Download Habitat (which is Latin for "it inhabits") is the place where a particular

Habitat (which is Latin for "it inhabits") is the place where a particular species lives and grows. It is
essentially the environment—at least the physical environment—that surrounds (influences and is utilized
by) a species population. We use "species population" instead of "organism" here because, while it is
possible to describe the habitat of a single black bear, we generally mean not any particular or individual
bear, but the grouping of bears that comprise a breeding population and occupy a certain geographical
area. Further, this habitat could be somewhat different from the habitat of another group or population of
black bears living elsewhere. Thus, it is neither the species, nor the individual, for which the term habitat
is typically used. A microhabitat or microenvironment is the immediate surroundings and other
physical factors of an individual plant or animal within its habitat.
However, the term "habitat" can be used more broadly in ecology. It was originally defined as the
physical conditions that surround a species, or species population, or assemblage of species, or
community (Clements and Shelford, 1939). Thus, it is not just a species population that has a habitat, but
an assemblage of many species, living together in the same place that essentially share a habitat.
Ecologists would regard the habitat shared by many species to be a biotope.
Habitat destruction is a major factor in causing a species population to decrease, eventually leading to its
being endangered, or even to its extinction.
A biome is the set of flora and fauna which live in a habitat and occupy a certain geography.
Habitat
What do you need to survive? Food, water, shelter? Animals need the same things
and they live in places that can provide them. The place that supplies the things an
organism needs to survive is its habitat.
Every organism has a unique habitat that provides for its needs. Animals and plants that
live in a particular area and share the resources form a community. Within a
community, organisms all have a unique niche, or role they fill to keep the community
healthy.
There are lots of different habitat types in North America. They all provide for the needs of a wide variety of
organisms.
Ecosystems
An ecosystem is an area where all the living and non-living things interact with and depend on each other.
In ecology, a niche is a term describing the relational position of a species or population in an ecosystem.
More formally, the niche includes how a population responds to the abundance of its resources and
enemies (e. g., by growing when resources are abundant, and predators, parasites and pathogens are
scarce) and how it affects those same factors (e.g., by reducing the abundance of resources through
consumption and contributing to the population growth of enemies by falling prey to them). The abiotic or
physical environment is part of the niche because it influences how populations affect, and are affected
by, resources and enemies.
The description of a niche may include descriptions of the organism's life history, habitat, and place in the
food chain. According to the competitive exclusion principle, no two species can occupy the same niche
in the same environment for a long time.
Biotic vs. Abiotic
Abiotic Factors
Abiotic factors are those non-living physical and chemical factors which affect the ability of organisms
to survive and reproduce.
Some Abiotic Factors
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light intensity
temperature range
type of soil or rock
pH level
(acidity or alkalinity)
water availability
dissolved gases
level of pollutant
Abiotic factors vary in the environment and determining the types and numbers of organisms that exist in that
environment. Factors which determine the types and numbers of organisms of a species in an ecosystem are
called limiting factors. Many limiting factors restrict the growth of populations in nature. An example of this
would include low annual average temperature average common to the Arctic restricts the growth of trees, as the
subsoil is permanently frozen.
Biotic Factors
Biotic factors are all the living things or their materials that directly or indirectly affect an organism in its
environment. This would include organisms, their presence, parts, interaction, and wastes. Factors such as
parasitism, disease, and predation (one animal eating another) would also be classified as biotic factors.
Some Biotic Factors
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parasitism
disease
predation
Carrying Capacity
Carrying capacity is the maximum number of organisms the resources of an ecosystem can support. The
carrying capacity of the environment is limited by the available abiotic and biotic resources (limiting factors), as
well as the ability of ecosystems to recycle the residue of dead organisms through the activities of bacteria and
fungi.
Feeding Relationships
Organisms may interact with one another in several ways. One example of an organism interaction is that
of a producer/consumer relationship. A producer is any organism capable of making its own food,
usually sugars by photosynthesis. Plants and algae are examples of producers. A consumer is any
organism which eats another organism. Several different types of consumer organisms exist. A
herbivore is a consumer which eats primarily plant material. A deer is an example of a herbivore. A
carnivore consumes primarily animal material. An omnivore eats both plant and animal matter.
