Download Introduction to Ecology and Biodiversity

Ecology
Introduction and Biodiversity
Standards:
• BI 6.a-Students know biodiversity is the sum
total of different kinds of organisms and is
affected by alterations of habitats.
• BI 6.e-Students know a vital part of an
ecosystem is the stability of its producers and
decomposers.
• BI.6.f-Students know at each link in a food web
some energy is stored in newly made structures
but much energy is dissipated into the
environment as heat. The dissipation may be
represented in an energy pyramid.
Ecology Standard Explanations
• BI 6.a-Biodiversity is total number of different
livings things in an area. Biodiversity is affected
by changing habitats.
 BI 6.e-Producers and decomposers maintain the
stability (balance) of ecosystems. How?
 BI.6.f-At each link in a food web some energy is
stored, but most energy is lost as heat.
Objectives:
SWBAT:
• Explain the role of biodiversity in maintaining the
balance of an ecosystem.
• Demonstrate how energy is transferred and lost
in an ecosystem.
• Explain the various roles of organisms in
maintaining the stability (balance) of an
ecosystem.
• Understand the interaction between living and
nonliving factors in an ecosystem.
Connections between Ecology and
Evolution
• Evolution-change in a species overtime.
• Ecology-study of ecosystem interactions.
• Over time individuals within the most well-suited
adaptations for an environment survive and
reproduce the most.
• Ex. Predators that are able to catch prey the
most effectively survive and pass their traits to
the next generation. Prey that are able to escape
predators survive and pass their genetic info to
the next generation. These organisms are
becoming better suited to their environment
relative to each other.
What is ecology?
• Ecology-The study of the interaction
among living things, and between living
things and their environments.
The Levels of Organization
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Atoms
Macromolecules
Cells
Tissues
Organs
Organ System
Organism
Population
Community
Ecosystem
Biome
What are the levels of
organization?
• Organism-An
individual living thing
• Population-A group
of the same species
that lives in one area
• Community-A group
of different species
that live together in
one area
• Alligator
• All the alligators in a
swamp
• Groups of alligators,
turtles, fish, plants, in
the Everglades
What are the levels of
organization?
• Ecosystem-Includes
all of the organisms
as well as the climate,
soil, water, rocks, and
other nonliving things
in an area
• Biome-A major
regional or global
community of
organisms
• Decaying Log,
Wetlands
• Subtropical Savanna
What is biodiversity?
• Biodiversity-The variety of living things in
an ecosystem.
• Large assortment of species living
together.
• Biodiversity is important because, the
diversity in an ecosystem maintains its
stability.
What are keystone species?
• Keystone species-Has an unusually large
impact on an ecosystem.
• Beavers-by constructing a dam, beavers
create an ecosystem used by a wide
variety of species.
Summary Questions:
• How are the topics of Evolution and Ecology
connected?
• What is an ecosystem?
• Provide some examples of living and nonliving
factors in an ecosystem.
• Why is the biodiversity of an ecosystem
important to its stability?