1

Unit 1: Ecology

What you need to Know:

1. EBR.8.B.1: Examples of biotic and abiotic factors2. EBR.8.B.2: Compare and contrast the characteristics of biomes3. EBR.8.B.3: Diagram the carbon, nitrogen, phosphate, and water cycles in an ecosystem4. EBR.8.B.4: Analyze an ecosystem’s energy flow through food chains, food webs, and energy pyramids5. EBR.8.B.5: Identify and predict the factors that control population, including:

a. Predationb. Competitionc. Crowdingd. Watere. Nutrientsf. Shelter

6. EBR.8.B.6: Identify ways individuals interact with each other in a community, including:a. Commensalismb. Mutualismc. Parasitism

7. EBR.8.B.7: Compare and contrast primary succession and secondary succession8. EBR.8.B.8: Identify properties of each of the levels of ecology:

a. Organismb. Populationc. Communityd. Ecosysteme. Biomef. Biosphere

9. EBR.9.B.1—Analyze the effects of human population growth and technology on the environment/biosphere.10. EBR.9.B.2—Evaluate long range plans concerning resource use and by-product disposal in terms of their

environmental, economic, and political impact.11. EBR.9.B.3—Assess current world issues applying scientific themes (global climate change, epidemics,

pandemics, ozone depletion, UV radiation, natural resources, use of technology, and public policy)

Vocabulary to Know:

1. Autotroph - An organism that uses energy to make food molecules from nonliving substances2. Heterotroph - An organism that gets food molecules by eating organisms or their by-products3. Trophic level - Position an organism occupies in a food chain or food web. Primary producer, primary consumer,

secondary consumer, tertiary consumer4. Producer - Organisms that can make their own food5. Consumer - Organisms that must eat other organisms to gain energy6. Decomposer – Organisms that break down dead and decaying matter into simpler molecules7. Food chain – Simple one-way energy path model of an ecosystem that shows where energy goes8. Food web – Complex network of feeding relationships within an ecosystem that shows energy flow.9. Biotic factor - A living component of an ecosystem10. Abiotic factor - Any nonliving component of an ecosystem (e.g., sunlight, air, water, soil)11. Habitat - An area where an organism lives (Address)

2

12. Niche - Role organism plays in its habitat (who does it eat, where does it sleep, etc.) (Job)13. Biogeochemical cycle - A pathway by which a chemical element or molecule recycles through both biotic and

abiotic compartments of Earth14. Nitrogen fixation - Process by which nitrogen in the atmosphere is converted by bacteria into a usable form for

plants15. Limiting nutrient - A nutrient that controls a process, such as organism growth or species population, size, or

distribution (limits how big a population can become)16. Parasitism – Relationship between two organisms where one benefits and the other is harmed17. Mutualism – Relationship between two organisms where both benefit18. Commensalism – Relationship between two organisms where one benefits and the other is not affected19. Primary succession – Succession that occurs in a newly formed habitat that has never before sustained life. No

soil present. Results from retreating glaciers, volcanoes20. Secondary succession - The rebuilding of an ecosystem that was disrupted or destroyed due to natural disasters

or human impact.21. Pioneer species –First species to populate an area during primary succession (ex. Lichen)22. Biome - A geographic area characterized by climate (temperature and precipitation) and can be identified by

specific plants and animals23. Renewable resource - A natural resource that is replaced by natural processes and replenished

with the passage of time24. Nonrenewable resource – limited resource that cannot be easily replaced, such as fossil fuels or

precious metals.25. Sustainability – Using resources in a way that guarantees they will be there in the future26. Biodiversity- The wide variety and number of earth organisms based on genetic and

environmental factors27. Endangered species – A population of organisms at risk for becoming extinct.28. Extinction – No longer existing or living29. Invasive species – non-native organism that affects the environment negatively.30. Conservation – Preservation and restoration of natural resources, organisms, and habitats31. Ozone layer- A layer that absorbs harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation before it reaches the Earth’s

surface.32. Global climate change – A change or shift in the world’s climate accelerated by human activities. 33. CFCs – Chlorofluorocarbon. Formerly used as a refrigerant and as a propellant in aerosol cans;

"the chlorine in CFCs causes depletion of atmospheric ozone"34. Greenhouse effect - Atmospheric effect where solar radiation is trapped near the Earth’s surface

by carbon dioxide, water vapor, and methane.

