Ecosystems and the Ecosystems and the BiosphereBiosphere

Why???Why???

What do animals and plants need to What do animals and plants need to survive? survive?

Why are frogs showing up with Why are frogs showing up with mutations?mutations?

How does pollution affect plants?How does pollution affect plants? Does Oil drilling affect humans? Does Oil drilling affect humans?

Other animals?Other animals? Is the Earth getting warmer? How will Is the Earth getting warmer? How will

it affect the way we live?it affect the way we live?

Terms to knowTerms to know EcologyEcology: study of interactions between : study of interactions between

organisms and their environmentorganisms and their environment BiosphereBiosphere: part of earth where life exists: part of earth where life exists BiomeBiome: geographical region containing : geographical region containing

several ecosystems that have the same several ecosystems that have the same climate and dominant communitiesclimate and dominant communities

EcosystemEcosystem: mixture of non-living and : mixture of non-living and living factors in an environment. living factors in an environment. CommunityCommunity: all populations living in a : all populations living in a given areagiven area

PopulationPopulation: collection of individuals : collection of individuals of the same species in a given area of the same species in a given area whose members can breed with one whose members can breed with one anotheranother

Organism (species):Organism (species): any individual any individual living creature, either unicellular or living creature, either unicellular or multicellularmulticellular

What makes up an What makes up an ecosystem?ecosystem?

Biotic FactorsBiotic Factors

(Living things)(Living things)

Examples: include all Examples: include all living organisms.living organisms.

What makes up an ecosystem? What makes up an ecosystem? (cont.)(cont.)

Abiotic FactorsAbiotic Factors

(non-living)(non-living)

Examples include: Examples include: type of soil, land, type of soil, land, temperature, temperature, acidity, availability acidity, availability of nutrients, of nutrients, climate.climate.

2 Essentials in an ecosystem: 2 Essentials in an ecosystem:

Energy and Nutrients…Energy and Nutrients…1.1. Sunlight is source of Sunlight is source of

ENERGYENERGY

2.2. ½ energy stored in ½ energy stored in plants as starchplants as starch

3.3. Energy CANNOT be Energy CANNOT be recycled=FLOWSrecycled=FLOWS

4.4. NUTRIENTS NUTRIENTS are are recycled naturally by recycled naturally by DECOMPOSERSDECOMPOSERS

I make my own food!!I make my own food!! PlantsPlants: We do : We do

photosynthesis and photosynthesis and absorb energy from the absorb energy from the sun. That’s why we’re sun. That’s why we’re usually green.usually green.

They call us They call us Producers Producers or Autotrophs (self-or Autotrophs (self-feeding)feeding)..

We can store the most We can store the most amount of energy.amount of energy.

That’s also why so That’s also why so many animals love to many animals love to eat us.eat us.

I can’t make my own food!I can’t make my own food!

Animals:Animals: We cannot get energy on our We cannot get energy on our own and so we’re usually looking for own and so we’re usually looking for something that can.something that can.

We’re considered We’re considered Consumers Consumers oror Heterotrophs (different food)Heterotrophs (different food) because We because We eat the producers or we might eat eat the producers or we might eat something that eats producers because we something that eats producers because we need energy too!need energy too!

ConsumersConsumers1.1. Herbivores (primary Herbivores (primary

consumers)consumers): We eat : We eat only plants matter Ex: only plants matter Ex: deer, micedeer, mice

2.2. Carnivores Carnivores (secondary)(secondary): We eat : We eat meat. Ex: Eagle, Tigermeat. Ex: Eagle, Tiger

3.3. Omnivores Omnivores (secondary)(secondary): We eat : We eat both plants and both plants and animals.Ex: turtles, animals.Ex: turtles, bears, humansbears, humans

I eat dead things.I eat dead things.

1.1. Fungi and scavengersFungi and scavengers: We wait till : We wait till something turns up dead something turns up dead ((CARRIONCARRION) and then get our energy. ) and then get our energy. (vultures, hyenas)(vultures, hyenas)

2.2. DecomposersDecomposers: breakdown tissues : breakdown tissues into organic matter to be recycled!into organic matter to be recycled!

(mushrooms, bacteria, (mushrooms, bacteria, worms, microbes) worms, microbes)

ReviewReview ProducersProducers are…. are…. PlantsPlants: Are also called….: Are also called…. Autotrophs Autotrophs because... because... They make their own foodThey make their own food ConsumersConsumers are….. are….. AnimalsAnimals… Are also called … Are also called HeterotrophsHeterotrophs because.. because.. They cannot make their own foodThey cannot make their own food DecomposersDecomposers…… break down dead materialbreak down dead material….they include…. ….they include…. Fungus and scavengersFungus and scavengers

Energy and Nutrients Energy and Nutrients energy flows in one direction: from sun to producers energy flows in one direction: from sun to producers

to consumersto consumers

Food ChainFood Chain A single chain or series of steps A single chain or series of steps

showing who eats who.showing who eats who.

Example: grass --Example: grass --deer-deer-lionlion

Shows only a ONE WAY flow of Shows only a ONE WAY flow of energyenergy

Food Web:Food Web:

How to read a food webHow to read a food web The arrow points in the direction the energy The arrow points in the direction the energy

and nutrients flow. Ex:and nutrients flow. Ex: grass grass energyenergy deer deer energyenergy tiger tiger They show complex feeding relationships that They show complex feeding relationships that

result from interconnecting food chains.result from interconnecting food chains. Food webs are different depending on where Food webs are different depending on where

you are on the globe.you are on the globe. Food webs are good indicators to the health Food webs are good indicators to the health

of the Ecosystem.of the Ecosystem. If one animal goes extinct.. What happens???If one animal goes extinct.. What happens???

Inputs and Outputs of Inputs and Outputs of EnergyEnergy

What does that have to do with What does that have to do with energy?energy?

The producers, consumers, and The producers, consumers, and decomposers all work together to give each decomposers all work together to give each other energy.other energy.

It forms a systems of levels: It forms a systems of levels: Trophic levelsTrophic levels ( (eating levelseating levels): ): Shows Energy Shows Energy

flowflow An animal at the top of the food chain

would have to eat a lot more to get enough energy required for life.

Energy is lost as things are consumed. 10% of energy from one level is available to 10% of energy from one level is available to

the nextthe next

Trophic LevelsTrophic Levels

Nutrients and Biogeochemical Nutrients and Biogeochemical cyclescycles

As you can see Energy flows As you can see Energy flows continuously through each member continuously through each member of the ecosystem. Its recycled!!of the ecosystem. Its recycled!!

What about What about NutrientsNutrients?? Next time:Nutrient CyclesNext time:Nutrient Cycles