What is Ecology?
Chapter 3-1
CA Standards 6a-6f
• Ecology is the branch of biology dealing
with interactions among organisms and
between organisms and their environment
or surroundings.
– In other words, the study of how living and
non-living things interact with each other.
• Biotic Factors: Living Organisms
• Abiotic Factors: Physical Factors or
Non-Living Things
An ecosystem is a collection of
all the organisms that live in a
particular place, together with
their nonliving, or physical,
environment. Within an
ecosystem, there are several
levels of organization.
Our school and its grounds are
similar to an ecosystem……..
Think It Over…..
Quickly & Quietly write down an answer for each of these questions
1. What biotic things are found in and around your school?
2. What abiotic things are found in your school?
3. Into what large groups are the students in your school
divided?
4. Into what smaller groups are these large groups divided?
5. Are these smaller groups ever divided into even smaller
groups? If so, what are these groups?
1. What biotic things are found in and around your school?
Students, teachers, principal, assistant principals, clerical
staff, custodians, lunch ladies, skunks, birds, lizards, grass,
trees, shrubs, insects etc…..
2. What abiotic things are found in your school?
The building, furniture, desks, books, papers, and so on
3. Into what large groups are the students in your school divided?
9th, 10th, 11th, 12th grades
4. Into what smaller groups are these large groups divided?
Classes, Advisories, Study Halls, Counselor Groups
5. Are these groups ever divided into even smaller
groups? If so, what are these groups?
Students may say that science classes are divided into lab
groups; other classes may be divided into groups for
projects.
Earth’s Levels of Organization
Biosphere
All Parts of the Planet – EARTH!
Biome
A group of ecosystems that have
the same climate and similar
communities
Ecosystem
A collection of organisms that live
in a particular place together with
their non-living physical
environment.
Community
Populations living together in a
defined area
Population
Groups of individuals that belong to the same
species (similar organisms that can breed and
produce fertile offspring) and live in the same area
Individual Organism
Earth’s Levels of Organization
Biodiversity
Throughout each level or organization we
can see biodiversity!!
• Biodiversity: The sum total of the variety
of living organisms in the biosphere.
– “Bio” = living things
“Diversity”=variety
Turn over your PowerPoint notes and work on the
“Biodiversity” worksheet to review what we have just covered!