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Ecology
The relationships between organisms
and their environment…
Ecosystems

The community of organisms that live
in a particular area (biome) along
with their nonliving surroundings or
environment.
Ecosystems
Ecosystems can be
as small as a drop of
water or as large as a
forest.
Living Things Depend on Their
Environment/Biome.
Each animal must have a specific
temperature and specific food to
survive.
What do ecologists call living
and non-living things?

Abiotic: Non-Living Things in an
Ecosystem

Biotic: Living Things in
an Ecosystem
Examples of Abiotic

Things that you can
see and feel

Things that you
cannot see, touch or
feel
Temperature
Air
How Energy flows through
Ecosystems

Producers, Decomposers, and
Consumers all play an important
role in ecosystems.
What is a Producer?
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Plants are the most
common producer in
an ecosystem
Producers can make
their own food
through
photosynthesis or
chemosynthesis.
What is a Consumer?
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Consumers must get
their energy from
eating other
organisms
Consumers are
classified by their
position in a food
chain
Cows are considered
primary consumers
because they eat grass
How would human
beings be classified?
Decomposers
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Decomposers break dead
plant and animal matter
down into simpler
compounds.
Decomposers are
considered the “clean up
crew” of an ecosystem.
These mushrooms are
feeding off of dead plant
matter.
Decomposers release the
last bit of energy from
once-living matter.
Classifications of Consumers
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Quaternary Consumers: eat tertiary consumers
(Hawk)
Tertiary Consumers: eat secondary consumers
(Snake)
Secondary Consumers: eat primary consumers
(Mouse)
Primary Consumers: eat producers (Grasshopper)
Primary Producer: make their own food (Grass)
Food Chain

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The feeding
relationship between
producers and
consumers in an
ecosystem
It shows only “one”
possible pathway for
energy.
Food Web

This shows many
possible pathways
for energy.

Each consumer
and producer
captures and uses
energy
A few definitions……
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Herbivore: A consumer that eats plants
Carnivore: A consumer that eats meat
Omnivore: A consumer that eats both plants
and meat.
Niche: An organism’s job or role in an
ecosystem.
Scavenger: Eats only dead animals
Parasite: An organism that lives on or in
another
Host: An organism that is infected by a
parasite.
What is a Biome?

A region on Earth that has a particular
climate with certain types of plants,
vegetation, and animals.
Types of Biomes
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Desert
Grasslands
Temperate Forests/Deciduous Forest
Tropical Forests/Rain Forests
Aquatic
Tundra
Taiga/Coniferous Forest/Boreal Forest
Levels of Environment
The Environment can be divided into four
main levels:
1. Biome
2. Community
3. Population
4. Organism
Communities

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A group of
populations living in
a particular area
Each species has a
role or niche. These
ants are tending to
aphids, feeding on
the "honeydew" that
the aphids secrete,
and protecting them
from potential
predators..
Populations
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The same species
living in the same
area.
Habitat: the physical
location where they
live.
Niche: their role
within the habitat
Population and Competition
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Populations of living
things compete for
space, light, nutrients,
and food.
Animals compete for
territory and food.
The Constantly Changing
Ecosystem

Our surroundings change constantly due
to:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Limiting factors
Carrying Capacity
Succession
Pioneer Species
Limiting Factor
A limiting factor is
something that
an organism
needs to
survive like:
Food
Water
Shelter
Carrying Capacity

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The maximum
number of individuals
that an environment
can hold due to the
limited amount of
food and space
Each population will
be different

When one biological
community is
replaced by another
Human Impact on Ecosystems
Chapter 3
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Garbage
Depletion of natural
resources
Depletion of living
space
Water Pollution
Air Pollutioln
Protecting the Ecosystems
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More awareness
Conservation
Recycling
Federal
restrictions
Protection of
endangered
species