3

Date

4

Daily Goal

Bell Ringer Question and/or Answer

Date

Daily Goal

Bell Ringer Question and/or Answer

Date

Daily Goal

Bell Ringer Question and/or Answer

Date

Daily Goal

Bell Ringer Question and/or Answer

Date

Daily Goal

Bell Ringer Question and/or Answer

5

Date

Daily Goal

Bell Ringer Question and/or Answer

Date

Daily Goal

Bell Ringer Question and/or Answer

Date

Daily Goal

Bell Ringer Question and/or Answer

Date

Daily Goal

Bell Ringer Question and/or Answer

Ecology Unit Notes

1. EBR.8.B.1: Examples of biotic and abiotic factors

6

What is a biotic factor?

What is an abiotic factor?

2. EBR.8.B.2—Compare and contrast the characteristics of biomes.

Biotic or Abiotic?

____ Whale ____ Soil____ Water ____ Fish ____ Air

____ Rabbit ____ Sunlight ____ Lichen ____ Plants____ Clouds

7

3. EBR.8.B.3: Diagram the carbon, nitrogen, phosphate, and water cycles in an ecosystem Carbon Cycle

Color Code the arrows: = Carbon entering atmosphere = carbon leaving atmosphere

8

Phosphate Cycle

Water Cycle

Notes:

Notes:

9

Nitrogen Cycle

4. EBR.8.B.4: Analyze an ecosystem’s energy flow through food chains, food webs, and energy pyramids

__________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

Notes:

10

Food Webs:

Food webs show complexity more accurately.

Arrows depict ______________________________.

Notes:

11

In the food web on the previous page:

1. Identify which organisms are producers. ______________________________________________________2. Identify the consumers using these letters:

C—Carnivore O—Omnivore H—Herbivore

3. What would happen to the limpet population if the mussels were to die out due to disease?

4. How would the zooplankton be affected if the fish population were to increase?

5. How would the whelk population be affected if crabs were removed?

5. EBR.8.B.5: Identify and predict the factors that control population, including: Predation, Competition, Crowding, Water, Nutrients, Shelter

Limiting Factors (Nutrients) and Carrying Capacity

A ______________________________ is anything that limits how much a population can grow.

Examples: __________________________________________

____________________________________ is the maximum number of individuals an ________________________ can support indefinitely.

12

Habitat vs. Niche__________________ is just WHERE an organism lives. A habitat can be considered an organism’s _________________.

__________________ is the ROLE an organism plays in its habitat. A niche can be considered an organism’s ________.

Identify the following as the organism’s habitat or niche.

Organism Scenario Habitat or Niche?

Polar bearLives in the arctic

Hunts for seals through the ice

SquirrelBuries nuts underground to save for winter

Lives in a forest

Oak TreeFlowers in the spring

Located in Arkansas

BowerbirdsLives in the rainforest

Builds an elaborate nest of sticks and decorates it with bright objects to attract a mate

Organism Interactions

CompetitionPredation

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

13

6. EBR.8.B.6: Identify ways individuals interact with each other in a community, including: Commensalism, Mutualism, Parasitism

____________________________________

_______ /________

Example:

Parasitism

___________________________________

_______ /________

Example:

Commensalism

____________________________________

_______ /________

Example:

Mutualism

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Symbiosis

14

7. EBR.8.B.7: Compare and contrast primary succession and secondary succession

Succession: Primary Succession Secondary Succession

Examples: Examples:

8. EBR.8.B.8: Identify properties of each of the levels of ecology: Organism, Population, Community, Ecosystem, Biome, BiosphereLevel of Organization

Definition

Organism

All organisms of the same species

All living organisms in an area

Biome

15

Label and draw an illustration of each level of ecology from smallest to largest.

*For the following frameworks, use the articles in your other packet and the internet to take notes on the important information.