Humans are examples of omnivorous organisms.
A predator is a type of carnivore that kills its food. The organism the predator feeds upon is called its
prey. A wolf and rabbit would provide an example of a predator/prey relationship. Scavengers feed
upon organisms that other organisms have killed. A crow feeding off dead carrion in the highway would
be an example of scavenger in this instance.
Scavengers Feeding
The cartoon above represents a typical situation where
vultures are acting as scavengers feeding on a dead
rhinoceros.
Symbiotic Relationships
Close living associations are called symbiotic relationships. Parasitism is an example of such a
relationship. In this situation, the parasite feeds upon the tissues or fluids or another organism, but
usually does not kill the organism it feeds upon, as this would destroy its food supply. The organism the
parasite feeds upon is called the host organism. An example of this sort of relationship would be fleas on
a dog or athlete's foot fungus on a human.
Types of Symbiosis
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parasitism: the parasite benefits at the expense of the host
mutualism: both organisms benefit from the association
commensalism: one organism is benefited and the other is
unharmed
Other Relationships
Some organisms such as certain pathogenic bacteria may cause disease in other organisms. Decomposer
organisms use the energy of dead organisms for food and break them down into materials which can be
recycled for use by other organisms. Bacteria of decay and many fungi are examples of decomposer
organisms.
Earth Science – Ecosystem and its Functioning date_____
NAME__________________________
Difference between environment and ecology:
FOUR levels of organization in ECOLOGY:
1. Organism 2. Population –
3. Community –
4. Biosphere LIFE on Earth depends on three interconnected factors:
1. FLOW OF ENERGY is one way
2. NUTRIENTS are cycled.
3. GRAVITY helps to hold the atmosphere and helps the movement of matter downward for cycling.
BIOSPHERE and its ecosystems can be separated into two main parts:
ABIOTIC
BIOTIC
What are the major living components of ecosystems?
PRODUCERS – make their own food through _____________________________
CONSUMERS – obtain energy through consuming other organisms or remains
Role
Herbivore
Carnivore
Omnivore
Scavenger
Detritus Feeders
Decomposers
Explanation
Difference between a food chain and a food web:
Diagram and components of a food chain/web include:
TROPHIC LEVELS –
POSITION –
TYPE OF CONSUMER – see previous table for roles
EXAMPLE:
Earth Science : Energy Flow in an Ecosystem date____
NAME_____________________________
Recall the Food Chain we discussed in class:
What is happening to the amount of available energy from the 1st to the 5th trophic level?
What accounts for the decreased amount of energy at each trophic level?
How much energy is lost in the transfer?
ENERGY PYRAMIDS REFLECT A TRANSFER OF ENERGY UP THE FOOD CHAIN
- represent available energy at each trophic level
- great way to see that energy is lost as you move up the trophic levels
- top consumers need to consume lots of food to get desired energy amounts
Energy Flow Activities
date______
NAME________________________
Part A : Review of Food Chains/Food Webs and Roles of Organisms in Ecosystems
Use the diagram below to label the following according to these directions. Use the following vocabulary
to insert into the sentences below : carnivores, herbivores, omnivore.
1. COLOR the producers/autotrophs GREEN.
2. Primary consumers are called ________________ because they eat only ________________.
COLOR the primary consumers RED.
3. Secondary consumers are called _______________ because they eat only ______________.
COLOR the secondary consumers YELLOW.
4. Tertiary consumers are top consumers and they eat only ______________ and are called ________.
COLOR the tertiary consumers BLUE.
5. Is the diagram below a food chain or a food web? ____________________________
6. HIGHLIGHT one food chain found present in the diagram below by highlighting the flow of energy
by following the arrows.
7. NAME two decomposers or detritus feeders that are not depicted in this diagram but would be
present to recycle nutrients.
1.
2.
Food Webs and Trophic Levels Activity 2
NAME__________________________
Part A: A certain ecosystem contains the following organisms:
Grass
Owls that eat mice and toads.
