Transcript Ecology ppt
Ecology What is in an Ecosystem? What is ecology? • The study of the relationships between living things and their environment • In an ecosystem everything is connected What will you learn? • Abiotic/ biotic factors • Population / community • Habitat and niche What is an Ecosystem? • Includes all the different organisms living in a certain area • Includes their physical environment • Usually don’t have clear boundaries as organisms move from one place to another Examples • Soil and leaves wash into a lake from the forest • Birds often migrate from winter homes to summer Ecosystems • • • • • Wetlands Desert Mountains Polar region Coral reef Biotic and Abiotic Factors • Biotic- living parts of an ecosystem • Animals • Plants • microorganisms • Abiotic- nonliving parts of an ecosystem • • • • • • Temperature Sunlight Humidity rainfall –water supply Soil Mineral nutrients – Nitrogen – Phosphorus – sulfer All parts of the ecosystem • Are interconnected – they depend on one another organism population community Organism • One individual living thing – Humans – Ants – Plants in classroom – Bacterium in our intestines Species • Group of organisms able to produce offspring • Share common genes • Share common characteristics – Humans – Homo sapiens – Domestic dogs– Canis familiaris DNA and Genes Population • Group of individuals of the same species living in a particular place Examples • Bullfrog population in a pond • Lion population of the savanna • Bluebonnet population of a field Community • All populations are part of a community• Group of interacting populations of different species • All living inhabitants of an ecosystem make up a community Pond community • Includes populations of different plants • Populations of Fish • Populations of different insects • Populations of different amphibians • Populations of different microorganisms Niche • All of the relationships between an organism and its environment – both living and nonliving- make up its niche • Think of an organisms niche as its lifestyle Bear’s Niche • Tick feeds on a bear blood • Bear sunning on a rock • Feeding on salmon in the river • Drinking from the river Niche • Also includes – When and how often it reproduces – How many offspring it has – What time of day it is most active – Where it finds shelter – How it contributes to and fits in w/ its environment How does a lion in Africa fit into its ecosystem? • They survive by killing and eating other animals • Other animals – scavengers- hyenas, vultures, pick over the meat left on the bones • Bacteria, fungi, and insects in the soil also feed on the carcass causing it to rot Soil Ecosystem • Includes a variety of organisms • Earthworms to aerate the soil and break it up • Snakes feed on moles in the ground • Insects tunnel through the soil • Plants die and provide nutrients in the soil • Fungi and bacteria break down dead organisms