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What is Ecology?What is

Ecology?

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The study of

organisms and their

environment

The study of

organisms and their

environment

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See if you know the difference between the two!

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Abiotic or Biotic?Abiotic or Biotic?Abiotic or Biotic?Abiotic or Biotic?

BioticBiotic

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Abiotic or Biotic?Abiotic or Biotic?Abiotic or Biotic?Abiotic or Biotic?

AbioticAbiotic

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Abiotic or Biotic?Abiotic or Biotic?Abiotic or Biotic?Abiotic or Biotic?

AbioticAbiotic

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Abiotic or Biotic?Abiotic or Biotic?Abiotic or Biotic?Abiotic or Biotic?

BioticBiotic

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Biotic Factors Review Biotic Factors Review

Biotic FactorsBiotic Factors

• Are the living things or their materials that directly or indirectly affect an organism In its environment.

• Some biotic factors include:– Parasitism– disease– predation

• Are the living things or their materials that directly or indirectly affect an organism In its environment.

• Some biotic factors include:– Parasitism– disease– predation

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Biotic Factors Biotic Factors

ProducersOrganisms that make

their own food.Ex- Plants & some

bacteria

ProducersOrganisms that make

their own food.Ex- Plants & some

bacteria

Consumers:Organisms that eat

(consume) other organisms for energy (animals)

Consumers:Organisms that eat

(consume) other organisms for energy (animals)

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Biotic Factors Biotic Factors

• Decomposers: Consumers that eat waste products for energy. Waste products are feces, urine, fallen leaves, dead animals. (Fungi, some bacteria)

• Decomposers: Consumers that eat waste products for energy. Waste products are feces, urine, fallen leaves, dead animals. (Fungi, some bacteria)

ScavengersScavengers

• Organism that eats other dead organisms

• Organism that eats other dead organisms

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Abiotic FactorsAbiotic Factors

• Are those non-living physical and chemical factors which affect the ability of organisms to survive and reproduce

• Includes things such as:– sunlight– temperature– type of soil or rock– water availability

• Are those non-living physical and chemical factors which affect the ability of organisms to survive and reproduce

• Includes things such as:– sunlight– temperature– type of soil or rock– water availability

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Feeding RelationshipsFeeding Relationships

Autotrophs: Organisms that make their own food (plants and some bacteria)

Heterotrophs: Organisms that eat other organisms (they cannot make their own food)

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Feeding Relationships Feeding Relationships

Herbivores: eat plants (cows)

Carnivores: eat meat (wolves)

Omnivores: eat plants and meat (humans)

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Levels of Organization

Levels of Organization

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Review: What are the Simplest Levels?

Review: What are the Simplest Levels?

•Atom•Molecule•Organelle•Cell•Tissue•Organ•Organ System

•Atom•Molecule•Organelle•Cell•Tissue•Organ•Organ System

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Which Level of Ecological Organization?

Take this quiz to see if you can tell the difference between the

two!

Which Level of Ecological Organization?

Take this quiz to see if you can tell the difference between the

two!

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Which Level? Which Level?

• Organism – An Individual with all characteristics of life

• Organism – An Individual with all characteristics of life

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Which Level of Which Level of Organization?Organization?Which Level of Which Level of Organization?Organization?

• Population – Population – groups of organisms of the groups of organisms of the same speciessame species

• Population – Population – groups of organisms of the groups of organisms of the same speciessame species

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Which Level of Which Level of Organization?Organization?Which Level of Which Level of Organization?Organization?

• Biological Community – group Biological Community – group of populations living togetherof populations living together

• Biological Community – group Biological Community – group of populations living togetherof populations living together

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Which Level of Which Level of Organization?Organization?Which Level of Which Level of Organization?Organization?

Ecosystem: Ecosystem: the living and the living and nonliving parts nonliving parts that are that are interacting interacting togethertogether

Ecosystem: Ecosystem: the living and the living and nonliving parts nonliving parts that are that are interacting interacting togethertogether

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Which Level of Which Level of Organization?Organization?Which Level of Which Level of Organization?Organization?

• Biosphere:Biosphere:The earth that supports The earth that supports life.life.

• Biosphere:Biosphere:The earth that supports The earth that supports life.life.

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What level of What level of organization?organization?What level of What level of organization?organization?

OrganismOrganism

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What level of What level of Organization?Organization?What level of What level of Organization?Organization?

CommunityCommunity

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What level of What level of Organization?Organization?What level of What level of Organization?Organization?

