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ECOLOGY The study of the interactions between organisms & the environment. Review basic Ecology vocabulary: •organism = a living thing extinct = species that is no longer living •energy = ability to do work endangered = species at risk of becoming extinct •food = substance an organism needs for energy bio- = prefix that means “life” •habitat = home for an organism biology = the study of life •predator = organism who hunts & eats another one hierarchy = ranking in order •prey = organism who is hunted & eaten by another •photosynthesis = process when plants make their own food using sunlight for energy *Activity = for 60 seconds, review these terms with a partner *If you don’t understand any of the basic terms on this slide, please come to Knight Time or tutoring! Review basic Ecology vocabulary: •Producers = (also called autotrophs) make their own food using sunlight; plants, algae, & some bacteria •Consumers = (also called heterotrophs) eats other organisms for energy; animals & fungi •carnivore = only eats animals (cat, dog, lions, crocodiles, T-rex) •herbivore = only eats plants (cows, bees, pandas, deer, termites, lemurs) •omnivore = eats both plants & animals (humans, bears, squirrels, turtles, fish) •Decomposers = (process called rotting) breaks down dead organisms into soil; bacteria & fungi *optional activity = review these terms with a partner *optional activity = make a drawing of these 3 functional groups in your notes Biotic = living components of an ecosystem Abiotic = nonliving components of an ecosystem abiotic biotic Place the following terms on the Venn diagram in your notes: grass rotting tree sun living sunlight spiders climate air fish water dead frog temperature squirrel soil flowers U.V. light nonliving We like to party!!! Organization Biosphere - areas of planet earth that support life (air, land, water, volcanic thermal vents…what?) Biome - an ecosystem that occupies a particular climate zone Ecosystem - all the living & nonliving things that interact in a particular area Community - different groups of populations in the same area Population - group of one type of organism Organism - individual living thing biome Where would a biome fit into this hierarchy? Climate Long term temperature & weather conditions in a particular area. Biome Plants, animals, & ecosystems adapted to a particular climatic condition. Essential question: What are some specific ways climate affects a biome? •Cacti must conserve water in the desert because of dry conditions. •Fish have gills to breathe the dissolved oxygen in the water they live in. •Polar bears have large amounts of fat to store energy to survive arctic conditions. Biomes Abiotic Biotic Koppen Climate Zone Biome Polar example: example: (no summers) polar climate zone tundra biome example: example: humid subtropical climate zone temperate deciduous forest biome Global region Temperate Tropical (no winters) example: tropical dry climate zone example: savanna biome *optional activity = biomes activity or worksheet Which has more biodiversity? A B Biodiversity Bio = “life” Diversity = “variety” Biodiversity is the variety of life on Earth and the essential interdependence of all living things. Do we need balance in the biosphere? Is that important? Hold that thought... Energy Flow The flow of energy (like food) through an ecosystem is one of the most important factors that determines how much life it can sustain. Note: Do not write this slide… just read it & think about it silly! Energy Flow Food Chain = Movement of food energy from a lower level organism to a higher level one. Food Web = Complex system of interlocking food chains within an ecosystem. REALLY IMPORTANT = • • The arrows ALWAYS point in the direction of the energy flow. Almost all food chains & food webs start with the energy from the sun. I said food chains NOT Two Chainz! Carrying Capacity The maximum number of organisms an ecosystem can hold. Think of an ecosystem as a bucket that can only hold so much. How many fish can an aquarium hold? What does it depend on? These things depend on limiting factors. What are limiting factors? Limiting Factors Something that causes the size of a population to decrease. • Some basic limiting factors are food, shelter, water, space, temperature, fertilizer, pH, medicine, & predation. • Only one factor can be limiting at any given time or place. Essential Question: How have human needs for energy, food, transportation, space, technology, beauty, & recreation created limiting factors for biodiversity in the biosphere? Population Size birth rate = how fast a population reproduces death rate = how fast a population dies Population = birth rate - death rate if birth rate > death rate then population grows or increases if birth rate < death rate then population shrinks or declines Fun Fact: Demographers estimate that, in the decade of the Human Population Growth 1990’s, the Atlanta metro (driving distance) area grew in population faster than any other area in the history of human civilization. How does population growth affect our resources? Human Impacts Urban development (humans building stuff) has caused deforestation, logging, draining wetlands, & habitat destruction. Various forms of pollution like chemical spills or fertilizer “eutrophication” can change the balance in an ecosystem. Hunting & farming are both unnatural limiting factors. Harvesting, mining, & drilling take away natural resources. Human Impact Examples: Category What humans need What humans do What happens Impact on the environment Energy coal burning coal SO2 released into air creates acid rain Food cheap food concentrated animal farms excessive manure runoff eutrophication Space homes & malls draining wetlands reduces buffer zones increases flooding & pollution Beauty green yards too many water sprinklers excessive water use fresh water shortages Energy Resources • Anything used by humans as an energy source. Can be replenished or replaced in short amount of time. Once used up, they are gone for millions of years. winter Invasive Species spring Holy KUDZU Batman!!! Organism that takes resources away from a native (natural) species. summer fall The domestic cultivation (farming) of plants & animals for food or products. Agriculture Why Till? Tractor this is Tilling Pros: Control weeds, mix the soil, & make level. Cons: Dries soil, causes erosion, & loss of CO2. Conventional - Sustainable Sustainability To live in a way that natural resources (such as energy & materials) are not depleted or permanently damaged. Ecosphere Carbon Footprint Amount of CO2 emitted (released) due to the consumption of fossil fuels by a particular person or group.