports life
* The Biosphere is a relatively thin layer of
Earth and its atmosphere
LEVELS OF ORGANIZATION
 The biosphere is too large and complex
for most ecological studies.
 To study relationships within the
biosphere, ecologists look at smaller
pieces (levels of organization)
LEVELS OF ORGANIZATION
INDIVIDUAL
 An individual is any living thing or
organism
Fish
POPULATION
 A group of organisms of the same species
that interbreed and live in the same
place at the same time
Many Fish
of the same
species
BIOLOGICAL COMMUNITY
 A group of interacting populations (of
different species) that occupy the same
geographic area at the same time
Fish of different
species, crabs, grass
ECOSYSTEM
 A biological community and all the abiotic
(nonliving) factors that affect it
Fish of different
species, crabs, grass
+
Water, rocks, air
Biotic Factors
Abiotic Factors
BIOME
 A large groups of ecosystems that share the
same climate and have similar types of
communities
BIOSPHERE
 The sum of all the biomes established on
Earth