Transcript Ecology
Organisms and Their Environment
ECOLOGY
VOCABULARY
Ecology – study of interactions that take place
b/t organisms and their environment
Abiotic factor – non living parts of an organisms
environment (i.e. rocks, air currents)
Biotic factor – all living organisms that inhabit
an environment (including things that are dead
but were once living)
Biosphere – portion of Earth that supports
living things
VOCABULARY
Food web – shows all possible feeding
relationships at each trophic level in a community
Trophic level – each organism in a food chain
representing a feeding step in the passage of
energy and materials
Mutualism – symbiotic relationship in which both
species benefit
Commensalism – symbiotic relationship in which
one organism benefits and the other is unaffected
VOCABULARY
Parasitism – symbiotic relationship in which one
organism benefits and the other organsims is
harmed
Symbiosis – relationship in which 2 organsisms
live closely together
Biodiversity – variety of life in an area, usually
measured by the # of species
Niche – all the strategies and adaptations a
species uses in its environment; how it meets its
specific needs for food and shelter; how it
survives; where it reproduces
VOCABULARY
Habitat – place where an organism lives out its
life
Food chain – simple model that scientists use
to show how matter and energy move through
an ecosystem
Producer – organism that make organic
molecules from inorganic molecules; serve as a
food source for other organisms (i.e. plants)
VOCABULARY
Consumer – organism that eats other
organisms or organic matter instead of
producing its own nutrients or obtaining
nutrients from inorganic sources (i.e. rabbits,
deer, humans)
Decomposer – organism that feeds by breaking
down organic matter from dead organsims (i.e.
bacteria, fungi)
THE BIOSHPERE
Earth – the planet we live on (duh!)
Divided into different parts
Lithosphere
– Earth’s crust
Hydrosphere – Earth’s water in all forms
Biosphere – contains all life
Atmosphere – all of Earth’s air
Biosphere overlaps/encompasses some or all
of each of the other spheres
BIOSPHERE
Consists of all living –biotic factors, and non
living –abiotic factors
Abiotic factors are necessary to sustain life
Air
currents
Temperpature
Moisture
Light
Soil, rocks
ABIOTIC FACTORS
Affect the environment
i.e. amount of rain fall determines the
abundance & diversity of life an area can
support
Whale page 37 Problem-Solving Lab 2.1
BIOTIC FACTORS
Biotic factors affect the abundance and
diversity of life in an area as well
Competition
among species
Symbiotic relationships
ORGANIZATION OF THE BIOSPHERE (WHALE 40)
In order from smallest to largest:
Populations Community
Ecosystem Biosphere
Organism:
single individual of a species
Population: species of organism that lives in the
same place at the same time
Community: all populations living in the same
place at the same time
Ecosystem: biotic and abiotic factors in the same
place at the same time
Organism
ORGANISMS IN AN ECOSYSTEM
Each organism has its own habitat
i.e. Birds may live in trees; centipedes live on the
ground
Each organism has its own niche
Different species may share habitats, food, shelter
There will be at least one essential resource that will be
used in a different way by each organism
Leads to reduced competition for resources
If 2 species use the same resources, eventually one will
gain control and the other will die off or migrate
SYMBIOSIS - MUTUALISM
SYMBIOSIS - COMMENSALISM
SYMBIOSIS - PARASITISM
ENERGY FLOW THROUGH AN ECOSYSTEM
How organisms obtain energy:
Producers – make their own
Primary Consumers – only eat producers (herbivores)
Secondary consumers – eat primary consumers
(carnivore), sometimes producers as well (omnivores)
Tertiary consumers – eat secondary consumers,
sometimes eat producers as well
Decomposers – eat decomposing producers and
consumers
ENERGY FLOW IN AN ECOSYSTEM
Food chain
Follows
the flow of energy as it moves through
organisms
i.e. Seaweed perch shark sea slug
As food moves through the chain, the amount of
energy passed to each level diminishes
considerably (Whale 52)
ENERGY FLOW THROUGH AN ECOSYSTEM
Food web – encompasses all the food chains in
an ecosystem (Whale 51-52)
Problem Solving Lab 2.2 on Whale 50
AFFECTS ON BIODIVERSITY
Changes in an ecosystem can affect its
biodiversity
What would happen if it stopped raining in the
Mojave Desert? Or, if the amount of acid in the
rain falling in the Sierra Nevada Mts increased
dramatically to lethal levels?
