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What is Ecology? 1 Ecology- Study of interactions between organisms and their environment. Producer- Uses the sun to make food “autotroph” Consumerorganisms eat others for energy “heterotrophs” Abiotic FactorsNon-living parts of the environment. Decomposer- break down dead organisms Scavenger-eats dead organisms and cause decay Feeding Relationships Autotrophs- Organisms that produce their own food Heterotrophs- Organisms that obtain nutrients by eating other organisms or something made by them Biotic FactorsAll the living parts of the environment Herbivores: eat plants Carnivores: eat meat Omnivores: eat plants & meat 2 Detritivores: eat decaying plants or meat See if you know the difference between the two! 3 Abiotic or Biotic? Biotic 4 Abiotic or Biotic? Abiotic 5 Abiotic or Biotic? Abiotic 6 Abiotic or Biotic? Biotic 7 Levels of Organization 8 Ecology- Study of interactions between organisms and their environment. Producer- Uses the sun to make food “autotroph” Consumerorganisms eat others for energy “heterotrophs” 5 Levels of Ecological Organization 1. Organism- individual with all characteristics of life. 2. Populations- groups of organisms of the same species. 3. Community- group of populations living together. 4. Ecosystem- living & nonliving parts interact together. 5. Biosphere- part of the earth that supports life Abiotic FactorsNon-living parts of the environment. Decomposer- break down dead organisms Scavenger-eats dead organisms and cause decay Feeding Relationships Herbivores: eat plants Carnivores: eat meat Biotic FactorsAll the living parts of the environment Omnivores: eat plants & meat Detrivores: eat decaying plants or meat 9 Grow & Develop: growth is forming new structures and getting bigger; development is all of the changes in one’s life Evolution: the gradual genetic change in a species over time; this includes adaptation which is the ability to adjust to the environment (weather, water, temperature) Reproduction: making babies… the ability to produce offspring Homeostasis: can maintain a constant, stable internal environment suitable for survival Organization: have cells as their basic unit of life; enables organisms to be very complex Use energy: energy is the ability to do work; involves metabolism which is all of the chemical reactions that take place in our body…we’d die without one!!! React to stimuli: a stimulus is anything in an organism’s environment that causes it to react; a response is a reaction to a stimulus 10 Which Level of Ecological Organization? Take this quiz to see if you can tell the difference between the two! 11 What level of organization? Organism 12 What level of Organization? Community 13 What level of Organization? Population 14 Which Level? 15 Which Level of Organization? 16 Which Level of Organization? 17 Which Level of Organization? 18 Which Level of Organization? 19 Feeding Relationships Herbivores: eat plants (cows) Carnivores: eat meat (wolves) Omnivores: eat plants and meat (humans) 20 Habitat & Niche • Habitat : where something lives • Niche: an organism’s total way of life (how it eats, competes with others) • Competition: when niches overlap, animals fight each other for resources 21 Survival Relationships • Predator-prey: predators are consumers that hunt and eat other organisms called prey 22 Survival Relationships • Symbiosis: relationship in which one species lives on, in, or near another species and affects its survival • 3 Types: – Mutualism – Commensalisms – Parasitism 23 Mutualism • type of symbiosis in which both species benefit – Ex. Clownfish living in the sea anemones. It provides protection for the fish, and attracts potential food for the anemones. 24 25 Commensalism • type of symbiosis in which one species benefits and the other species is neither harmed nor benefited – Example: Spanish moss grows on the branches of trees. The moss gets a habitat and the tree gets nothing. 