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Environmental
Resources Cluster
Unit C:
Animal Wildlife Management
Problem Area 2
Wildlife Biology &
Ecosystems
Lesson 1
Understanding Life
Processes
Age of a Tree
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How is the age of a tree determined?
Estimate the age of the tree.
How does a tree’s age reflect the life
cycle of the tree?
Observe a fish scale.
What are the “layered edges” of a fish
scale?
Are the layers present?
Objectives
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Explain important life processes of
wildlife organisms.
Describe the life span stages of
wildlife.
Distinguish between feeding groups.
Describe how ecosystems are
important in wildlife biology.
Terms
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Abiotic factor
Biophage
Biotic factor
Carnivore
Circulation
Digestion
Ecosystem
Elimination
Food
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Food chain
Food web
Growth
Herbivore
Ingestion
Life processes
Life span
Locomotion
omnivore
Terms
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Photosynthesis
Reproduction
Respiration
Saprophage
Secretion
Sensation
What are the life processes of wildlife
organisms? Why are these important?
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Life Processes – essential functions of a
living organism in order to remain in the
living condition.
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Supporting life processes is a part of
managing wildlife populations.
When life processes stop, an organism
dies.
There are eight life processes used in
wildlife science.
8 Life Processes
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Growth
Food (Ingestion, Digestion, Elimination)
Circulation
Respiration
Secretion
Sensation
Locomotion
Reproduction
Life Processes - Growth
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The process of an organism increasing
in size by adding cells, by the cells
getting larger, or by replacing cells.
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With young organisms, growth is primarily
adding cells to increase size.
With mature organisms, growing new cells
is needed to replace those that are lost.
Growth requires food with essential
nutrients.
Life Processes - Food
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Any substance that nourishes an
organism
Animals get their food by swallowing,
otherwise known as ingestion.
Once ingested, digestion occurs.
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Digestion – process that changes food into
forms that can be absorbed by the animal.
Life Processes - Food
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After digestion, elimination occurs.
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Elimination – remaining food materials
are expelled from the body.
Plants make their food by the
process of photosynthesis.
Life Processes - Circulation
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Movement of substances within
an organism
Food nutrients, digested food, and
other substances are involved in
circulation.
 Animals have a circulatory system
that involves the heart, and blood
vessels.
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Life Processes - Respiration
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Process by which an organism
provides its cells with food and
oxygen.
Oxygen and carbon dioxide are the
two primary substances important in
respiration.
 Animals use structures, such as
lungs and gills, for respiration.
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Life Processes - Secretion
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Production within an organism of
substances needed for life
processes.
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Specialized body structures, known as
glands, are often responsible for
secretion.
Life Processes - Sensation
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Ability of an organism to feel or
otherwise gather information and
respond to its environment.
Animal’s sensation is easier to
understand than plants.
 Animals typically have touch, taste,
sight, smell, and hearing.
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Life Processes - Locomotion
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The movement of an animal from
one place to another.
All organisms have some type of
movement.
 Internal movements are needed for an
organism to carry out life processes.
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Life Processes – Reproduction
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Process by which organisms give
rise to new organisms of the same
species.
This is not a life process that is
essential for living; however it is
essential for a species to perpetuate
itself.
 Reproduction may involve sexual or
asexual reproduction.
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What are the life span stages of
wildlife?
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Life Span
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The period of life of an organism
which includes five stages.
Beginning
 Growth & Development
 Maturity
 Decline
 Death
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5 Life Span Stages
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The first stage is the Beginning
With animals, life span begins with
birth or hatching.
 Most animal babies require some
support from their mothers, although
some can live without care provided.
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5 Life Span Stages
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The second stage is Growth &
Development.
New organisms grow and develop to
reach maturity.
 If nutritious food is available in an
organism’s environment, they will
typically grow rapidly.
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5 Life Span Stages
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The third stage is Maturity.
Mature organisms are fully developed,
although some additional growth or
changes may occur.
 Maturity includes the ability to
reproduce.
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5 Life Span Stages
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The fourth stage is Decline
Eventually, organisms begin to lose
their ability to maintain themselves,
and aging sets in.
 Life processes may occur at a slower
rate and the organisms loses its
strength and weakens.
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5 Life Span Stages
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The fifth stage is Death.
Death is the end of the life of an
organism.
 The protoplasm in its cells is no longer
active.
 Upon death, an organism decays and
the nutrients return to the earth to
support future life.
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What are the different feeding
groups?
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There are two ways feeding groups
are classified.
Feeding groups can be classified by
whether what they eat is living or
dead.
Feeding groups can also be based
on food material that they eat.
Classification based on food that
is living or dead.
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Biophage – wildlife animal that eats
living plants or animals.
Saprophage – wildlife animal that
eats dead animals or plants.
They are sometimes known as
scavengers.
 Stop hear
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Classification based on food
material.
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Herbivore – wildlife animal that eats only
plant food material.
Carnivore – wildlife animal that eats only
the flesh of other animals. Carnivores
are usually the larger animals that prey
on the smaller animals.
Omnivore – wildlife animal that eats both
plant and animal material.
What is an ecosystem? How are
they important in wildlife biology?
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Ecosystem – the community of living
and nonliving things in a particular
environment or area.
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Ecosystems may be large or small and
include air, water, and land.
Ecosystems are always changing. If a
drastic change occurs, an organism is
forced ot seek a new place to live or it dies.
What are the two major factors in
an ecosystem?
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Biotic Factors – a living organism,
such as an animal or plant. Biotic
factors depend on the abiotic factors
for life-giving needs.
Abiotic Factors – nonliving things,
such as water, sunlight, and soil.
Without abiotic factors, organisms
cannot live.
Ecosystems
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Ecosystems have an organized energy
transfer system.
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A Food Chain is the sequence in a
community in which animal wildlife species
get their food. All species have different
food chains.
The differences in the food chains form
unique, interconnected food webs.
Review / Summary
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What are the life processes of wildlife
organisms?
Why are they important?
What are the life span stages of wildlife?
What are the different feeding groups?
What is an ecosystem?
How are they important in wildlife
biology?