Whale page 51
AFFECTS ON BIODIVERSITY
Uncontrolled population growth of a single species
can affect biodiversity
Humans as a species can have a devastating
affect on biodiversity
i.e. hunting to extinction the grey wolves in Yellowstone
Non native/alien/invasive/introduced species can
affect the biodiversity
Usually have no natural predators so they can flourish
in the new area & dominate the resources, leaving little
resources for the native species which do have natural
predators
CYCLES IN NATURE
Water cycle – precipitation evaporation /
transpiration condensation
Process
recycles water through the environment
Carbon cycle – all life on Earth is based on
carbon
They
form all biological molecules (protein etc)
Plants use CO2 to make food consumers exhale
CO2 back to the atmosphere for plants to use
CYCLES IN NATURE
Nitrogen cycle – plants need nitrogen to
produce
get nitrogen from soil & turn it into food
consumers eat plants & store nitrogen in their
bodies, then release as urine or they die and are
decomposed and the nitrogen returns to the soil
Plants
LIFE W/IN COMMUNITIES
Limiting factors – any biotic or abiotic factor
that restricts the existence, numbers,
reproduction, or distribution of organisms
i.e.
availability of food & water, predators,
temperature, climate
Tolerance – the ability of organisms to w/stand
fluctuations in biotic and abiotic factors
LIFE W/IN COMMUNITIES
Succession – change over time
Primary succession: colonization of barren land by
communities of organisms
Takes place where there is no life
i.e. lava fields
Pioneer species – 1st species to take hold, they
eventually die, but they change the land so other
species can thrive
Climax community – the stable, mature community that
undergoes little/no change in species following primary
succession
LIFE W/IN COMMUNITIES
Secondary succession – sequence of changes
that takes place after an existing community is
severley disrupted in some way
Compare
to primary – primary is barren land w/ no
life, secondary is some life but largely devastated
i.e. fire devastated areas, some life will still exist,
but most of it will have been wiped out
BIOMES
Biome – large group of ecosystems that share
the same type of climax community
Divided into terrestrial and aquatic
Organisms w/in each are adapted to the
conditions of that particular biome
AQUATIC BIOMES
Marine/Ocean, divided into zones
Photic
zone: portion shallow enough for sunlight to
penetrate, photosynthesis can occur
Aphotic zone: deep waters that never receive
sunlight, photosynthesis cannot occur
AQUATIC BIOMES – PHOTIC ZONES
Intertidal zone (tide pools)
Close
to shore line
Organisms are adapted to periodic exposure to air
during low tide times
Types of organisms: crab, mussels, oysters, sea
anemones, sea stars
Organisms must be able to w/stand crashing waves
TIDE POOLS
PHOTIC ZONES
Neritic Zone
Extends
from intertidal zone over the continental
shelf
Most productive marine zone
Upwellings carry nutrients from ocean bottom
Species: plankton, numerous fish, sea turtles
PHOTIC ZONES
Neritic Zone – Coral Reefs
Form
in tropical neritic areas
Rich in species
Built by coral animals over long periods of time
Constructed
by their external skeletons, as animals die,
the skeletons acculuate
Species:
fish, crustaceans, mollusks, etc
NERITIC ZONE
AQUATIC BIOMES – PHOTIC/APHOTIC ZONES
Oceanic Zone
The
upper portion of the oceanic zone is photic
The lower portion (deep ocean) is aphotic
Contains fewer species than the other zones, even
in the photic zones
Species in upper portion –
Producers:
microscopic protists, bacteria, plants,
invertebrate plankton
Animals: fish, mammals like whales, large invertebrates
OCEANIC ZONE
Aphotic zone
Species
feed on sinking plankton & dead
organisms
Deep ocean – near freezing temps & crushing
pressure
Species have slow metabolisms & reduced skeletal
systems, large jaws & teeth, expandable stomachs
Species: squid, by thermal vents – clams, crabs,
worms
OCEANIC ZONES
AQUATIC BIOMES - ESTUARIES
Where freshwater meets sea
i.e. bays, mud flats, mangrove swamps, salt marshes
Shallow water gets lots of sunlight & rivers deposit lots
of minerals
Interaction of fresh and salt water causes great variation