26 Parasitism • one species benefits and the other species is harmed – – Parasite: organism that harms another organism by draining it of resources Host: organism that is harmed by a parasite • Ex. Ticks feed on dogs, people, etc. The ticks get food (blood) and the host loses blood and can be infected with disease 27 Trophic Levels: A feeding level in an ecosystem 5th trophic level: quaternary consumer (eats the tertiary consumer) 4th trophic level: tertiary consumer (eats the secondary consumer) 3rd trophic level: secondary consumer (small carnivores) 2nd trophic level: primary consumer (herbivores) 1st trophic level: producers (make their own food) 28 Eaten by 1st trophic level: producers (make their own food) Eaten by 3rd trophic level: secondary consumer (small carnivore) Eaten by 4th trophic level: tertiary consumer (large carnivore) Bacteria 2nd trophic level: primary consumer (eats plants) Eaten by Last trophic level: decomposer (eats dead animals) 29 Food Chain vs Food Web • Food chain: lineup of organisms that shows who eats who. • Food web: a network of connected food chains; more realistic because may organisms are eaten by a variety of other organisms 30 31 32 33 What is an Energy Pyramid? • Energy Pyramid – picture that shows how much energy is transferred among the different trophic levels in a food chain; 90% of the energy from each previous step is lost as you move up the pyramid • Some of this energy is lost along the way because of 1) an organism’s metabolism and as heat loss 34 Trophic Level 5th Quaternary consumers 4th Tertiary consumers 3rd Secondary consumers 2nd Primary consumers 1st Producers Energy Available 1 kcal/m2/year 10 kcal/m2/year 100 kcal/m2/year 1000 kcal/m2/year 10,000 kcal/m2/year 35 36 37 Practice with Food Chains & Food Webs 38 Identify the food chains inside the food web. 39 Cycles in Nature • There is only a limited amount of resources (water, oxygen, nitrogen, carbon) on the earth. • In order to keep these resources available to organisms, they must be recycled after they are used. • Cycle: a process that recycles a resource so that you end up with what you started with. 40 Nitrogen Cycle 1. Nitrogen fixation: Bacteria in the ground change nitrogen from the atmosphere (N2) to different nitrogen compounds 5. Denitrification: Bacteria change the nitrogen compounds back to N2 and release it to the atmosphere 2. These bacteria live in plants and transfer the nitrogen compounds to the plants 4. Bacteria eat the dead animals and animal waste and take in the nitrogen compounds 3. Animals eat the plants and take in the nitrogen compounds 41 Nitrogen Cycle 42 43 Water Cycle 2. Seepage: Water seeps into the ground and plants use it 3. Transpiration: Plants give off water to the atmosphere 1. Precipitation: Rain and snow fall from the atmosphere to the earth 2. Runoff: Extra water runs off the land to lowerlying bodies of water 3. Evaporation of water from the bodies of water back into the atmosphere 44 Water Cycle 45 Carbon Cycle 1. Carbon dioxide (CO2) and oxygen (O2) are found in the atmosphere Photosynthesis—Plants are producers that use CO2 to make their own food. During photosynthesis, plants release oxygen back into the atmosphere. Combustion—mining and burning of fossil fuels in factories, power plants, trucks and cars forms carbon dioxide (CO2) that returns carbon back to the atmosphere. Volcanic eruptions do this too. Respiration—Animals (consumers) and plants use the O2 and make carbon dioxide . During respiration, animals and plants release carbon back into the atmosphere. Decomposition—when organisms die, decay (by bacteria, protists, and fungi), or excrete, they return carbon back to the earth. Carbon that has been buried for 46 to millions of years has also been converted fossil fuels. Carbon Cycle 47 Population Size 48 Populations • What is a population? • What are some factors that can contribute to the size of a population? 49 Organism Interactions Limit Population Size Organisms depend on each other for: Protection Reproduction Food Shelter So what happens when these factors change? 50 Organism Interactions Limit Population Size 1. Predation: – What could happen if a predator is introduced to a population and there are no organisms to eat it? Unchecked for many years, the snakes caused the extinction of nearly every native bird species on the Pacific island of Guam 51 Organism Interactions Limit Population Size 2. Competition - What can happen if resources become limited? 