Living Environment

1.) What is Ecology? Ecology is the scientific study of

interactions among organisms and between organisms and their environment, or surroundings

Word was coined in 1866 by a German biologist Ernst Haeckel

Based on the word economy

Living world is like a household with an economy – every organism plays a role

Factors in Ecology Abiotic Factors: NON-LIVING, were never alive!

Ex.) light, soil, temperature, pH, water

How do they influence living things?

Biotic Factors: LIVING organisms

Ex.) Humans, plants, dogs, etc.

How do they interact and influence one another?

List all the abiotic and biotic factors!

Terms to Know! Habitat: Where an organism lives

Niche: The role and position the species has in the environment (who, what, when, where)

What’s your habitat? What niche do you fill?

Organization Biosphere

Biome

Ecosystem

Community

Population

Organism

Biosphere Contains the combined portions of the planet in which

all life exists

This includes land, water, and air (or the atmosphere)

Extends from about 8 km above Earth’s surface to as far as 11 km below the surface of the ocean

Biome A group of ecosystems that have the same climate and

similar dominant communities

Ecosystem A collection of all the organisms that live in a

particular place, together with their nonliving, or physical, environment

Community Different populations that live together in a defined

area

Population A group of individuals that belong to the same species

and live in the same area

Species A group of organisms so similar to one another that

they can breed and produce fertile offspring

Organism An individual organism

2.) Energy Flow Every organism needs energy to power its life

processes

What do you need energy for on a daily basis?

THINK!

Main Source of Energy The SUN!

Sunlight is the main source of energy for life on Earth

Of all the sun’s energy that reaches Earth’s surface, only 1% is used by living things

Exceptions! Some organisms don’t use the sun for energy

Instead they obtain energy from inorganic chemical compounds

Ex.) Mineral water that flows underground or boils out of hot springs and undersea vents is loaded with chemical energy

Autotrophs Organisms that use energy from the environment to

fuel the assembly of simple inorganic compounds to complex organic molecules

Capture energy from the sun or chemicals and use that energy to produce food

Ex.) plants, some algae, and certain bacteria

Producers Organisms that make their own food

Also known as autotrophs!

Photosynthesis The process in which autotrophs/producers harness

energy from the sun

Light is used to power chemical reactions that convert carbon dioxide and water into oxygen and energy-rich carbohydrates such as sugars and starches

Equation

Gives us oxygen so that we can breathe!

Chemosynthesis The process by which organisms use chemical energy

to produce carbohydrates

Ex.) Bacteria that in live:

Volcanic vents in the deep ocean

Hot springs in Yellowstone Park

Tidal marshes along the coast

Consumers Organisms that cannot produce their own energy –

cannot harvest energy from the sun

Must rely on other organisms for their energy and food supply

Also referred to as heterotrophs

There are many different types of heterotrophs: 1. Herbivores

2. Carnivores

3. Omnivores

4. Detritivores

5. Decomposers

Herbivores Organisms that obtain energy by eating only plants

Ex.) Cows, caterpillars, deer

Carnivores Organisms that eat other animals

Ex.) Snakes, dogs, owls

Omnivores Organisms that eat both plants and animals

Ex.) Humans, bears, crows

Detritivores Organisms that feed on plant and animal remains and

other dead matter

Called detritus

Ex.) Mites, earthworms, snails, and crabs

Decomposers Organisms that break down organic matter

Ex.) Bacteria, fungi

3.) Feeding Relationships Energy flows through an ecosystem in one direction,

from the sun or inorganic compounds to autotrophs (producers) and then to various heterotrophs (consumers)

Food Chain A series of steps in which organisms transfer energy by

eating and being eaten

Always starts with a producer (autotroph)

Food Web Links all the food chains in an ecosystem together

Consists of many food chains and can be very complex

Trophic Level Each step in a food chain or food web

Producers make up the first level

Consumers make up the second, third, or higher levels

Each consumer depends on the trophic level below it for energy

Ecological Pyramid A diagram that shows the relative amounts of energy

or matter contained within each trophic level in a food chain or food web

Initial energy source is the sun (autotroph is 1st level)

Three different types:

Energy pyramid

Biomass pyramid

Pyramids of numbers

Energy Pyramid Shows the relative amount of energy available at each

trophic level

Only about 10% of the energy available within one trophic level is transferred to organisms at the next trophic level

Rest of energy is lost as heat

Decreases at each level by 90%

Biomass Pyramid Represents the amount of living organic matter at each

trophic level

Typically, the greatest biomass is at the base of the pyramid

Biomass: the total amount of living tissue within a given trophic level

Pyramid of Numbers Shows the relative number of individual organisms at

each trophic level

Based on population size at each trophic level.

Populations decrease at each successive trophic level but inversion possible.

Symbiosis Interactions between two different organisms living in

close physical association

AKA living together and interacting

Types of Symbiotic Relationships 1. Mutualism (+/+): Both organisms benefit.

2. Commensalism (+/0): One organism benefits while the other is not affected.

3. Parasitism: (+/-): One organism benefits while the other is harmed.

Mutualism

Commensalism

Cattle egret and cow Remora Fish and Shark

Burdock & Animals

Parasitism

TO DO: Guided Notes

Quiz

Pyramid WS

Oh Deer Lab

Cycles lab