Transcript Chapter 10 Ecosystems Levels of Organization

Chapter 10 Ecosystems
Levels of Organization
The smallest level of organization is a single organism, which
belongs to a population that includes other members of its
species.
Chapter 10 Ecosystems
Levels of Organization
The population belongs to a community of different species.
Chapter 10 Ecosystems
Levels of Organization
The community and abiotic factors together form an
ecosystem.
Chapter 10 Ecosystems
Habitat
• The environment that provides the things an organism
needs to live, grow, and reproduce is called it’s HABITAT.
• One area may contain many habitats (habitats can overlap, but
they seldom share resources – think different parts of the tree,
forest floor, lake, etc.)
• Organisms live in different habitats because they have
different requirements for survival.
Chapter 10 Ecosystems
Biotic and Abiotic Factors
Biotic Factors are the Living Parts of a Habitat
Biotic Factors include:
grass and plants
Hawks, ferrets, badgers and eagles
Worms, bacteria, and fungi that live in the soil
Chapter 10 Ecosystems
Biotic and Abiotic Factors
Abiotic Factors are the Non-Living Parts of a Habitat
Abiotic Factors include:
Water
Sunlight
Oxygen
Temperature
Soil
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Changes in Population Size
Populations fluctuate.
Populations can
change in size when
new members join the
population or when
members leave the
population.
Chapter 10 Ecosystems
Changes in Population Activity
Organisms usually leave a population by dying.
Organisms usually join a population by being born into it.
Organisms can join a population by moving into it – immigration
OR
Organisms can leave a population by moving out of it - emigation
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LIMITING FACTORS
A limiting factor is an environmental factor that causes a
population to stop growing.
Some limiting factors are:
Food
Water
Space
Light
Soil composition
Weather conditions
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CARRYING CAPACITY
Carrying Capacity is the largest population that an
area can support.
If more organisms were to come, they would not have
enough food for all to survive.
A population usually stays near it’s carrying capacity because
of the limiting factors.
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Food Chains and Food Webs
The movement of energy though an ecosystem can be
shown in diagrams called food chains and food webs.
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Energy Pyramids
The most energy is
available at the producer
level of the pyramid.
As you move up the
pyramid, each level has
less energy available
than the level below.
Only 10% of the energy
is available to the next
higher level.
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Adapting to the Environment
Every organism has a variety of
adaptations that are suited to its specific
living conditions and allow the organism
to successively survive and reproduce in
its environment.
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Interaction among Organisms
There are 3 types of interaction
among organisms.
•Competition – struggle to survive while
using the same limited resources, usually
results in niche specialization (warblers feed
at different parts of spruce trees)
•Predation – one organism kills another for
food (snake and mouse)
•Symbiosis – at least one species benefits
Chapter 10 Ecosystems
Interaction among Organisms
Predation:
Results in changes in population size
Results in adaptations
predator adaptations: allow predators to catch/kill prey
prey adaptations: allow prey to avoid being killed
camouflage
mimicry
false coloring
warning coloring
Chapter 10 Ecosystems
Interaction among Organisms
Symbiosis: a close relationship
between two species that benefits at
least one of the species
Mutualism (+,+) : A relationship that benefits both
species. (acacia tree and stinging ants)
Commensalism (+,0) : A relationship where one
species is helped but the other is neither helped or
harmed. (red-tailed hawk and cactus)
Parasitism (+,-): A relationship where one
organism lives on or in another and harming it.
(tape worm in wolf)
Chapter 10 Ecosystems
Cycles of Matter
The supply of matter in an ecosystem is limited and must be
recycled. Matter is transferred from one organism to
another in the food web and between organisms and the
environment.
water cycle: evaporation, condensation, precipitation
producers, consumer, and decomposers recycle carbon and
nitrogen which are a major building block of living things
carbon cycle: movement through air, soil, water, and living
things (becomes available via air)
nitrogen cycle: movement through air, soil, and living things
(nitrogen becomes available via soil)
Chapter 10 Ecosystems
Changes in Communities
Primary succession: series of changes that occur in an area
where no soil or organisms exist
pioneer species – first species to populate the area
Example: volcanic eruption – pioneer species – soil creation
– fertile soil – mature plants
Secondary succession: series of changes that occur in an
area where the ecosystem exists but has been disturbed
(after a fire)
Example: fire – plant growth – mature plants