Different Levels of organization studied by

ecologists

Biosphere- largest, most general

• Total area where life exists, including land, water, and air

Biome• Large track of land with similar characteristics. • A group of ecosystems that have the same climate

and similar dominant communities• Tropical rainforest, tropical dry forest, tropical

savanna, desert, temperate grassland, temperate woodland/shrubland, temperate forest, northwestern coniferous forest, taiga (boreal forest), and tundra.

Grassland

Tundra

Temperate rainforest

Coniferous forest

Deciduous forest

desert

EcosystemAll the organisms that live

ina particular place together(the community)with their nonliving, orphysical, environment too!(the abiotic factors)

Community• All BIOTIC factors

in an area.• all animals, plants,

protists, fungus, bacteria

• Does NOT include the abiotic factors

Population• Group of individuals of the same species living in the

same area

A Flamingo population

ground squirrel population

human population

Habitat

• Habitat is the area where an organism lives, including the biotic and abiotic factors that affect it

Harp Seal Profile• Harp seals spend relatively little time on

land and prefer to swim in the North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans. These sleek swimmers cruise the chilly waters and feed on fish and crustaceans. They can remain submerged for up to 15 minutes. Harp seals are sometimes called saddleback seals because of the dark, saddlelike marking on the back and sides of their light yellow or gray bodies.

Both sexes return each year to breeding grounds in Newfoundland, the Greenland Sea, and the White Sea. On this turf males fight for their mates, battling with sharp teeth and powerful flippers.

When the mating ends, females gather in groups to give birth. Young harp seals are born on the ice, and mothers identify their own offspring from the multitudes by their smell. The young seals are famous for their snowy white coats.

• Niche- the organisms role or “job” in the environment• A Niche is a full range of physical and biological conditions in which an

organism lives and the way in which an organism uses those conditions.• What food does the organism eat? How does it get that food? What feeds on

the organism? What temperature does it require? When does it mate?

Works Cited• "Aquatic Biomes." World Biomes. 14 Apr. 2003. 15 Mar. 2008

<http://www.worldbiomes.com/biomes_aquatic.htm>. • "Australian Spring 2007." Archives At Zinester: Glory Magazine. 2007. Glory

Magazine. 15 Mar. 2008 <http://archives.zinester.com/60514/143124.html>.

• "Community & School Talks." Suzy Lamplugh Trust. 2007. Suzy Lamplugh Trust. 15 Mar. 2008 <http://www.suzylamplugh.org/content.asp?PageID=1024&sID=1047>.

• "Ecosystem." 2007. 15 Mar. 2008 <http://www.scienceclarified.com/Di-El/Ecosystem.html>.

• "Grassland Biomes." World Biomes. 22 Jan. 2002. 15 Mar. 2008 <http://www.worldbiomes.com/biomes_grassland.htm>.

• Hicker, Rolf. "Seal Habitat." 2008. 15 Mar. 2008 <http://www.hickerphoto.com/seal-habitat-8000-pictures.htm>.

• Miler, Ph.d., Kenneth R. Biology. Boston: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2008. • Rodrigue, Dr. Jean-Paul. "The Environmental System." 2008. Dept. of

Economics & Geography. 15 Mar. 2008 <http://people.hofstra.edu/geotrans/eng/ch8en/conc8en/envisys.html>.