Introduction to Ecology
Presentation created by Ms. Graban
Ecology
Ecology – study of interactions between organisms
and their environments
What’s in an environment? - 2 kinds of “factors”
1. Abiotic factors – nonliving things in
environment; ex.: rocks, temperature, weather,
soil, water
2. Biotic factors – living things in environment;
ex.: plants, animals, bacteria, fungi, protists
Abiotic & Biotic Factors
Identify abiotic and
biotic factors in each
picture.
Abiotic & Biotic Factors
• Abiotic factors can affect biotic factors.
– Amount of rainfall and temperature can determine what
kind of plants and animals can live in the area (tundra,
desert, rainforest, etc.)
desert
savanna
tundra
Abiotic & Biotic Factors
• Biotic factors can affect abiotic factors.
– More trees in an area can raise oxygen levels and lower
carbon dioxide levels.
Levels of Ecology
1.
2.
3.
4.
Organism – a living thing;
ex. Zebra
Population – a group of
organisms of the same
species that live together at
the same time in the same
place; ex. Herd of zebras
Community – all interacting
populations (all living things)
in an area; ex.: zebras, lions,
giraffes, trees, plants, etc.
Ecosystem – organisms +
nonliving things; ex.: all of
the above + dirt, temperature,
rocks
Biomes & the Biosphere
• Biome – geographic regions where climate and
ecosystems are similar; ex.: desert, tundra,
grasslands, temperate forest
http://www.marietta.edu/~biol/biomes/biome.jpg
• Biosphere – the “life zone” of Earth
All land biomes
make up the
ecosphere.