Ecology & Conservation

A guide to Chapter 26

Living Things and Their Environment

Environment: All living and nonliving things with which an organism may interact.

All of the living and nonliving things in an environment are interconnected.

Ecosystems Ecosystems: All the

living and nonliving things in a given area that interact with one another

Community The living part of

the ecosystem.

Population A group of

organisms of the same type, or species, living together in the same area.

Habitats The place where an

organism lives. It should provide food, shelter and all other resources an organism needs to survive.

Energy Roles Producers Consumers Decomposers

Producers The source of all the

food in an ecosystem. Any organism that goes through photosynthesis.

ConsumersAn organism

that feeds directly or indirectly on producers.

DecomposersBreak down

dead organisms into simpler substances.

Food Chains

A series of events in which food and energy are transferred from one organism in an ecosystem to another. The first link is always a producer.

Food Web Many

overlapping Food Chains

Competition

When there are not enough resources to go around, organisms must struggle with one another to get what they need to survive.

Predation When one organism

hunts another. Predator: The

organisms that hunt. Prey: The organism

that is eaten by the predator.

Predation When one organism

hunts another. Predator: The

organisms that hunt. Prey: The organism

that is eaten by the predator.

Symbiosis A close

relationship between two organisms in which one organism lives near, on or inside of another organism. One will benefit.

Types of Symbiosis Commensalism Mutualism Parasitism

Adaptation A change that increases an organism’s

chance of survival. Types: Adapting to predators Adapting to competition. Adapting to symbiosis

Ecology Games Oh Deer!: Habitat, limiting factors,

competition, population Quick Frozen Critters: Predator, prey,

adaptations, limiting factors,competition, population.

Muskox Maneuvers: Adaptations, predator, prey, limiting factors, populations

Deadly Links: food chains, pesticides.