52 Organism Interactions Limit Population Size 3. Crowding & Stress – As pop. Increase in size and start straining their resources, they may become stressed. What are some examples of stress symptoms? • • • • Aggression Decrease in parental care Decreased fertility Decreased resistance to disease 53 How do you determine human population size? • Growth rate—amount that a population’s size changes over time – Birth rate—number of births occurring during a period of time (ADD) -- Death rate (or mortality rate)— number of deaths in a period of time (SUBTRACTS) 54 How do you determine human population size? Birth rate – death rate = growth rate - Positive number means the pop. is growing - Negative number means the pop. is shrinking 55 Human population size • Other things that affect a population’s numbers: • Life expectancy—how long on average an individual is expected to live – US men: 72 yrs, US women: 79 yrs • Immigration—individuals moving into a population (ADDS) • Emigration—individuals moving out of a population (SUBTRACTS) 56 What can affect population size? • When you figure out the number of individuals living in a certain area, this is called the population density. • There are two limiting factors (biotic and abiotic) that can affect the pop. density • Limiting factor—any biotic or abiotic factor that restrains the growth of a population 57 What are limiting factors? • Density-independent factors—factors that affect the population regardless of the population’s size – Ex: fires, climate • Density-dependent factors—factors whose effects on the population depend on the population’s size – Ex. food shortages, disease 58 Density- dependent or Densityindependent? Take the following quiz to find out! 59 • Predation – Density-dependent • Volcanic eruption – Density-independent • Chemical pesticides – Density-independent • Parasitism – Density-dependent • Forest fire – Density-independent • Migration – Density-independent 60 Communities 61 FYI: How are communities formed? • Communities are made of several populations living together • Think back to population size. What are some limiting factors that can affect a community? 62 FYI: Forming Communities • What would happen if people stopped cutting the grass in their yards? 1. The grass would get taller & weeds would grow 2. Later, bushes would grow; trees would appear, and different animals would enter the area 3. After 30 years, it would eventually become a forest…BUT WHY? 63 Forming Communities Succession—orderly, natural changes and species replacements that take place in the communities of an ecosystem 64 Communitites • Primary succession— development of a community in an area that did not previously exist –Ex: new volcanic island, bare rock, sand dune –Happens slowly 65 66 Communities • Pioneer species—usually small, fast growing, and fast reproducing organisms that are first to colonize land after a disturbance • Example of primary succession: lichens 67 Communities • Secondary succession— sequential replacement of species that follows a disruption of an existing community • Example of secondary succession: grasses, weeds 68 –Ex. Forest fire, yard left to grow wild, removal of buildings –Occurs faster and has different pioneer species than primary succession • Types of organisms initially found grasses & weeds 69 70 Communities • Climax community— stable end point of a community after succession takes place 71 Biomes 72 Biomes • Biomes—very large ecosystems that are distinguished by characteristic plants and animals. • Terrestrial—land based • Aquatic—water based 73 Tundra • extreme northern latitudes • cold, largely treeless • permafrost—permanently frozen layer of soil 74 Tundra • long, cold winters and very short summers • short growing season limits the producers in food webs • very little precipitation • thin, poor soil that can only support shallow-root plants 75 Tundra • plants: grass, moss, small shrubs • animals: caribou, snowy owl, artic fox, mosquitoes in summer, hares, reindeer. (Most migrate here in summer) 76 Taiga • forested biome with evergreen conifers • South of tundra • Long winters, but overall warmer and wetter than tundra • Abundance of trees provides more food/shelter than tundra 77 Taiga • Plants: pines, firs, some grasses • Animals: moose, bears, wolves, lynx 78 Temperate deciduous forests • characterized by trees that lose all their leaves in fall (Alabaster, AL) • Receive constant rainfall (70150 cm annually) • Longer summers • Rich topsoil with layer of clay underneath 79 Temperate deciduous forests • Plants: hickory, maples, oaks • Animals: deer, hawk, squirrel, rabbits, bears 80 Tropical rain forests • tall trees • Stable, year round growing seasons • Warm weather year round • Most biologically diverse biome • Average temp 25 degrees C 81 Tropical rain forests • Many niches b/c of “vertical layering” in forest • Canopy (sunny tree tops), understory (dark/moist where smaller trees, ferns, shrubs grow), ground level 82 Tropical rain forests • Plants—trees of all sizes, herbs, grasses • Animals—monkeys, birds, jaguars,( and lots more…) 83 Grasslands • Usually in interiors of