9. EBR.9.B.1—Analyze the effects of human population growth and technology on the environment/biosphere.

16

Human Population GrowthPossible Causes (what do you think?) Possible Consequences

10. EBR.9.B.2—Evaluate long range plans concerning resource use and by-product disposal in terms of their environmental, economic, and political impact.

Renewable Resources: Non-Renewable Resources:

Examples: Examples:

Pros: Pros:

17

Cons: Cons:

Ways to reduce use:

Companies and political policy makers must consider many things when making policies:

Economic benefit vs. Ecological benefit:Economic benefits are monetary benefits of something

Ecological benefits are benefits to the environmentCompanies and policy makers must compare the two when making decisions

Sustainability:

Conservation:

11. EBR.9.B.3—Assess current world issues applying scientific themes (global climate change, epidemics, pandemics, ozone depletion, UV radiation, natural resources, use of technology, and public policy)

Greenhouse Effect:

Greenhouse Gases:

18

Ozone Depletion:

Climate Change:

Other contributors to climate change:

Effects of Climate Change:

Ways to prevent climate change:

Test Review*This is not comprehensive…you still need to study your notes for quizzes and tests.

*Each question is aligned to a specific framework.

1. (1) What is the difference between an abiotic factor and a biotic factor?

2. (1) List 2 examples of an abiotic factor.

3. (1) List 2 examples of a biotic factor.

4. (2) Label the following graph with the appropriate biome: tropical rainforest, temperate/deciduous forest, grassland/savanna, desert, taiga, tundra

19

5. (2) List two characteristics for each of the biomes listed in #4.

6. (2) List the list the following biomes in order from most biodiversity to least biodiversity: grassland, rainforest, tundra, taiga

7. (3) List a characteristic of the phosphorous cycle that is not found in the other biogeochemical cycles.

8. (3) List characteristic of the nitrogen cycle that is not found in the other biogeochemical cycles.

9. (3) List 2 ways carbon is released into the atmosphere.

Use the food web to the left to answer the following questions.

10. (4) If

20

the scorpion population increases, what will happen to the insect population? _______________

11. (4) Which organism is the most important in the food web below: cacti or snake? ___________________

12. (4) Label the trophic levels of each of the organisms on the food web (you may abbreviate).

13. (4) What % of energy moves from one trophic level to the next? _____

14. (4) If the producers’ mass is 60g, what mass is the secondary consumers? ___________

15. (5) List 3 things that might cause a wolf population to suddenly decrease.

16. (5) Draw a graph that shows a population reaching carrying capacity.

17. (5) What would happen to a population if it were introduced to an area where they had no natural predators?

18. (6) A bee gets food from a flower to take back to the hive while helping the flower to pollinate and reproduce. This is an example of what kind of symbiosis?

19. (6) A tapeworm lives inside an animal’s intestines, taking nutrition from the animal while the animal becomes malnourished. This is an example of what kind of symbiosis?

20. (6) What is commensalism?

21. (6) Fill in the following chart with whether the organism is helped, harmed, or neither

Type of Symbiosis Organism 1 Organism 2ParasitismCommensalismMutualism

22. (7) What do primary and secondary succession have in common?

23. (7) List 3 differences between primary and secondary succession.

24. (7) Put the following pictures in the correct order:

21

25. (7) What kind of succession is the completed picture above? How do you know?

Identify the levels of organization for #26-#30.26. (8) ____________________ a researcher observes how hawks effect the mice population in an area

27. (8) ____________________ a fish in his fish tank

28. (8) ____________________ how levels of carbon dioxide in the air effect plant growth

29. (8) ____________________ how climate patterns all over the world effect the global wildlife

30. (8) ____________________ squirrels of the Ozark Mountains

31. (9) Why would it be important for people to not litter or take anything from a natural wildlife area?

32. (9) List two threats to biodiversity.

33. (9) List 3 effects of human population growth on the environment.

34. (10) List 3 ways to decrease our use of nonrenewable resources (fossil fuels).

35. (10) What is the difference between renewable and nonrenewable resources?

36. (10) Give an example of a situation in which the economic benefit needs to be compared to the ecological benefit.

E.D.C.B.A.

22

37. (11) What is the ozone layer and what does it do?

38. (11) How does the greenhouse effect work?

39. (11) How are humans contributing to climate change?