Snakes that eat mice.
Foxes that eat rabbits and mice.
Toads that eat beetles.
Cougars that eat deer.
Rabbits, mice, beetles, and deer that eat grass.
Eagles that eat rabbits, snakes, and owls.
The words below show all these organisms.
1. LABEL each organism in pencil as a producer or a consumer.
2. If an organism is a consumer, (LABEL in RED) label the consumer as an omnivore, a herbivore,
or a carnivore.
3. Create a food web using BLUE pencil by drawing arrows to indicate the flow of energy from one
organism to another. Energy flows from producers  to consumers. BE CAREFUL!
Part B: Using the organisms above, draw a diagram of an energy pyramid with four trophic levels using
the eagle as the top consumer. Assume the producers in the pyramid supply 500,000 kilocalories (kcal) of
energy. To the right of the pyramid, write the number of kcal that will be passed on to each higher trophic
level assuming that 10% of energy is passed on.
Earth Science : Habitats and Niches
date___
NAME________________________
Organisms place important roles in the environments in which they reside similar to your role as a student
in the school environment.
What is a habitat?
A habitat is an organisms ________________________ environment.
Every organism has a ______________________ habitat.
_____________________ habitats create a ____________________.
What is a niche? (pronounced nitch)
A niche is an organisms ______________________ in the environment.
Every organism has a ____________________ niche that is a role filled to keep the community healthy.
Recall the differences between abiotic and biotic factors:
BIOTIC
ABIOTIC
Organisms can exceed resources within habitat if biotic and abiotic factors are not balanced. This is called
exceeding the ____________________________________________________.
Carrying Capacity :
Animal Picture Activity
date___
NAME___________________________
Follow the directions below regarding your assigned organism, answer the questions as you move through
the activity, and turn in your paper to the front upon completion.
Choose one picture from the envelope. NAME the organism shown in the picture. ___________________
HABITAT
1. Define habitat in your own words from our discussion today in class.
2. Describe the habitat of this organism in a paragraph of complete sentences (5-8 sentences define a
paragraph.) Include information about temperature, climate, land formations, and plants found in
this habitat. If you don’t know, look it up online.
3. List three things that you think may be a danger to the habitat of this animal.
NICHE
4. Define niche in your own words from out discussion today in class.
5. Write out in words one food chain involving this organism.
6. Draw the energy pyramid for the food chain you depicted above.
7. Choose two physical traits, structures, or characteristics of your organism. You don’t have to be
able to see the trait in the picture. Describe the trait and then explain how its form and structure
relate to the function of that trait.
STRUCTURE – NAME OF TRAIT
FUNCTION
8. Write a paragraph to describe the niche of this organism.
9. What is the difference between a niche and a habitat?
10. Compile a list of all the things that you can think of that define your current niche.
11. Compile a list of all the things that you can think of that define your future niche.
12. Compile a list of all the things that you can think of that define your current habitat.
13. If birds each have their own niche, do you think that niches overlap?
14. Can you think of an example of overlapping niches in your living world?
Earth Science – Community Interactions
INTERACTION
date______
NAME_______________
EXPLANATION
EXAMPLE
Competition
Predation
Parasitism
Commensalism
Mutualism
Charles Darwin – Theory of Natural Selection (Survival of the Fittest among populations)
1. All organisms have the ability to _______________________.
2. Resources are ________________ and ____________________ will arise.
3. All individuals are ___________________________; size, shape, speed, strength, etc. The
organism best adapted will survive.
What is an adaptation?
4. Traits are passed on to offspring.
5. __________________________ – change in the genetic makeup of a population over time
How does this relate to competition in nature? (term: ecological niche)
Earth Science :Ecology – M&M Natural Selection Lab
NAME________________________
Objectives: to describe the importance of coloration in avoiding predation
To explain how natural selection causes populations to change
Procedure:
1. Groups of two are needed for this activity.
2. Pick a member of your group to be the leader. This person will be responsible for running the lab
and setting up the M&Ms. DO NOT EAT ANY M&Ms TILL THE END OF THE LAB OR
YOUR GROUP WILL RECEIVE A ZERO.
