ECOLOGY Lesson 1 Biotic & Abiotic factors Levels of Organization Ecosystem Requirements
Living Non-Living Biotic Factors Abiotic Factors Circle of Life (clip from Lion King)
Ecology the study of the relationships between organisms and their physical environment
ECOSYSTEM ABIOTIC FACTORS (water, soil, air) BIOTIC FACTORS (trees, grass, animals, bacteria) Consists of BOTH BIOTIC AND ABIOTIC FACTORS
Identify the abiotic and biotic factors here!
Levels of Organization in an Biosphere includes all the inhabitable space on Earth is made up of many different Biomes - a large geographical area characterized by certain types of plants and animals are made up of many different Ecosystem
Ecosystem includes all living AND non-living (biotic & abiotic) factors is made up of a Community all of the LIVING organisms that inhabit an ecosystem is made up of many different Population one species in an ecosystem. Ex. Homo sapiens (humans) or Tursiops truncatus (bottle nose dolphin) is made up of many Individual Organisms each one plays an important role (its niche )
Ex. Earth s land & seas Ex. Desert, Tundra, Taiga, Tropical Rain Forest, Deciduous Forest, Marine Levels of Organization Ex. Forest, African Plains, Coral Reef, Freshwater Ponds, etc. Ex. All of the living things in in that forest Ex. One moose Ex. All the moose in a certain forest
Requirements of All Ecosystems 1. Energy must be continuously added (usually from the sun). Energy can NOT be recycled!
Requirements of All Ecosystems 2. Autotrophic organisms to convert light energy from sun (or chemicals from hydrothermal vents) into chemical bonds of organic compounds (food) Photosynthesis Chemosynthesis
Requirements of All Ecosystems 3. Cycling of Materials: minerals, CO2, O2, nitrogen, & H20 are recycled (used over and over) between the living & nonliving things in an ecosystem
Requirements of All Ecosystems 4. Limiting factors: Environmental factors that determine the types of species that can survive in a particular environment Different in each ecosystem Ex. Temperature, food availability
What is a limiting factor that determines which organisms can survive in this ecosystem? Ex. Temperature
What limiting factor determines which organisms can survive in this ecosystem? Ex. Amount of water
What limiting factor determines which organisms can survive in this deep sea ecosystem? Ex. Pressure and light availability Deep Sea Anglerfish
What limiting factor determines which organisms can survive in this ecosystem? Ex. ph (level of acidity)
What do these different ecosystems have in common?
wind sun water soil rocks fish duck butterfly deer trees
ecosystem community population individual
ECOLOGY Lesson 2 Nutritional Relationships (vocab) Food chain, food web Energy Relationships (vocab)
Nutritional and Energy Flow Relationships Between Organisms
1. Producers (Autotrophs) Perform photosynthesis or chemosynthesis to make their own food More of them than any other organism in a stable ecosystem Ex. Trees, algae, grass, phytoplankton
2. Consumers (Heterotrophs) Must obtain their food from another source (consuming another organism)
Types of Consumers Herbivores (Primary Consumers) feed only on producers like plants, leaves, grass, seeds, algae, phytoplankton Ex. Rabbit, deer, some birds, some insects
Carnivores Feed only on other animals Predators: kill & eat their prey (animal killed by predator) Ex. Lion, shark Scavengers: feed on dead animal remains Ex. Hyena, vulture
Omnivores Feed on both producers and consumers (plants and animals) Ex. Bears, humans, some birds
Decomposers / Detritivores obtain nutrients from detritus - the remains of dead or decaying organisms Recycle nutrients from organic matter back into the soil Ex. Bacteria & fungi
The flow of energy between producers and consumers can be organized in a variety of ways Food Chain Food Web Energy Pyramid
Examples of Food Chains
Food Chain Diagram showing one chain of energy existing between organisms in an ecosystem Arrows point in the direction of energy flow Ex.
Food Web All of the interconnected food chains in an ecosystem Q- The mouse population would most likely decrease if there were (1) an increase in the frog and tree populations (2) a decrease in the snake and hawk populations (3) an increase in the number of decomposers in the area (4) a decrease in the amount of available sunlight Identify two producers in this food web. Trees and Grass
Which organism is a producer in this food web? (1) algae (2) amphipod (3) snail (4) catfish Which organisms feed on both producers & decomposers? (1) amphipods (2) crayfish (3) catfish (4) protozoa What would happen to the diving beetle population if there were fewer snails? Justify your response. Diving beetle population will decrease because they will have less food available.
Energy Pyramids Quaternary Consumers Tertiary Consumers Secondary Consumers Primary Consumers / Herbivores Producers use energy from sun to make food Only 10% of available energy is transferred between trophic levels Most energy is used for life processes and lost as heat to the environment Energy must be CONTINUOUSLY added for an ecosystem to remain stable. Energy is NOT recycled!
