Understanding Ecology: Interactions, Energy Flow, and Ecological Succession
Ecology is the study of how organisms interact with each other and their environment, divided into biotic (living organisms) and abiotic (nonliving factors) components. This review covers symbiotic relationships like mutualism, commensalism, and parasitism, highlighting how organisms obtain energy as producers, consumers, and decomposers. It also explains energy pyramids and the significance of predator-prey dynamics, alongside primary and secondary succession concepts within ecosystems, and how disturbances can impact ecological balance.
Understanding Ecology: Interactions, Energy Flow, and Ecological Succession
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Presentation Transcript
I. Ecologyis the study of interactions between organisms and their environment. There are two parts of an environment : Biotic- all of the organisms that live together and interact with one another.- Living factors Abiotic- part of the environment that includes all of the physical, nonliving, factors.
Organisms interact with one another Symbiotic Relationships- LONG term relationships between two or more organisms • Mutualism (good, good relationship)- Both organisms benefit. • Commensalism (good, don’t care relationship)- One organism benefits and the other is unaffected. • Parasitism (good, bad relationship)- One organism benefits and the other is harmed.
All Living Things Obtain and use Energy • Producers (Autotrophs)- use sunlight directly to make their own food.- PHOTOSYNTHESIS!!! • Consumers (Heterotrophs)- Organisms that eat producers or other organisms for energy. • Carnivores- Eat Meat • Herbivores- Eat Producers • Omnivores- Eat both producers and consumers • Scavengers- Eat the remains of dead animals • Decomposers- Break down the remains of dead organisms and recycle nutrients back into the soil
Energy Webs also show the importance of Predator/ Prey Relationships
Energy Pyramid Energy is lost as you move up the pyramid. PRODUCERS hold the most energy in their tissues and always located at the bottom of the pyramid.
Primary Succession- When a small community of living things begin to live in an area that did not previously contain plants or animals.
Secondary Succession- When an existing community is destroyed and the original plant community regrows. A disturbance is any event that interrupts life in an ecosystem. Examples: A forest fire, cutting down trees, animals grazing in a field, farming.
