Name ___________________ Period _____
Ch 3-6 Notes: Ecology
Words to Know: ecology, biosphere, biotic, abiotic, ecosystem, community, population, autotrophs,
heterotrophs, herbivores, carnivores, omnivores, detritovores, scavengers, food chain, food web, trophic
levels, nutrient, limiting nutrient, weather, climate, ozone layer, greenhouse effect, niche, habitat,
competition, predation, predator, prey, keystone species, symbiosis, mutualism, commensalism,
parasitism, primary succession, secondary succession, carrying capacity, renewable resource,
nonrenewable resource, biological magnification, biodiversity, ecological hot spot, ecological footprint,
conservation
Chapter 3: The Biosphere
3.1 What is Ecology?
ecology: the study of the __________________ among organisms and between organisms their
__________________
biosphere: all parts of the Earth where __________________ _________________ (land, water and air)
biotic: the __________________ factors in an ecosystem
Ex:
abiotic: the __________________ factors in an ecosystem
Ex:
Levels of Organization
biome: group of ecosystems with _________climates and __________________.
ecosystem: interactions among the community and __________________ factors
community: group of interacting __________________
population: group of one species living in the same place at the
__________________
ecological methods:__________________________________,
___________________________,_______________________
3.2 Energy, Producers and Consumers
autotrophs: An organism that can __________________ its own food; use __________________ or
__________________; also called __________________.
heterotrophs: An organism that has to get its food from __________________; also called
__________________.
Photosynthesis
Chemosynthesis
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Types of Heterotrophs
herbivores: eat only __________________ examples:
carnivores: eat only __________________ examples:
omnivores: eat both ____________________________________examples:
detritovores: break down __________________material; __________________
decomposers: break down ________________________material (meaning material that was once living)
examples: ___________________________________
scavengers: eat ____________________________________
3.3 Energy Flow in Ecosystems
food chain: steps in which organisms ____________________ energy.
food web: shows all the ___________________relationships in
the ecosystem. Much more complex than food chain.
trophic levels: Each step in a __________________.
• As you move up trophic levels, __________________ of the energy is __________________.
Pyramids
Energy Pyramid __________________
Biomass: the total amount of ______________________________ in within each trophic level.
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3.4 Cycles of Matter
nutrient: __________________ an organism needs to sustain life.
Carbon, Nitrogen & Phosphorous
limiting nutrient: the nutrient whose supply __________________ productivity of producers
) Carbon
) Nitrogen
) Phosphorous
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Nitrogen Cycle
Phosphorous Cycle
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Chapter 4 Ecosystems and Communities
4.1 Climate
weather: the ______________ condition of the Earth at a particular
_________ and _________
climate: the average, ______________conditions of ______________ and ______________
Effect of Latitude on Climate
• The tilt of the Earth creates climate zones based on latitude:
Heat Transport in the Biosphere
• Unequal heating of the Earth drives _________ and ______________.
• Air and water near the equator _________ and _________.
ozone layer: Layer of the Earth’s atmosphere (_________km above Earth) containing _________ (O3)
• Absorbs 93-99% of _________
The Greenhouse Effect: Natural situation where _________ trap the sun’s heat energy in the _________.
• Maintains our _________. (Earth would be _________cooler without it.)
4.2 Niches and Community Interactions
tolerance: the ability to __________________ and ________________________ under a range of
environmental circumstances
habitat: the general place where an organism lives, must be within tolerance.
niche: __________________ an organism does to __________________.
• All __________________ and __________________conditions.
• What it eats, where it lives (__________________), how it avoids predators, etc.
competition: Occurs when two organisms want the same resource at the same time.
Competitive Exclusion Principle: No two species can occupy the same niche at the same time.
predation: An interaction where one organism __________________ and
__________________ on
another organism.
predator: __________________
prey: __________________
keystone species: A species that exerts strong control on the structure of a __________________ so
that changes to its population causes __________________ changes
Ex: sea otters
symbiosis: Any relationship in which two species ____________________________________together.
mutualism: __________________ species __________________ Ex: bees and flowers
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commensalism: one species __________________ while the other is not __________________
Ex: barnacles on a whale
parasitism: one species __________________, while the other is __________________
Ex: tapeworms-YUK!
4.3 Succession
Ecological Succession
primary succession: occurs where there is _________
Ex: after a _________ erupts
secondary succession: occurs where there is _________
Ex: after a ______________
Chapter 5
5.1 How Populations Grow
Describing populations
Geographic range:___________________________________________________
Population density: the ______________of individuals per unit area
Growth rate
Age structure: the number of males and females of each age
Humans in the Biosphere
carrying capacity: The ______________ number of individuals of a particular species that a particular
environment can ______________.
renewable resource: can be ______________ by a healthy ecosystem
Ex: trees, wind
nonrenewable resource: ______________ be replenished by natural processes in a ______________
amount of time )
Ex: fossil fuels
biological magnification: ______________ concentration of a harmful substance in organisms at higher
______________ levels in a food chain
biodiversity: All of the organisms in the ______________
conservation: “wise use”; studying the loss of biodiversity & ways it can be ______________
ecological hot spot: a place where significant numbers of species and habitats are in ______________
danger of extinction
ecological footprint: The total area of functioning land and water ecosystems needed to
______________ resources and ______________ the wastes of an individual or population. )
- Used to calculate the biosphere’s carrying capacity for ______________.
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