Warm-upWhat is ecology?

Ecology

What is Ecology?• Ecology is the study of interactions

between organisms and their environment

Ernst Haeckel• Coined term “Ecology” in 1866

– Greek word “oikos” means house

– Why does this make sense?

Ecology Examples:• What kinds of studies could you do in

Ecology?• How deer populations affect the

undergrowth of forests• Oxygen content in lakes and ponds and

how this affects fish and plants• How much will species diversity be

reduced by the building of a new road in a forested area?

How do we study Ecology?1) Observing

• What species live here? How many are there? How do they interact?

2) Experimenting• Testing hypotheses to answer

questions3) Modeling

• Making models to investigate complex phenomena

• How will global warming progress in the next ten years? Twenty years?

Where do we study Ecology?• The Biosphere is the part of earth

that supports life. This includes land, water, air, and the atmosphere

• What on earth is NOT part of the biosphere?

Remember the 6 Characteristics of Life???• Can you name them?1. Cells2. Organization3. Energy use4. Homeostasis5. Growth6. Reproduction

Parts of the Environment Biotic:

Living parts of the environment (animals, plants, fungi, etc.)

Abiotic:Non-living parts of the environment (air, water, sunlight, rocks, etc.)

Biotic? Abiotic?

How do we study such a large place?• Ecologists study many different levels

of organization:• Species• Populations• Communities• Ecosystems• Biomes• Biosphere

Species Group of similar

organisms that can breed and produce fertile offspring

Population• A Population is a group of

organisms in the same species that interbreed and live in the same area

• Part of a population of bullfrogs:

Community• A Community is a mix of different

populations that live together

Ecosystem• An Ecosystem includes the

community and the non-living (abiotic)environment (soil, air, water, sunlight, etc.)

• The bullfrogs’ ecosystem is a pond:

Biome• A Biome is a group of ecosystems with

the same climate and dominant communities

• The Bullfrogs’ Biome is a temperate forest:

• The Bullfrog is a Species• They live in a Population with Bullfrogs• Their Community includes Bullfrogs and their biotic

friends (birds, trout, trees)• Their Ecosystem is a pond, which includes abiotic

factors (soil, air, water)• The Biome that they live in is the Temperate Forest• The Temperate Forest is part of the Biosphere

In your notes, write your own level of organization (like we did for the

Bullfrog). Start at the Species level and move up to an Ecosystem. You can use

real or make believe organisms.

How do organisms interact with their environment?• Each organism has a habitat--where it lives

out its life. There are many habitats in each ecosystem.

• In habitats there are many niches, each occupied by one species. A niche is a species’ role, sort of like it’s JOB.

• Why can there only be one species in each niche?

How do organisms interact with their environment?• Think of Finding Nemo and its examples of

organism’s niches and habitats!– What is the Habitat?– What types of organisms do you see?– What are their niches? (what do they do?)

Autotrophs vs. Heterotrophs

Autotrophs – make their own food so they are called PRODUCERS

Heterotrophs – get their food from another source so they are called CONSUMERS

Warm-up What is an autotroph? How

do they get their energy? What is a heterotroph?

How do they get their energy?

Two Main forms of Energy for Autotrophs

SunlightThe main source of energy

for life on earthPhotosynthesis

Chemical Some organisms such as

bacteria, rely on the energy stored in inorganic compounds

Chemosynthesis

Types of ConsumersHerbivores- only eat plants Carnivores - only eat animals

Omnivores- eat plants AND animals

Detritivores and DecomposersFeeds on plant and animal

remains

How does Energy flow through an Ecosystem?

Energy flows through an ecosystem in ONE directionsun or chemicals

autotrophs

heterotrophs

Energy Flow in Ecosystems:

Feeding Relationships Food Chain – steps of

organisms transferring energy by eating & being eaten

Food Web – network of all the food chains in an ecosystem

Food Web (notice the direction of the arrows!!)

1st consumers

2nd consumers

3rd/ top consumers

producers

Trophic levels

Warm-up Finish your American Shad Food Web. On your warm-up sheet list the

following from your American Shad Food Web:1. Ultimate source of energy2. Producers3. Primary consumers (herbivores)4. Secondary consumers5. Tertiary consumers

Ecological Pyramids

Energy Pyramid

Biomass Pyramid

Pyramid of Numbers

Trophic Level – each step in a food chain or food web

Pyramid of Energy – amount of energy available at each trophic level

Most of the energy is used by the organisms for life processes

Some of the energy is lost as heat

Only 10% of the energy from each trophic level is passed on to the next level

Pyramid of Numbers – the number of individuals at each trophic level

Pyramid of Biomass - amount of living organic matter for each trophic level

How does Matter move through an ecosystem?

Unlike the one way flow of energy, matter is recycled within & between ecosystems

Nutrients are passed between organisms & the environment through biogeochemical cycles

Biogeochemical Cycles:Bio –lifeGeo – EarthChemo – chemical

Why are nutrients important ?

95% of your body is made of…

1) OXYGEN2) CARBON3) HYDROGEN4) NITROGEN5) PHOSPHOROUS

Every living organism needs nutrients to build tissues and carry out essential life functions.

Water Processes Precipitation: rain, snow, sleet, or hail (any water

subject to gravity) Evaporation: change of water from liquid to

gaseous phase Transpiration: evaporation of water from the

leaves of plants Run-off: water flow when the ground is saturated;

causes flooding Condensation: change of water from gaseous to

liquid phase Infiltration: process in which water on the ground

enters the soil (opposite of run-off)

THE HYDROLOGIC CYCLE

Carbon Cycle Sources (release carbon into the atmosphere)

BreathingBurning fossil fuelsDecompositionDeforestationVolcanoes

Sinks (take carbon from the atmosphere)PhotosynthesisOceansPermafrost

CARBON CYCLE

NITROGEN CYCLEUnusable form of nitrogen is in the atmosphere (N2)

Usable forms of nitrogen:

1) Ammonia (NH3)

2) Nitrate (NO3-)

3) Nitrite (NO2-)

ORGANISMS NEED NITROGEN TO MAKE PROTEINS!!!

Video!

Nitrogen Cycle1. Bacteria and lightning “fix” nitrogen (take it in

from atmosphere and make it usable) Nitrogen fixation (nitrification)

2. Bacteria and other organisms use the nitrogen 3. Plants absorb nitrogen through their roots

Plants and animals use nitrogen to build proteins4. Decomposers consume usable nitrogen and

release unusable form (N2) of nitrogen back into the atmosphere

PHOSPHORUS CYCLE PHOSPHORUS FORMS PART OF IMPORTANT LIFE-SUSTAINING MOLECULES (ex.

DNA & RNA)

Availability of nutrients If a nutrient is in short supply, it will limit

an organism’s growth. It is called a limiting nutrient

When a limiting nutrient is dumped into a lake or pond, an algal bloom occurs and can disrupt the ecosystem