S. DickinsonBiology HHS

Ecology is the scientific study of interactions among organisms and between organisms and their environment/surroundings

The living world is a household Biosphere is the part of the earth in

which all life exists Interactions produce

interdependence Interdependence contributes to

change

Species/Individual – can breed and produce fertile offspring (already have)

Population – groups of same species in same area

Community – different populations that live in an area

Ecosystem – collection of organisms and their environment

Biome – group of ecosystems with same climate

Biosphere – earth

Can a group of rabbits and a group of field mice make up the same population in an ecosystem? Why/Why not?

No, because individuals that make up a __________ must be of the same ________.

Could a biome in Brazil near the equator be the same as a biome in northern Canada? Explain.

No, because those two biomes would have different climates and different dominant communities

Observing Experimenting Modeling

Since ecological phenomena occur over long periods of time or on large spatial scale, need modeling because difficult to study

Matter and energy flow through living and nonliving systems

How do organisms at each trophic level get the nutrients and energy they need to function?

One of the most important factors that determines the system’s capacity to sustain life

Sunlight is the main energy source for life on earth

Some organisms rely on the energy stored in inorganic chemical compounds Mineral water

Cannot harness energy directly from the physical environment

Need to eat other organisms for energy

Energy flows from sun to heterotrophs through autotrophs

Food chains show one way flow of energy How energy stored by producers can be

passed through an ecosystem Food webs show all feeding

relationships in an ecosystem Producers make up the first trophic level Each consumer relies on the trophic level

below it.

How is a food web different from a food chain?

A food web contains many overlapping food chains, so it is much more complex than a single food chain

In energy pyramids, only about 10% of the energy available within one trophic level is transferred to the next trophic level

The other 90% is lost as heat

At the lab tables you have scenarios.

It is your group’s job to sort these scenarios according to their appropriate symbiotic relationship.

When you think you have it, call me over to check you.

GOOD LUCK!

Matter is recycled within and between ecosystems

Matter is not used up, but transformed

Matter is recycled within and between ecosystems

Energy flows one way Biological systems transform matter Biogeochemical cycles connect biological,

geological, and chemical aspects of the biosphere

Pass the same molecules around again and again within the biosphere

How elements, chemical compounds, and other forms of matter are passed

How can a molecule that’s swallowed by a dung beetle “combine into” – or become part of – the body tissue of a tree shrew and then an owl?

The tree shrew takes in the molecule when it eats the dung beetle, then an owl takes in the molecule when it eats the tree shrew.

Water moves between the ocean, atmosphere, and land through transpiration, evaporation, condensation, precipitation, runoff, seepage, and root uptake

Figure 3-11

What are two ways that water can enter the atmosphere?

Evaporation and transpiration

What process moves water from the air to the ground?

Precipitation

What are two routes by which water might make its way to the ocean?

Runoff and Seepage

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

Like water, nutrients are passed between organisms and the environment

Carbon is key ingredient of living tissue

Carbon can take on many forms in many compounds; ex. Calcium carbonate

Also a component of carbon dioxide

1. Biological processes, ex. Photosynthesis, respiration, decomposition, take up and release carbon and oxygen

2. Geochemical processes, ex. Erosion and volcanic activity, release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and oceans

3. Mixed biogeochemical processes, ex. Burial and decomposition of dead organisms and their conversion under pressure into coal and petroleum, store carbon underground

4. Human activities, ex. Mining, cutting and burning forests, and burning fossil fuels, release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

Be able to “translate” diagrams pictures, labels, and arrows into complete sentences

Nitrogen is required to make amino acids

Used to build proteins Nitrogen in many forms occurs naturally

in the biosphere Nitrogen gas – 78% of earth’s atmosphere Ammonia – nitrogen containing substance Nitrate and nitrite ions – in wastes produced

by many organisms and in dead and decaying organic matter

Bacteria convert nitrogen gas into ammonia

Live in soil and on the roots of plants called legumes

Convert ammonia into nitrates and nitrites used by plants to make proteins

Then eaten by consumers and so on

Bacteria in general Some cause disease Some live inside and help with digestion Some decompose Some are producers

Decomposers return nitrogen to soil as ammonia

Some bacteria take ammonia and use it to convert nitrates into nitrogen gas

Be able to “translate” diagrams pictures, labels, and arrows into complete sentences

What types of information are given on the nutrition label?

Serving size, total number of servings in container, specific nutrients, amount of the nutrient in one serving, percentage of daily value each amount represents

What do you think a “daily value” is? How much of a nutrient a person should take

in each day What does percentage of daily value mean? How much daily value is in one serving of the

vitamin

Skittles