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Ecology Chapter 3-1 E c o l o g y Scientific study of interactions among organisms & their interactions within the environment or surroundings. Levels of Organization Smallest Largest Individual Population Community Ecosystem Biome Biosphere Page 64 Population (groups of individuals of same species living in same area) Individual (Single or ONE member of a population) Community - different populations living in a defined area. Ecosystem – lowest level of environmental complexity which include both the biotic and abiotic factors. What are Biotic and Abiotic factors? • Biotic: • Abiotic: Biological (living) influences Physical (nonliving) influences upon organisms in an upon organisms in an ecosystem. ecosystem. Ex.: Other organisms Ex.: Climate, Soil, Water (plants, fungi, bacteria,..) Populations are affected by both abiotic and biotic ecological pressures. Habitat- The area in which an organism lives Niche:The organism’s place or ecological role it takes in the ecosystem. No two species can share the exact same niche in a habitat! BIOMES: Complex communities that are defined by a unique set of factors such as climate and soil. BIOSPHERE: A part of the earth in which life exists to include land, water, air/atmosphere. BIOMES: TUNDRA: * Soil: mostly Permafrost • Dominant Plant Life - mosses, lichens, sedges and short grasses • Dominant Animal Life – Arctic foxes, lemmings, Caribou, Shorebirds • Climate – short, soggy summers, long, cold and dark winters. •Location: Northern Canada, Alaska TROPICAL RAIN FOREST •Soil – not very rich due to dense canopy of trees and understory of shorter trees and vines. • Dominant Plant Life – Broad-leaved evergreens, woody vines, climbing plants. • Dominant Animal Life – Sloths, Jaguars, Anteaters, Toucans, Boa Constrictors…. •Climate – Hot and wet year round. •Location: South America, SW Africa DESERT: •Soil – rich in minerals, but poor in organic matter. •Dominant Plant Life – Cacti and other succulents. •Dominant Animal Life – mountain lions, mule deer, bats, rats, owls, hawks….. •Climate – low precipitation, variable temperatures •Location – Western California, Northern Africa… TEMPERATE DECIDUOUS FOREST •Soil – fertile •Dominant Plant Life – broad leaf deciduous trees (Maple, Elm), some conifers, and flowering shrubs… • Dominant Animal Life – Deer, black bears, bobcats, squirrels…. •Climate – cold to moderate winters, warm summers, year round precipitation. •Location: Eastern half of the US (inc. parts of Texas and Louisiana) TAIGA OR BOREAL FOREST Soil – acidic, nutrient poor Plant Life – Coniferous trees (pines, spruce, fir…) Dominant Animal Life – Lynx, Timberwolves, Moose, Beavers….. Climate – Long, cold winters, short, mild summers, moderate precipitation Location: Northern areas of North America (Canada), Northern parts of Eurasia GRASSLANDS: Dominant Plant Life – lush, perennial grasses and herbs. Location: South America, some parts of Russia and the Ukraine. Soil is most fertile Dominant Animal Life – Coyotes, Badgers, Prairie Dogs, Antelopes, Llamas… CLIMATE – Warm to hot summers, cold winters, moderate and seasonal precipitation CONIFEROUS FOREST: SOIL – Acidic and Rocky Dominant Plant Life – Douglas Firs, Redwoods, Sitka Spruce (coniferous trees). Dominant Animal Life – Bears, Elk, Deer, Owls Climate – mild temps., abundant precipitation during fall, winter and spring, relatively cool and dry summers. Location: Northern North America, Northern Europe… Ecology Ch. 3-2 Energy Flow autotroph producer Make their own food from energy in the environment. Photosynthesis: Light Energy 6CO2 + 6H2O (water) + C6H12O6 (carbohydrate) + 6O2(oxygen) heterotroph consumer Eat or consume other organisms for energy MANY TYPES OF HETEROTROPHS Herbivores: • Obtain energy only from plants Carnivores: • Obtain energy by eating only animals. Omnivores: • Obtain energy from both plants and animals. Detritivores: • Obtain energy from plant & animal remains, & other dead matter. Decomposers: • Heterotrophs • Break down organic matter • Include bacteria & fungi What is the difference between a Food Web and a Food Chain? Page 71 Food chain – a series of steps in an ecosystem in which organisms transfer energy by eating or being eaten. Algae Food Chain FOOD WEB: a network of interrelated food chains within an ecosystem. Can you find all the relationships? Ecological Pyramids A diagram that shows the relative amounts of energy or matter contained within each trophic level in a food chain or food web. Only 10% of the energy stored in a trophic level is passed on to the next level because the majority of the energy is used by the organism to carry out life processes such as respiration, movement and reproduction. Some of the remaining energy is released into the environment as heat. 1% energy 10% energy 100% energy ECOLOGICAL PYRAMID OF ENERGY shows relative amount of energy available to the next trophic level. Pyramid of Energy Pyramid of Numbers shows relative amount of individual organisms at each trophic level Pages 72-73 PYRAMID OF MASS: Ecological Pyramids: Energy Mass Symbiosis: Describes a close relationship between 2 organisms, in which at least one of the organisms involved benefits. Types of Symbiosis: 1. Mutualism 2. Parasitism 3. Commensalism Mutualism • Both organisms benefit from the relationship. A).Clown fish is provided a protective home and the sea anemone is provided food as the clownfish lures other fish toward the sea anemone. B). Bees receive food (nectar), while the flower’s pollen is spread for reproduction. Parasitism • One organism