Organisms and Their

Environment

Habitat & NicheHabitat & Niche•HabitatHabitat is the is the

place a plant or place a plant or animal livesanimal lives

•NicheNiche is an is an organism’s organism’s total total way of life.way of life.

The Nonliving EnvironmentThe Nonliving Environment

• Abiotic factorsAbiotic factors- the - the nonliving parts of an nonliving parts of an organism’s environment.organism’s environment.

• Examples Examples include air include air currents, temperature, currents, temperature, moisture, light, and soil.moisture, light, and soil.

• Abiotic factors Abiotic factors affect an affect an organism’s life.organism’s life.

The Living EnvironmentThe Living Environment

•Biotic factorsBiotic factors- all the living - all the living organisms that inhabit an organisms that inhabit an environment.environment.

• All All organisms depend on others organisms depend on others directly or indirectlydirectly or indirectly for food, for food, shelter, reproduction, or shelter, reproduction, or protection.protection.

Abiotic or Biotic?Abiotic or Biotic?

BioticBiotic

Abiotic or Biotic?Abiotic or Biotic?

AbioticAbiotic

Abiotic or Biotic?Abiotic or Biotic?

AbioticAbiotic

Abiotic or Biotic?Abiotic or Biotic?

BioticBiotic

Community Interactions

Competition-Organisms of the same or

different species attempt to use an ecological resource in the same place at the same time.

Resources – any necessity of life

Predation- One organism captures & feeds

on another organism- Predator – does the killing- Prey – killed

Symbiosis = “living together”- Two species live close together- 3 main types

1. Mutualism-Both species benefit from the relationship

2. Commensalisms-one organism is helped or benefits-other is neither helped or harmed

3. Parasitism- one organism lives on or inside another organism & harms it