PopulationPopulation

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Habitat & NicheHabitat & NicheHabitat & NicheHabitat & Niche•HabitatHabitat is is where where

something livessomething lives •NicheNiche is an is an

organism’s organism’s total total way of life (how way of life (how it eats, it eats, competes with competes with others)others)

•HabitatHabitat is is where where something livessomething lives

•NicheNiche is an is an organism’s organism’s total total way of life (how way of life (how it eats, it eats, competes with competes with others)others)

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FYI- Niche FYI- Niche

• Includes all its interactions with the biotic and abiotic parts of the environment

• Each type of organism occupies its own niche to avoid competition with other types of organisms

• Two species can share the same habitat but not the same niche

• Includes all its interactions with the biotic and abiotic parts of the environment

• Each type of organism occupies its own niche to avoid competition with other types of organisms

• Two species can share the same habitat but not the same niche

• Example: Ants and bacteria both live in the dirt (habitat) but have different niches. Ants eat dead insects and bacteria eat dead leaves, dead logs, and animal waste. So ants and bacteria don’t compete for resources.

• Example: Ants and bacteria both live in the dirt (habitat) but have different niches. Ants eat dead insects and bacteria eat dead leaves, dead logs, and animal waste. So ants and bacteria don’t compete for resources.

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Survival RelationshipsSurvival Relationships

• Predator-prey: predators are consumers that hunt and eat other organisms called prey.

• Predator-prey: predators are consumers that hunt and eat other organisms called prey.

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Survival RelationshipsSurvival Relationships

• Symbiosis: relationship in which one species lives on, in, or near another species and affects its survival.

• 3 Types: – Mutualism – Commensalisms– Parasitism

• Symbiosis: relationship in which one species lives on, in, or near another species and affects its survival.

• 3 Types: – Mutualism – Commensalisms– Parasitism

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MutualismMutualism

• type of symbiosis in which both species benefit.

– Ex. Clownfish living in the sea anemones. It provides protection for the fish, and attracts potential food for the anemones.

• type of symbiosis in which both species benefit.

– Ex. Clownfish living in the sea anemones. It provides protection for the fish, and attracts potential food for the anemones.

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Commensalism Commensalism• type of symbiosis in

which one species benefits and the other species is neither harmed nor benefited

– Example: Spanish moss grows on the branches of trees. The moss gets a habitat and the tree gets nothing.

• type of symbiosis in which one species benefits and the other species is neither harmed nor benefited

– Example: Spanish moss grows on the branches of trees. The moss gets a habitat and the tree gets nothing.

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ParasitismParasitism• one species

benefits and the other species is harmed.

– Parasite: organism that harms but does not usually kill another organism

– Host: organism that is harmed by a parasite

• Ex. Ticks feed on dogs, people, etc. The ticks get food (blood) and the hosts lose blood and can be infected with disease.

• one species benefits and the other species is harmed.

– Parasite: organism that harms but does not usually kill another organism

– Host: organism that is harmed by a parasite

• Ex. Ticks feed on dogs, people, etc. The ticks get food (blood) and the hosts lose blood and can be infected with disease.

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Abiotic Factors- Non-living parts of the environment.

Biotic Factors- All the living parts of the environment

Ecology- Study of interactions between organisms and their environment.

Producer- Uses the sun to make food “autotroph”

Consumer-organisms eat others for energy “heterotrophs”

Decomposer- break down dead organisms and cause decay

5. Biosphere- part of the earth that supports life

4. Ecosystem- living & nonliving parts interact together.

3. Community- group of populations living together.

2. Populations- groups of organisms of the same species.

1. Organism- individual with all characteristics of life.

Scavenger-eats dead organisms

The 5 Levels of Ecological Organization

End of Day One NotesEnd of Day One Notes

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Trophic levels and food chains Trophic levels and food chains

• Trophic level: A feeding level in an ecosystem.

• Trophic level: A feeding level in an ecosystem.

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Eatenby

1st trophic level: producers (make their own food) 2nd trophic

level: primary consumer(eats plants) 3rd trophic

level: secondary consumer (small carnivore)

4th trophic level: tertiary consumer (large carnivore)

Eatenby

Eatenby

Last trophic level: decomposer (eats dead animals)

Bacteria

Eaten by

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Energy PyramidEnergy Pyramid

• Every time an organism eats, it obtains energy from its food.

• So energy is transferred from the 1st trophic level to the 2nd trophic level to the 3rd trophic level and so on.

• Some of this energy is lost along the way during an organism’s metabolism and as heat.

• This energy can be measured in kilocalories (kcal).

• Every time an organism eats, it obtains energy from its food.

• So energy is transferred from the 1st trophic level to the 2nd trophic level to the 3rd trophic level and so on.

• Some of this energy is lost along the way during an organism’s metabolism and as heat.

• This energy can be measured in kilocalories (kcal).

