Transcript 19-2 Ecology of Organisms

4-2 What Shapes an
Ecosystem?
Where does an
organism live and
why does it live
there?
Habitat – An area where
an organism lives which
includes the abiotic and
biotic factors.
Acclimation – Accustom
or become accustomed to
a certain environment.
Control of Internal Conditions
A. Conformers are organisms that
do not regulate their internal
conditions (cold blooded)
1. Conform to the environments
conditions.
B. Regulators are organisms that
use energy to control some of their
internal conditions (warm blooded)
2. Example – humans body
temperature remains constant.
Escape from Unsuitable
Conditions
A. Some species can survive
unfavorable conditions by escaping
them temporarily.
Dormancy – state of reduced
activity during periods of
unfavorable conditions
Migration – some organisms move
somewhere else for periods of
unfavorable conditions.
Resources – energy and materials a species
needs.
A. Examples – food, energy, nesting sites,
water, sunlight
1. Resource Partitioning – Certain birds
called warblers, share different areas on a tree
so each type of warbler feeds either on the top,
the middle or the bottom of the tree, not
crossing another warblers feeding area. This
allows different types of birds to survive and
live successfully in the same tree.
a. Competitive exclusion principle- no 2
organisms can occupy the same niche in the
same habitat at the same time.
9. Niche is the full range of physical and
biological conditions in which an
organism lives and the way in which the
organism uses those conditions
A. Includes:
1. The range of conditions that the
species can tolerate.
2. Methods by which it obtains
needed resources.
3. The number of offspring it has.
4. Time of the year it reproduces.
5. All of its interactions with its
environment.
B. Fundamental Niche –
range of conditions that a
species can potentially
tolerate and the range of
resources it can potentially
use.
C. Realized Niche – the
resource a species will
actually consume.
.
Niche Differences – Species niche can
change within a single generation.
A. Generalists are species with broad
niches.
1. Can tolerate a broad range of
conditions.
2. Use a variety of resources
B. Specialists are species that have
narrow niches. (very specific eating
habits)
1. Koala – eucalyptus leaves only

Different life styles, community interactions
and activities can affect an ecosystem.
– a. Predation – one organism
captures and feeds on another.
b. Symbiosis – 2 species live
closely together.
c. Mutualism – both benefit
from the relationship.
d. Commensalism – one
benefits the other is not
harmed or affected.
e. Parasitism – organism lives
on or inside harming the
Succession

A. Ecosystem are constantly changing in
response to natural disturbances. Older
habitants are replaced by new causing further
changes in the community.
– 1. Primary succession – growth or
succession that occurs on surfaces where
there is no soil.
A. Pioneer Species - the first plants
that will grow in a primary succession
area. These plants are Lichen (fungus
and alga) that help break up rocks when
they grow and add nutrients to the
broken rock when they die, so other
plants can begin to develop.
–Characteristics of pioneer
species plants.
A)
Small
B) Fast growing
C) Reproduce quickly,
covering a large area.
2.
Secondary Succession –
Growth after a disturbance in
the area such as a storm, flood,
or fire. Since there is usually
soil left the growth is faster and
the plants that grow there are
different.
3. Climax Community –Plants
that have stabilized in growth
and have matured.
Microclimate
A
microclimate is a climate
within another climate that
surrounds it.
 Many times these environments
are man made and are contained
and controlled by man.
–Roof gardening
–Zoo’s
–Some natural parks