Ecology Ch. 3-4 Ecology is the study of homes!
What is Ecology? • “Ecos”, or “oikos” = • “logos” = • So ecology is the study of living organisms in their homes, or environments. Ecology is the study of homes!
Remember, there are levels of homes! Ecology is the study of homes!
What does an ecologist study? • Ecologists study the role of organisms in their environment; • their interactions with biotic and abiotic factors… • the organism’s NICHE! Ecology is the study of homes!
The Niche… • The ecological niche of an organism is the “role” that it plays in the big scheme of the ecosystem. • Do mosquitoes have a niche? I know I hate them! Ecology is the study of homes!
What Organisms Want… • To Eat! • To Avoid Being Eaten! • To Reproduce! REMEMBER: Two organisms are members of the same SPECIES IF they can mate to produce VIABLE offspring…
The First Law of Thermodynamics states…. • that neither matter, nor energy can be created or destroyed. • It can, however change form. Ecology is the study of homes! “ecos” = home, “logos” = study of
The Flow of Energy in the Biosphere… • The sun is the source of all energy in the biosphere. Light energy is transformed into ___________ energy in photosynthesizers!
In the biosphere, energy is passed from organism to organism…by food Two organisms cannot occupy exactly the same niche…one will always outcompete the other…COMPETITIVE EXCLUSION PRINCIPLE!
Producers… • The foundation of all ecosystems • Harvest solar energy and convert it to chemical energy. • Called producers because… • These are the autotrophs… “____- ________” • Green plants and the algae make up the largest portion of individuals in any ecosystem…why? Green plants are not the only PRODUCERS…there are also photosynthetic bacteria and algae, which are protists.
Consumers… • Heterotrophs= “_____ -________” • Any organism which feeds off of another organism is a heterotroph. • There are many levels of consumers… An organism may occupy many trophic levels in a food web, but only one in a food chain! How?
Different levels of consumers… Ecology is the study of homes!
Different Types of Consumers… • Herbivores = consumers that eat ________. • Are, by definition…________ consumers • Carnivores = consumers that eat ______. • Are, by definition…at least ________consumers • Omnivores = consumers that eat ______. • Detritovores = consumers that eat ______. • Are, by definition…________ consumers! • Worms, beetles, termites… • Decomposers = consumers that eat everyone! • Bacteria, fungi… DETRITUS is the waste organic material on the forest floor or the lake bottom!
Trophic Levels… • Trophos = “___” • Feeding levels • Each step in a food chain is one trophic level Ecology is the study of homes!
Why? One of these food webs is fundamentally incorrect… Ecology is the study of homes!
The Ten Percent Rule…and Ecological Pyramids • Only 10% of the energy at each trophic level is available to the next…the rest is lost largely as _________ energy… Numbers pyramid Energy pyramid Biomass pyramid Ecology is the study of homes!
The Ten Percent Rule in Action… Ecology is the study of homes!
So, How Many Calories Are Available at Each Level? 18,500 Cal. Ecology is the study of homes!
So, How Many Kilograms Are Needed to Support the Next Level? 25,140 kg Ecology is the study of homes!
Carrying Capacity • Every ecosystem has a carrying capacity for the populations that live there. Ecology is the study of homes!
Competition in the Ecosystem… • Competition is ALWAYS based upon some resource… • Examples… • The Competitive Exclusion Principle states that no two species can occupy exactly the same niche at the same time in the same place! Ecology is the study of homes!
Symbiotic Relationships… • “sym” = • “bio” = • Relationships in which two organisms live together… Ecology is the study of homes!
Three different types of symbiotic relationships: • Mutualism : both species benefit from the relationship EX: • Commensalism: One species benefits and the other is unaffected EX: • Parasitism: One species benefits and the other is harmed EX: Ecology is the study of homes!
Succession… Ecology is the study of homes!
Ole Mose and his lunch date! Ecology is the study of homes!
Ocean Food Web… Ecology is the study of homes!
Ecology is the study of homes!
Cycles video Ecology is the study of homes!
Predation… • There are predators • …And there is prey! Ecology is the study of homes!
Ecology is the study of homes!
Ecology is the study of homes!
Ecology is the study of homes!
Environmental Factors: • Biotic factors… • Examples… • Abiotic factors… • Examples/// Ecology is the study of homes!
