ecology good.ppt
- 1. Ecology
- 2. WHAT IS ECOLOGY? Ecology- the scientific study of interactions between organisms and their environments, focusing on energy transfer Ecology is a science of relationships
- 3. WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY ENVIRONMENT? The environment is made up of two factors: • Biotic factors- all living organisms inhabiting the Earth • Abiotic factors- nonliving parts of the environment (i.e. temperature, soil, light, moisture, air currents)
- 5. Organism - any unicellular or multicellular form exhibiting all of the characteristics of life, an individual. •The lowest level of organization
- 6. POPULATION a group of organisms of one species living in the same place at the same time that interbreed Produce fertile offspring Compete with each other for resources (food, mates, shelter, etc.)
- 7. Community - several interacting populations that inhabit a common environment and are interdependent.
- 8. Ecosystem - populations in a community and the abiotic factors with which they interact (ex. marine, terrestrial)
- 9. Biosphere - life supporting portions of Earth composed of air, land, fresh water, and salt water. •The highest level of organization
- 10. Habitat vs. Niche Niche - the role a species plays in a community; its total way of life Habitat- the place in which an organism lives out its life
- 11. Habitat vs. Niche A niche is determined by the tolerance limitations of an organism, or a limiting factor. Limiting factor- any biotic or abiotic factor that restricts the existence of organisms in a specific environment.
- 12. Examples of limiting factors - •Amount of water •Amount of food •Temperature •Amount of space •Availability of mates Habitat vs. Niche
- 13. Feeding Relationships • There are 3 main types of feeding relationships 1. Producer - Consumer 2. Predator - Prey 3. Parasite - Host
- 14. Feeding Relationships Producer- all autotrophs (plants), they trap energy from the sun • Bottom of the food chain
- 15. Feeding Relationships Consumer- all heterotrophs: they ingest food containing the sun’s energy Herbivores Carnivores Omnivores Decomposers
- 16. Feeding Relationships CONSUMERS 1. Primary consumers • Eat plants • Herbivores • Secondary, tertiary … consumers • Prey animals • Carnivores
- 17. Feeding Relationships Consumer-Carnivores-eat meat • Predators – Hunt prey animals for food.
- 18. Feeding Relationships Consumer- Carnivores- eat meat • Scavengers – Feed on carrion, dead animals
- 19. Feeding Relationships Consumer- Omnivores -eat both plants and animals
- 20. Feeding Relationships Consumer- Decomposers • Breakdown the complex compounds of dead and decaying plants and animals into simpler molecules that can be absorbed
- 21. Symbiotic Relationships Symbiosis- two species living together 3 Types of symbiosis: 1. Commensalism 2. Parasitism 3. Mutualism
- 22. Symbiotic Relationships Commensalism- one species benefits and the other is neither harmed nor helped Ex. orchids on a tree Epiphytes: A plant, such as a tropical orchid or a bromeliad, that grows on another plant upon which it depends for mechanical support but not for nutrients. Also called xerophyte, air plant.
- 23. Symbiotic Relationships Commensalism- one species benefits and the other is neither harmed nor helped Ex. polar bears and cyanobacteria
- 24. Symbiotic Relationships Parasitism- one species benefits (parasite) and the other is harmed (host) • Parasite-Host relationship
- 25. Symbiotic Relationships Parasitism- parasite-host Ex. lampreys, leeches, fleas, ticks, tapeworm
- 26. Symbiotic Relationships Mutualism- beneficial to both species Ex. cleaning birds and cleaner shrimp
- 27. Symbiotic Relationships Mutualism- beneficial to both species Ex. lichen
- 29. Type of relationship Species harmed Species benefits Species neutral Commensalism Parasitism Mutualism = 1 species
- 30. Trophic Levels • Each link in a food chain is known as a trophic level. • Trophic levels represent a feeding step in the transfer of energy and matter in an ecosystem.
- 31. Trophic Levels Biomass- the amount of organic matter comprising a group of organisms in a habitat. • As you move up a food chain, both available energy and biomass decrease. • Energy is transferred upwards but is diminished with each transfer.
- 32. Trophic Levels Producers- Autotrophs Primary consumers- Herbivores Secondary consumers- small carnivores Tertiary consumers- top carnivores E N E R G Y
- 35. Trophic Levels Food chain- simple model that shows how matter and energy move through an ecosystem
- 37. Trophic Levels Food web- shows all possible feeding relationships in a community at each trophic level • Represents a network of interconnected food chains
- 38. Food chain Food web (just 1 path of energy) (all possible energy paths)
- 43. Nutrient Cycles Cycling maintains homeostasis (balance) in the environment. •3 cycles to investigate: 1. Water cycle 2. Carbon cycle 3. Nitrogen cycle
- 44. Water cycle- •Evaporation, transpiration, condensation, precipitation
- 45. Water cycle-
- 46. Carbon cycle- •Photosynthesis and respiration cycle carbon and oxygen through the environment.
- 47. Carbon cycle-
- 48. Nitrogen cycle- Atmospheric nitrogen (N2) makes up nearly 78%-80% of air. Organisms can not use it in that form. Lightning and bacteria convert nitrogen into usable forms.
- 49. Nitrogen cycle- Only in certain bacteria and industrial technologies can fix nitrogen. Nitrogen fixation-convert atmospheric nitrogen (N2) into ammonium (NH4 +) which can be used to make organic compounds like amino acids. N2 NH4 +
- 50. Nitrogen cycle- Nitrogen-fixing bacteria: Some live in a symbiotic relationship with plants of the legume family (e.g., soybeans, clover, peanuts).
- 51. Nitrogen cycle- •Some nitrogen-fixing bacteria live free in the soil. •Nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria are essential to maintaining the fertility of semi-aquatic environments like rice paddies.
- 53. Atmospheric nitrogen Lightning Nitrogen fixing bacteria Ammonium Nitrification by bacteria Nitrites Nitrates Denitrification by bacteria Plants Animals Decomposers Nitrogen Cycle
- 54. Toxins in food chains- While energy decreases as it moves up the food chain, toxins increase in potency. •This is called biological magnification Ex: DDT & Bald Eagles