introduction to ecology. Principles of ecologyppt
- 1. Principles of Ecology Chapters 3, 4, 5, & 6
- 2. A. What is Ecology? • Ecology is the study of interactions between organisms and their environment. B. Biotic vs. Abiotic Factors 1. Biosphere – portion of the Earth supporting life 2. Biotic factors a. All organisms inhabiting the environment b. Each organism adapts to its part of the biosphere 3. Abiotic factors a. Nonliving parts of the environment b. Can determine which species will survive examples: rainfall, temperature, light, soil
- 4. C. Levels of Biological Organization 1. Populations a. A group of organisms of the same species living together b. Must compete for resources 2. Community a. Several populations that interact b. Changes in one population will cause changes in the others 3. Ecosystem a. Interactions between populations and their surroundings b. 2 main types: 1. Terrestrial – land 2. Aquatic – fresh or salt water
- 5. Levels of Biological Organization
- 6. D. Niche vs. Habitat 1. Niche • The role an organism plays in the environment (Its “job” in the community) 2. Habitat • Place where an organism lives Cape May Warbler Feeds at the tips of branches near the top of the tree Yellow-Rumped Warbler Feeds in the lower part of the tree and at the bases of the middle branches Spruce tree Bay-Breasted Warbler Feeds in the middle part of the tree Three Species of Warblers and their niches
- 7. E. Types of Feeding Relationships 1. Autotrophs a. Self-feeders, produce their own food b. Example: plants, algae 2. Heterotrophs a. Depend on other organisms for food b. Herbivore – eats only plants c. Carnivore – eats only meat d. Omnivore – eats both
- 8. 3. Decomposers a. Break down and absorb nutrients from dead organisms b. Example: mushrooms, bacteria Remora on a Ray 4. Commensalism a. Relationship in which one species benefits and the other is not affected b. Example: remoras that live on/around a shark’s mouth bacteria
- 9. 5. Mutualism a. Both species benefit b. Example: tickbirds eat parasites off of a rhino 6. Parasitism a. One organism benefits and the other is harmed b. Example: tapeworm living inside a person’s intestine tickbirds oxpeckers
- 10. F. Compare Food Chains and Food Webs 1. Food Chains a. Model showing movement of energy through the ecosystem b. Uses arrows to show “what eats what” Food Web Food Chain Grass Cow Human 2. Food Web a. More complicated than a food chain b. Shows more than one food source for each organism c. More realistic view of energy transfer