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ECOLOGY
THE STUDY OF HOW ORGANISMS INTERACT
WITH EACH OTHER AND WITH THEIR PHYSICAL
ENVIRONMENT.
ENVIRONMENT ORGANIZATION
• INDIVIDUAL – One organism of a
species.
• POPULATION- All of the organisms of the
same species that live in the same area.
• COMMUNITY- All of the living organisms
that live in the same area.
• ECOSYSTEM- All of the living organisms
and nonliving factors in the same area.
• BIOSPHERE- Anywhere life is found on
the planet.
INDIVIDUAL
ECOSYSTEM
POPULATION
COMMUNITY
BIOSPHERE
BIOTIC FACTORS- The living or once
living factors in an ecosystem.
Ex. human, hawk, plants, fish, turtle
ABIOTIC FACTORS- All of the nonliving
factors in an ecosystem.
Ex. land, water, air, temperature, rocks,
sunlight
HABITAT - The place where an
organism lives.
NICHE - The role an organism
has in its ecosystem.
FEEDING RELATIONSHIPS
• Most energy that moves through an ecosystem
starts with the sun.
PRODUCERS can make their
own food.
PHOTOSYNTHESIS - Chemical
process by which plants use light
energy to make sugar from water
and carbon dioxide.
Consumers
Obtain energy by eating other organisms.
HERBIVORES (CONSUMERS)
obtain energy by eating plants.
CARNIVORES (CONSUMERS)
obtain energy by eating other animals.
SCAVENGERS (CONSUMERS)
obtain energy by eating the dead
remains of animals.
OMNIVORES (CONSUMERS)
obtain energy by eating both plants
and animals.
DECOMPOSERS (CONSUMERS) are
organisms that feed on waste or on
dead organisms.
Models of Feeding Relationships
Food Chains
Food Webs
A FOOD CHAIN traces the path of
energy as it moves from one
organism to the next in an
Ecosystem.
A FOOD WEB contains several
overlapping food chains.
Feeding
Relationships
Between Different
Species
Predator/Prey
Parasite/Host
Predator/Prey
• A PREDATOR (CONSUMER) captures and eats other
consumers.
• A PREY (CONSUMER) is the organism that is captured
by a predator.
• Ex. The lynx is a predator. Her prey is the rabbit.
Parasite/Host
• A PARASITE (CONSUMER) is an organism that lives in
or on another organism to obtain energy.
• A HOST (PRODUCER or CONSUMER) is the organism a
parasite lives in or on and obtains energy from.
• Ex. Cowbird and warblers, roundworms and dogs.