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Unit 1-2aUnit 1-2a

Hierarchy Of AnHierarchy Of AnEcosystemEcosystem

Life On Earth

Biosphere – The region on Earth where all living thingsare found; From the highest mountain to the ocean floor

The biosphere is divided into many biomes which are made up of many individual…

Ecosystems – All of the living andnon-living elements in an area

Abiotic Factors – The non-livingelements; Sunlight, soil & water

Biotic Factors – The living elementsfrom bacteria to blue whales

Compare the biotic & abiotic factors of a desert & marsh.

Exploring The Ecosystem

Living things within an ecosystem can be grouped into a…

Community – A group of various species that interactEx: Grass, elephants & wildebeests

Within that community are many…

Populations – A group of the samespecies living in a specific areaEx: A population of wildebeests

And a population is made of many…

Organisms – An individual living thingEx: Bob the Wildebeest

Habitat – An area where anorganism lives

What word would a scientist use to describe this area?

An EcosystemList theAbioticFactors

Sunlight

Water

Soil

Temperature

List theBiotic

Factors

Bird

Bugs

Frog

Fish

Plants

What term describes all of these interacting species?

A Community

This lake would be considered part of the blue jay’s…

Habitat

What term describes all of the

lily pads in this

image?

A population

What term describes the frog

sitting by the lake?

An organism

What Is A Species?

Species – A group of organisms that can mate to produce fertile offspring, such as the Canis lupus familiaris, aka…

Dogs!How can thesevery differentanimals stillbelong to thesame species?

Because theymake puppiesthat continueto reproduce.

Why aren’t there any mommy & daddy ligers?

Let’s Review…What have you learned in this unit?

1. Describe three extreme regionsof the biosphere.

2. Where can an ecosystem be foundin Edison?

3. Provide some abiotic factors thatare common to the north pole.

4. What is not part of a communityfound in a McDonald’s dumpster?

5. What is the difference betweendiscussing a species and a population?

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Unit 1-2bUnit 1-2b

Theory Of EvolutionTheory Of Evolution

How Can Life On Earth Change?

Once upon a time, most people believed that living things on Earth had not changed since the

beginning of time.

But evidence, including the fossil record, proves otherwise!

Variations or mutations (changes in DNA) can become an…

Adaptation – An inherited traitthat increases the chancefor an organism to surviveand reproduce

Over long periods of time, ifthe adaptation becomes common,the species may evolve into something new.

Can an organism evolve?

How Can Species Evolve?

The Story of Darwin’s Finches

Charles Darwin – Studied many finches from the Galapagos Islands and found that theyall had one common ancestor,the Warbler Finch

So what happened, the birdsput on their best suited beakin order to eat?!?

No! The Warbler Finch flew from S. America to the Galapagos Islands and bore many different

offspring.

Birds survived longer if their beak matchedthe food that was available at each island.

Which Traits Are The Best?

The story of the Peppered MothWhich peppered moth variation is better, black or white?

Originally, the white moth was better suited to the light trees found in England and had a larger population.

But during the IndustrialRevolution, soot and ashdarkened the trees givingblack moths an advantage.

Today, the environment iscleaner and the white moth population is increasing again.

Because the environment is constantly changing, there isn’t one specific trait that guarantees

success.

The Stages Of Evolution

1. Offspring all act and look differently

2. Many of these differences are inherited

3. Many offspring won’t survive long enough to reproduce

4. Individuals with the best traits for survival will be able to reproduce more often, passing on those traits

5. Over long periods of time, the better suited individuals will increase with each generation, changing the species

Matching Struggle to Survive #3Evolution #5Variation/Mutations #1&2Natural Selection #4

What Causes Evolution?

There are four triggers that can initiate evolution…

• Migration/Isolation – Darwin’s finches

• Environmental Changes – The peppered moth

• Artificial Selection – Breeding of organisms by humans

• Coevolution – When two species evolve in response to each other Ex: Hummingbird & flowering plant

Let’s Review…What have you learned in this unit?

1. What did Darwin notice aboutthe finches he discovered?

2. Describe the five key pointsDarwin used to define evolution.

3. What adaptation increasedthe peppered moth population?

4. Give four triggers that cancause the evolution of a species.

5. What is the purpose ofartificial selection?

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Unit 1-2cUnit 1-2c

Diversity of LifeDiversity of Life

Defining Life

Even with all its diversity, life on Earth has commonality.

All living things…

• Made up of one or more highly organized cells

• Grow and develop

• Reproduce offspring

• Use energy for metabolism (the chemical processes of life)

• Outward response to the environment

• Maintain homeostasis (a stable internal condition regardless of the changing external environment)

Can you explain why a fire is not alive?

Kingdoms of Life

There are six kingdoms to organize all of life on Earth.

Archaebacteria – Single-cell organisms living in the most extreme places on Earth

• Hot springs over 100oC

• Bottom of the ocean

Bacteria- Single-cell organismsthat are commonly found everywhere

• Soil, your stomach & bathrooms

These bacteria groups do not havea nucleus and divide to reproduce.

These Aren’t Plants!

Fungi – Organisms with a nucleus and cell wall that gets energy from decomposing matter

• Single cell yeast

• Multi-cellular mushrooms

Protists – An organism witha nucleus that is not a fungus,plant or animal

• Single cell, animal-like, amoebas

• Multicellular, plant-like, seaweed

Fungi & Protists can be single ormulticellular but both have cells with a nucleus.

What’s A Plant?

Plants – Multicellular organisms that have a nucleus and cell wall; Produce their own food; Most plants have…

Vascular tissue – Transports water and nutrients

Lower plants, like mosses, don’t have this tissue

Also, plants can be…

Angiosperms – Produce flowersand fruit with seeds inside

orGymnosperms – Produce seedsthat are protected inside cones

What’s An Animal?

Animals – Multicellular organisms that use other organisms as a source of food

99% of animals areinvertebrates –without backbones(often have shellsor exoskeletons)

Five of theseclasses arevertebrates –with backbones

Which class doyou belong to?

Let’s Review…What have you learned in this unit?

1. Describe the six characteristicsof all living things.

2. How are archaebacteria andeubacteria similar?

3. How are fungi and protistssimilar?

4. Give two characteristics importantin classifying a rose bush.

5. How many invertebrate animalclasses can you name?