An energy pyramid is represented by the diagram. Which statement best describes one of the levels of this pyramid? (1.) The organisms in level B obtain food directly from level A. (2.) Level D contains the greatest number of heterotrophs in the pyramid. (3.) Level C contains the largest group of consumers in the pyramid. (4.) Level A contains the largest producers in the pyramid. Which level contains secondary consumers? (1.) A (2.) B (3.) C (4.) D
Which organisms would contain the greatest amount of available energy? (1.) rabbits & deer (2.) grasses & shrubs (3.) hawks (4.) lice The primary consumers include (1.) insects & seed-eating birds (2.) rabbits & snakes (3.) rats and frogs (4.) spiders and coyotes
Food Chain Game (Brainpop)
Ecology Lesson 3 Biomass Pyramid Material Cycles
Biomass Pyramid (amount of organic matter) Quaternary Consumers ex. hawk Tertiary Consumers ex. snake Secondary Consumers ex. frog Primary Consumers ex. grasshopper Producers ex. grass Less biomass is supported at each higher level Greatest # of producers, less primary consumers, even less secondary consumers, etc. Organic matter is recycled, can change forms
Material Cycles many materials (NOT ENERGY) are used over and over again by organisms in a food web Carbon: components of living organisms (carbs, lipids, proteins), also CO 2 Oxygen: used in aerobic cell respiration, produced by autotrophs Water: used for transport within all organisms Nitrogen: important part of proteins (amino acids), released as waste, dead organisms, decaying organic matter
The Carbon-Oxygen Cycle OXYGEN Respiration in Plants and Animals Photosynthesis Combustion Dead Organisms Decomposition Carbon dioxide
The Water Cycle Transpiration Condensation Respiration Precipitation Evaporation
The Nitrogen Cycle Plants Animals Decomposers Brainpop Nitrogen Cycle
Disruptions of the Nitrogen Cycle 1) To Water - Eutrophication Fertilizers rich in nitrogen help crops grow faster/bigger Excess nitrogen in the soil produces run off into rivers & lakes, speeding up growth of algae (algal bloom) Oxygen supply is depleted due to overgrowth of algae, water can no longer support life
Disruptions of the Nitrogen Cycle 2) To Land Soil Acidification excess animal waste (feces) increases nitrogen levels of soil, can increase acidity acidified soil can t support life
Disruptions of the Nitrogen Cycle 3) To Air Acid Rain / Precipitation burning fossil fuels & fires during deforestation increase nitric oxide in air forms nitric acid (acid rain) which is deadly for plants & fish
Events that take place in an ecosystem are shown in the diagram. Which information is represented in the diagram? 1. Respiration and photosynthesis are interrelated. 2. Transpiration and condensation are related to the water cycle. 3. Decomposers release a material that is acted on by other organisms. 4. Predators and their prey are involved in many interactions
An ecosystem, such as an aquarium, is selfsustaining if it involves the interaction between organisms, a flow of energy, and the presence of 1. equal numbers of plants and animals 2. more animals than plants 3. materials cycles 4. pioneer organisms
Ecology Lesson 4 Competitive Relationships (niche) Carrying Capacity Play game Oh Deer!
Competitive Relationships - more competition exists between organisms that have a similar niche (role in its habitat) - where it lives/feeds - food it eats - who eats it - when it reproduces
Graphs show the growth of 2 different species of bacteria. Give one possible explanation for the results shown in graph C. Species 1 and 2 had to compete for resources when grown together. Species 1 survived to reproduce, species 2 did not.
Information concerning nests built in the same tree by 2 different bird species over a 10-year period is shown in the table below. Which inference best describes these 2 bird species? 1)They most likely do not compete for nesting sites because they occupy different niches 2) They do not compete for nesting sites because they have the same reproductive behavior 3) They compete for nesting sites because they build the same type of nest 4) They compete for nesting sites because they nest in the same tree at the same time Distance of Nest Above Ground (meters) Less than 1 Total # of Nests built by 2 different species A B 5 0 1-5 10 0 5-10 5 0 Over 10 0 20
Carrying Capacity maximum # of organisms that can be supported in one ecosystem Once reached, competition for resources will increase and many organisms will die Once the population decreases, more resources will become available and populations will increase again Homeostasis / dynamic equilibrium of an ecosystem
Ecology Lesson 5 Symbiotic Relationships mutualism commensalism parasitism
Symbiotic Relationships Organisms living in close association with each other 1- Mutualism (+/+) both organisms benefit from their association Ex. Cleaning associations
2. Commensalism (+/0) one organism benefits, but the other is NOT affected at all Ex. Barnacles on a whale, anemone and clown fish
3. Parasitism (+/-) one organism benefits (parasite) while the other is harmed (host) Ex. Athlete s Foot fungus Ex. Ticks Ex. Heartworm, tapeworm
Lymphatic filariasis, also known as Elephantiasis, is caused by parasitic worms
Most Extreme - Odd Couples (symbiosis video clips) 10 & 9 2:01 6:51 8 (start at 1:00 end 3:30) 6 4 & 3 (3 at 4:30) 2 & 1 (1 at 4:33-6:15 & 7:52-8:30) 10 snapper & tongue biter (parasitic) 9 intestinal worms (parasitic) 8 Hermit crab & sea anemone (mutualism) 6 blind shrimp & Gobi fish (mutualism) 4 badger & coyote alliance to hunt squirrel 3 - tarantula & frog (mutualism) 2 tree ants & butterfly caterpillar (mutualism) 1 Greenland shark & parasitic crustacean
Ecology Lesson 6 Quiz Ecological Succession
Ecological Succession - Video Ecological Succession is a series of changes in which one habitat changes into another (more stable) one In each stage, the community causes modifications to its environment
Stage 1. Lichens / Algae / Mosses: Pioneer Organisms first to inhabit bare rock, can break down rock and create soil Add organic materials to the soil when they die & decompose
Lichens on bare rock
Lichens on a tree
Stage 2. Grasses: Hold moisture in the soil Adds more soil & nutrients as it dies & decomposes
Stage 3. Shrubs / small trees Replace grasses - shade prevents grass from getting as much light Continue to thicken soil & add nutrients
Stage 4. Climax Community: Stable end resulting environment (organisms differ by region) Remains stable unless disrupted by catastrophic change Ex. Forest fire, volcanic eruption, deforestation
Examples of Climax Communities
Pioneer Organisms
Put these pictures of pond succession in order. B A D C
There are two main types of Ecological Succession Primary Succession: creating life in an area where no life previously existed Secondary Succession: restabilization after a disturbance in an ecosystem
Which type of succession is this? Primary or Secondary?
Which type of succession is this? Primary or Secondary?