continents (Prairies & Savannas) • Rainfall is not enough to support large trees 84 Grasslands • Plants: dominated by grasses • Animals: jackrabbits, bison, deer, prairie dogs 85 Prairie • Grasslands found in North America • Plants: grasses, wildflowers • Animals: prairie dogs, rabbits 86 Savannahs • tropical or subtropical grasslands with scattered trees or shrubs 87 Savannahs • Africa, South America, Australia • Alternating wet/dry seasons • Plants—short trees, shrubs, grasses • Animals– lions, giraffes, antelopes, kangaroo (in Australia) 88 Deserts • receive less than 10 inches (25 cm) of rain each year • Can be hot or cold! • Most plants and animals adapted to storing/saving water • Rainfall is a limiting factor 89 Deserts • Plants: cacti and other succulents (plants with thick/waxy leaves that can store water) 90 Deserts 91 Deserts • Animals: tortoises, desert fox, kangaroo rat, coyotes, scorpions, camels –Most animals stay hidden during day 92 Aquatic Biomes Make up the largest part of the Earth, covering nearly 75% of the Earth's surface Freshwater—salt concentration of <1% Marine—salt concentration of about 3% Marine areas contain different zones based on light availability 93 Aquatic Biomes: • Ponds & Lakes (still waters): –Ponds are smaller & can dry up while lakes can last a long time –The water temperature and organisms found there depend on its location 94 Plants & Animals • Plants: –Algae, cattails • Animals: –Frogs, Trout 95 Aquatic Biomes: • Rivers & streams (moving waters): –bodies of flowing water moving in one direction 96 Plants & Animals • Plants: –lilies, moss • Animals: –Otters, snails 97 Aquatic Biomes: • Wetlands—where land and water meet 98 • Swamps—have trees and running water • Plants: – Trees, Spanish moss • Animals: – Snakes, alligators 99 • Marshes—no trees, but running water • Plants: – grasses, cattails • Animals: – Minks, egrets 100 • Bogs—get water supply from rain • Plants: – Bog lily, bulrush • Animals: – turtles, dragonflies 101 Aquatic Biomes: • Oceans—largest of ALL the ecosystems • Algae is also responsible for the absorption of large amounts of CO2 from our atmosphere 102 Choose your own animals • Plants are really Protists: Algae (seaweed/kelp), Phytoplankton (diatoms) 103 • Coral Reefs – in warm shallow waters Plants: algae Animals: coral, sea urchins – can be found as barriers along continents 104 Aquatic Biomes: • Estuaries—coastal body of water, partially surrounded by land in which freshwater and salt water mix 105 Plants & Animals • Plants: – Mangrove trees, marsh grasses • Animals: – Worms, crabs 106 Environmental Concerns 107 Pollution • Pollution—of air, water, soil. – Acid rain kills aquatic life and plant life— disrupts food web – Too much nitrogen/phosphates from runoff damages lakes by disrupting plant/algae growth and food webs – Toxins (heavy metals, organic chemicals) cause illnesses, cancers in humans 108 Ozone – Ozone—naturally occurring gas (O3) that screens most of UV light from sun • Humans are releasing Chlorofluorocarbons (CFC) from refrigerator chemicals and aerosol cans. • Chemicals destroy ozone. Is causing a hole in the ozone layer. Could lead to more cancers • Ground level ozone contributes to smog and breathing problems. • Shelby and Jefferson Co. frequently exceed the legal limit (Ozone Alert Days/Air Quality Index) 109 Human Impact • Human overpopulation—resources are limited while waste increases • Loss of biodiversity—deforestation, urban sprawl, endangered species (habitat loss and illegal animal trade), invasive species, overfishing 110 Global Warming/Climate Change – Greenhouse effect—The natural warming of the Earth due to gasses present in the atmosphere (CO2 and methane) .These gasses trap in heat from the sun. – Concern: humans ARE releasing more pollutants and gasses, such as carbon dioxide, into the air. Average temperature HAS increased. Strange weather patterns noted • How we’re releasing gasses/pollutants: burning fossil fuels for energy, burning rainforest, chemical industry wastes 111 Global Warming/Climate Change – The debate: • Are these gasses allowing more heat to be trapped, leading to a rise in global temperatures? • Is the recorded temperature rise and changing weather patterns a normal response to many factors, all of which we may not understand? – Predictions: • Earth warms up, polar ice caps and glaciers melt all over world, sea levels rise, massive flooding and global climate changes occurs. Increase in water born diseases. • Global warming will be a mild problem 112