Ecology Ecology is the

study of the

interactions of

living organisms with one another

and their physical

environment

Levels of Organization Use the words on your notes to fill in the blanks. Words may be used once or not at all.

Throughout the notes, write down the

definition of these words.

Biome

a large region

characterized by

a specific type of

climate and

certain types of

plant and animal

communities.

*Biomes are made up

of smaller

ecosystems. Examples of North American

biomes

Ecosystem: made up of a living (community) and

nonliving (habitat) factors of an environment.

A community

many

different

species

that live

together in

a habitat

Habitat:

the place where a

particular population

lives

What are some interactions that

could occur between organisms

(living things) within an ecosystem?

COMMUNITY

Interactions

(Parasitsm went to the next

page on your N.T.)

Community Interactions

Commensalism: + / 0

Mutualism: + / +

Predation : + / -

Parasitism: +/ -

Whale with

barnacles on skin

Bat about to eat frog

Mistletoe growing

into a mangrove tree

Bee pollinating flower

Population:

All the members of one species that live in

one place at one time.

Abiotic vs. Biotic

Biotic-All the LIVING or ONCE LIVING components of an ecosystem. Also includes the product of living things.

Examples: hair, fingernails, etc.

The community of organisms

Abiotic factors-All the non-living components of an ecosystem

Using the list below, write an “A” next to

factors you think are abiotic and a “B”

next to factors you think are biotic.

__ water __ bacteria __ humidity

__ temperature __precipitation __ tree

__ soil __ dead leaf __ feces

__ owl __ light __ fingernail

Food Chain Describes one feeding relationship

and one path of energy through

food consumption.

FOOD WEB

shows the interactions between a wide

variety of organisms in the environment

creating a complicated, interconnected path

of energy flow.

are used to study effects of the changing

or introduction of a variable in an

environment

Food webs show the energy flow among producers and consumers.

As you define these terms and other categories, use the food web shown to provide you examples (in addition to the ones on the following slides).

Producer produces food (make energy storing

molecules),

Also Known As (AKA): Autotrophs

Eg. Plants, algae and some kinds of bacteria

Consumer

Obtains its energy and nutrients by consuming plants or other organisms

Different levels of consumers depending on where they eat

Primary

Secondary

Tertiary

Quaternary

Primary Consumers

eats producers

AKA herbivores

Eg. Cows, horses,

caterpillars and ducks

Secondary Consumers

(2nd order consumers)

eats herbivores

AKA carnivores

Eg. Wolf, ferret, and leopard

Secondary Consumers

Tertiary Consumer

(3rd order consumer)

eats second order (other

carnivores)

AKA carnivores

Eg. Hawk

Cougar

Quaternary Consumer

(4th order consumer)

this is very rare…

Not enough energy at the level before

to support these higher levels

AKA carnivore

Eg. Orca

Voracious Voracious, synonymous with ravenous or insatiable, means “having a great appetite” or refers to intense

greediness or eagerness. The noun form is voracity.

Herbivore

Herb “plant”

Eats only plants

Carnivore

Carn “flesh”

Eats living organisms

Omnivore

Omni “all”

Eat both plants and animals

Looking at the food web, can you now label A, B, C, D with the correct terms based on how these organisms obtain energy? (Be sure to state the specific level – primary, secondary etc.)

Notice there are some organisms that fall into both categories (e.g. Sea sponge and Reef shark).

Why is that?

What happens when a

variable is introduced to food

webs?

Answer the following questions on page 45 of your notes.

Explain at least THREE consequences of the change.

1. Using the aquatic food web above, explain what would happen if the zooplankton population drastically declined.

2. Explain what would happen if the reef shark population drastically increased.