Ecology

Chapter 2

What is Ecology?What is Ecology?

Ecology is the study of interactions that take place between organisms and their environment.

Ex. Bird on a tree limb

Levels of OrganizationLevels of Organization

Organism - individual animalPopulation - group of same animals

Biological community - group of different animals living in the same area

Ecosystem – group of plants and animals interacting with their environment in a given area

Biosphere- portion of Earth that supports life

Terms you should know….Terms you should know….

Abiotic – non living parts of an environment

Biotic – living parts of an environment

Habitat – the place an organism lives

Niche – all strategies and adaptations used by a species

Resource – anything an organism needs to survive

Predator – consumer of other organisms

Prey – animals that predators eat

Competition – a situation in which organisms compete for resources

Symbiosis – close relationship (needed to survive) between organisms of different species

3 Types of Symbiosis:3 Types of Symbiosis:

MutualismCommensalismParasitism

MutualismMutualism

Relationship in which both members benefit

Ex. Clownfish and the sea anemone

Ex. Insects pollinate flowers

CommensalismCommensalism

Relationship in which one member benefits and the other is neither helped nor harmed

Ex. Barnacles on a whaleEx. Squirrel living in a tree

ParasitismParasitism

Relationship in which one member benefits and the other is harmed

Ex. Tick on a dogTapeworm in a human

NutritionNutrition

Autotroph – organism that produces its own food using light or chemicals

Heterotroph – organism that cannot make its own food and feeds off other organisms

Decomposer – break down dead/decaying organisms

Food ChainFood Chain

Autotrophs are at the bottom of the food chain

Heterotrophs make up the next levels of the food chain

Decomposers break down organisms at each level

Each level of the food chain is called a trophic level

Food

Chain

Food WebsFood Webs

A complex food chain that shows all the possible feeding relationships at each trophic level

10% Law10% Law

For every trophic level in the food chain, 10% of the energy is lost.

Discuss an Ecological Niche in each situation……..

Natural disasters Climate changes Human activityProtective adaptations

How does survival of the fittest relate to each of these?

Cycles in NatureCycles in Nature

The water cycleThe carbon cycleThe oxygen cycleThe nitrogen cycle