I. What is Ecology?
Ecology is the study of how living things interact with each other and their environment.
II. Ecological Systems:
1.Organism – A single living thing (e.g., a deer).
2.Population – A group of the same species living together (e.g., a herd of deer).
3.Community – Different species living in the same area (e.g., deer, rabbits, and trees).
4.Ecosystem – All living things (plants, animals) and non-living things (air, water, soil)
in an area.
5.Biosphere – The part of Earth where all life exists.
III. How Energy Flows in an Ecosystem:
● Producers (Plants) – Make their own food using sunlight.
● Consumers (Animals) – Eat other organisms for energy.
● Herbivores – Eat plants (e.g., deer).
● Carnivores – Eat animals (e.g., wolves).
● Omnivores – Eat both plants and animals (e.g., bears).
● Decomposers (Fungi, Bacteria) – Break down dead plants and animals.
IV. Food Chain vs. Food Web:
● Food Chain – A simple way to show energy flow (e.g., grass → rabbit → fox).
● Food Web – Many food chains connected together.
V. Nutrient Cycles:
● Water Cycle – Water moves through evaporation, condensation, precipitation,
and runoff.
● Carbon Cycle – Carbon moves between air, plants, animals, and back into the
air.
● Nitrogen Cycle – Bacteria help turn nitrogen into a form plants can use.
VI. Weather & Climate:
● Weather – Short-term conditions (e.g., rain today).
● Climate – Long-term weather patterns (e.g., deserts are always dry).
VII. Migration:
● Some animals move to different areas based on seasons, food availability, or
breeding needs.
- Examples:
● Birds fly south in the winter.
● Salmon swim upstream to lay eggs.
VIII. Evolution & Adaptation:
● Natural Selection – Organisms with helpful traits survive and pass them to their
offspring.
Adaptations:
● Structural – Physical traits (e.g., thick fur on polar bears).
● Behavioral – Actions (e.g., birds flying south for winter).
● Physiological – Internal changes (e.g., snakes producing venom).