Transcript ecology
Ecology WHAT IS ECOLOGY? Ecology- study of organisms and their environment WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY ENVIRONMENT? The environment is made up of two factors: • Biotic factors- all living things • Abiotic factors- all nonliving things – temperature, soil, light, moisture, air currents Biosphere Ecosystem Community Population Organism Habitat vs. Niche Niche - the role a species plays in a community Habitat- the place in which an organism lives Habitat vs. Niche A niche is determined by limiting factors Limiting factor- living or nonliving factor that limits population size Habitat vs. Niche Examples of limiting factors •Amount of water •Amount of food •Temperature •Amount of space •Availability of mates Producers & Consumers Producer (autotroph)trap energy from the sun • Bottom of the food chain Producers & Consumers Consumer (heterotroph)eat food containing the sun’s energy Herbivores Carnivores Decomposers Producers & Consumers CONSUMERS 1. Primary consumers • Eat plants (herbivores) 2. Secondary, Tertiary consumers • Predators • Carnivores Producers & Consumers • Scavengers – consumers – feed on dead animals Producers & Consumers • Decomposers – Breakdown dead and decaying plants and animals Symbiotic Relationships Symbiosis- two species interacting with each other 3 Types of symbiosis: 1. Commensalism 2. Parasitism 3. Mutualism Symbiotic Relationships Commensalismone species benefits and the other is neither harmed nor helped Ex. Bird building a nest in a tree Symbiotic Relationships Parasitismone species benefits (parasite) and the other is harmed (host) Symbiotic Relationships Mutualismboth species benefit Ex. cleaning birds, cleaner shrimp Type of Species relationship harmed Commensalism Parasitism Mutualism = 1 species Species benefits Species neutral “Do Now” • Take out a sheet of paper and answer the following question: – List the 3 types of symbiosis discussed in class yesterday – Describe each type of relationship (you may use examples) “Do Now” • Take out a sheet of paper and answer the following questions: – Explain the main difference between an ecosystem and a community – Define “tertiary consumer” and give an example of this (explain the process) E N E R G Y Trophic Levels Tertiary consumers- top carnivores Secondary consumerssmall carnivores Primary consumers- Herbivores Producers- Autotrophs Trophic Levels Food chain- shows how matter and energy move through an ecosystem Trophic Levels Food web- all possible relationships in a community • interconnected food chains Food chain (just 1 path of energy) Food web (all possible energy paths) Construct your foldable like this: • 3 sides to the Pyramid – Each side should have 4 trophic levels in the correct order • Side 1: Energy pyramid – Show energy relationships most energy to least energy (numbers should be used) • Side 2: Trophic levels – Include these words: primary consumer, autotroph, secondary consumer, heterotroph, producer, carnivore, herbivore, 3rd level consumer • Side 3: Food chain – Please draw and label what your organisms are! Show at least 4 trophic levels! Make your own food web Nutrient Cycles Cycles maintain homeostasis (balance) in the environment. 3 cycles to investigate: 1. Water cycle 2. Carbon cycle 3. Nitrogen cycle Water cycle•Evaporation, transpiration, condensation, precipitation Water cycle- Carbon cycle•Photosynthesis and respiration cycle carbon and oxygen through the environment. Carbon cycle- Nitrogen cycleThe air in the atmosphere is made up of approximately 78-80% Nitrogen gas (N2) But Organisms can’t use it in that form. So, Lightning and bacteria convert nitrogen into usable forms. Nitrogen cycleOnly in certain bacteria and industrial technologies can fix nitrogen. Nitrogen fixation-convert atmospheric nitrogen (N2) into ammonium (NH4+) which can be used to make organic compounds like amino acids. N2 NH4+ Nitrogen cycleNitrogen-fixing bacteria: Some live in a symbiotic relationship with plants of the legume family (e.g., soybeans, clover, peanuts). Nitrogen cycle•Some nitrogen-fixing bacteria live free in the soil. •Nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria are essential to maintaining the fertility of semi-aquatic environments like rice paddies. Lightning Atmospheric nitrogen Nitrogen Cycle Denitrification by bacteria Animals Nitrogen fixing bacteria Decomposers Ammonium Nitrification by bacteria Plants Nitrites Nitrates Toxins in food chainsWhile energy decreases as it moves up the food chain, toxins increase in potency. •This is called biological magnification Ex: DDT & Bald Eagles