Download 2. Biodiversity in Ecosystems Notes word

Biodiversity in Ecosystems
•
By studying past and present ecosystems, we can better
understand what may happen in the future.
 Historical ecology is the study of _____________ and ____________ materials to better
understand the ecology of a certain area.
 Many __________________ sources provide detailed knowledge of plants, animals, and natural
occurrences of an area.
•
Ecology is the “the study of the __________________ between the ______ (living organisms) and
____________ (non-living) factors within a given __________________.
•
__________________ are the basic unit of ecology.
An Ecosystem is:
 “A ________________________ containing a relatively ______________________________
______of organisms __________________ with their non-living surroundings.”
•
Examples of Ecosystems
 Small pool of water
 Pond
 Lake
 Ocean
 Biosphere
•
An ecosystem is made up of many parts.
 Abiotic factors include air, water, soil, nutrients, and light.
 Biotic factors include plants, animals, and micro-organisms.
Habitats
• Within ecosystems are ____________.
 A habitat is where an organism ______.
Abiotic Interactions in Ecosystems
• The ________________________ are what ______ the ________________________to ____________
in an ecosystem.
 Abiotic factors include oxygen, water, nutrients, light and soil.

Oxygen is produced by the __________________ and certain micro-organisms and is
used by animals and most other micro-organisms.

____________is necessary for all life.

Nutrients often enter the ________________________ with
plants and are very important for growth.

______ is required for photosynthesis, which is the process in plants that converts and
stores the Sun’s energy into starches and carbohydrates.

______not only contains water and nutrients but also is ____________ to many plants
and animals.
Biotic Interactions in Ecosystems
• A ____________ is a group of ____________ related organisms that share __________________
__________________ and can __________________ with one another.
•
A __________________ refers to ______ the members of a particular _________ within an ecosystem.
•
A __________________ is ______ the __________________ of the different species that interact in a
specific area or __________________.
Biotic Interactions in Ecosystems
• __________________ refers to the __________________ between members of two different species
that live together in a close association.
•
There are three main types of symbiotic relationships:
1. ________________________
2. ________________________
3. ________________________
Commensalism
• One species __________________, one is ________________________.
•
Examples:
 Barnacles on a whale
 Spanish Moss on tree branches – Spanish moss has no roots, it is an epiphyte. Epiphytes are
plants that are supported by or anchored on other plants, but they don’t obtain nutrients and
water from the host tree.
Mutualism
• ____________ species __________________
•
Examples:
 Bee gathering nectar from a flower
 Ants and the bull horn acacia plant. The ants live in hollow thorns on the plant and sip the
plants nectar. In return for food and shelter, the ants aggressively protect the plant by fighting
off other insects and animals by stinging them.
Parasitism
• One species ____________, the other is ____________
•
Parasites are usually much ____________ and more numerous than their hosts.
•
Parasites may ________________________their hosts feed on the host’s blood or body tissues.
•
Usually, the host is __________________, but a parasite can cause great damage and weaken the
hosts, sometimes causing death.
•
Example:
 Hookworm living in dogs and or humans
 Mountain Pine beetle in Pine trees
Niches
• A ____________ refers to the ________________________ an organism has within an
ecosystem, physically, chemically and biologically.
•
Within its niche, an organism ____________ with other individuals of the same species or with
individuals of other species.
 For example, great blue herons always live near water where they can fish, and near trees
where they can nest.
•
Only ________________________ can occupy the ________________________ , at the ____________
____________ in the __________________.
Competition
• _________________ occurs when a _________________ is ____________ by two or more individuals.
•
Competition usually means ____________________________________.
•
This ________________________and ____________ of that individual and perhaps that population.
•
Some ____________ have characteristics that make them successful competitors.
 Example: spotted knapweed release __________________ into the soil, which prevents the
growth of other plants and allows the knapweed to populate a field quickly.
Predation
• __________________ is the relationship between the “____________” and the “____________”.
•
Predators have __________________ to help them ____________ their prey.
•
Prey have ________________________ to help ____________ predators.
 Examples of adaptations include
 ____________
 ____________
 ________________________
 ________________ – blending into the environment
 ____________ – a prey animal mimics another
species that is dangerous or tastes bad.
Predator-Prey Relationships
• The ____________ of predators and prey
__________________ each other.
 Example: the size of the prey population can be affected by the number of predators. In the
example of the lynx and the hare,

The prey population grows when there are few predators.

When the predator population is high, the prey population shrinks.
Biodiversity in Ecosystems
• __________________ refers to the ____________ and number of different individuals and species in
an ecosystem.
 ____________ ecosystems generally have ______________________________.
 Most biodiversity ____________ occur from the ________________________.
•
Humans often have a __________________ impact on biodiversity.
 Many efforts are now made to lessen this impact in order to maintain biodiversity.

Ecological management programs try to __________________ human progress with
maintaining biodiversity.