in temp and salinity
Surface is exposed to air during low time
Organisms are adapted to frequent change
Species: mangrove trees, softshell clams, plankton,
snails, shrimp, crab, grasses and trees
ESTRUARIES
AQUATIC BIOMES - FRESHWATER
Lakes and ponds
Eutrophic
lakes – rich in organic matter and
vegetation, waters are murky
Oligotrophic lakes – contain little organic matter,
water is clearer, bottom usually rocky or sandy
Species – fish, ducks, turtles, snakes,
salamanders, frogs
AQUATIC BIOMES - FRESHWATER
Rivers and streams
Body
of freshwater that flows downward
Organisms are adapted to strong currents
Slow-moving rivers are richer in nutrients & support
greater diversity of life, rooted plants
Species: brook trout and other fish
AQUATIC BIOMES - FRESHWATER
Freshwater wetlands
Land covered w/ fresh water at least part of each year
Marshes – non woody plants (cattails)
Swamps – woody plants (trees/shrubs)
Bog – sphagnum mosses
Most productive freshwater biomes
Species – birds, fish, mammals, amphibians,
invertebrates, reptiles, whooping crane, Florida
panther, american crocodile, american alligator
Provide protection for spawning organisms
Filter pollutants out of the water & act as flood control
AQUATIC BIOMES - FRESHWATER
TERRESTRIAL BIOMES - TUNDRA
Temp: -14.8 F to 53.6 F
Precipiation: <25 cm
Soil: moist, thin topsoil over permafrost; low in
nutrients; slightly acidic
Vegetation: mosses, lichen, grasses, dwarf
woody plants
Animals: arctic fox, caribou, ermine, grizzly
bear, harlequin duck, musk ox, polar bear,
snowy owl
TUNDRA
TERRESTRIAL BIOMES – TAIGA
Temp: 14 F to 57.2 F
Precipitation: 35-75 cm
Soil: low in nutrients; highly acidic
Vegetation: coniferous evergreen trees
Animals: American black bear, bald eagle, bob
cat, Canadian lynx, grey wolf, grizzly bear, long
eared owl, red fox, river otter, snowshoe rabbit,
wolverine
TAIGA
TERRESTRIAL BIOMES – FORESTS: TEMPERATE
FOREST
Temp: 42.8 F to 82.4 F
Precipitation: 75-125 cm
Soil: moist, moderately thick topsoils; moderate
nutrient levels
Vegetation: broad-leaved deciduous trees and
shrubs or evergreen coniferous trees
Animals: American bald eagle, American black
bear, coyote, duckbilled platypus, eastern
chipmunk, European red squirrel, fat dormouse,
least weasel, white tailed deer
TEMPERATE FOREST (DECIDUOUS FOREST)
TERRESTRIAL BIOMES – FORESTS: TROPICAL
FORESTS
Temp: 68 F to 93.2 F
Precipitation: 200-400 cm
Soil: moist, thin topsoil; low in nutrients
Vegetation: broad-leaved evergreen trees and
shrubs
Animals: African forest elephant, Bengal tiger,
chimpanzee, common palm civet, dawn bat,
golden lion tamarin, harpy eagle, jambu fruit dove,
king cobra, kinkajou, Linn’s sloth, orangutan,
probiscus monkey, red shanked douc
TROPICAL FORESTS
TERRESTRIAL BIOMES – GRASSLANDS:
TEMPERATE GRASSLANDS
Temp: 32 F to 77 F
Precipitation: 25-75 cm
Soil: deep layer of topsoil; very rich in nutrients
Vegetation: dense, tall grasses in moist areas;
short grasses in drier areas
Animals: corsac fox, Mongolian gerbil, saiga
antelope, northern lynx, saker falcon, American
bald eagle, badger, bob cat, bumble bee, prairie
dog, swift fox, Geoffrey’s cat, greater rhea
TEMPERATE GRASSLANDS
TERRESTRIAL BIOMES – GRASSLANDS:
SAVANNA
Temp: 60.8 F to 93.2 F
Precipitation: 75-150 cm
Soil: dry, thin topsoil; porous; low in nutrients
Vegetation: tall grasses and scattered trees
Animals: African elephant, African wild dog,
black mamba, caracal, chacma baboon,
Egyptian mongoose, emu, Grant’s zebra, koala
bear, lion, nigriceps ants, nile crocodile
SAVANNA
TERRESTRIAL BIOMES – GRASSLANDS:
CHAPARRAL
Temp: 50 F to 64.4 F
Precipitation: <25 cm
Soil: rocky, thin topsoil; low in nutrients
Vegetation: succulent plants and scattered
grasses
Animals: aardwolf, black tailed jack rabbit,
cactus wren, golden jackal, grey wolf, island
grey wolf, puma, spotted skunk, wild goat
CHAPARRAL
TERRESTRIAL BIOMES - DESERTS
Temp: 44.6 F to 100.4 F
Precipitation: <25 cm
Soil: dry, often sandy; low in nutrients
Vegetation: succulent plants and scattered
grasses
Animals: armadillo lizard, banded gila monster,
bob cat, cactus wren, coyote, desert bighorn
sheep, desert kangaroo rat, desert tortoise,
javelina, cactus, ferruginoug pygmy owl, thorny
devil
DESERT