Download The study of interactions among organisms and their environment

The Biosphere
The study of interactions
among organisms and their
environment
Ecology
Levels of
organization
Energy flow
Producers
Consumers
Autotrophs
Heterotrophs
Herbivore Consumes plants
The Biosphere
Plants
Algae
Decomposersbreak down organic
matter into inorganic matter
Must consume other
organisms for their energy
Carnivore Consumes animals
· Species = a group of organisms that can breed
and produce fertile offspring.
· Population = groups of organisms that belong
to the same species and live in the same area.
· Community = different populations that live
together in a defined area.
· Ecosystem = community of organisms
including their non-living physical environment.
· Biome = group of ecosystems that have the
same climate and similar communities
· Biosphere = Parts of the planet where life
exists
OmnivoreConsumes both plants
and animals
Use photosynthesis
(sun energy)
to make their own food
Cyanobacteria
Some bacteria
such as thermophiles
(heat loving bacteria)
Use chemosyntheis
(chemical energy)
to make their own food
Dentrivores Organisms that feed
on dead and decaying plant
and animal material
(ex. worms, maggots,
termites)
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The Biosphere
Ecology
Feeding
relationships
Food Web - links
all of the food chains in
an ecosystem together
Food chain - A series
of steps in which organisms
transfer energy by eating and
being eaten
Each step in a food
chain or food web is called
a trophic level
1st trophic level = producers
2nd, 3rd, 4th.....trophic levels = consumers
The Biosphere
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The Biosphere
· Only about 10% of the energy available
within one trophic level is transferred to
the next trophic level.
· Energy is used for respiration,
movement, reproduction.
· Some energy is lost as heat.
Ecology
Energy Pyramid
Ecological pyramids
Biomass Pyramid
Pyramid of
numbers
Based on the
number of organisms
The Biosphere
· Biomass = Total amount of
living tissue within a given
trophic level.
· Represents the amount of
potential food available for each
trophic level.
· Expressed in grams.
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The Biosphere
Ecology
Water cycle
Cycles of matter
· Evaporation = The process by which water
changes from a liquid to a gas.
· Transpiration = Evaporation of water from leaves.
· Condensation = The process by which water
changes from a gas to a liquid.
· Precipitation = Rain, snow, sleet or hail.
· Runoff = Water that drains or flows off the surface of
the land.
· Seepage = The movement of water through the soil
Carbon cycle
Nitrogen cycle
Nitrogen fixation
Dentrification
· Carbon is cycled by four main processes.
· Biological processes - photosynthesis,
respiration, decomposition.
· Geochemical processes - erosion, volcanic
activity.
· Biogeochemical processes - dead organisms
convert into petroleum and coal.
· Human activities - mining, cutting and burning
forests, burning fossil fuels.
· Bacteria in the soil takes nitrogen gas from the
atmosphere and converts it into ammonia
(NH3)
· Other bacteria in the soil convert the ammonia
into nitrate (NO3-) and nitrite (NO2-)
· Producers use nitrate and nitrite to make
proteins.
· Consumers then eat the producers and use the
nitrogen to make their own proteins.
The Biosphere
· Bacteria in the soil convert
nitrates into nitrogen gas.
· The nitrogen gas is then
released into the
atmosphere.
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