Transcript Organism
The study of interactions between organisms and their environment . Levels of Organization • Ecologists have organized the interactions an organism takes part in into different levels according to complexity. copyright cmassengale 2 1st Level of Organization • Organism: An individual living thing that is made of cells, uses energy, reproduces, responds, grows and develops, etc. copyright cmassengale 3 2nd Level of Organization • Population: A group of organisms, all of the same species, which interbreed and live in the same place at the same time. copyright cmassengale 4 3rd Level of Organization • Community: All the populations of different species that live in the same place at the same time. copyright cmassengale 5 4th Level of Organization • Ecosystem: Populations of plants and animals that interact with each other in a given area with the abiotic components of that area. (terrestrial or aquatic) copyright cmassengale 6 ecosystem community population individual What level of organization? Individual Organism copyright cmassengale 8 What level of Organization? Ecosystem copyright cmassengale 9 What level of Organization? Community copyright cmassengale 10 What level of Organization? Population copyright cmassengale 11 Organism- any living thing Individual- one single organism Population- organisms of one species living together in the same place at the same time Community- populations of different species living in the same place at the same time Ecosystem- interaction of organisms and nonliving factors in a specific area Biotic- living organisms in an environment Ex: plants, animals, bacteria Abiotic- nonliving parts of an environment Ex: soil, water, temperature, light, wind Producer- organisms that make their own food, autotrophs Consumers- organisms that rely on other organisms for food, heterotrophs Decomposers- organisms that uses dead material as a food and energy source and return nutrients to soil, saprophyte ex: fungus bacteria Scavenger- organisms that uses dead material as a food and energy source but do not return nutrient to soil ex: vulture Food Chain- how energy in food moves through a community Primary (10) consumer- organism that eats a producer Secondary (20) consumer- organism that eats a primary consumer Tertiary (30) consumer- organism that eats a secondary consumer Food Web- series of food chains that represent energy flow through an ecosystem Adaptation- structures, characteristics, and behaviors that increase an organisms’ chance of surviving and reproducing in an environment Structural Adaptation- physical characteristic that increases survival, ex: hawk’s talons Behavioral Adaptation- are actions that are used by an organism to help it survive Ex; bears hibernate, birds migrate for winter Climate- average weather in an area, determined by rainfall, temperature, and sunlight Biome- large geographical areas that have similar climates and communities Habitat- place where an organism lives in a community Niche- role of a species within a community Ex; what it eats, how it gets its food, interaction with others 5th Level of Organization • Biosphere: The portion of Earth that supports life. copyright cmassengale 17