What is Ecology?
The Biosphere: 3-1
1. Interactions and Interdependence
A. Ecology – the scientific study of
interaction among organisms and
between organisms and
environment, or surroundings.
i. Biotic factors - Living organisms in
a habitat.
a. Ex: animals, plants
ii. Abiotic factors - physical (nonliving) aspects of a habitat.
b. Ex: air, wind, water
Finding Nemo Clip!
B. The Biosphere
i. contains life, including land, water,
air or atmosphere.
ii. Interdependence among
organisms.
Bee and Flower
Sea Anemone and Fish
2. Levels of Organization
A. Information at each level helps our
understanding of natural systems
i.
Species – group of organisms so
similar to one another that they can
breed and produce fertile offspring.
Biosphere
Biome
Ecosystem
Community
Population
Individual
Energy Flow
The Biosphere: 3-2
1. Producers
a. Sunlight is the main source for life
on Earth.
b. Some rely on energy stored in
inorganic chemical compound.
i. EX: Mineral water
c. Autotrophs - capture energy or
sunlight to produce food.
A. PHOTOSYNTHESIS
Best Known Autotrophs
- Plants (land)
- Algae (water)
* Know FORMULA
B. LIFE WITHOUT LIGHT
1. Consumers
a. Organisms that rely on producers
for their energy.
i. Heterotrophic
5. Feeding Relationships
a. Food Chains – the energy stored
by producers can be passed
through an ecosystem through a
series of steps where organisms
transfer energy.
b. Food Web
i. Made up of many
interactions,
many food chains
tied together.
Many types of consumers
Herbivores eat plants.
Carnivores eat animals.
Omnivores eat both plants and
animals.
Detritivores feed on plant and
animal remains and other dead
matter.
Decomposers, like bacteria and
fungi, break down organic matter.
1. Energy Flow
a. Energy transfers through an
ecosystem in one direction, from
the sun or inorganic compounds
to autotrophs (producers) and
then to various heterotrophs
(consumers).
b. Trophic Levels
i. Each step in a food chain or food
web is called a trophic level.
ii. Producers make up the first
trophic level.
iii. Consumers make up the second,
third, or higher trophic levels.
iv. Each consumer depends on the
trophic level below it for energy.
c. Energy Pyramid
i. Energy present at
each level
ii. Only about 10
percent of the
energy is transferred
to organisms at the
next trophic level.
iii. Energy is used and
lost as heat!
d. Biomass Pyramid