benefits, and the other is harmed (host). A).Ticks feed on the blood of the host in which they live. The closer together organisms live, the easier these parasites can spread through the population. B). Make up one of your own Commensalism • One organism benefits, and the other is neither helped nor harmed. A). Barnacles live and grow on the bodies of various ocean organisms like whales. However, they do not help or cause any harm to them. B). Make up one of your own. Symbiosis Mutualism Both species Commensalism One species benefit from benefits, but the relationship the other is neither helped or harmed i.e.i.e.Flowers & Bees Barnacles & Whales Parasitism One organism lives in (or on) another and harms it i.e.Tapeworms, Fleas & Tics Aphids feed on sugary sap from the plant. -Parasitism Aphids are herded and protected by the ants because the ants feed on sugary excretions the aphids produce. -Mutualism 4. PREDATION: An interaction in which one organism captures and feeds on another organism 5. COMPETITION: Could be over a mate, food, space, water etc. Anything that would affect survival. when organisms attempt to use an ecological resource in the same place at the same time. Ecological Succession Ecological Succession • The gradual replacement of an existing environment by another. Primary Succession: when a community develops where there was none before. Pioneer Organisms/Species : The first species to populate an area. Secondary Succession: when an existing community is disturbed or destroyed without removing the soil and a new community begins. CYCLES OF MATTER Water Cycle: process by which water moves from ocean and land into the atmosphere and back. 1. Water enters the atmosphere through evaporation and transpiration. 2, Water vapor cools and condenses to form clouds. Condensation 3. The cloud cools and droplets fall back to earth in the form of some type of precipitation. Precipitation: snow, rain, sleet, hail, etc. 4. Some rain water runs right back into the lake. The rest seeps into the ground. 5. This underground water collects and flows back to the lake. The cycle begins again.. The Carbon Cycle: a process through which the element carbon cycles through the environment. Draw this in your notes. 1. In photosynthesis, producers remove CO2 gas from the atmosphere to make organic molecules (sugars) 2. Animals get organic molecules from plants & return CO2 gas to the atmosphere through respiration. 3. When plants and animals die in an ecosystem, CO2 gas is returned to the atmosphere during decomposition. 4. Fossil fuels (Coal, oil, natural gas which were once living organic material) when burned produce CO2 gas and this is returned to the atmosphere and increases the amount of CO2 gas in the air. The Nitrogen Cycle: a process through which the element Nitrogen is changed into a useable form and recycled back into the atmosphere. Draw this in your notes. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Producers (plants) absorb these forms through their roots. Nitrogen fixation: actions by some bacteria & lightning change N2 gas into ammonia (NH4+) and nitrate ions (NO3-). Consumers (herbivores) obtain nitrogen from the plants they eat. Decomposers break down animal waste, dead animals, & dead plant material & return the nitrogen to the soil. Other bacteria return nitrogen in the soil back to the atmosphere (denitrification) Populations Chapter 5 POPULATION ECOLOGY: The study of how the population sizes of species living together in groups change over time and space. Three Characteristics of a Population 1. Geographic Distribution – describes an area inhabited by a population 2. Density : # of individuals per unit area 3. Growth Rate : rate at which population changes in size Factors that affect Size of a Population 1. Birth Rate - number of organisms born each year. 2. Death Rate – number of organisms that die yearly. 3. Immigration – People moving into an area 4. Emigration – People moving out of an area Limits to a Population • 1. Carrying Capacity: the number of organisms that an environment can support. • 2. Limiting Factors: something that could cause a population growth to decrease. There are 2 types of limiting factors – Density-Dependent and Density-Independent. Density-dependent Factors (affect larger populations) 1.Competition 2.Predation 3.Parasitism 4.Disease brought on not only by bacteria but also by stress, overcrowding etc. (ex: Indian tigers fighting over land as it becomes less available, causes stress and they won’t mate) Density-Independent Factors 1. Unusual Weather (drought, freeze) 2. Natural Disasters (Tsunami, Earthquake, Forest Fires, Floods) 3. Seasonal Cycles (Hurricanes) 4. Human Activities (deforestation, pollution, overhunting, industrial growth, urban dev.) Renewable & Non-Renewable Resources Renewable: can be regenerated or replenished but not necessarily unlimited. Ex: trees, water • Non-Renewable: can’t be replenished Ex: fossil fuels such as coal, oil and natural gas Biodiversity The variety of organisms in the biosphere Has provided us with a variety of foods, industrial products and medicines inc. painkillers, antibiotics, heart medications, antidepressants and anticancer drugs. Threats to the Biodiversity can lead to species becoming endangered even extinct. Examples of threats are altering habitats, overhunting, introduction toxic compounds into food webs and introduction of foreign species to new environments. BIOLOGICAL MAGNIFICATION A PROCESS IN WHICH THE CONCENTRATIONS OF A HARMFUL SUBSTANCE (TOXINS, POLLUTANTS ETC.) INCREASE AS THEY MOVE THROUGH THE TROPHIC LEVELS.