Ecology Unit Notes: b. = Individual of a single species in. c. = more than one living in the same area.

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1 Ecology Unit Notes: Name: Period: Daily Question: Explain an example of how something non-living affects the ecosystem. Then explain an example of how something living affects the ecosystem. Overview of the 4 Principles of Natural Selection: My definition of Natural Selection is: Overproduction Variation Adaptation Descent with Modification Organisms have more offspring than can possibly survive. This results in completion. Individuals are different due to genetic variations. Some variations are favorable which allows individuals with those traits to survive better than others. Over time, more individuals will have the favorable trait every following generation if environmental conditions stay the same. Example: Example: Example: Example: Abiotic: parts of the environment. a. b. Sunlight c. d. Temperature e. f. Nutrients Biotic: parts of the environment a) b) c) a. (Bacteria and Fungi) I. General Organization a. = any individual living thing List 3 biotic & abiotic factors from this picture: b. = Individual of a single species in c. = more than one living in the same area. d. = All the and factors in an area. e. = the environment that a particular species prefers within an ecosystem f. = the that an organism fills a.k.a. its job g. = ecosystems with similar &.

2 Characteristics of a Biome 1. No distinct boundaries 2. Defined by types of 3. Similar, but may be located in a totally different part of the world (Africa and Asia) Land biomes and water biomes. II. Ecosystem Structure A. Autotroph: Can make their own food through energy from the sun or inorganic substances AKA: B. Heterotroph: Obtains energy by eating other organisms, AKA: III. Systems A. Components found in any system: o Has organized parts that interact to o A system contains and that interact within the system and outside of the system. Examples of systems: - Marsh Creek ecosystem B. Earth s 4 subsystems: 1. is the layer of surrounding the planet. 2. is all of the on or near the Earth s surface 3. is the of the Earth (related to the lithosphere, which is the topmost layer of solid Earth) 4. is the combined portions of the Earth in which exists C. Matter and Energy Matter is Energy is the and is stored within the bonds of matter (in biology, energy is used to perform life functions like ) IV. Ecosystem Structure Continued: A. Types of Consumers: Primary consumers: eat producers ( ) Secondary consumers: eats both producers & consumers ( ) Tertiary consumers: top predator ( ) Trophic levels are a way of identifying what an organism uses.

3 1st Trophic level= 3rd Trophic level= 2nd Trophic level= 4th Trophic level= B. Decomposers & Scavengers i. Decomposers feed on wastes & dead material from all trophic levels 1. Ex:, ii. Scavengers are consumers that eat dead animals (like road kill) 1. Ex: V. Energy in an ecosystem is transferred through the Trophic levels of that ecosystem Biomass and Energy transfers at the lowest Trophic levels; which determines the of the ecosystem. 1 hawk 10 snakes 100 mice feed 1000 plants feed ****Rule of 10**** Only 10% of the energy is transferred to the next organism Law of Conservation of Energy: Energy is neither get their energy from get their energy from Only is transferred up through the tropic levels, the other is transferred into the or used for life functions (digestion) Explain why a food web is better to use than a food chain: VI. Community Interactions In order to sustain an environment, organisms and abiotic factors interact A. Symbiosis: (3 types) 1. Parasitism: ( Humans and tape worm) 2. Commensalism: (anemone and clown fish) 3. Mutualism: (rhino and bird) B. Competition: C. Predation: Explain the difference between predation and parasitism:

4 VII. Nutrient Cycles Matter is recycled: All matter essential for life moves in cycles between living things & the environment. A. Carbon Cycle What is Carbon? basic building block of carbohydrates, fats, proteins, nucleic acids, and other organic compounds essential to life. 1. Why is carbon important to us? a) Carbon is used to make b) Carbon so living things can think, move, etc c) (gas, coal, oil) are made from carbon 2. Where is carbon found in the environment? a) (CO2) b) (limestone, diamonds) c) (oil, coal, etc.) 3. How does carbon enter living things? a) CO2 gas b) Photosynthesis allows plants to change c) Animals then get carbon by the sugar found in plants 4. How does carbon get back into the environment? a. plants & animals during respiration b. of wood & fossil fuels c. d. (seriously) e. - when bacteria break down tissue of dead things 5. How are fossil fuels formed? a. When living things die & fall to the bottom of water, they are buried & compressed b. They eventually form coal, petroleum, or natural gas 6. So what s the cycle? The 2 main steps are! 1. Photosynthesis- plants and algae take up CO2 from the air or water to make sugar 2. Cellular Respiration- consumers use sugar for energy and release CO2 into the air or water 7. Future Predictions Due to humans using more fossil fuels, this may result in since CO2 traps heat (remember the greenhouse effect) B. Nitrogen Cycle (N2) Living things (N2) 1. Step One: Why do living things need Nitrogen? a. To make b. To make 2. Steps of the Cycle a. Step 1: Nitrogen gas (N2) is found in the b. Step 2: Nitrogen Fixation nitrogen is into a usable form like ammonia or nitrates This is done by bacteria in soil or living on the roots of certain plants also fixes nitrogen c. Step 3: Plants then use the ammonia or nitrates in the soil d. Step 4: Animals get nitrogen from e. Step 5: When plants & animals die, the nitrogen in them is released back into the atmosphere as a gas (N2)

5 This is done by denitrifying f. Step 6: C. Other Cycles - Breaking the Water Cycle The only way for water to get back to the atmosphere is through (plant sweating) When we they So water does not get into the air to become rain The area becomes a in a very short time period Really bad in rainforest regions, because the soil is so shallow

6 VII. Biological Magnification 1) The build-up of toxins in living organisms with movement up the 2) The collect in the organisms at the top of food webs, because they eat so much. Examples: and VIII. Human Impact Invasive Species A species that is brought by into a new environment and the ones already there. Example: Africanized Honey Bees, which will take over the hive of the honey bees. An Ecological Mystery Long term study of sea otter population along the 1970: Sea Otters healthy and populations growing 1990: Sea Otter # s declining Maybe due to 1993: 800 km area in Aleutian Islands studied Sea Otter # s reduced by 50% Vanishing Sea Otters 1997: Study of area repeated Sea Otter pop. had declined by 1970: > 53,000 Otters in the study area 1997: Why? Reproductive issues Starvation, Pollution, Disease? Cause of the Decline 1991: one researcher observed an. Sea lions or seals are the normal prey of Orcas. Decline in usual prey led to. Single Orca could consume. Declines in ocean fish and led to a for sea lions & seals, so their # s. This forced the orcas to enter into the coastal waters where they consumed. Sea otters normally feed on. As sea otters decreased, the urchin numbers. Urchins eat, and the large numbers of urchins. The decline in the kelp forests has had an impact on many others species because of the. Other Species Affected Ecological Succession: change in the types of species in a community observed over time 1. Primary Succession i. Ex: volcanoes, rocks, etc Steps of Primary Succession A. lichens (Grow on rock & turn it into soil) Pioneer Species: the first organisms to occupy an area B. C.

7 D. (ex: pine trees) E. stable & final stage (ex: deciduous trees) ii. A community that has achieved and species 2. Secondary Succession i. (fire, etc) A. faster than primary (soil already formed) ii. Same as primary except pioneer species are Succession will cause Population Growth X. Population Growth A. FACTORS THAT AFFECT POPULATION GROWTH a) b) c) d) B. TYPES OF POPULATION GROWTH 1. Exponential Growth A. J-shaped curve on a graph B. Population every generation C. Humans are reproducing this way! 2. Logistic Growth A. S shaped curve on graph B. How looks C. Populations grow fast early, and then slow down, as we get closer to CARRYING CAPACITY C. CARRYING CAPACITY 1. -Populations will to Carrying Capacity, & they again once they have reached it. 1. Kind of like a balloon hitting a ceiling 2. LIMITS TO POPULATION GROWTH 2. Density-dependent limiting factors a. b. c. (for shelter, food, water) d. (predator eats prey) 3. Density-independent limiting factors a. (crowded or not) b. c. (fire, etc) d.