What is Ecology?

The study of the interactions between organisms and their environment

Interactions between organisms is not simply who eats who but varied, some good some bad

Organization in the Environment

OrganismPopulationsCommunities

Ecosystems

Biomes

Biosphere

Single animalGroup of the same

animalDifferent populations in

the same area Includes the abiotic

factorsGeographic area

characterized by certain types of plant and animal communities

Earth where life exists

2 parts of ecology

Biotic factorsThe living part of the environmentAnimals, plants, insects, humans

Abiotic factorsThe non-living part of the environmentWater, soil, light, temperature

Habitat vs. NicheHabitat – the environment in which an

organism livesWhen things like deforestation, building of

roads and buildings occur, habitats are being destroyed

Niche – organisms way of life in the ecosystemIncludes its habitat, food, predators,

competitors and abiotic factors

Niche of the Gray Wolf

ConsumersCarnivores, eating moose,

deer, reindeer, sheep and small animals such as birds and snakes

Social Structure – hunt in packsNurture and teach their youngImportant in population control

ProducersMake their own food/energyUse the sun to go through the

process of photosynthesisIncludes plants, algae and some

bacteria

ConsumersCan’t make their own energy, get it by

eating producers or other consumersHerbivore – eats only plantsCarnivore – eats only animalsOmnivores – eats both plants and animals

Scavenger vs. Decomposer

Scavengers eat dead animals for energyExamples include turkey vultures

Decomposers get energy by breaking down the remains of dead organismsRecyclers, bacteria and fungi

PredationPrey – the organism that is eatenPredator – the organism doing

the eatingAdaptations

Predator – speed or ambush preyPrey – run away, camouflage,

poisonous, bright colors, groups

Competition

Can occur among individuals within a population or between populations

Competition for resources, mates, space

SymbiosisLong term, association between

two or more species

MutualismBoth organisms benefit

Commensalism

One organism is benefiting and the other is unaffected

Parasitism

One organism is harmed and the other is benefiting

Limiting factorsPopulations cannot grow indefinitely

because the environment contains only so much food, water, living space and other resources

When one or more becomes scarce, it becomes a limiting factor

Carrying CapacityThe largest population that a

given environment can support over a long period of time

When the population gets larger than carrying capacity, limiting factors will cause the population to get smaller

Food Chains and Webs

Food chains represent how energy flows from one organism to the nextRare in nature because animals

usually eat more than one organism

Food webs represent many pathways that energy flows in an ecosystem

Energy Pyramids

Represents the loss of energy by each organism in a food chain or web

Coevolution

Long term change that takes place in two species because of their close interactions with each other

Herbivores evolving with the plants they eat

Flowers and their pollinators