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ECOLOGY Chapter 3 WHAT IS ECOLOGY? Section 3-1 ECOLOGY Ecology is the study of organisms and their interaction with the environment. An organism is any living thing Examples: Humans, animals, plant, bacteria ECOLOGY The Biosphere The biosphere is the combined portions of the planet where life exists, including land, air, water, or atmosphere. It extends from about 8 kilometers above the earth’s atmosphere to about 11 kilometers below the surface of the water LEVELS OF ORGANIZATION To understand the relationships within the biosphere, ecologists ask questions about events and organisms that range in complexity from a single individual to the entire population INDIVIDUAL POPULATION COMMUNITY ECOSYSTEM BIOME BIOSPHERE IMPORTANT VOCABULERY -Species (individual) group of similar organisms can breed and produce fertile offspring -Populations- group of individuals of same species that live in the same area -Communities- group of populations that live together in a defined area -Ecosystem- collection of all organisms in a particular place includes nonliving or physical environment -Biome- group of ecosystems that have the same climate and similar dominate communities -Biosphere- all portions of living planet THINK OF A MNMOMIC TO REMEMBER THE LEVELS B B E C P S WHAT’A YOUR MNMONIC? Bad Boys Escapes Community Prison Suddenly B B E C P S BIOLOGICAL METHODS Regardless of the tools they use, scientists conduct modern ecological research using three basic approaches 1. Observing 2. Experimenting -What species live here? -How many species? -test hypotheses -set up experiment in lab or field 3. Modeling -make models -predictions -test further with observations and experiments ENERGY FLOW Section 3-2 The sun is the main source of energy for life on earth HOWEVER, there are some organisms that rely on other sources of energy These organisms use energy stored in inorganic (bonds that do not contain carbon) chemical compounds A good example of these types of organisms are those found deep in the ocean near thermal vents The organisms use the chemical energy that is loaded in the water surrounding the vent P R O D U C E R S AUTOTROPHS A groups of organisms that can use the energy in sunlight to convert water and carbon dioxide into Glucose (food) Autotrophs are also called Producers because they produce all of the food that heterotrophs use Without autotrophs, there would be no life on this planet Ex. Plants, Algae, and certain Bacteria AUTOTROPHS BREAK DOWN THE WORD Auto SELF - Troph FOOD - AUTOTROPHS Chemotrophs Autotrophs that get their energy from inorganic substances, such as salt Live deep down in the ocean where there is no sunlight Ex. Bacteria and Deep Sea Worms HOW DO THEY MAKE THEIR OWN FOOD? PHOTOSYNTHESIS CHEMOSYNTHESIS PHOTO – light SYNTHESIS – to make Harness solar energy to produce food Where? On land ---plants main autotrophs In water --- upper layers of water CHEMO – chemical SYNTHESIS – to make Harness chemical energy to produce food with the absence of light Where? On land – mainly bacteria in hot springs In water – deep ocean floor volcanic vents CONSUMERS Many organisms cannot make their own food. The ONLY way to obtain energy is from other organisms…….these organisms are called consumers or heterotrophs Definition- organisms that rely on other organisms for their energy and food supply HETERO – other TROPH - food HETEROTROPHS THERE ARE DIFFERENT SUB-TYPES OF CONSUMERS Herbivores Omnivores Carnivores Detritivores Decomposers DIFFERENT SUB-TYPES OF CONSUMERS Consumers/heterotrophs 1. Scavengers/Detritivores – feed on the tissue of dead organisms (both plans and animals) DETRITIUS- dead matter VORES – to consume Ex. – Vultures, Crows, and Shrimp SUB-TYPES OF CONSUMERS Consumers/heterotrophs 2. Herbivores – eat ONLY plants HERBI – a plant VORE – to consume Ex. – Cows, Elephants, Giraffes SUB-TYPES OF CONSUMERS Consumers/heterotrophs 3. Carnivores – eat ONLY meat CARNI – MEAT VORE – to consume Ex. – Lions, Tigers, Sharks SUB-TYPES OF CONSUMERS Consumers/heterotrophs 4. Omnivores – eat BOTH plants and animals OMNI – all vore- to consume Ex. – Bears and Humans FEEDING RELATIONSHIPS Energy flows through an ecosystem in one direction from the sun to producers then to consumers TRANSFER OF ENERGY When a zebra eats the grass, it does not obtain all of the energy the grass has (much of it is not eaten) When a lion eats a zebra, it does not get all of the energy from the zebra (much of it is lost as heat) TRANSFER OF ENERGY The two (2) previous examples of energy transfer show that no organism EVER receives all of the