Ecology Notes
Materials taken from: http://www.regentsprep.org/Regents/biology/biology.cfm
Living VS. Non-Living
Complex organisms, such as humans, require many systems for their life
processes. Less complex living things may lack the complex systems of
more complex organisms, but they still carry on the basic life activities.
While non-living things may carry on some of these life processes, they do
not carry on all of them, or these activities do not interact in a manner
allowing the non-living thing to reproduce itself.
The components of living things in humans and other organisms, from
organ systems to cell organelles, interact to maintain a balanced internal
environment. This balanced internal environment is called dynamic
equilibrium or homeostasis. To successfully accomplish this, organisms
possess many control mechanisms that detect internal changes and
correct them to restore the internal balance of the organism. If an
organism fails to maintain homeostasis, this may result in disease or
death. Non-living things possess few control mechanisms to maintain
homeostasis.
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Living VS. Non-Living
•
Living things carry out almost all the life processes or activities. These
life processes include digestion, respiration, circulation, excretion,
locomotion, immunity, coordination, and synthesis. Non-living things
are incapable of carrying out at least one or more of the life processes.
The sum of the energy used in all the life processes represents the
metabolism of the organism.
•
Homeostasis: The ability to carry on the life processes allow a living
thing to maintain dynamic equilibrium or homeostasis with their
surroundings. Homeostasis is a state of balance or steady state
between a living thing and its environment. Homeostasis in an
organism is constantly threatened. Failure to respond effectively to a
failure of homeostasis can result in disease or death.
Diversity
•
Population Diversity
•
The greater the diversity, or number of different species of organisms in an
ecosystem, the ecosystem is more stable and likely to last. These ecosystems
contain many different kinds of organisms carrying on a variety of different
nutritional modes. Organisms can be categorized by the function they serve in
an ecosystem. Each species in an ecosystem has a role for which it is best
suited. In general, no two species have the same role in an ecosystem. This
allows different species to coexist successfully and helps maintain the stability of
the ecosystem. Ecosystems are stable due to the interactions among the many
different populations. These interactions contribute to the overall maintenance
and continued existence of the ecosystem.
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Pond Ecosystem
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Stable Ecosystems
• In order for an ecosystem to sustain life
certain conditions must be meet.
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Stability of Ecosystems…
• The greater the number of different
populations that interact within an
ecosystem, the more stable and selfsustaining the ecosystem becomes.
The number of different population
within an ecosystem is something
referred to as biodiversity. Theses
interactions contribute to the overall
eminence of the ecosystem.
Niche
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