What is ecology?
 Ecology is the study of how organisms interact with
one another and with the environment.
What is an ecosystem?
 An ecosystem is a community of organisms and their non-
living environment.
Biotic: living
things that are
part of the
ecosystem, like
plants and
animals
Abiotic: nonliving parts of
the ecosystem
like soil, water,
and sunlight
Your turn!!
Turn to the person next to you and
tell them one example of a
factor, and one example of an
factor.
What is a Limiting Factor?
 Limiting Factors are…
Biotic and abiotic factors
of the environment that
limit the growth of a
species.
What is a Limiting Factor?
 Populations would continue to increase if
they had all of the resources they require in
unlimited amounts, but there are always
factors that limit their increase.
 Limiting factors control
The picture to the
right shows an
animal living in its
environment.
TALK ABOUT IT!!
With the people at your
table, discuss what factors
in the environment may
What is Carrying Capacity?
 Because of these limiting factors, each ecosystem
has a finite (limited) capacity for growth
connected to its carrying capacity.
What is Carrying Capacity?
 Carrying capacity is the
number of individuals of a
species that an ecosystem
can support.
What are the levels of
organization in an ecosystem?
Organism: one single living thing
(individual)
Population: a group of interbreeding
organisms in the same area
Community: ALL organisms living in
one area
YOU TRY IT!!!
In your notes, fill in the
Ecosystem Pyramid for the
Florida ecosystem that you
live closest to.
Take out a sheet of paper.
 Create an inverted
pyramid that shows
individual through
ecosystem. The pyramid
will be of the savanna in
Africa. (Think Lion
King)
Savannah Challenge
 Write a paragraph explaining what would
happen if a wildfire limited the growth of
grass in the savannah.
 Now turn to your partner and read theirs.
Give them two positive remarks and two
helpful remarks about their paragraph.
 Circulate the papers and read the rest of
the tables
 Grade you own work out of 5pts
Bell work 10-1
 EXPLAIN how predators would be considered a
limiting factor.
 Use each scenario below to explain what would happen
if the predator population increased and what would
happen if it decreased.
Use the savanna
2. Use Ravenwater Pond
1.
Limiting Factors Foldable
 Limiting Factor
 Food
 Predators
 Shelter
 Disease
 Soil
 Water
 Space
Inside Foldable
 How is it a limiting Factor on one tab
 Ravenwater pond example on another
 Limiting Factor tab – book definition
one tab and in your own words on
another.
Bellwork
 Explain how space is a limiting factor and
then give an example using five biotic and
three abiotic factors in Ravenwater pond.
 Grab an Ipad when I call your table
 Log in to canvas
 Modules
 Limiting Factors Web Quest
 Click Grey Bar
 Start
 Write answers on a sheet of paper to be turned in.