3. Group Leader  Place 20 M&Ms on a piece of colored paper. Spread them out evenly on the
paper.
4. ALL MEMBERS  Record the color and number of each type of M&M in the table below.
DATA TABLE 1: First Predation
M&M Color
Total #
(Population)
# Selected (eaten)
# Left (Survived)
% Survival
5. As a group, devise and record a hypothesis about which color M&Ms will have the highest survival
percentage in your environment and explain your reasoning.
HYPOTHESIS =
6. The remaining member of the group will be the predators. The predators should keep their eyes closed
until the leader of the group tells them to open eyes and pick up an M&M. Once told to select an M&M,
the predators will open their eyes and select the FIRST M&M they see. DO NOT EAT IT.
7. Place the M&M in the plastic cup. Predators should select their prey for a total of 15 rounds.
8. After 15 rounds, examine the M&Ms that have been preyed upon. Record results in the table above.
9. Calculate the % Survival using the formula below:
%Left (Survived)
x 100
Total # Population
10. Each remaining M&M in the population will produce one child. For example, if 5 red M&Ms
survived, add 5 red M&Ms to the population on the piece of colored paper.
11. Repeat #3-9 and record information in the table on the below.
DATA TABLE 2 : Second Predation
M&M Color
Total #
(Population)
# Selected (eaten)
# Left (Survived)
% Survival
Analysis :
1. Create a bar graph showing the %Survival for each color M&M. Each color will have two bars
representing both rounds of predation. Place COLORS on the x-axis and %Survival on the yaxis.
2. What was the color of the environment?
3. What do the M&Ms represent in this activity?
4. What do you represent in this activity?
5. Which two colors had the lowest survival rate? Explain why.
6. Is coloration an important factor in successful predation? Explain why.
7. What is the relationship between the environment and the color of the M&Ms selected?
8. ONCE COMPLETE : Get your teacher signature and you may eat the M&Ms ________.
ECOLOGY QUIZ CONTINUED
NAME __________________________
10. Complete the energy pyramid below by LABELING the primary consumers, secondary consumers,
tertiary consumers, and producers.
CALCULATE the energy transfer
upward through the trophic levels.
11. Give an example of each of these relationships that we studied yesterday.
INTERACTION
Competition
Predation
Parasitism
Commensalism
Mutualism
EXAMPLE
Earth Science – Biological Magnification and Accumulation date____
NAME__________________
How do pesticides/chemicals move through a food chain or food web?
DDT is a harmful ___________________ used to control the populations of _________________.
Pesticides and chemicals can move upward through a food chain/web when consumed and
___________________ in fatty tissues of organisms. This process is called biological
_____________________.
What is biological accumulation?
As organisms begin to feed on contaminated tissues, we can _____________________ the presence of
harmful pesticides/chemicals through the food chain in a process called biological
_____________________.
What is biological magnification?
Cats into Borneo Activity
DDT in Real Life VIDEO Clip
Ecosystems: Everything is Connected Questions
date______
NAME______________________
1. Name two biotic factors in an ecosystem.
2. Name two abiotic factors in an ecosystem.
3. Biotic means ___________ and abiotic means ___________________.
4. DRAW the chain of events that occurred in Borneo that led to the parachuting of cats in order to
remedy the situation.
5. What chemical/pesticide was the cause of such a disturbance in the environment?
6. Why did the chain of events occur?
7. Distinguish between habitat and niche.
8. Draw how an ecosystem fits into the larger BIOSPHERE. You should have listed five levels of
ecological organization.
9. Where do humans fit into these five levels?
10. DEFINE and give one example of the five types of species interaction.
INTERACTION TYPE
EXAMPLE
OH DEER ACTIVITY Follow Up Activity date_______
NAME______________________
Record the data from the board in the table below and GRAPH the number of deer (y-axis) vs. the year
(x-axis). Don’t forget a title.