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Energy PyramidEnergy Pyramid

• Picture that shows how much energy is transferred among the different trophic levels in a food chain; energy is lost as you move up the pyramid.

• Food chain: lineup of organisms that shows who eats who.– Shows how matter and energy move through

an ecosystem.

• Picture that shows how much energy is transferred among the different trophic levels in a food chain; energy is lost as you move up the pyramid.

• Food chain: lineup of organisms that shows who eats who.– Shows how matter and energy move through

an ecosystem.

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Food WebsFood Webs

• A food web is a network of connected food chains.

More realistic than a food chain because most organisms feed on more than one species for food.

• A food web is a network of connected food chains.

More realistic than a food chain because most organisms feed on more than one species for food.

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Trophic Level

Energy Available

1st

Producers10,000 kcal/m2/year

2nd Primary consumers

1000 kcal/m2/year

4th Tertiary consumers

10 kcal/m2/year

3rd Secondary consumers

100 kcal/m2/year

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Some energy is lost as heat and the rest is consumed or excreted as waste.

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Practice with Food Chains & Food Webs

Practice with Food Chains & Food Webs

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Identify the food chains inside the food web.

Identify the food chains inside the food web.

End of Day 2 NotesEnd of Day 2 Notes

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Cycles in NatureCycles in Nature

• There is only a limited amount of resources (water, oxygen, nitrogen, carbon) on the earth.

• In order to keep these resources available to organisms, they must be recycled after they are used.

• Cycle: a process that recycles a resource so that you end up with what you started with.

• There is only a limited amount of resources (water, oxygen, nitrogen, carbon) on the earth.

• In order to keep these resources available to organisms, they must be recycled after they are used.

• Cycle: a process that recycles a resource so that you end up with what you started with.

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Nitrogen Cycle Nitrogen Cycle 1. Nitrogen fixation: Bacteria in the ground change nitrogen from the atmosphere (N2) to different nitrogen compounds

2. These bacteria live in plants and transfer the nitrogen compounds to the plants

3. Animals eat the plants and take in the nitrogen compounds

4. Bacteria eat the dead animals and animal waste and take in the nitrogen compounds

5. Denitrification: Bacteria change the nitrogen compounds back to N2 and release it to the atmosphere

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Nitrogen CycleNitrogen Cycle

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Water Cycle Water Cycle

1. Precipitation: Rain and snow fall from the atmosphere to the earth

2. Seepage: Water seeps into the ground and plants use it

3. Transpiration: Plants give off water to the atmosphere

2. Runoff: Extra water runs off the land to lower-lying bodies of water

3. Evaporation of water from the bodies of water back into the atmosphere

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Water Cycle Water Cycle

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Carbon Cycle Carbon Cycle 1. Carbon dioxide (CO2) and oxygen (O2) are found in the atmosphere

2. Animals and plants use the O2 to make energy (respiration)

2. Plants use CO2 to make their own food (photosynthesis)

3. During respiration, animals and plants release CO2 back into the atomosphere

3. During photosynthesis, plants release O2 back into the atomosphere

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Carbon Cycle Carbon Cycle

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PopulationSize

PopulationSize

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PopulationsPopulations

• What is a population?

• What are some factors that can contribute to the size of a population?

• What is a population?

• What are some factors that can contribute to the size of a population?

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Organism Interactions Limit Population Size

Organism Interactions Limit Population Size

Organisms depend on each other for:

So what happens when these factors change?

Organisms depend on each other for:

So what happens when these factors change?

Food

Protection

Reproduction

Shelter

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Organism Interactions Limit Population Size

Organism Interactions Limit Population Size

1. Predation: – What could happen if a predator is

introduced to a population and there are no organisms to eat it?

1. Predation: – What could happen if a predator is

introduced to a population and there are no organisms to eat it?

Unchecked for many years, the snakes caused the extinction of nearly every native bird species on the Pacific island of Guam

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Organism Interactions Limit Population Size

Organism Interactions Limit Population Size

2. Competition - What can happen if resources become

limited?

2. Competition - What can happen if resources become

limited?

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Organism Interactions Limit Population Size

Organism Interactions Limit Population Size

3. Crowding & Stress– As pop. Increase in size and start

straining their resources, they may become stressed. What are some examples of stress symptoms? • Aggression • Decrease in parental care• Decreased fertility• Decreased resistance to disease

3. Crowding & Stress– As pop. Increase in size and start

straining their resources, they may become stressed. What are some examples of stress symptoms? • Aggression • Decrease in parental care• Decreased fertility• Decreased resistance to disease

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How do you determine population size?

How do you determine population size?

