Principles of EcologyPrinciples of Ecology

Chapter 13Chapter 13

ReviewReview

What is a system?What is a system? Smaller parts working together, Smaller parts working together,

organized into a larger wholeorganized into a larger whole What systems are you a part of?What systems are you a part of? We, as animals, are all part of an We, as animals, are all part of an

ecosystem.ecosystem. We interact with the environment to get We interact with the environment to get

energy and materials. energy and materials.

How does this bird interact with How does this bird interact with its ecosystem?its ecosystem?

How does the anhinga How does the anhinga interact with its interact with its environment?environment?

Matter and energy, in the Matter and energy, in the form of food, move through form of food, move through an ecosystem from an ecosystem from producers to consumers.producers to consumers.

Producers, such as plants Producers, such as plants and algae, are organisms and algae, are organisms that bring energy into an that bring energy into an ecosystem. ecosystem.

What is the ultimate source What is the ultimate source of energy?of energy?

What is Ecology?What is Ecology?

The study of interactions among The study of interactions among living things, and between living living things, and between living things and their surroundings.things and their surroundings.

Ecologists study Ecologists study environments at environments at different levels of different levels of

organizationorganization

OrganismOrganism

Individual living thingIndividual living thing

PopulationPopulation

Group of the same species that lives in one areaGroup of the same species that lives in one area

CommunityCommunity Group of different species that live together in one areaGroup of different species that live together in one area Just livingJust living

Ecosystem: living + nonlivingEcosystem: living + nonliving Community and its nonliving surroundingsCommunity and its nonliving surroundings Includes all of the organisms as well as the climate, soil, Includes all of the organisms as well as the climate, soil,

water, rocks, and other nonliving thingswater, rocks, and other nonliving things

BiomeBiome Major regional or global community of organismsMajor regional or global community of organisms Usually characterized by its climate conditions and plant Usually characterized by its climate conditions and plant

communitiescommunities

Vocabulary to know!Vocabulary to know!

EcologyEcology CommunityCommunity BiomeBiome Biotic Biotic AbioticAbiotic Keystone speciesKeystone species AutotrophAutotroph HeterotrophHeterotroph ProducerProducer

ConsumerConsumer Food chainFood chain HerbivoreHerbivore OmnivoreOmnivore CarnivoreCarnivore DetritivoreDetritivore DecomposerDecomposer Trophic LevelTrophic Level Food WebFood Web SpecialistSpecialist GeneralistGeneralist

An ecosystem includes both An ecosystem includes both biotic and abiotic factorsbiotic and abiotic factors

Biotic factors: living thingsBiotic factors: living things Examples: plants, animals, fungi, Examples: plants, animals, fungi,

bacteriabacteria Each organism plays a particular Each organism plays a particular

role in the ecosystem.role in the ecosystem.

An ecosystem includes both An ecosystem includes both biotic and abiotic factorsbiotic and abiotic factors

Abiotic factors: nonliving thignsAbiotic factors: nonliving thigns Examples: moisture, temperature, Examples: moisture, temperature,

wind, sunlight, and soilwind, sunlight, and soil Balance of factors determines if Balance of factors determines if

living things survive or notliving things survive or not

Changing one factor in an ecosystem can Changing one factor in an ecosystem can affect many other factorsaffect many other factors

The loss of a single species may cause a The loss of a single species may cause a ripple effect across an entire ecosystemripple effect across an entire ecosystem

Keystone species: a species that has an Keystone species: a species that has an unusually large effect on its ecosystemunusually large effect on its ecosystem

Energy in EcosystemsEnergy in Ecosystems

Producers: organisms that get their Producers: organisms that get their energy from nonliving resourcesenergy from nonliving resources Make their own foodMake their own food Also called autotrophsAlso called autotrophs

Consumers: organisms that get their Consumers: organisms that get their energy by eating other live or once-living energy by eating other live or once-living resources (plants and animals)resources (plants and animals) Also called heterotrophsAlso called heterotrophs

All ecosystems depend on All ecosystems depend on producersproducers

Producers provide the basis for the Producers provide the basis for the ecosystem’s energyecosystem’s energy All consumers depend on producersAll consumers depend on producers But could producers survive without consumers?But could producers survive without consumers?

Most producers depend on the sun as their Most producers depend on the sun as their source of energysource of energy Use process of photosynthesisUse process of photosynthesis Few producers live deep below a lake’s Few producers live deep below a lake’s

surface…Why?surface…Why?

A few producers do not A few producers do not depend on sunlightdepend on sunlight

Some producers obtain energy through Some producers obtain energy through process of chemosynthesisprocess of chemosynthesis

Chemosynthesis: process by which an Chemosynthesis: process by which an organism uses chemical as an energy organism uses chemical as an energy sourcessources Several reactions change the chemicals into Several reactions change the chemicals into

usable energyusable energy