Many subcategories… Which one are you interested in?› Animals, plants, insects› Biomes (formations that exist over regions..

The Arctic, the tropics, the desert) Ways to study ecology:

› Field studies - very common› Laboratory studies› Computer SimulationsWhat possible environmental change in the

future could be studied?

Organisms environments include two different properties:› Abiotic: physical, non-living properties

Sunlight, climate, soil, water, air

› Biotic: Biological, living properties Other organisms same or different species in

the same habitat

Wide range of levels – from smallest to largest› Individual level› Population› Community› Ecosystem› Biome› Biosphere

Smallest unit – one organism

Two or more individuals of the same species

Occupy the same area Interact with one another

Two or more populations of different species

Occupy the same area

Interact with one another

Living and non-living (biotic and abiotic) factors in an area interacting with each other

Regions organized by climate (Arctic, Grasslands, Tropic, Desert, etc.)

TerrestrialTundra –

› Located between the ice-cap and timber line of North America, Europe and Asia. Little rain, soil is frost, short plants, very cold

Taiga› Subartic coniferous forests, south of the tundra.

Temperate› Forests. Moderate rain, fertile soil, 4 seasons.

Grasslands› Lands dominated by grasses. Fertile soil.

Deserts› Hot, Dry, Poor soil, hot days/cold nights.

Tropical Rain Forest› Hot year round, a lot of rain

AquaticFresh Water

› Rivers, lakes, ponds, swampsSalt Water

› Ocean, Salt lakes and seas. Largest amount of life.

Collection of all ecosystems – The Earth!!

The portion of the planet occupied by living matter

Producers, Consumers, Decomposers

Its all about what you eat!

The three categories of the food chain are…..

1) Producers

2) Consumers

3) Decomposers

They are all dependent on each other.

Producers Are- Producers get their

food and energy from the sun. (PLANTS)

They make their food through a process called photosynthesis…. Which makes them autotrophs (self feeding).

Consumers Consumers need to

eat their food to get energy. (ANIMALS or

Heterotrophs)

Types of consumers are

There are THREE types of ConsumersCarnivoresHerbivoresOmnivores.

Its still all about what you eat!

Decomposers

Decomposers eat dead things and turn them back into dirt, or soil. YUK!

Examples:MushroomsWormsBugs

What would the world look like without decomposers (bacteria and fungi?

How they relate

.

Stop…Review…Check…Turn to your partner and tell them the meaning of each word. Also give two example of each.

Producers; Autotrophs:

Consumers; Heterotrophs:

Decomposers:

Energy Flows From the Sun to….

Energy Flows from the Producers; Autotrophs to the…..

Energy Flows from the Primary Consumer to the….

What captures the most amount of energy?

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