Integrated
Science
Ch. 2
Principles
of Ecology
I. Organisms and Their
Environment
A.Ecology:
- the study of interactions
of living organisms with
one another and their
physical environment
B. Biosphere:
- the part
of Earth
that
supports
life
1. Abiotic (nonliving) Factors
- light, temperature, water,
soil, climate, air, fire, etc.
- determines what lives where
- Climatic Zones:
a) Polar
- long, cold winter
- very short, intense summer
b) Temperate
- 4 definite seasons
- long growing season
c) Tropical
- no winter
Low
(Altitude)
High
Effects of Elevation on Temperature
Equatorial
(Latitude)
Polar
Olympic/Cascade Rain Shadow
Average Annual
Precipitation (cm)
150
Altitude (m)
5000
4000
100
3000
2000
50
1000
0
West
East
0
Earth’s Curvature, Tilt Make Seasons
Winter
Short days;
Long nights;
Summer
Long days;
Short nights;
Air Currents and Climatic Regions
Saharan &
Arabian deserts
are @ 30° N
Congo rain
forest is @ 0°
South African
Desert
is @ 30° S
2.Biotic (living) Factors
- producers, consumers, and
decomposers
Primary Secondary Tertiary
Producer Consumer Consumer Consumer Decomposers
C. Levels of Organization
in Ecology
Biosphere
Ecosystem
Community
Population
Earth’s
surface
Snake
Bushes
Water Hawk
Grass
Air
Pronghorns
Hawk
Snake
Pronghorns
Herd of Pronghorns
Soil
1. Population:
- individuals of a species living
in the same area
(can interbreed)
2. Community:
- all populations interacting in
an area (biota)
3. Ecosystem:
- a community of living organisms
and their physical environment
- no definite boundaries
- self-perpetuating
D.Organisms in Ecosystems
1. Habitat:
- where an organism lives
2. Niche:
- an organism’s role in its
ecosystem
- Specialization to niches
reduces competition
3. Symbiosis:
- intimate relationships
between organisms of two
species in which at least one
benefits
a) Mutualism:
- relationship where both
species
benefit
Boxer crab
with
anemones
in claws
Symbiosis:
A Surprising Tale of
Species Cooperation
b) Commensalism:
- relationship in which one
species
benefits
and one
is not
affected
Clownfish in
host Sea
anemone
c) Parasitism:
- relationship in which one species
benefits
and one is
harmed
Parasitic
Isopod on
fish
Which type
of Symbiosis
is this?
Northern
Groundcone
absorbing
food Salal
roots.
Moss growing on Bigleaf Maple.
Lichens
Salt-Marsh Dodder drawing
sap from pickleweed.
Mycorrhizae
Mycorrhizae
Maple without Mycorrhizae
Maple with Mycorrhizae
II. Energy and Nutrients:
- The Web of Life
- Energy flows & Nutrients cycle
A. The Flow of Energy:
1.Sun
- only .1% used by living things
2.Producers (autotrophs)
- plants & algae that
make food
- photosynthetic
3. Primary Consumers
- herbivores (heterotrophs)
- eat producers
- retain ~10% of energy
Ex. (grasshopper, mouse,
moose)
4. Secondary (and Tertiary)
Consumers
- carnivores: spiders, hawk
- retain ~10% of energy
5. Decomposers
- return nutrients in wastes
and remains to soil
- bacteria
and fungi
Land Food Chain
Tertiary
Consumer
Primary
Consumer
Secondary
Consumer
Producer
Producers
Primary
Consumer
Tertiary
Consumer
Aquatic Food Chain
Secondary
Consumer
Energy Pyramid: The 10% Law
B. Ecological Pyramids
- the amount of energy, number
of organisms, and biomass at
each trophic (feeding) level
decreases as you go up the
food chain
C. Biomagnification
- water insoluble toxins and
metals (DDT, mercury, etc.)
accumulate up food chain
- the most in animals high on the
food chain (eagles, falcons,
orcas, pelicans)
Biomagnification
D. Nutrient (Biogeochemical)
Cycles
- organisms require essential
nutrients for growth (CHNOPS)
- nutrients are continually
recycled within an ecosystem
1. Water Cycle
Precipitation
Evaporation
Hydrologic Cycle
2. Carbon-Oxygen Cycles
Photosynthesis
CO2 + H2O
C6H12O6 + O2
Cellular Respiration
___
C6H12O6 + O2
CO2 + H2O
Carbon Cycle
3. Nitrogen Cycle
Nitrogen
Fixation
Soil
78% of
Atmosphere
Free Nitrogen
Denitrification
Producers
Consumers
Decomposers
Nitrogen Cycle
3
4
4
2
3
Simple food
1 web on a
2 short-grass
prairie
2
2
2
3
1
2
3
3
4
2
3
2
Food Web
Numbers
represent
trophic
levels
Energy Flow and
Nutrient Cycles
Nutrients Cycles
Energy From Sun
Energy Flows
Heat Lost at
Each Energy
Transfer
The
End
Energy Flow & Loss
Heat
Secondary
Consumer
Producer
Primary
Consumer
Heat
Food Energy
Detritus
Feeders
Heat
Water vapor
in atmosphere
Evaporation
Evaporation
from land
&
from
ocean
transpiration
from plants Precipitation
Precipitation
over ocean
over land
Water in
ocean
Surface
(reservoir)
runoff
Groundwater
seepage
Water
Cycle
Reservoirs
Processes/
Locations
The Carbon Cycle
CO2 in
atmosphere
(reservoir)
Burning of
CO2 dissolvedfossil fuels
Fire
in ocean
Respitation
(reservoir)
Consumers
Wastes,
bodies
SoilDead
bacteria
&
detritus feeders
Producers
Reservoirs
Processes/
Locations
Trophic
Levels/
Organisms
The Nitrogen Cycle
Reservoirs
Nitrogen
Nitrogen in
in
Atmosphere
Atmosphere
Reservoir
Reservoir
Electrical storms
produce nitrate
Processes/
Locations
Consumers
Producers
Trophic
Levels/
Wastes,
Organisms
Dead bodies
Uptake
Dentitrifying
Nitrogen-fixing
by Soil bacteria and
bacteria
bacteria in
plants detritus feeders
legume roots
Ammonia and soil
& nitrate
Phosphorus Cycle
Primary Productivity: Photosynthesis
Energy
O2
Life uses <
from released
sunlight to air
.03% of the
sun's
CO2
Sugar
Growth
incident
absorbedPhotosynthesis
synthesized
from air
energy
Most is lost as
heat from
respiration
H2O
Minerals
absorbed absorbed
from soil from soil