Introduction to Ecology
February 20th, 2015
Ecology:
• deals with different levels
of organization
Small to Big
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Atom
Molecule
Cell
Organism/Species
Populations
Community
Ecosystem
Biomes
Biosphere
Species:
• Individual= one living thing, one organism
• Species = a group of similar organisms
that can breed and produce fertile
offspring
Populations
• Populations = a group of individuals that
belong to the same species and live in the
same area
Community
• Communities = an assemblage of different
populations that live together in a defined
area
Ecosystem
• Ecosystem = all the organisms that live in
a place together with their physical
environment
Biomes
Biome = a group of
ecosystems that share similar
climates and typical organisms
Biosphere
Biosphere = all the
organisms and physical
environments of the entire world
8 Characteristics of Living Things
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Made of cells
Have DNA
Maintain homeostasis (stable internal enviro.)
Respond to environment
Reproduce
Grow and develop
Obtain and use materials and energy
Groups of organisms evolve
Classifying Biotic Factors
• studying the relatedness between species is called =
Taxonomy
Classifying Living Things/Biotic Factors
• Most familiar is the frame work created
250 years ago by Carl Linnaeus
• Organisms grouped in a taxon show a
high degree of similarity
Domain
Kingdom
Phylum
Class
Order
Family
Genus
Species
Binomial nomenclature
Taxonomy Example
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Domain: Eukarya
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Chordata
Class:Mammalia
Order:Sirenia
Family:Trichechidae
Genus:Trichechus
Species: manatus
Binomial Nomenclature
• Scientific Name
– Trichesus manatus
– Trichesus manatus
• Common Name
– West Indian Manatee
3 Domains
Classification: The Three Domains
Domain Bacteria
–Has 1 kingdom – the Eubacteria
Domain Archaea
–Contains 1 kingdom – the Archaebacteria
Prokaryotes:
-No Nucleus
Domain Eukarya
– Includes all kingdoms composed of organisms made
up of eukaryotic cells
– Protista
– Fungi
– Animalia
– Plantae
Eukaryotes:
DNA in
nucleus
Prokaryotes = “before nucleus”
• 2 Domains, 2 Kingdoms:
– Bacteria and Archaea (more closely related to
Eukaryotes)
• Simplest and oldest life forms
• Cell wall, cell membranes
• No membrane bound organelles
• DNA not in a nucleus
Eukaryotes = “true nucleus”
• 1 Domains, 4 Kingdoms:
– Protista, Fungi, Plantae, Animalia
• Membrane bound organelles
• DNA in a nucleus
The 4 Eukaryotic Kingdoms
Protists
• single celled organisms
• Some Photosynthetic
• Some Heterotrophs
The 4 Eukaryotic Kingdoms
Fungi
• Multicellular
• Heterotrophs
The 4 Eukaryotic Kingdoms
Plantae:Plants
• Mostly multicellular
• Photosynthetic
autotrophs with true
vascular tissue
The 4 Eukaryotic Kingdoms
Animalia: Animals!
• Multicellular
• Heterotrophs
• Most are capable of
movement
• Invertebrates vs.
vertebrates
Vocab so far…
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Ecology
Ecosystem
Habitat
Abiotic Factors
Biotic Factors
Environment
Species
Populations
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Communities
Biomes
Biosphere
Taxonomy
Binomial
Nomenclature
• Eukaryotes
• Prokaryotes