Organisms & Their Environment

2.1

I. Ecology

NAME AN ORGANISM THAT LEAVES IN COMPLETE

ISOLATION FROM OTHER ORGANISMS...

There isn’t one! (Give examples)

I. Ecology

A. Ecology- The study of interactions between organisms and their environments

1. Big picture = Everything is connected to something else!

I. EcologyB. Biosphere- The portion of the

earth that supports life (remember bio=life)

1. Includes air, land and oceans (not the core of the Earth…as far as we know)

2. Very thin layer of the Earth

I. Ecology3. The biosphere contains biotic and

abiotic factors

a. Biotic Factors- Living or once-living things

1) Ex: mates, producers (food), predators, etc

b. Abiotic Factors- Non-living things

1) Ex: temperatrue, wind, nitrogen, salt, rocks, soil, etc

II. Levels of Organization(see bulls eye handout)

A. Organism- The living thing of interest.

B. Population- A group of organisms of the same species, in the same area, at the same time.1. Some members will compete for food, water, shelter, mates, etc

II. Levels of OrganizationC. Biological Community-

Populations that interact in the same area at the same time.

1. Includes multiple different species (all living things)

2. Ex: Lions, zebras, trees, grass in African plains

II. Levels of OrganizationD. Ecosystem- An area of

interaction between living and non-living things

1. Terrestrial- Located on Land

2. Aquatic- Located in water

E. Biome- Large group of ecosystems that share the same climate

1. Marine, Grassland, Dessert, etc

II. Levels of OrganizationE. Organisms in Ecosystems

1. Habitat- Specific place where an organism lives its life

a. Ex: Under a log

2. Niche- Strategies and adaptations that an organism uses to meet its needs that sets it apart.

a. One habitat may have many niches

II. Levels of Organizationa. One habitat may have many niches

b. Niches reduce competition for resources

1) Ex: Under a log…»Centipedes trap beetles for food

»Worms get nutrients from soil»Ants eat dead insects»Millipede eats decaying leaves

III. Survival RelationshipsA. Symbiosis- A permanent

relationship between two organisms of different species

1. Means “living together”

2. Helps species survive

III. Survival RelationshipsB. Mutualism- Both organisms

benefit

1. Ants on an Acacia tree attack anything that tries to feed on the tree while the Acacia tree provides shelter for the ants

2. Everybody wins!!!

III. Survival RelationshipsC. Commensalism- One

organism benefits and one is unaffected

1. Barnacles attach to whales for transportation. This makes no difference to the whale.

III. Survival RelationshipsD. Parasitism- One organism

benefits while the other is harmed1. Usually does not kill the host…Why?2. Tapeworms live in the digestive tract and steal nutrients from its host. Host may become malnourished.

III. Survival RelationshipsE. Predator/Prey- One

organism hunts and kills another for food.

1. Not actually considered a symbiotic relationship because the organism dies (not “permanent”).

2. Ex: Cougar eats a rabbit.

ReviewWhat is ecology?What are the 3 parts of the biosphere?What’s the difference between biotic factors and abiotic factors?From smallest to largest, what are the levels of organization?

ReviewWhat’s the difference between a habitat and a niche?

Why is a niche good?

List and describe the 3 symbiotic relationships.