• I will be able discuss the interdependence of biotic and abiotic factors.
• I will be able to discuss the laws of thermodynamics.

Ecology is the study of interactions between organisms and their environment.

The environment includes 2 types of factors:
1.
Abiotic factors – the nonliving parts of the environment.
Examples: water, oxygen, light, temperature, rocks, minerals, energy
1.
Biotic factors – the living parts of the environment.
Examples: plants, animals, bacteria, fungi, and protists

• The First Law of Thermodynamics states that energy
(or matter) cannot be created or destroyed, but can change forms.
• The Second Law of Thermodynamics states that every energy transfer increases the entropy (amount of disorder or randomness) = some energy becomes unusable.
• In biology entropy is usually referred to as heat.
• Closed systems allow energy to enter but matter cannot enter or leave; closed systems are rare in biology.
• Each time energy or matter “changes form” energy is conserved but the internal energy of a closed system changes as heat is transferred in or out of it.

Arrange the following terms from the smallest to the largest:
• Population
• Cell
• Organ System
• Tissue
• Molecule
• Ecosystem
• Community
• Organism
• Organ
• Biosphere

8

• Population – a group of organisms of the same species that live together in a certain area.
• Community – a group of populations of different species living close enough to interact.
• Ecosystem – all living and nonliving components in a certain area.
• Biosphere – the entire portion of the planet that supports life.

Habitat =
• Place where an organism lives.
• What is the habitat of a mushroom?
Niche =
• Ecological role and space that an organisms fills in the environment (the way of life of a species).
• What is the niche of a sunflower?

The biomass (biological material from living or recently living organisms) of a deciduous forest is 50% carbon.
Additionally, the biomass increases annually at a rate of
2.7 x 10 5 kg/hectare. Calculate the mass of carbon accumulated and stored in 1.0 hectare of this forest in one year. Give your answer to the nearest hundredth of
10 5 kg.
Note: 1 hectare = 10,000 square meters or 2.5 acres

• In your own words, paraphrase key points of the lesson.
• Focus on the concepts you do not understand well; thinking and writing will help you master them.
• You need to have a minimum of five sentences.
• Example of a good summary sentence: “There are biotic/living components in environments, such as organisms, and many abiotic/non-living components, such as water and rocks”.
• Example of a terrible summary sentence: “Today I learned about laws of thermodynamics.” This sentence only lists the topic and does not show what you know. Please never start with “Today I
learned about…” Instead, dive into the explanations right away.
There is no space for introductory sentences in your summary sections of notes.