Lecture # 1 Intro to Ecology & the Biosphere Breakdown Unit 7: Ecology 1. We are part of the environment along with all of Earth’s other organisms. 2. All of Earth’s inhabitants are interwoven in a complex web of relationships. 3. Interactions of the parts affect the whole system. 4. Removing, altering, or damaging one part of the whole will affect the whole. Many consequences of doing so are unpredictable, so understanding how the “whole” operates is critical for humankind if we are to survive as a species on this planet. Take 2 minutes to summarize why it is important for humans to pay attention to the state of our environment What is ecology? Ecology- the scientific study of interactions between organisms and their environments, focusing on energy transfer • It is a science of relationships. What exactly is ‘the environment’? Everything that surrounds us! The environment is made up of two factors: Biotic factors- all living organisms inhabiting the Earth (ex: grass, trees, rabbits, bacteria, etc) Abiotic factors- nonliving (physical) parts of the environment (ex: temperature, soil, light, moisture, air currents) Abiotic or Biotic? Biotic copyright cmassengale 9 Abiotic or Biotic? Abiotic copyright cmassengale 10 Abiotic or Biotic? Abiotic copyright cmassengale 11 Organization levels of biology Biosphere Ecosystem Community Population Organism Organism- any unicellular or multicellular form exhibiting all of the characteristics of life; an individual. •The lowest level of organization Population-a group of organisms of one species living in the same place at the same time that interbreed and compete with each other for resources (ex. food, mates, shelter) Remember from last unit…. Species- Members of a population that look alike and have the ability to produce fertile offspring Canis lupus Community- several interacting populations that inhabit a common environment and are interdependent. Ecosystem- populations in a community and the abiotic factors with which they interact Marine Terrestrial Ecosystem= biotic + abiotic factors • Ecosystem boundaries are not always obvious. They depend on how the ecosystem is being studied. Example - a single rotting log on the forest floor vs. the entire forest itself. Biomes- groups of related terrestrial ecosystems Example: rainforest, grassland, desert Biosphere- the region on earth where life exists. This includes air, land, fresh water, and salt water. •The highest level of organization Biodiversity The variety of species living within an ecosystem, biome or planet. Some parts of the world have greater biodiversity than others Do you think that desert or the rainforest has greater biodiversity? Habitat vs. Niche Habitat- the place in which an organism lives out its life (address) Niche - the role a species plays in a community (job) Habitat vs. Niche A niche is determined by the tolerance limitations of an organism, or limiting factors. Limiting factor- any biotic or abiotic factor that restricts the existence of organisms in a specific environment. Examples of limiting factors •Amount of water •Amount of food •Temperature Take 2 minutes to summarize how life is organized according to the ecological hierarchal system outlined in this section in notes.