TITLE:
# of Deer in
Years
Population
QUESTIONS:
1. LIST THE YEARS THAT THE NUMBER OF DEER DECREASED RAPIDLY.
2. EXPLAIN WHY THE NUMBER OF DEER WENT DOWN DURING THOSE YEARS.
3. WHAT DO ANIMALS NEED TO SURVIVE?
4. THESE THINGS ARE CALLED LIMITING FACTORS… EXPLAIN WHY THE TERM
LIMITING IS USED.
5. DID THE DEER POPULATION STAY ABOUT THE SAME SIZE OVER TIME? EXPLAIN.
6. HOW DOES THIS ACTIVITY SHOW SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST?
7. LIST THREE THINGS THAT AFFECT THE NUMBER OF DEER THAT ARE FOUND IN
CHATHAM COUNTY.
Human Population Growth:
Examine this human population growth curve.
1. LABEL THE X-AXIS AS YEARS. DESCRIBE THE SHAPE OF THIS CURVE.
2. A ______ shaped curve results when populations overshoot the carrying capacity for the
population. A ______ shaped curve results when populations near the carrying capacity. Draw an
S-shaped curve below.
3. Name three limiting factors of the human population.
4. Ecologists have found that no organism can experience indefinite exponential growth, yet humans
have experienced exponential growth for hundreds of years. How have humans modified the
limiting factors of our population growth?
5. What can you conclude about the future of the human population as it related to carrying capacity?
Are we in trouble? Explain
Oh Deer Data:
Year
# Deer Population (Last
year’s population plus
#births in current year #deaths in current year)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
4
4
8
6
12
8
6
12
10
8
10
12
10
10
12
8
4
8
12
10
BIOME ANIMAL DESIGN CONTEST
date____
NAME________________________
1. CHOOSE a biome from notes.
2. DESIGN a fantasy animal to live there taking into consideration the following: the temp. of the
biome, the amount of rainfall of the biome, the food sources within the biome, the location of the
biome on Earth, the biotic factors, the abiotic factors, etc.
3. DRAW a picture of the animal OR cut out the animal from construction paper.
4. NAME the animal.
5. DESCRIBE it’s habitat.
6. DESCRIBE it’s niche.
7. CHOOSE three features/traits/characteristics of the animal that you gave him/her/it. Explain how
the structure of that body part or characteristic of that trait helps the function of the animal.
8. I will show you my example on the overhead. YOU CANNOT USE MINE! You must design an
original animal – Be Creative!
BIOME ANIMAL DESIGN CONTEST
date____
NAME________________________
1. CHOOSE a biome from notes.
2. DESIGN a fantasy animal to live there taking into consideration the following: the temp. of the
biome, the amount of rainfall of the biome, the food sources within the biome, the location of the
biome on Earth, the biotic factors, the abiotic factors, etc.
3. DRAW a picture of the animal OR cut out the animal from construction paper.
4. NAME the animal.
5. DESCRIBE it’s habitat.
6. DESCRIBE it’s niche.
7. CHOOSE three features/traits/characteristics of the animal that you gave him/her/it. Explain how
the structure of that body part or characteristic of that trait helps the function of the animal.
8. I will show you my example on the overhead. YOU CANNOT USE MINE! You must design an
original animal – Be Creative!
BIOME ANIMAL DESIGN CONTEST
date____
NAME________________________
1. CHOOSE a biome from notes.
2. DESIGN a fantasy animal to live there taking into consideration the following: the temp. of the
biome, the amount of rainfall of the biome, the food sources within the biome, the location of the
biome on Earth, the biotic factors, the abiotic factors, etc.
3. DRAW a picture of the animal OR cut out the animal from construction paper.
4. NAME the animal.
5. DESCRIBE it’s habitat.
6. DESCRIBE it’s niche.
7. CHOOSE three features/traits/characteristics of the animal that you gave him/her/it. Explain how
the structure of that body part or characteristic of that trait helps the function of the animal.
8. I will show you my example on the overhead. YOU CANNOT USE MINE! You must design an
original animal – Be Creative!