Parts of the EcosystemEcological Organization

Ecology: The study of how living things interact with each other and with their environment.

Biosphere

• Largest structure of life• Thin layer on the outside of the planet Earth where livings things exist• Includes all living things in air, on land, and in water• No knowledge of another biosphere

Biome

• A group of land ecosystems • Large area of the biosphere• Similar physical conditions throughout• Similar biota• Temperature and precipitation determine the biomes in most climates

7 Main Land Biomes•Desert • Tundra •Grasslands • Rain Forest •Deciduous Forest (2 zones)•Boreal Forest•Mountain and Ice

Aquatic Biomes

• Marine•Fresh water

Ecosystem

• Community of living (Biotic) and non living (Abiotic) things that interact in a particular area.•Abiotic factors:• Sunlight, moisture, temperature, soil type

• Various different ecosystems:• terrestrial (prairie, evergreen forest)• aquatic areas (mountain stream, ocean) • 2 Main Aquatic Ecosystems:• Freshwater ecosystem• Marine ecosystem

Community• All the living things that interact in an area

Population• All the individuals of one species in a given area• Many different populations in an area• large or small numbers

Individual Organisms• An individual organism, a single living thing• 1 cell to many cells• Belong to one of the 3 Domains:• Bacteria, Archaea and Eukarya

Example:

Biosphere: EarthBiome: Rain Forest (Temperate)Ecosystem: Douglas fir Forest ecosystemCommunity: stream communityPopulation: Mule deer herdIndividual Organisms: a single deer

Types of Interactions:• Competition• Predation• Symbiosis• Mutualism• Commensalism• Parasitism

These are your vocabulary words- look them up!

Natural Selection: • Individuals whose unique characteristics are best suited for their environment tend to survive and produce similar offspring.• Explains adaptive evolution• Founding Father is Charles Darwin

Ex. Galapagos Islands

GW project: Florida EcologyFor your assigned ecosystems explain the following :

• Geographic Location & Topography• describe land characteristics and a map of where

• Geological formations/substrate• describe the ground type (rock, soil)

• Hydrology• describe the water systems (rain, underground, over

ground rivers, standing marshes)• Flora & Fauna

• list most common plant & animals• Cycles/ Processes ( what is happening)• Human Impacts (pollution, destruction, conservation etc.)