Ecologythe scientific study of interactions

between different organisms and

between organisms and their
environment or surroundings

Ecosystem
Community + Abiotic environment,
interacting

Bioticliving factors that influence an

ecosystem

Abioticnon-living factors that

influence an ecosystem

Community
All the populations of the different species living and
inter-acting in the same ecosystem
7-spotted lady
bird
(Adephagia
septempunctata)
Bean aphids
(Aphis fabae)
Red ant
(Myrmica rubra)
and
Broom plant
(Cytisus
scoparius)

Species
A group of organisms that can breed to
produce fully fertile offspring

Great White Pelican Pelecanus onocrotalus

Population
A group of organism
of the same species
which live in the same
habitat at the same
time where they can
freely interbreed

The black-veined white butterfly

(Aporia crataegi) mating

Biodiversity
The total number
of different species
in an ecosystem
and their relative
abundance

Habitat
The characteristics of the type of environment
where an organism normally lives.
(e.g. a stoney stream, a deciduous temperate
woodland, Bavarian beer mats)

Producers
A. Sunlight is the main energy source
for life on earth
B. Also called autotrophs
C. Use light or chemical
energy to make food
1. Plants
2. plant-like protists (algae)
3. Bacteria

D. Photosynthesisuse light energy to

convert carbon dioxide and water into
Light
oxygen and carbohydrates
Energy

(Remember: 6CO2 + 6H2O

6O2 + C6H12O6)

E. Chemosynthesisperformed by bacteria,
use chemical energy to produce

Consumers
A. Organisms that rely on other
organisms for their energy and
food supply
B. Also called heterotrophs

Herbivoresobtain
energy by
eating only plants

Carnivoreseat only
animals

Omnivoreseat both plants

and animals

Decomposersbreaks down dead

organic matter

Feeding Interactions
A. Energy flows through an ecosystem in one
directionfrom the sun or inorganic
compounds to autotrophs (producers)
and then to heterotrophs (consumers)

B. Food Chainseries of steps in which

organisms transfer energy by eating and
being eaten
1. Arrows go in the direction of how energy
is transferred
2. Start with producer and end with top
consumer
Ex: grass
cricket
frog
or carnivore
raccoon

C. Food Webnetwork of food chains within

an ecosystem
Hawks

Weasel
s

Mice

Raccoo
ns

Grass

Gras
Which of the organisms above is the top consumer?
Hawks
s
Which of the organisms above is the producer?

D. Trophic Levelseach step in a food chain or

food web
1. Level 1Producers (autotrophs)
2. Level 2Primary Consumers (herbivores)
3. Level 3Secondary Consumers
(carnivores or omnivores)
4. Level 4Tertiary Consumers
(carnivoreusually top carnivore)

Food Webs

Hawks

Raccoon
s

Weasels
Mic
e

Grass

IV. Ecological Pyramids

A. Diagram that shows the relative amount of
energy or
organisms contained within each
trophic level of a food
chain or web

B. Energy Pyramid shows relative amount of energy

available at each trophic level
1. Organisms in a trophic level use the available
energy for life processes (such as growth,
photosynthesis, cellular respiration, metabolism,
etc.)and release some energy as heat
Remember: Every chemical process that happens
in your body releases heat as a byproduct (ex:
burning calories).
2. Rule of 10only about 10% of the available
energy
within a trophic level is transferred to
the next
higher trophic level
C. Biomass Pyramidrepresents the amount of
living organic
matter at each trophic level

0.1%

1
%
10
%

100
%

Energy
Pyramid

Biomass
Pyramid

Energy and Biomass Pyramid

(together)
Represents amount of
energy available at
each level as well as
amount of living tissue
both decrease with
each increasing
trophic level

V. Ecological Interactions between

organisms
A. Competitionwhen two organisms of the
same or different species attempt to use an
ecological resource in the same place at the
same time.
Ex: food, water, shelter

Monkeys compete
with each other
and other animals
for food.

Rams compete
with each other
for mates.

Until Americans introduced gray squirrels into

parts of England in the early 20th century, red
squirrels had been the only species of squirrel
in the country. The gray squirrels were larger
and bred faster and successfully competed for
resources. Within a couple years of overlap in

B. Nichethe ecological niche involves both

the
habitat.

place where an organism lives and

the roles that an organism has in its

Example: The ecological niche of a sunflower

growing in the backyard includes absorbing
light, water and nutrients (for
photosynthesis), providing shelter and food
for other organisms (e.g. bees, ants, etc.),
and giving off oxygen into the atmosphere.

The ecological niche of an organism depends

not only on where it lives but also on what it
does. By analogy, it may be said that the
habitat is the organisms address, and the
niche is its profession, biologically speaking.
AddressSoil,
Worms
Niche

Ground, etc.

Profession Mix-up
soil

C. Predationone organism captures and

feeds on another organism
1. Predatorone that does the killing
2. Preyone that is the food

D. Symbiosisany relationship in which

two
species live closely together
1. Mutualismboth species benefit
(WIN-WIN)
a. Ex: insects and flowers
Can you think of any other examples that weve talked
about in class?

2. Commensalismone member of the

association benefits and
the other is neither
helped nor harmed.
(WIN-0)
Example: barnacles on a
whale

The Remora fish

attaches to the shark
and gets a free ride.

Commensalis
m
Birds build nests in
trees.

3. Parasitismone organisms lives on

or inside another organism (host) and
harms it.
The parasite obtains all or part of its
nutritional needs from the host. (WINLOSE)
Example: fleas on a dog

Wasp eggs on
back of caterpillar.

Parasitis
m
Sea lampreys
feed on fluids of
other fish.
Mosquito biting a
human.

Mutualism, Commensalism or
Parasitism??

Parasitis
m

Mutualis
m

Lets try!!!
1. It is a group of organisms of the same kind
of living in a particular region.
2. A kind of feeding relationship where both
parties are beneficiaries of what they gain.
3. They are organisms that can manufacture
the organic compounds they use as
sources of energy and nutrients. They are
also known as the self-feeders.
4. A consumer which feed directly and only
on all or part of living plants.
5. A combination of organisms habitat, role
and tolerance limits to all limiting factors.

6. These consumers are known to be as

flesh eaters.
7. They are organisms that get the
nutrients and energy they require by
feeding either directly or indirectly on
producers.
8. Consumer organisms that feed on
detritus, or dead organic plant and
animal matter.
9. It is the combination of a community
and the chemical and physical factors
making up its nonliving environment.
10.It is one or more populations whose