Download Ecology and Energy Flow

The Biosphere
What is Ecology?
&
Energy Flow
Symbiosis
• Two organisms are closely associated
with each other
– At least one receives benefits from the
relationship
– Helps to gain a competitive advantage
• Three types of symbiosis
Symbiosis
• Mutualism
– Both organisms benefit
– Both provide an advantage
• Ex: Anemone and Clownfish
– Clownfish is protected by the stinging cells
of the anemone
– Anemone gets algae cleaned off it by the
clown fish and absorbs nutrients from the
clown fish's waste
Symbiosis
• Commensalism
– One organism benefits, the other is not
affected
• Ex: Whale and Barnacles
– The whale provides a home for the
barnacles, and the barnacles do not bother
the whale.
Symbiosis
• Parasitism
– One organism benefits, the other is
harmed
• Ex: Tapeworm and human
– Tapeworm feeds on the digested materials
in the intestines, takes nutrition away from
the host
• Host: what the parasite lives off of
Energy Flow - Producers
• Autotrophs = plants, some algae and certain
bacteria capture energy and use that energy
to produce their own food.
– Plants = the primary autotrophs found on the land.
– Algae = The primary autotrophs found in aquatic
(water) environments such as oceans, lakes,
ponds.
– Cyanobacteria = photosynthetic bacteria found in
certain wet environments.
• Autotrophs are producers!
Energy Flow - Producers
• Photosynthesis =
process of using
energy in sunlight to
convert water and
carbon dioxide into
carbohydrates and
oxygen.
Energy Flow - Producers
• Chemosynthesis = When
organisms use chemical
energy to produce
carbohydrates.
• Performed by many types
of bacteria
– Methanogens produce
methane.
– Halophiles live in high salt
water concentrations.
– Thermoacidophiles live in
acidic, sulfur rich, high
temperature environments.
Energy Flow - Consumers
• Heterotrophs = organisms that rely on
other organisms for their energy and
food supply.
• Heterotrophs are consumers!
Energy Flow - Consumers
• Herbivores = An organism that obtains
energy by eating plants.
• Carnivores = An organism that obtains
energy by eating other animals.
• Omnivores = An organism that eats
both plants and animals.
Energy Flow - Consumers
• Detritivores = Organisms that feed off
dead and decaying animal or plant
material (detritus).
– Examples: earthworms, termites, slugs,
snails, maggots.
• Decomposers = Breaks down organic
matter into inorganic matter.
– Examples: fungi and bacteria.
Feeding relationships - Food
Chains
• Food chain = A series of steps in which
organisms transfer energy by eating and
being eaten.
Feeding relationships - Food
Webs
• Food web = links all of the food chains
in an ecosystem together.
Feeding relationships - Food
Webs
• Each step in a food chain is called a
trophic level.
– 1st trophic level = producers
– 2nd, 3rd, 4th… trophic levels = Consumers
Ecological Pyramids
• Ecological pyramid = diagram that
shows the relative amounts of energy or
matter contained within each trophic
level in a food chain or food web.
– Energy pyramid
– Biomass pyramid
– Pyramid of numbers
Ecological Pyramids = Energy
Pyramid
• 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.
Ecological Pyramids =
Biomass
• 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.