Introduction to Ecology February 20th, 2015

Ecology:

• deals with different levels of organization

Small to Big• Atom• Molecule• Cell• Organism/Species• Populations• Community• Ecosystem• Biomes• Biosphere

Species:

• Individual= one living thing, one organism• Species = a group of similar organisms

that can breed and produce fertile offspring

Populations

• Populations = a group of individuals that belong to the same species and live in the same area

Community

• Communities = an assemblage of different populations that live together in a defined area

Ecosystem• Ecosystem = all the organisms that live in

a place together with their physical environment

Biome = a group of ecosystems that share similar climates and typical organisms

Biomes

Biosphere = all the organisms and physical environments of the entire world

Biosphere

8 Characteristics of Living Things

1) Made of cells

2) Have DNA

3) Maintain homeostasis (stable internal enviro.)

4) Respond to environment

5) Reproduce

6) Grow and develop

7) Obtain and use materials and energy

8) Groups of organisms evolve

Classifying Biotic Factors• studying the relatedness between species is called =

Taxonomy

Classifying Living Things/Biotic Factors

• Most familiar is the frame work created 250 years ago by Carl Linnaeus

• Organisms grouped in a taxon show a high degree of similarity

Domain

Kingdom

Phylum

Class

Order

Family

Genus

SpeciesBinomial nomenclature

Taxonomy Example• Domain: Eukarya• Kingdom:Animalia• Phylum:Chordata• Class:Mammalia• Order:Sirenia• Family:Trichechidae• Genus:Trichechus• Species: manatus

Binomial Nomenclature• Scientific Name

– Trichesus manatus– Trichesus manatus

• Common Name– West Indian Manatee

3 Domains

Classification: The Three Domains

Domain Archaea– Contains 1 kingdom – the Archaebacteria

Domain Bacteria– Has 1 kingdom – the Eubacteria

Domain Eukarya– Includes all kingdoms composed of organisms made up of eukaryotic cells

– Protista – Fungi – Animalia – Plantae

Prokaryotes:-No Nucleus

Eukaryotes:DNA in nucleus

Prokaryotes = “before nucleus”

• 2 Domains, 2 Kingdoms: – Bacteria and Archaea (more closely related to

Eukaryotes)• Simplest and oldest life forms• Cell wall, cell membranes• No membrane bound organelles• DNA not in a nucleus

Eukaryotes = “true nucleus”

• 1 Domains, 4 Kingdoms: – Protista, Fungi, Plantae, Animalia

• Membrane bound organelles• DNA in a nucleus

The 4 Eukaryotic Kingdoms

Protists

• single celled organisms• Some Photosynthetic• Some Heterotrophs

The 4 Eukaryotic Kingdoms

Fungi• Multicellular• Heterotrophs

The 4 Eukaryotic Kingdoms

Plantae:Plants

• Mostly multicellular• Photosynthetic

autotrophs with true vascular tissue

The 4 Eukaryotic Kingdoms

Animalia: Animals!

• Multicellular• Heterotrophs• Most are capable of

movement• Invertebrates vs.

vertebrates

Vocab so far…

• Ecology• Ecosystem• Habitat• Abiotic Factors• Biotic Factors• Environment• Species• Populations

• Communities• Biomes• Biosphere• Taxonomy• Binomial

Nomenclature• Eukaryotes• Prokaryotes