What is
Ecology?
1
Organisms
and Their
Environment
2
What is Ecology??
• The study of interactions that
take place between organisms
and their environment.
• It explains how living
organisms affect each other
and the world they live in.
3
Levels of
Organization
4
What are the Simplest Levels?
• Atom
• Molecule
• Organelle
• Cell
• Tissue
• Organ
• System
5
Levels of Organization
• Ecologists have organized the
interactions an organism takes
part in into different levels
according to complexity.
6
1. The Cell
• Basic unit of life.
copyright cmassengale
7
2. Tissues
• A group of
specialized
cells
working
together
for a
specific
purpose
copyright cmassengale
8
3. Organs
• a group of tissues working together to
perform a vital function in living
organisms.
copyright cmassengale
9
4. Organ system
• A group of organs working together to
perform a specific function.
copyright cmassengale
10
5. Organism
• An individual
living thing that
is made of cells,
uses energy,
reproduces,
responds, grows,
and develops
11
6. Population
• A group of
organisms, all
of the same
species, which
interbreed and
live in the
same place at
the same time.
12
7. Community
• All the
populations of
different
species that
live in the same
place at the
same time.
13
8. Ecosystem (Biomes)
• Populations of plants
and animals that
interact with each
other in a given
area with the
abiotic components
of that area.
(terrestrial or
aquatic)
14
9. Biosphere
• The
portion of
Earth that
supports
life.
15
What level of organization?
Organism
16
What level of Organization?
Community
17
What level of Organization?
Population
18
Habitat & Niche
• Habitat is the
place a plant or
animal lives
• Niche is an
organism’s total
way of life (It’s
their job)
19
The Nonliving Environment
• Abiotic factors the
nonliving parts of an
organism’s environment.
• Examples include air
currents, temperature,
moisture, light, and soil.
• Abiotic factors affect an
organism’s life.
20
The Living Environment
• Biotic factors- all the
living organisms that
inhabit an environment.
• All organisms depend on
others directly or
indirectly for food,
shelter, reproduction, or
protection.
21
Abiotic or Biotic?
Biotic
22
Abiotic or Biotic?
Abiotic
23
Abiotic or Biotic?
Abiotic
24
Abiotic or Biotic?
Biotic
25
Energy Flow
in an
Ecosystem
26
Energy Flow
• Energy in an ecosystem originally
comes from the sun
• Energy flows through Ecosystems
from producers to consumers
– Producers (make food)
– Consumers (use food by eating
producers or other consumers)
27
Producers
• Sunlight is the main
source of energy for
most life on earth.
• Producers contain
chlorophyll & can use
energy directly from
the sun
28
Autotrophs
• An Autotroph is any organism
that can produce its own food
supply!
• Autotrophs are also called
Producers
• Plants, algae, some protists, &
some bacteria are examples
29
Niche of a Producer
• Captures energy and transforms
it into organic, stored energy
for the use of living organisms.
• May be photoautotrophs using
light energy (e.g. plants)
• May be chemoautotrophs using
chemical energy (e.g.
cyanobacteria)
30
Photoautotroph
Producer That Captures
Energy from the sun by:
–Photosynthesis
• Adds Oxygen to the atmosphere
• Removes Carbon Dioxide from
the Atmosphere
Algae
31
Habitat of Photoautotrophs
• On Land
–Plants
• In The Sea
–Algae (Protists)
• Tidal Flats & Salt Marshes
–Cyanobacteria
32
Organisms that can
make glucose during
photosynthesis are
called PRODUCERS.
33
Producers use
most of the
energy they make
for themselves.
34
The energy that is not
used by producers can
be passed on to
organisms that cannot
make their own
energy.
35
Organisms that
cannot make their
own energy are called
CONSUMERS.
36
Consumers
Heterotrophs eat other
organisms to obtain energy.
(e.g. animals)
• Herbivores
– Eat Only Plants
• Carnivores
– Eat Only Other
Animals
37
Consumers
Heterotrophs eat other organisms to
obtain energy.
• Omnivores (Humans)
– Eat Plants & Animals
• Detritivores (Scavengers)
– Feed On Dead Plant & Animal
Remains (buzzards)
• Decomposers
– Break down dead material into
Reusable nutrients.
