ag-wl-3. what’s the difference? what do the pliers look like? how do the pliers work? which pliers...

Wildlife Ecosystems

AG-WL-3

What’s the difference?

• What do the pliers look like?

• How do the pliers work?

• Which pliers would you want to use in a given situation?


•Ecosystems are similar.•They are described by:

• What does it look like?• How does it function?• What value does it have?


• Study of how living things exist in the environment• Environment consists of living

organisms, non-living things, climate, air, water, and land

• Explains the roles of organisms in nature

• Ecologist – a person that studies ecology

What is Ecology?

•A community of living and non-living things interacting within their environment

• Interactions within an ecosystem are numerous and complex

What is an ecosystem?

• Biotic• All living things such as plants, animals,

and micro-organisms• Abiotic

• Non-living parts of an environment• Organisms cannot survive without abiotic

factors• Examples: energy, water, nutrients, and

soil


• Ecosystems have no particular size• Dependent on flora and fauna

• Flora – plant life• Fauna – animal life

• Communities are interdependent (they depend on each other for survival)• Community is a group of organisms

living in relative harmony


Ecology

BiosphereBiomes

Ecosystems

Communities

Populations

Species

How are ecosystems organized?

• Biosphere: largest of all ecosystems• Biomes: Regional ecosystems• Ecosystems are composed of

communities• Communities encompass populations• Groups of organisms form

populations

How are ecosystems organized?

• Soil• Mixture of weathered rock, minerals,

organic matter, and living organisms• Provide nutrients, water, and growing

media• Atmosphere

• Provides organisms with carbon dioxide for photosynthesis and oxygen for respiration

What are the major components of an

ecosystem?

•Solar Radiation• Used to heat the atmosphere

and to evaporate and transpire water

• Sunlight is necessary for photosynthesis

What are the major components of ecosystems?

• Water• Medium by which mineral nutrients

are translocated in plants• Necessary for leaf turgidity and

photosynthetic chemical reactions• 6CO2 + 6H2O + Solar Energy =

C6H12O6 + 6O2


•Organisms• Three categories of

organisms• Producers (Autotrophs)• Consumers (Heterotrophs)• Decomposers or Detrivores


•Producers• Convert energy into food,

generally plants•Decomposers or Detrivores

• Degrade organic material


•Consumers • Animals, feed on producers

• Primary: herbivores (eats plants)• Secondary: carnivores (eats

meat)• Tertiary: eats secondary

consumers


•Native species• Normally live and thrive in an

ecosystem• Immigrant species

• Migrates into an ecosystem, may be introduced by humans

What types of species are found in ecosystems?

•Exotic species• An organism that is not

native to an environment, but has been introduced from another location

• Often the species of focus by researchers and managers


•Invasive species• Non-native species of plants

or animals that out-compete native species in a specific habitat

• Alters natural composition of ecosystems


• Indicator species• Serves as early warning that

ecosystem is degrading• Keystone species

• Significant role affecting many organisms in an ecosystem

• Examples: bumblebee, longleaf pine, beaver, gopher, tortoise


• Interspecific competition• Competition between species for resources

• Predation• Predator feeds on prey

• Mutualism• Both participating species benefit

• Commensalism• One species benefit, while other organisms

are not affected

How do species interact in an ecosystem?

Variation of organisms within a given ecosystem

or biome

What is biodiversity?

• Genetic diversity – variability in genetic material• Small populations breeding results in narrow

diversity• Large populations breeding results in greater

diversity• Isolating populations to areas limits diversity• Genetic deformities are more prevalent

when diversity is low

What are three types of

biodiversity?

•Species diversity – variety and number of different species that share an environment• Available food supply impacts

species diversity• Warmer climates often have greater

diversity than cooler climates


•Environment diversity – variety of species in biological communities and their interaction with non-living elements


•Habitat loss and fragmentation

• Invasive Species•Pollution•Climate Change

How is biodiversity lost?

• Home to 69 terrestrial animals• 370 species of birds• 163 species of reptiles and amphibians• 219 native fish species• Approximately 4,200 aquatic species

insects• 98 mollusks species• More than 3,600 native wild plants

How diverse is Georgia?

http://www.clemson.edu/extension/natural_resources/wildlife/publications/pdfs/fs5_basic_ecological_principles.pdf

Basic Ecological Principles:

Understanding How the System Works





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