• Growth rate—amount that a population’s size changes over time– Birth rate—number of births

occurring during a period of time (ADD)

-- Death rate (or mortality rate)—number of deaths in a period of time (SUBTRACTS)

• Growth rate—amount that a population’s size changes over time– Birth rate—number of births

occurring during a period of time (ADD)

-- Death rate (or mortality rate)—number of deaths in a period of time (SUBTRACTS)

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How do you determine population size?

How do you determine population size?

Birth rate – death rate = growth rate- Positive number means the pop. is growing

- Negative number means the pop. is shrinking

Birth rate – death rate = growth rate- Positive number means the pop. is growing

- Negative number means the pop. is shrinking

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Human population sizeHuman population size

• Other things that affect a population’s numbers:

• Life expectancy—how long on average an individual is expected to live– US men: 72 yrs, US women: 79 yrs

• Immigration—individuals moving into a population (ADDS)

• Emigration—individuals moving out of a population (SUBTRACTS)

• Other things that affect a population’s numbers:

• Life expectancy—how long on average an individual is expected to live– US men: 72 yrs, US women: 79 yrs

• Immigration—individuals moving into a population (ADDS)

• Emigration—individuals moving out of a population (SUBTRACTS)

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What can affect population size?What can affect population size?

• When you figure out the number of individuals living in a certain area, this is called the population density.

• There are two limiting factors (biotic and abiotic) that can affect the pop. density

• Limiting factor—any biotic or abiotic factor that restrains the growth of a population

• When you figure out the number of individuals living in a certain area, this is called the population density.

• There are two limiting factors (biotic and abiotic) that can affect the pop. density

• Limiting factor—any biotic or abiotic factor that restrains the growth of a population

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What are limiting factors?What are limiting factors?

• Density-independent factors—factors that affect the population regardless of the population’s size– Ex: fires, climate

• Density-dependent factors—factors whose effects on the population depend on the population’s size– Ex. food shortages, disease

• Density-independent factors—factors that affect the population regardless of the population’s size– Ex: fires, climate

• Density-dependent factors—factors whose effects on the population depend on the population’s size– Ex. food shortages, disease

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Density- dependent or Density- independent? Take the following

quiz to find out!

Density- dependent or Density- independent? Take the following

quiz to find out!

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• Predation– Density-dependent

• Volcanic eruption– Density-independent

• Chemical pesticides– Density-independent

• Predation– Density-dependent

• Volcanic eruption– Density-independent

• Chemical pesticides– Density-independent

• Parasitism– Density-dependent

• Forest fire– Density-independent

• Migration– Density-dependent

• Parasitism– Density-dependent

• Forest fire– Density-independent

• Migration– Density-dependent

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CommunitiesCommunities

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FYI: How are communities formed?

FYI: How are communities formed?

• Communities are made of several populations living together

• Think back to population size. What are some limiting factors that can affect a community?

• Communities are made of several populations living together

• Think back to population size. What are some limiting factors that can affect a community?

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FYI: Forming CommunitiesFYI: Forming Communities

• What would happen if people stopped cutting the grass in their yards?

1. The grass would get taller & weeds would grow

2. Later, bushes would grow; trees would appear, and different animals would enter the area

3. After 30 years, it would eventually become a forest…BUT WHY?

• What would happen if people stopped cutting the grass in their yards?

1. The grass would get taller & weeds would grow

2. Later, bushes would grow; trees would appear, and different animals would enter the area

3. After 30 years, it would eventually become a forest…BUT WHY?

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Forming CommunitiesForming Communities

Succession—orderly, natural changes and species replacements that take place in the communities of an ecosystem

Succession—orderly, natural changes and species replacements that take place in the communities of an ecosystem

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CommunititesCommunitites

• Primary succession—development of a community in an area that did not previously exist–Ex: new volcanic island, bare rock, sand dune

–Happens slowly

• Primary succession—development of a community in an area that did not previously exist–Ex: new volcanic island, bare rock, sand dune

–Happens slowly

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CommunitiesCommunities

• Pioneer species—usually small, fast growing, and fast reproducing organisms that are first to colonize land after a disturbance

• Example of primary succession: lichens

• Pioneer species—usually small, fast growing, and fast reproducing organisms that are first to colonize land after a disturbance

• Example of primary succession: lichens

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CommunitiesCommunities

• Secondary succession—sequential replacement of species that follows a disruption of an existing community

• Example of secondary succession: grasses, weeds

• Secondary succession—sequential replacement of species that follows a disruption of an existing community

• Example of secondary succession: grasses, weeds

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CommunitiesCommunities

• Climax community—stable end point of a community after succession

takes place

• Climax community—stable end point of a community after succession

takes place

End of Day 3 NotesEnd of Day 3 Notes

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