Ecology:The scientific study of

interactions among organisms and between organisms and

their environment.

Biotic Factors

• Living organisms

• Dead organisms

• Organisms’ waste

Abiotic Factors

• Nonliving things in an ecosystem

• Ex.: Rocks, water, temperature, sunlight, oxygen, sand, climate

Parts of the Earth:

Biodiversity

The number of different species in an area

Abiotic factors affect biodiversity

• Temperature: very high or very low temp. limits biodiversity

• Water: amount limits biodiversity

Climate • average weather conditions in an area over a long period of time

• determines kinds of species present

Is high or low biodiversity more stable?

• High biodiversity resists damage better!

• Ecosystem damage can come from – natural disasters– human impact

http://www.marinenz.org.nz/index.php/the_undersea_world/roger_grace_archive/benefits_of_marine_reserves

Levels of Organization

• Species• Population• Community• Ecosystem• Biome• Biosphere

Species: organisms that can breed and produce viable offspring.

Population: individuals of the same species in the same area.

Community: all populations of different species living together.

Ecosystem: all organisms in an area and their abiotic environment.

Biome: a region with specific communities and climate (temp. and precipitation).

Terrestrial Biomes

• Tropical - low latitudes, warm, water varies– rain forests - lots of rain– savannas - less rain, long dry season– deserts - little rain, lower biodiversity

– Rainforest Biome

• Temperate - mid-latitudes, temp. varies• grasslands - moderate water, cooler temps than

savannas• forests - plenty of rain, mild climate• deserts - little rain, wide temp. range

• High Latitude– taiga - forests in cold, wet climates– tundra - little rain, mostly frozen

http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=taiga&form=QBIR&qs=n&sk=&sc=8-5#focal=21f2731d29856171ea9611a8694e4371&furl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.johndrew.com%2FAlaska%2520Images%2FTundra%2520Approaching%2520the%2520Alaska%2520Range1.jpg

Aquatic Ecosystems

• Freshwater - lakes, ponds, rivers

• Wetlands - mix of land/water

• Estuary - fresh meets salt water

• Marine - salty water

Biosphere: the part of the world in which life can exist

Ecological Methods

• Observing – what, how many, what are they doing?

• Experimenting – test hypothesis

• Modeling – large problems or long time frames.

Classification of Living ThingsCh. 18, pp.423-426

• Grouping life based on similarities

• Why classify? To study the vast diversity of life and organize information.

Carolus Linneaus

• Swedish, 1750s

• Organized and classified living things into a hierarchical system based on physical characteristics.

Linnaeus’s System

Seven taxonomic categories: Kingdom Animal

Phylum Arthropoda Class Insecta

Order Lepidoptera Family Danaidae

Genus Danaus Species plexippus

The system can change as scientists gather new information! (DNA, new discoveries)

• Now we have “Domain” above the Kingdom level

• 3 Domains– Archaea– Bacteria– Eukarya

Now come up with your own mnemonic device to remember the order of taxons from domain to species.

D K P C O F G S

Taxonomy: the classification and naming of organisms.

• Scientific names are universal.

• Binomial nomenclature – two part name.Genus species

• Ex: Homo sapiens, Drosophila melanogaster, Toxicodendron radicans, Peromiscus maniculatus

Taxon

General term for any one of these categories in the hierarchy.

Plural of taxon is taxa.

Monarch butterfly

Danaus plexippus

http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=monarch+butterfly&FORM=BIFD#focal=fd1eb6f96d112ce06eaf105fb75a72f3&furl=http%3A%2F%2Fnewarklibrary.files.wordpress.com%2F2008%2F04%2F019-monarch_butterfly1.jpg

Insect Project

• To learn the scientific names of some common Kansas insect species

• To use the Linnaen classification system

• To use a dichotomous key to identify insects

http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=insect+collection&FORM=BIFD#focal=6b25f4c47dbf85580029f38134a311e2&furl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fotothing.com%2Fphotos%2F4f6%2F4f6e3dc2ea211f1dcd49a7b4358df815.jpg

Dichotomous Keys

• An identification key that contains pairs of contrasting descriptions.

• After each description, a key either directs the user to another pair of descriptions or identifies an object

http://www.amnh.org/learn/biodiversity_counts/ident_help/Text_Keys/arthropod_keyA.htm

The useful online resources like identification keys for your insect project will be on the T-drive:

Share with Students

Schwarting

Biology

Insects

Homework:

Read Ch. 18. Section 1 on page 423-426.

Do the Chapter 18 Lab on page 438. (You do not have to do the part on p. 439.)