EcologyEcology

Georgia High School Graduation Test: Georgia High School Graduation Test: Science ReviewScience Review

IntroductionIntroduction

From the key vocabulary, circle From the key vocabulary, circle the words that you can already the words that you can already define or use in a sentence.define or use in a sentence.

Write down two or three things Write down two or three things that you think are important for that you think are important for you to know today.you to know today.

BiomesBiomes

BiomeBiome = a large area = a large area characterized by a certain characterized by a certain climate and types of plants climate and types of plants and animalsand animals

6 major biomes on Earth6 major biomes on Earth

Biome CharacteristicsBiome CharacteristicsNameName CharacteristicsCharacteristics

TundraTundra permanently frozen subsoilpermanently frozen subsoil

TaigaTaigalong severe winters; long severe winters;

summers with thawing subsoilsummers with thawing subsoil

Temperate ForestTemperate Forest moderate precipitation; cold winters; moderate precipitation; cold winters; warm summerswarm summers

Tropical ForestTropical Forest heavy rainfall; constant warmthheavy rainfall; constant warmth

GrasslandGrassland variability in rainfall and temperature; variability in rainfall and temperature; strong windsstrong winds

DesertDesert sparse rainfall; extreme daily sparse rainfall; extreme daily temperature fluctuationstemperature fluctuations

Biomes of the EarthBiomes of the Earth

Ecosystem VocabularyEcosystem Vocabulary

EcosystemEcosystem = a part of the environment = a part of the environment with its organisms, their interactions, and with its organisms, their interactions, and the physical and chemical factors that the physical and chemical factors that affect themaffect them

CommunityCommunity = populations of different = populations of different species that interact in an ecosystemspecies that interact in an ecosystem

PopulationPopulation = all the individuals of the = all the individuals of the same species living in a communitysame species living in a community

Members of an Members of an EcosystemEcosystem ProducersProducers = organisms that can = organisms that can

make their own food; autotrophs; make their own food; autotrophs; examples: bacteria, protists, examples: bacteria, protists, plantsplants

ConsumersConsumers = organisms that eat = organisms that eat other organisms to get energy; other organisms to get energy; heterotrophs; examples: fungi and heterotrophs; examples: fungi and animalsanimals

Consumer ClassificationConsumer Classification HerbivoreHerbivore = primary consumer who only eats = primary consumer who only eats

plants; example: cowplants; example: cow CarnivoreCarnivore = secondary consumer who only eats = secondary consumer who only eats

other animals; examples: shark and tigerother animals; examples: shark and tiger OmnivoreOmnivore = consumer that eats both plants and = consumer that eats both plants and

animals; example: most humansanimals; example: most humans ScavengersScavengers = animals that find dead plants or = animals that find dead plants or

animals and eat them; examples: flies, wasps, animals and eat them; examples: flies, wasps, cockroaches, earthwormscockroaches, earthworms

DecomposersDecomposers = break down dead organisms to = break down dead organisms to receive energy; examples: fungi and bacteriareceive energy; examples: fungi and bacteria

Predator versus PreyPredator versus Prey All animals must eat to survive. Animals can All animals must eat to survive. Animals can

be either predators or prey.be either predators or prey. Predators hunt prey.Predators hunt prey. With predators always on the lookout for a With predators always on the lookout for a

meal, prey must constantly avoid being meal, prey must constantly avoid being eaten. eaten.

Any adaptation the prey uses adds to the Any adaptation the prey uses adds to the chances of survival for the species.chances of survival for the species.

Some adaptations are defense mechanisms Some adaptations are defense mechanisms which can give the prey an advantage which can give the prey an advantage against enemies. against enemies.

Survival Defense Survival Defense MechanismsMechanisms speed speed

You can’t eat what you can’t catch!You can’t eat what you can’t catch! physical or chemical featuresphysical or chemical features

physical examples: quills on a porcupine or physical examples: quills on a porcupine or hard shell of a turtlehard shell of a turtle

chemical examples: stink of a skunk; poisons chemical examples: stink of a skunk; poisons of a dart frogof a dart frog

camouflage camouflage allows the animal to blend in with its allows the animal to blend in with its

environment to avoid being detectedenvironment to avoid being detected used by both predators and preyused by both predators and prey

Parasite versus HostParasite versus Host

A parasite is an animal or plant that A parasite is an animal or plant that lives in or on a host (another animal lives in or on a host (another animal or plant)or plant)

Parasites obtain nourishment from Parasites obtain nourishment from the host without benefiting or killing the host without benefiting or killing the hostthe host

Examples: canine heartworms, Examples: canine heartworms, malaria, hookworms, pinworms, malaria, hookworms, pinworms, tapewormtapeworm

Food ChainFood Chain a diagram that shows a diagram that shows

the way energy is the way energy is transferred from one transferred from one organism to anotherorganism to another

each step in a food each step in a food chain is called a chain is called a trophic leveltrophic level

begins with begins with producers and ends producers and ends with decomposerswith decomposers

Food Food WebWeb complex, complex,

interconnectinterconnecting food ing food chains in a chains in a communitycommunity

more more accurate accurate than food than food chainchain

Pyramids of Pyramids of Biomass/EnergyBiomass/Energy

Sample QuestionSample Question

Read and complete the Read and complete the sample question on page 10. sample question on page 10. We will discuss the answers We will discuss the answers as a class.as a class.

DiscussionDiscussion

An ecosystem is like the community An ecosystem is like the community that you live in. What are important that you live in. What are important factors in your community? How is factors in your community? How is waste handled? Who are the waste handled? Who are the consumers and producers in your consumers and producers in your community? Are there any parasites community? Are there any parasites within your community?within your community?

Lesson SummarizedLesson Summarized

Write a sentence that explains the Write a sentence that explains the flow of energy in an ecosystem.flow of energy in an ecosystem.

Draw a graphic organizer that Draw a graphic organizer that shows the relationships between shows the relationships between the various groups in a the various groups in a ecosystem.ecosystem.

Figure ReferenceFigure Reference Biome figure: retrieved from Biome figure: retrieved from

http://www.science-house.org/workshops/buncombe/Mazzei/veg_http://www.science-house.org/workshops/buncombe/Mazzei/veg_map_small.gifmap_small.gif

Food Chain figure: retrieved from Food Chain figure: retrieved from http://www.smartdraw.com/examples/presentation-edu/images/fohttp://www.smartdraw.com/examples/presentation-edu/images/food_chain_presentation.gifod_chain_presentation.gif

Food Web figure: retrieved from Food Web figure: retrieved from http://www.stoller-eser.com/trial/colorbook/foodweb.gifhttp://www.stoller-eser.com/trial/colorbook/foodweb.gif

Pyramids of Biomass/Energy with animals figure: source Pyramids of Biomass/Energy with animals figure: source unknown unknown

Pyramids of Biomass/Energy without animals figure: retrieved Pyramids of Biomass/Energy without animals figure: retrieved from from http://www.abheritage.ca/abnature/Ecosystems/diagrams/pyramidhttp://www.abheritage.ca/abnature/Ecosystems/diagrams/pyramid.gif.gif