Download Energy and Ecology Unit 11 What is Ecology? Ecology

ENERGY AND ECOLOGY
UNIT 11 
WHAT IS ECOLOGY?
Ecology- the scientific study of interactions between
organisms and their environments
CAREERS IN ECOLOGY
Ecologist-An ecologist finds ways to use resources efficiently and
manage them responsibly, identifies ecological hazards and works
to eliminate them and studies the environment in general.
ABIOTIC VS. BIOTIC
Biotic factorsall living things
Abiotic factorsnonliving parts of the environment (i.e. temperature, soil, light,
moisture, air currents)
LEVELS OF NATURE DEFINITIONS
Biosphere
Ecosystem
Community
Population
Organism
Organism – one organism
POPULATION
 a group of organisms of
one species living in the
same place at the same
time that interbreed
.)
Community – All living things
interacting
Ecosystem – living and non-living
things interacting
Biosphere - Earth
LIMITING FACTORS
any biotic or abiotic factor that restricts the existence of
organisms.
Examples •Amount of water
•Amount of food
•Temperature
•Amount of space
•Availability of mates
PREDATOR VS. PREY
Predator eats prey.
BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES
Biogeochemical cycles: the movement (or cycling) of matter through a system
carbon
water
oxygen
nitrogen
phosphorous
sulfur
ENERGY AND ECOLOGY
UNIT 11 
REVIEW: ABIOTIC VS. BIOTIC
Abiotic Factors:
Biotic Factors:
Star those that are part of the Yellowstone community.
FOOD CHAIN VS FOOD WEB
Showing energy flow
Always unidirectional
(one direction)
ENERGY PYRAMID
10% RULE
Only 10% of energy gets
passed from one organism
to the next
90% is lost as heat
FOOD CHAIN VS FOOD WEB
FOOD WEB INQUIRY
Key Words
In your notebook:
• Label the type of ecosystem
Producers
 Draw out the food web
Primary Consumer
 Label the producers, primary consumers, secondary consumers,
Secondary Consumer
tertiary consumer (if necessary)
Tertiary Consumer
 Draw an energy pyramid
Herbivores
 Label the amount of energy at each level (follow the rule of 10%,
assuming the sun is emitting 100,000 Joules of energy)
Carnivores
Omnivores
PRODUCERS
Autotrophic
Carry out photosynthesis (covert light energy to chemical energy)
Contain the most energy
CONSUMERS
Primary, secondary, tertiary
Herbivores: Eat only plants
Omnivores: Eat both animals and plants
Carnivores: Eat only meat
DECOMPOSERS
Also called detrivores
Take energy from things that die
MAIN CONCEPT
Energy flow is unidirectional (in one direction)
Food web is made up of many food chains
TODAY AND TOMORROW
-Independent Project (16 points)
-Show effort and inquiry in the process
-Do your best
ENERGY AND ECOLOGY
UNIT 11 
BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES (MATTER CYCLES)
Hydrological (water)
Carbon
Nitrogen
Hydrogen
Phosphorous
Sulfur
MATTER IS CYCLED THROUGH THE BIOSPHERE!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oaDkph9yQBs