SBI4U RHSA
Population Dynamics Introduction – V3
Ecology is the study of the abundance of plants, animals, bacteria, fungus and
other organisms as well as their distribution and environmental interactions with
each other.
The environment consists of all the biotic and abiotic components that surround
an organism.
Biotic or living parts of the environment include plants, animals and other
organisms. Abiotic or non living parts include physical and chemical parts of
the environment such as temperature, light, water, nutrients and concrete.
Ecologists focus their research on one of four categories:
1. Organism - individuals of a species. ex fish
2. Population –a group of individuals of the same species living in the same
geographical area. ex a school of fish
3. Community -all the organisms in all the interacting populations in a given
area. ex all the fish, plants, algae, coral in a reef
4. Ecosystem - a community of living organisms together and the abiotic
factors that surround and affect it. ex wind, water, sunlight around the reef
community
Biomes are
generalized
ecosystems
with specific
climate and the
species
evolved to
succeed there.
Example: a
desert biome
with cacti
From: https://buffonescience9.wikispaces.com/UNIT+6+-+Ecology+
SBI4U RHSA
A habitat is a specific set of biotic and abiotic characteristics in which
individuals of a species can thrive.
This is different than an ecological niche which is the task an organism plays in
the habitat. For example a beaver lives in a boreal forest habitat but it’s niche is
to be a consumer of trees and to modify the habitat to convert rivers to ponds for
other organisms.
Succession
Change is a major factor in ecology. Populations change due to predation,
competition for food or rainfall changes. The change in a population of grass
will affect the population of sparrows in the community.
Ecological succession is the process of successive change in species
composition.
Two Types of Succession
1. Primary Succession occurs where no living species were previously found.
Ex. new island. The first species to arrive are pioneer species like lichen which
form soil from rock.
2. Secondary succession occurs when patches of a community are disturbed
by fire, flood or logging. Colonizers are the species that thrive in open
disturbed areas and their growth gives shade for other species.
A stable self perpetuating community is called a climax community.
Read p 430-436 MHR
Do p 439 # 2-4, 6 (see last slide on PowerPoint), 7, 15, 16
Define the 3 terms on the unit outline that were not part of this lecture note!
SBI4U RHSA
Population Dynamics Introduction – V3
Ecology is the study of the abundance of plants, animals, bacteria, fungus and other
organisms as well as their ________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
The environment consists of ________________________________________________
that surround an organism.
Biotic or living parts of the environment include _________________________________
_________________________________________ . Abiotic or non-living parts include
____________________________________ parts of the environment such as _______
_________________________________ .
Ecologists focus their research on one of four categories:
1. Individual Organisms
-
e.g. fish
2. Population
- a group of individuals of the
_______________________
living in the same
______________________
e.g. a school of fish
3. Community
- all the ____________________
___________________________
From: https://buffonescience9.wikispaces.com/UNIT+6+-+Ecology+
_______________ in a given area. E.g. all the fish, plants, algae, coral in a reef
4. Ecosystem
- a community of _______________________ together with the ______________________
________________________________________________________________
e.g. wind, water, sunlight around the organisms of the reef community
Complete the missing labels on the diagram.
SBI4U RHSA
Biomes are generalized ecosystems with ______________________________ and the
______________________ to succeed there. Example: __________________________
A habitat is a ______________________________________________________________
in which individuals of a species can thrive.
This is different than an ecological niche which is the _______________________________
in the habitat. For example, a beaver lives in a boreal forest habitat but it’s niche is to be a
___________________________________ to convert rivers to ponds for other organisms.
Succession
Change is a major factor in ecology. Populations may change due to predation, competition
for food or rainfall changes. For example, the change in a population of grass will affect the
population of sparrows in the community.
Ecological succession is the process of _______________________________________
_________________________________________________ .
Two Types of Succession
Primary succession occurs where no living species were previously found (ex. new island).
The first species to arrive are _________________________ like __________________
which form soil from rock.
Secondary succession occurs when patches of a community are disturbed by
_____________________________________. _________________ are the species that
thrive in open, disturbed areas and their growth gives shade for other species.
A stable self perpetuating community is called a ________________________.
Homework
Read MHR p 430-436 – scanned and on wiki
Do p 439 # 2-4, 6 (look at Powerpoint online – last slide), 7, 15, 16
Define the 3 terms on the unit outline that were not part of this lecture note!
SBI4U RHSA
ANSWERS
- see back wall
The three terms are
Species – organisms that can interbreed under natural conditions and produce
fertile offspring
Range – geographical area where that population or species is found
Biosphere – all portions of the Earth inhabitable by life