Learning Target:Principles of Ecology

Ch. 13.1 pp. 396 – 400 Ch. 13.2 pp. 402 - 404

I Can.…List and Identify the organizational levels in a biomeIdentify how both biotic and abiotic factors affect an ecosystemExplain why producers are so important to an ecosystemI Will…• Label the levels within a biome• Describe how an ecosystem is

affected by• An abiotic factor• A keystone species

Ecology –• Study of the relationships

among organisms and their environment.• Gr. Oikos = house

Levels of organization • Organism – any individual living

thing• Population – group of the same

species • Species – organisms of the same

type genetically similar enough to reproduce viable (alive), fertile (capable of reproduction) offspring.

• Community - various populations living together in one area

Levels of organization (continued)

• Ecosystem - all the living (biotic) and nonliving (abiotic) components in an area interacting together• Abiotic factors• Temperature, wind, moisture level,

air pressure, sunlight• Biome – major regional or global

community of organisms characterized by climate conditions and plant life • Earth – 7% is Tropical Rain Forest• Accounts for 50% of Earth’s plant

and animal species

Organism Organism

Population

Community

Ecosystem

Biome

Changing one factor, biotic or abiotic, in an ecosystem can affect many other components of the system

creation ofwetlandecosystem

increased waterfowlPopulation

increased fishpopulation

nesting sites for birds

keystone species

Keystone species –Species that has an unusually large effect on an ecosystem

Learning Check : Principles of Ecology

Give an example of a keystone species and describe its impact on its ecosystem.Use the vocabulary terms; biotic, abiotic, population, community, and ecosystem in your description.

Energy in Ecosystems: Ch. 13.3 & 13.4

Life needs a source of energy to survive

• Producers –• Organisms that get their energy from

nonliving resources (make their own food)

• A.K.A – Autotrophs• Consumers –• Organisms that get their energy by

eating other living or once living resources• A.K.A - Heterotrophs

Energy in Ecosystems: Life needs a source of energy to survive

• Photosynthesis –• Process by which light energy is

converted into chemical energy (food/sugar)

• Chemosynthesis – Process by which ATP (energy molecule) is synthesized/made from chemical resources instead of light

Energy in Ecosystems: Life needs a source of energy to survive• Herbivores – • Eat only plants

• Carnivores -• Eat only animals

• Omnivores -• Eat both plant and animals

• Detritivores -• Eat dead decaying matter

• Decomposers –• Breakdown organic matter and return

nutrients to ecosystem

Energy in Ecosystems: Life needs a source of energy to survive

• Specialists -• Eats primarily one type of food

• Generalists - • Consume a variety of foods

Energy in Ecosystems: Life needs a source of energy to survive• Food chain –• Shows a sequence of feeding

relationships • Only follows the connection between

one producer and a single chain of consumers

• Food web –• Complex network of feeding

relationships

Trophic LevelsLevels of nourishment in a food chain• Most

energy at the bottom.

Energy is lost as heat and used by organism

Energy in Ecosystems: Learning Check

What are you?• Producer• Primary consumer/herbivore•Omnivore• Carnivore

Briefly explain your answer.