Transcript ecology_notes

Ecology Notes:
Biology
Ecology Notes Outline
I. Ecology
a. Biotic factors
b. Abiotic factors
II. Biosphere
1. organism
2. population
3. community
4. ecosystem
Vocab
terrestrial, marine
niche, habitat
III. Energy
Draw and label pyramid
1. Autotroph
2. Heterotroph
Vocab
herbivore, carnivore,
omnivore, scavenger,
decomposer
IV. Symbiosis
mutualism, parasitism,
commensalism
V. Succession
What is ecology?

The study of the
interactions
between
organisms and
their
environment
Biotic Factors:

Living
organisms that
inhabit an
environment
• Ex: frog, fish,
plankton
Abiotic Factors:

Nonliving parts
of the
environment
• Ex: wind,
temperature,
water, light, soil
• Both abiotic and
biotic can be
limiting factors
Biosphere:

Portion of Earth that supports
life
Broken down into levels:
• Organism: one living
thing
ex. lion
• Population: group of
organisms of the
same species living
together
ex. A den of lions
Broken down into levels:
• Community: collection
of interacting
populations
ex. Lions and hyenas
• Ecosystem: organisms
and their physical
surroundings
ex. Lions, hyenas, water, sun
Habitats:

Terrestrial: land

Aquatic: water
• marine: salt water


Niche: role a species
plays in a community
Habitat: where an
organism lives, zip
code
Obtaining energy from
food:


Autotrophic:
producers
(photosynthesis)
Heterotrophic:
consumers (eat)
or decomposers
Energy Pyramids



Show trophic
levels (distance
from the sun in
terms of
feeding)
Show how
energy is lost
further from sun
More energy at
lower levels
Secondary
consumers
Primary
consumers
Producers
Obtaining energy from
food:

Herbivores:
• eat plants

(giraffe)
Carnivores
• kill and eat other
animals (lion)

Scavengers:
• eat already dead
animals (vulture)
Obtaining energy from
food:

Omnivores:
• eat both plants and
animals (human,
grizzly bear)

Decomposers:
• absorb nutrients
from dead organisms
(mushroom,
bacteria)
Obtaining energy from
food:
Food chains and webs show feeding relationships:
grass
mouse
hawk
Food webs
Chihuahuan raven
Honey mesquite
(pods eaten by beetles)
Pronghorn
antelope
Gambel
quail
Jackrabbit
Long-tail
weasel
Desert
tortoise
Prickly
pear cactus
Coyote
(top carnivore)
Roadrunner
Kangaroo rat
(seed eater)
ants
Texas horned
lizard
Red spotted
toad
Mexican
whiptail lizard
Mojave
rattlesnake
Symbiosis:

Close
relationship
between 2
organisms
Symbiosis:

Mutualism
• both species
benefit
• ex: bacteria in
intestines
Mutualism

The relationship between these the sea
anemone and the clownfish has been a
much studied topic. As far as is known, the
fish is able to produce a special mucus that
causes the anemone not to release its
stings. It is also believed that the
movements of the fish inform the anemone
of its identity. In return for the anemone's
protection, the fish brings scraps to it, and
lures larger fish into the anemone's
tentacles.
Symbiosis:

Parasitism:
• one organism
benefits, the
other is
harmed
• ex: tick on a
dog
Symbiosis:

Commensalism:
• one organism
benefits, the
other is neither
helped nor
harmed
• ex: spanish
moss
Spanish moss is considered an
epiphyte-meaning it requires the host
(pine tree in this case) for mechanical
support rather than a source of
nutrients or water. The pine tree is
neither benefited nor harmed by the
presence of the Spanish moss.

the remora, a sucker-fish, lives in close
association with sharks or other larger fish.
The dorsal fin of the sucker-fish is modified
to form a sucker; it uses this to attach itself
to the shark; The sucker-fish is small and
does not injure (or benefit) the shark, but
envoys the shark's protection and lives on
the scraps formed as the shark devours its
prey;

Succession:




Orderly, natural changes that take
place in communities of an
ecosystem
Primary succession: takes place on
land where no living organisms
(volcano)
Secondary succession: takes place
on land after disruption of life (forest
fire)
Climax community: stable, mature
community, little change in species
Now let’s make ecology
pictures!
Organism
Population
Community
ecosystem