38
Feeding Relationships
Energy flows
through an
ecosystem in
one direction
from producers
to various
levels of
consumers
39
Feeding Relationships
• Food Chain
–Simple Energy path through
an ecosystem
• Food Web
–More realistic path through
an ecosystem made of many
food chains
40
Food Chain
Primary
Consumer
Secondary
Consumer
Tertiary
consumer
Quaternary
Consumer
Producer (trapped
sunlight & stored food)
41
Consumers that eat producers
to get energy:
•Are primary consumers
•Are herbivores (plant-eaters)
42
ONLY 10% of
the energy gets
passed from one
level to the
next.
43
10% Rule
• Notice that only about
10% of the energy
goes from one level to
the next.
• Only 10% of the
energy in primary
producers gets
transferred to energy
in primary consumers.
• The rest goes into
metabolism, growth,
and waste.
44
A Consumer that Eats Another
Consumer for Energy:
•Is called a secondary
consumer
•May be a carnivore or a
omnivore
•May be a predator
•May be a scavenger
45
Most of the
energy the
secondary
consumer gets
from the primary
consumer is used
by the secondary
consumer.
46
Some of the
energy is lost as
heat, but some
energy is stored
and can be passed
on to another
consumer.
47
A consumer that eats a
consumer that already ate a
consumer:
•Is called a tertiary
consumer
•May be a carnivore or
a omnivore
•May be a predator
•May be a scavenger
48
Name the Producer,
Consumers & Decomposers in
this food chain:
49
The transfer of energy from
the sun to producer to primary
consumer then to higher order
consumers can be shown in a
FOOD CHAIN.
50
Food Chains Show Available
Energy
51
More Food Chains
52
Food Webs:
•Are
interconnected
food chains
•They show the
feeding
relationships in
an ecosystem
53
Food Web
54
55
T. Trimpe 2008
http://sciencespot.net/
http://www.mos.org/oceans/graphics/life/foodchain.jpg
Use the food web to answer these questions.
1. What are the producers?
2. Name two organisms that are
herbivores.
3. Name one organism that is a
carnivore.
4. What would happen to the
snake population if the hawk
were removed?
Image: http://weedeco.msu.montana.edu/class/LRES443/Lectures/Lecture20/FoodWeb.JPG
The answers are …
1. What are the producers?
Oak Tree & Pine Tree
2. Name two organisms that are
herbivores.
Pine Borer & Mouse
3. Name one organism that is a
carnivore.
Salamander, Kinglet,
Snake, or Hawk
4. What would happen to the
snake population if the hawk
were removed?
Image: http://weedeco.msu.montana.edu/class/LRES443/Lectures/Lecture20/FoodWeb.JPG
Since there would be
more mice and birds, we
would expect the snake
population to increase.
Trophic (Energy) Levels
Each Level In A Food Chain or Food
Web is a Trophic Level.
Producers
– Always The First Trophic Level
– How Energy Enters The System
• Herbivores
– Second Trophic Level
59
Trophic Levels
• Carnivores/Omnivores
–Make Up The Remaining
Trophic Levels
Each level depends on
the one below it for
energy.
60
Ecological Pyramids
Graphic Representations Of The
Relative Amounts of Energy or
Matter At Each Trophic Level
May be:
Energy Pyramid
Biomass Pyramid
Pyramid of Numbers
61
Another way
of showing the
transfer of
energy in an
ecosystem is
the
ENERGY
PYRAMID
62
Energy Pyramids Show
•Amount of available
energy decreases for
higher consumers
•Amount of available
energy decreases down the
food chain
•It takes a large number
of producers to support a
small number of primary
consumers
•It takes a large number
of primary consumers to
support a small number of
secondary consumers
63
Energy Pyramids Show
•Amount of available
energy decreases for
higher consumers
•Amount of available
energy decreases down the
food chain
“Hoot” “Hoot” “Did anybody
•It takes a large number
see me hiding?”
of producers to support a
small number of primary
consumers
•It takes a large number
of primary consumers to
support a small number of
secondary consumers
64
65
Energy Pyramid
66
Biomass Pyramid
67
Pyramid of Numbers
68
Ecology Quiz
• 1. The study of interactions that take place between
organisms and their environment is called
– A. Zoology B. Chemistry C. Ecology
• 2. Put the following in correct order from 1st
(Smallest Eco. ) Level to 5th (Largest Level)
– Biosphere, Community, Organism,
Population, and Ecosystem
• 3.
Label the following
food chain correctly
-PRODUCER
-PRIMARY
CONSUMER
-SECONDARY
CONSUMER
-ULTIMATE SOURCE
OF ENERGY
69