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Ecology Study of the patterns of distribution and abundance of plants, animals, and other organisms Research organisms, populations, communities, and ecosytems Populations and Communities Populations are groups of individuals of the same species living in the same geographic area Size of the area can vary Communities The interactions of populations are referred to as communities, as populations are generally not isolated Communities are influenced by competition, and predator-prey relationships Also influenced by moisture, hours of sunlight Communities change; process of change is called succession Organisms that are the first to arrive in barren landscape are called pioneer species, as they can survive harsh conditions (like lichen) Ecosystems Community of living organisms Includes non-living and living organisms, and the interactions among them There can be an ecosystem within an ecosystem! A tree can be an ecosystem, and then it is part of woods, and so forth Ecosystems and their interactions make up the biosphere (largest ecosytem) Biomes We already discussed these The temperature, moisture, sunlight, and more will influence the vegetation and the organisms that will live in any one place We studied terrestrial and aquatic biomes Habitat and Niche Habitat is a place with a specific set of characteristics, both biotic and abiotic Each type of organisms found in a habitat in which is physical, physiological, and behavioural adaptations equip it to survive and reproduce Niche is the role of an organism in its community The niche can include how they interact with other members of the community – what they eat, what eats it, who competes with it, and their living space Diversity Organisms have adapted to life in certain conditions, and can tolerate only minor changes in environmental conditions found in very specific places and would not survive outside these places Specialized organisms can tolerate the changing conditions of light, moisture, and temperature along the shores between high and low tides Few can survive the total darkness and extreme pressure of the ocean floor Diversity continued The more diverse an ecosystem, the more it can tolerate change Ones with little diversity, if one organism is lost, the entire food web could collapse Example of adaptations: Deep ocean animals have huge mouths, expandable stomachs so that when they find food, they can keep it all, and some have light-emitting organs Adaptations Size – things that are small are harder to detect (ie. Phytoplankton) Transparent body – hard to see (ie. Jellyfish) Cryptic coloration – from below they blend with light from the sky and from above, they blend with the dark water. (ie. Cod, tuna) Disruptive coloration – hides the outline of the fish. (ie. Clown anemone fish – coloration works well with coral) Mimicry of surroundings – colored and shaped to appear part of their surroundings (ie. Flounder) Bioluminescence - have photophores which emit light. (ie. Lantern fish) Structure of Ecosystems Each species is in its trophic level, depending on its level of nutrition Autotrophs make their own food; they are also known as primary producers Heterotrophs rely on others for their food Herbivores are plant eaters and primary consumers Carnivores are meat eaters and secondary consumers Decomposers obtain their energy from eating leftover or waste materials (including feces, dead bodies) Decomposers break large molecules into smaller ones and return them to the abiotic environment