Question of the Day – 09/13

1. Question of the Day – 09/13 Mutualism is a symbiotic relationship in which both organism benefits from the interaction. The relationship between a desert bat and a giant saguaro cactus is considered mutualistic because the cactus provides food for the bat and because – A the cactus needs protect the bat from predators B the bat transfers pollen between cactus flowers C the cactus’s flowers attract bugs to the bat D the bat prevents moisture from reaching the plant

2. Introduction to Ecology What is the layer of the Earth called where all living organisms are located?

3. What is Ecology? • The study of interactions between organisms and the living and nonliving components of their environment • From Greek oikos, meaning “house,” and logos, meaning “study of.”

4. What does ecology involve? • Collecting information about organisms and their environments • Observing and measuring interactions • Looking for patterns • Seeking to explain patterns Bird Migratory Patterns

5. Interdependence • Interaction of organisms with other organisms in their surroundings, and the nonliving portion of their environment • What is one way humans are dependent?

6. Ecological Models • These represent or describe the components of an ecological system • Can be physical, conceptual, or mathematical • Used to help plan and evaluate solutions to environmental problems

7. Five Levels of Ecological Organization

8. Biosphere • Broadest , most inclusive level • About 20 km (13 mi) thick • Thin film of life covering an otherwise lifeless planet

9. Ecosystems • All of the organisms and the non-living environment found in a particular place • What would be included in a pond’s ecosystem?

10. Communities • All interacting organisms living in an area • Ecologists studying communities look at how species interact • What would be involved in the pond’s community?

11. Populations • All members of a single species that live in one place at one time. • What would be an example of various populations in a pond?

12. Organism • The simplest level of organization in ecology • Research at this level concentrates on the adaptations that allow organisms to overcome the challenges of their environment

13. Review

14. True or False??? Geology is the study of the interactions between organisms and the environment? FALSE!!!! The study described is Ecology!

15. FALSE!!!! They can be verbal, visual (like the picture here), or mathematical! True or False? All ecological models are mathematical.

16. Energy Transfer in an Ecosystem

17. Why do organisms need energy? • To carry out essential functions • Growth • Movement • Maintenance • Repair • Reproduction What is the main energy source for life on earth? The amount of energy an ecosystem receives and the amount that is transferred from organism to organism affect the ecosystem’s structure!!!!!

18. Producers • Organisms that manufacture their own foods by capturing energy and using it to make organic molecules • Plants (Terrestrial) • Some protists (Aquatic) • Some bacteria (Aquatic)

19. Producers • Photosynthetic • Use solar energy to power the production of food • Chemosynthetic • Use energy stored in inorganic molecules to produce carbohydrates

20. Consumers • Heterotrophs that cannot manufacture their own food • Get energy by eating other organisms or organic wastes • All animals, most protists, all fungi, many bacteria

21. Types of Consumers • What are 4 types of consumers? • Herbivores • Carnivores • Omnivores • Detritivores

22. Herbivores vs. Detritivores Herbivores Detritivores Feed on the “garbage” of an ecosystem Ex] Earthworm Waste, such as dead organisms, fallen leaves, and wastes = detritus Decomposers are those bacteria and fungi that cause decay by breaking down complex molecules • Eat producers • Ex] Giant panda

23. Carnivore vs. Omnivore Carnivore Omnivore Eat both consumers and producers Ex] Pigs • Eat other consumers • Ex] Lions

24. Create your own graphic • Label the types of organisms according to energy flow Producers: make energy-storing molecules Carnivores: consume herbivores Herbivores: consume producers Omnivores: consume producers & herbivores Detritivores: consume producers, herbivores, carnivores, and omnivores

25. Energy Flow • When an organism eats another, energy is transferred • Therefore energy flows from producers to consumers • Group organisms based on energy flow in an ecosystem

26. Food Chains and Food Webs Food Chain Food Web Interrelated pathway of food chains in an ecosystem • A single pathway of feeding relationships in an ecosystem

27. Feeding Relationships • Trophic levels – each step in a food chain or food web • 1st – producers • 2nd – primary consumers • 3rd – secondary consumers • 4th – tertiary consumers

28. Ecological Pyramids • Energy Pyramid – shows the amount of energy available at each trophic level • Only about 10% of the energy is transferred to the next level • Biomass Pyramid – shows the amount of living tissue within each trophic level • Pyramid of numbers – shows the number of organisms at each trophic level

29. Ecological Pyramids

30. Energy Transfer • On average, only 10% of the total energy consumed in one level is incorporated into the next level. • Why so low? • Some escape being eaten • Some die and decompose • Some used for cellular respiration • Some can’t be broken down • Some lost as heat from metabolism

31. Limitations of Trophic Levels • Low rate of energy transfer explains why there are only a few trophic levels in an ecosystem • High trophic levels contain less energy, so they can only support a few individuals

32. What is the organic material in an ecosystem called? Biomass

33. What is an organism called that eats both producers and consumers? Omnivore

34. How much of the total energy is transferred from one trophic level to the next? Approximately 10%