“Introducing Ecology”
Write everything
that is Underlined
13.1 Ecologists Study Relationships / 13.2 Biotic & Abiotic
Ecology
Eco
logy
the study of the relationships between
biotic and abiotic factors in environments
eco
(G) root
home, abode
log, -o, y (G) suffix
ecotourism
ecosystem
ecoclimate
study of
climatology
epidemiology
zoology
13.1 Ecologists Study Relationships / 13.2 Biotic & Abiotic
2.An organism is an
individual living thing
(such as an alligator)
Organism
Organism
13.1 Ecologists Study Relationships / 13.2 Biotic & Abiotic
3.A population is a group
of the same species
that lives in one area.
Population
Population
Organism
Organism
13.1 Ecologists Study Relationships / 13.2 Biotic & Abiotic
4.A community is a
group of different
species that live
together in one area.
Community
Community
Population
Population
Organism
Organism
13.1 Ecologists Study Relationships / 13.2 Biotic & Abiotic
While the earth is huge, life is found in a very narrow layer, called
the biosphere. If the earth could be shrunk to the size of an apple, the
biosphere would be no thicker than the apple's skin.
13.1 Ecologists Study Relationships / 13.2 Biotic & Abiotic
The biosphere, like the human body, is made up of systems
that interact and are dependent on each other.
The biosphere’s systems are called ECOSYSTEMS.
13.1 Ecologists Study Relationships / 13.2 Biotic & Abiotic
5. An ecosystem includes all of
the organisms as well as the
other nonliving things in a
given area. (such as climate, soil,
water, rocks)
Ecosystem
Ecosystem
Community
Community
Population
Population
Organism
Organism
13.1 Ecologists Study Relationships / 13.2 Biotic & Abiotic
6. A biome is a major regional or
global community of organisms
characterized by the climate
conditions and plant communities
Ecosystem
that thrive there.
Biome
Ecosystem
Community
Community
Population
Population
Organism
Organism
13.1 Ecologists Study Relationships / 13.2 Biotic & Abiotic
Biome
a major regional or global biotic
community, a super ecosystem, defined
chiefly by the dominant forms of plant life
and the prevailing climate
13.1 Ecologists Study Relationships / 13.2 Biotic & Abiotic
Major Biomes of the World
desert
grassland
tropical rain forest
deciduous forest
coniferous forest
tundra
ocean
Levels of Organization
13.1 Ecologists Study Relationships / 13.2 Biotic & Abiotic
large
smallest
group
one
all
organisms
interacting
living
individual
region
of unit
similar
different
organs
andwith
of
ofliving
the
cells
livingkind
organized
kinds
working
thing
same
populations
nonliving
typical
of
things
plants
tissues
together
things
to
living
inwork
and
anin
together
working
one
ecosystem
interacting
animals
areathat
together
within
includes
a
certain area
several
ecosystems
cell
13.1 Ecologists Study Relationships / 13.2 Biotic & Abiotic
Section 13.2 KEY CONCEPT:
Every ecosystem includes both
living and nonliving factors.
13.1 Ecologists Study Relationships / 13.2 Biotic & Abiotic
III. Elements in an Ecosystem
1. Biotic factors are living things.
• Remember, BIO means LIFE! (like
Biology)
a. plants
b. animals
c. fungi
d. bacteria
13.1 Ecologists Study Relationships / 13.2 Biotic & Abiotic
Examples of Biotic
Factors
include plants,
animals, fungi,
microorganisms
13.1 Ecologists Study Relationships / 13.2 Biotic & Abiotic
2. Abiotic factors are nonliving things.
• Remember, “A” means NOT (like
Asymmetrical means not symmetrical)
a. sunlight
b. temperature
c. wind
d. Moisture
i.
Water, rain, clouds
e. soil
13.1 Ecologists Study Relationships / 13.2 Biotic & Abiotic
Examples
of Abiotic
Factors
include air,
water, soil,
temperature,
wind, source of
energy (usually
sun)
13.1 Ecologists Study Relationships / 13.2 Biotic & Abiotic
Ecological Niche
• A plant's or animal's ecological niche is a way of life
that is unique to that species.
• Niche and habitat are not the same. While many
species may share a habitat, this is not true of a
niche. Each plant and animal species is a member of
a community.
• The niche describes the species' role or function
within this community.
13.1 Ecologists Study Relationships / 13.2 Biotic & Abiotic
• For example, the red fox's habitat, which might include
forest edges, meadows and the bank of a river, is shared
with many animals .
• The niche of the red fox is that of a predator which feeds
on the small mammals, amphibians, insects, and fruit
found in this habitat. Red foxes are active at night. They
provide blood for blackflies and mosquitoes, and are host
to numerous diseases. The scraps, or carrion, left behind
after a fox's meal provide food for many small scavengers
and decomposers. This, then, is the ecological niche of the
red fox.
• Only the red fox occupies this niche in the meadow-forest
edge communities. In other plant communities different
species of animal may occupy a similar niche to that of the
red fox.
13.1 Ecologists Study Relationships / 13.2 Biotic & Abiotic
3. Changing one factor in an ecosystem
can affect many other factors.
4. A keystone species is a species that
has an unusually large effect on its
ecosystem.
Keystone
If you moved this stone the
whole arch would fall down
13.1 Ecologists Study Relationships / 13.2 Biotic & Abiotic
5.Keystone species form and
maintain a complex web of
life.
creation of
wetland
ecosystem
increased waterfowl
Population
keystone species
increased
fish
population
nesting
sites for
birds
13.1 Ecologists Study Relationships / 13.2 Biotic & Abiotic
Chapter 13-1 & 13-2 Review questions
1. What is Ecology?
2. Define organism, population, community, biome,
biotic, and abiotic factors.
3. Give two examples of biotic and abiotic factors.
4. What is a keystone species?
5. What does every ecosystem include?