Ecology Unit
Day 1The niche is a role or job of an organism.
The habitat is where an organism lives.
The niche of a producer is to make glucose and oxygen.
The niche of a consumer is to eat other organisms. They are also called
heterotrophs.
Day 1Producers (aka autotrophs) use photosynthesis to convert energy from
the sun (radiant energy) into chemical energy in the bonds of glucose.
Photosynthesis: 6CO2 + 6H2O + light = C6H12O6 + 6O2
Day 1The sun provides energy for a food chain as producers turn radiant
energy into chemical energy in the form of glucose. When organisms eat
the producers, the energy moves up the food chain.
Food Chain
Food Web
STOP- Day 1
• Complete “The Niche” Worksheet
• Work on “Food Web Practice” Worksheet
– Color each level and answer questions
• Worktime
Day 1There are three types of symbiotic relationships within a community.
Commensalism – one organism benefits and the other is unharmed
Mutualism – both organisms benefit
Parasitism – one organism benefits and the other is harmed
STOP- Day 1
• Video: Trials of Life and answer questions
• Homework: Finish
– “Symbiosis Worksheet”
– “Food Web Practice”
– EOC Review question 86.
Day 2Carbon is cycled through ecosystems through the processes of
photosynthesis, respiration, and decomposition.
Day 2The greenhouse gas layer is made of carbon dioxide and
other gases. It traps heat from the sun on the Earth’s
surface to keep us warm.
Day 2Burning fossil fuels and volcanoes have added carbon to the greenhouse
gas layer and contributed to global warming.
Day 2Carbon dioxide levels have increased over the past 100+ years, and so has the
temperature of the Earth.
Day 2Nitrogen is cycled through ecosystems primarily by bacteria like nitrogen
fixing bacteria.
Day 2Nitrogen is important for building DNA and proteins.
Nitrogenous
Base (A,C,T,G)
Phosphate
Group
Sugar Group
Day 2Legumes (peas, beans, clover) have a mutualistic relationship with nitrogen
fixing bacteria.
Peanut Plant
Rhizobium
Stop- Day 2
• Complete the “Carbon Cycle” and “Nitrogen
Cycle” worksheets
• Complete questions 47-69 in the EOC Review
Packet
Day 2Energy pyramids show a food chain, and describe how energy is
converted from radiant energy to chemical energy to heat energy.
Day 2
An organism’s body is constantly breaking down food for energy, and as
this happens energy moves from an organized state (glucose) to a
disorganized state (36-38 ATPs).
Glucose
ATP
Energy Pyramids- Day 2
• Take home and build energy pyramid foldable
and answer all questions.
• Complete any class work on cycles and EOC
packet questions 47-69
Day 3- Population Ecology Guided
Notes
• Follow discussion and complete notes
Day 3A logistic population growth curve shows natural population growth,
with a lag phase, exponential phase, carrying capacity, and dynamic
equilibrium phase.
(Carrying Capacity)
Lag Phase
Day 3Carrying Capacity
Day 3Density dependent and density independent factors keep a population
within a healthy limit.
Try these:
food availability
water availability
territory
climate
Density Dependent Limiting Factors
Density Independent Limiting Factors
Day 3Predator- prey relationships keep organisms within their carrying
capacity. The graph looks like a saw-tooth.
Day 3Worldwide human population growth has increased exponentially in the
past 100 years. When the graph dips, disease is evident. When the
graph rises dramatically, the industrial revolution are evident.
STOP- Day 3
• Complete the worksheets, “Population Size”,
“Population Density”, “Exponential and
Logistic Growth Curves”, “Density-dependent
and Density Independent Limiting Factors”,
“Predatory Prey Relationships”, “Human
Population Growth”, “Vocabulary Review”
• Questions 87-96 of EOC Review Packet
Day 4 –
Station Rotation for Ecology
• Complete station rotation
• Complete EOC Review 97-107
Day 5Acid Rain- Factories and cars release nitrous oxide and sulfur dioxide
and when those chemicals combine with rain water, they produce nitric
and sulfuric acid that kills trees and erodes statues.
Day 5Habitat Destruction – Urban development leads to habitat destruction
and water runoff.
Panama City 1930
Panama City 2010
Urbanization and Runoff
Day 5Habitat Destruction- Deforestation leads to a loss of biodiversity, climate
change and habitat destruction.
Day 5Invasive Species - Invasive species can outcompete native species.
Invasive species fill niches.
Day 5Kudzu was introduced to North Carolina and, this non-native species
has affected the population growth of native North Carolina species.
Kudzu originally was introduced into the U.S. from Asia in the late 1800s for erosion
control and as a livestock forage.
Day 5Bioaccumulation is when a pesticide becomes more concentrated as it
moves up the food chain. (DDT) used to kill insects can lead to the near
extinction of birds.
Day 5The parts of a population pyramid are males and females of varying ages. Birth rate
and death rate influence the shape of the pyramid. A population pyramid from a
developing country is different from a pyramid of an industrialized country.
Day 5The following diseases can affect a population’s growth.
1. AIDS
2. Influenza
3. TB
4. Dutch Elm Disease
5. Pfiesteria