Wake-up 1. Explain the difference between innate and

learned behavior.

1. Explain the difference between hibernation and estivation.

Ecology Basics – Food Webs and Energy Flow

What is Ecology?

Study of the interaction

between organisms and

their surrounding

environment.

Abiotic factorsNon-living components of the environment

Biotic factorsLiving components of the environment

Identify 3 Abiotic and Biotic Factors in the Picture Below

Levels of Organization within the Environment

1. INDIVIDUAL or

SPECIES:One organism

Levels of Organization within the Environment

2. POPULATION: Group of similar individuals/species

Levels of Organization within the Environment

3. COMMUNITY: Group of populations living together

Levels of Organization within the Environment

4. ECOSYSTEM: All the communities (biotic) “living” with the abiotic parts of the environment

Levels of Organization within the Environment

5. BIOSPHERE: All the ecosystems on

the planet

Two Laws that Allow Ecosystems to Function: #1

The Flow of Energy; The Sun is the

ULTIMATE source of energy for living

things

Two Laws that Allow Ecosystems to Function: #2

The Cycling of Nutrients

Nutrients = Water, Carbon, Nitrogen, Sulfur, Phosphorus

The Flow of Energy within Ecosystems; The sun is the ultimate source of energy

What is meant by energy? How do we get our energy?

We EAT!!!!!

What eats what in an ecosystem?

Organism can feed using two methods: Autotroph/Producer

Organisms make their own food in their cells - automatically

Energy source for ProducerSun

Example of Producers: PLANTS

Bacteria

Phytoplankton (phyto=light)

Organism can feed using two methods: Heterotroph/Consumer

Organisms cannot make their own food in their cells – need to eat/consume

HerbivoreConsumer that

eats ONLY producers

Carnivore: Consumer that eats ONLY other “meat”; other consumers

Omnivore: Consumer that eats BOTH producers and consumers

Scavenger: Consumer that eats the remains of dead/decaying organisms

*

Decomposer: Consumer that breaks down the remains of dead/decaying organisms; returns

nutrients to the producers

Is there a pattern to how organisms consume others?

Food ChainSet sequence of consumption; one organism

eats another that eats another, etc.

Like a CHAIN!!!

Each organism in a food chain has a trophic level; A trophic level is a feeding level

Producer PrimaryConsumer

SecondaryConsumer

TertiaryConsumer

QuaternaryConsumer1st Trophic

Level 2nd TrophicLevel

3rd TrophicLevel

4th TrophicLevel

5th TrophicLevel

Food WebMade up of many food chains; one organism

can consume MANY different organisms•Like a WEB!!!

Energy Flow in Ecosystem

Sun is the ultimate energy source in ecosystems

What happens to the amount of available energy?

Energy decreases as is moves through the ecosystem

What happens to the amount of available energy?

Only 10% of usable energy is transferred from one trophic level to the next

What accounts for the decreased amount of energy?

How much energy is lost?

90% of the energy is lost; only 10% available energy moves to the next trophic level

Energy Pyramid

Diagram representing

the amount of available energy