energy from the organism they just ate Only 10% of the energy from one trophic level is transferred to the next – this is called the 10% law TROPHIC LEVELS Energy moves from one organisms to another when it is eaten Each step in this transfer of energy is know as a trophic level The main trophic levels are producers, consumers, and decomposers FOOD CHAINS The energy flow from one trophic level to the other is know as a food chain A food chain is simple and direct It involves one organism at each trophic level Primary Consumers – eat autotrophs (producers) Secondary Consumers – eat the primary consumers Tertiary Consumers – eat the secondary consumers Decomposers – bacteria and fungi that break down dead organisms and recycle the material back into the environment FOOD CHAIN FOOD WEB Most organisms eat more the JUST one organism When more organism are involved it is know as a FOOD WEB Food webs are more complex and involve lots of organisms FOOD WEB FOOD WEB ECOLOGICAL PYRAMIDS Diagram that shows the relative amount of energy or matter contained within each trophic level in a food chain or food web ECOLOGICAL PYRAMID An ecological pyramid shows the relationship between consumers and producers at different trophic levels in an ecosystem (see diagram to right) The Pyramid shows which level has the most energy and the highest number of organisms Three Main Types of Ecological Pyramids ENERGY BIOMASS NUMBERS ENERGY PYRAMID Only about 10% of the energy available within one trophic level is transferred to organisms at the next trophic level Ecological Pyramid of Energy ECOLOGICAL PYRAMID of ENERGY Pyramid of BIOMASS The total mass of the organic matter (living matter) at each trophic level is called biomass Biomass is usually expressed in grams per unit area Biomass is just another term for potential energy – energy that is to be eaten and used. BIOMASS PYRAMID Pyramid of Numbers Pyramid of Numbers ECOLOGICAL PYRAMID • • • • Which Which Which Which level level level level has has has has the the the the most energy? most organisms? least organisms? least energy? CYCLES OF MATTER Section 3-3 CYCLES OF ENERGY Unlike the one way flow of energy, matter is recycled within and in between ecosystems matter matter matter matter matter WATER CYCLE Organisms need water for metabolism (all chemical reactions) Water is necessary for photosynthesis Plants absorb water into their roots Animals drink water or consume it in their food Evaporation – water changes into gas Transpiration – water evaporation from leaves STEPS OF THE WATER CYCLE 1. Water evaporates from lakes, rivers, oceans, etc.. 2. Plants give off water in a process called transpiration 3. Water condenses in the atmosphere and falls back to earth in the form of precipitation 4. The water runs off back into lakes, rivers, etc. 5. The cycle repeats STEPS OF THE WATER CYCLE Ways to return water to the environment 1. respiration 2. excretion (animal wastes) 3.transpiration (plants) 4. precipitation CARBON CYCLE Carbon is found in the environment as carbon dioxide Carbon dioxide is needed for photosynthesis Carbon dioxide is returned to the environment in 3 ways 1. respiration 2. decomposition 3. the burning of fossil fuels. NITROGEN CYCLE The atmosphere is 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, 1% other gases We can't use nitrogen in the air we breath - it must come from the foods we eat. NITROGEN CYCLE Nitrogen compounds are important for 3 major reasons in humans: 1. Proteins- are necessary for muscle development and certain chemical reactions (blood clotting) 2. Enzymes and hormones - control chemical reactions in your body - digestion, reproduction etc. 3. Nucleic Acids - carry the traits from one generation to the next NITROGEN CYCLE Nitrogen compounds are placed back in food chains 2 major ways: 1. Decomposers 2. Nitrogen-fixing bacteria- bacteria on the roots of certain plants (legumes - peas, beans) take nitrogen from the air and put it in the soil PHOSPHORUS CYCLE essential to living organisms because it forms part of life sustaining molecules, such as DNA and RNA Where is P found? not very common in biosphere mostly land, rocks, soil as rocks wear down, p is released used by marine animals NUTRIENT CYCLES Primary productivity- rate which organic matter is created by producers What is the factor that controls primary productivity? limiting nutrient when ecosystem is limited by single nutrient that is scare or cycles very slowly Farmers aware of this and use fertilizers with nitrogen, phosphate and potassium run-off causes nutrient poor oceans to get lots of nutrient algal bloom- disrupts ecosystem THE END