Exciting and Excellent Ecology!

What do you think of when you hear “ECOLOGY”?

What is Ecology?

Ecology is the scientific study of interactions between organisms and their environments.

Scientists study the relationships between the living and nonliving parts of the world.

The Living Environment:

Biotic Factors• The BIOSPHERE is the portion of Earth

that supports life!

• It extends from the atmosphere to the bottom of the oceans!

• If you shrank the Earth down to the size of an apple, the biosphere would be thinner than the apple’s peel!

The Living Environment:

Biotic Factors• All the living factors that inhabit an

environment are BIOTIC FACTORS!

• Think BIO from BIOLOGY (the study of life) must mean living things!

• Different organisms are adapted to different parts of the biosphere.

EX: Fish, Mountain Goats, Moles

The Nonliving Environment: Abiotic Factors

• Ecologists study how nonliving factors in the environment affect living things.

• ABIOTIC FACTORS are the nonliving parts of the environment.

• Examples: air currents, temperature, moisture, light, and soil.

• Abiotic factors can determine which species can survive in a particular environment!

Think of some BIOTIC Factors at PALATINE…

Think of some ABIOTIC Factors at PALATINE…

Levels of Organization:The Hierarchy of Life!

ORGANISMS

POPULATIONS

COMMUNITIES

ECOSYSTEMS

BIOSPHERE

What are ecosystems?

• Interactions among living things and abiotic factors form ecosystems.

• Ex: Terrestrial ecosystems on land are forests, meadows, and deserts.

• Ex: Aquatic ecosystems in water are fresh or salt water environments.

• What does your ecosystem consist of?

Where and How Organisms Live

• Every species has a particular function in its community-this is called its NICHE.

• A HABITAT is the place where an organism lives out its life.

• What is your HABITAT and NICHE right now?

Species Relationships!Who’s HOT and Who’s NOT!

FEEDING RELATIONSHIPS

-AUTOTROPHS-make their own food

Ex: Plants

-HETEROTROPHS-rely on autotrophs

Ex: Rabbits, Cows, etc.

-SCAVENGERS-Feed on carrion, refuse, and dead organisms

Ex: Vultures, hyenas

Species Relationships!Who’s HOT and Who’s NOT!

MORE FEEDING RELATIONSHIPS

-DECOMPOSERS-break down and absorb nutrients from dead organisms

Ex: Bacteria, Fungi, etc.

SYMBIOSIS-”Living Together”Not always happily ever after!

COMMENSALISM-one species benefits and the other is not harmed or benefitedEx: Peregrine Falcon & Red-breasted Goose

MUTUALISM-both species benefit! Ex: Ant & Acacia Tree

PARASITISM-one species benefits at the expense of the other Ex: Ticks/Fleas & Dogs

Think of someCommensalistic relationships,

Mutualistic relationships,and Parasitic relationships at

Palatine…