ECOLOGY

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ECOLOGY
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OPENING EXERCISE

• Make a list of 10 organisms that can be found in
  a forest.
• Draw a line between organisms that effect each
  other.
• Next to the line write how the organisms effect
  each other.

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How are they related?
Mmmm Honey!
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OPENING EXERCISE

• Which organisms in your list provide energy or
  nutrients to others?
• What would you expect to happen if all the plants
  on your diagram died?
• What would you expect to happen if all the
  animals on your diagram died?
• 4. Why is it difficult to make accurate
  predictions about changes in communities of
  organisms?

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WHAT IS ECOLOGY?

• Scientific study of interactions among
  organisms AND between organisms and their
  environment
• These interactions demonstrate interdependence
  among and between living and nonliving parts of
  Earth

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True or False
False

• Ecology is the study of interactions between
  animals.

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Levels of Organization
LEVELS OF ORGANIZATION
Biosphere
Biome
Ecosystem
Community
Population
Individual
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• How many levels of organization does ecology
  include?
• 6

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LEVELS OF ORGANIZATIONINDIVIDUAL

• Smallest level
• Ecological studies focus on species
• SPECIES A group of very similar organisms that
  are able to breed and produce fertile offspring

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LEVELS OF ORGANIZATION POPULATION

• Groups of individuals that belong to the same
  species and live in the same area
• Ex BHS students (homo sapiens) living in
  Braintree

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LEVELS OF ORGANIZATION COMMUNITY

• Grouping of all populations that live in same
  area
• Include all interacting organisms of different
  populations
• Ex All living organisms at sunset lake
  (algae, deer, fish, protists, bacteria)

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• A herd of buffalos living in South Dakota.
  This scenario describes which of the following
  levels of organization?
• A. community
• B. population
• C. biosphere
• D. individual

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LEVELS OF ORGANIZATION ECOSYSTEM

• A collection of all organisms that live in a
  particular place, together with their nonliving
  environment
• Ex All living organisms (plant, animal,
  fungi, protists) and nonliving
  environment (water, dissolved chemicals,
  rock)
  at Sunset Lake

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LEVELS OF ORGANIZATION BIOME

• Group of ecosystems that have same climate and
  similar dominant communities
• Climate typical weather patterns of an area
  over time
• Major factors temperature
  precipitation

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• Which of the following levels of organization
  include both living and nonliving parts?
• A. individual
• B. population
• C. ecosystem
• D. community

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LEVELS OF ORGANIZATION BIOSPHERE

• Largest level and most inclusive
• Contains all portions of planet in which life
  exists
• includes nonliving environment (land,
  water, air)
• extends 8km above earths surface to 11km below
  surface of ocean.

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• Which of the following places all the levels of
  organization in the correct order from smallest
  to largest?
• A. biosphere, biome, ecosystem, community,
  population, individual
• B. biosphere, ecosystem, population
• C. individual, population, community
• D. individual, population, community,
• ecosystem, biome, biosphere

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LEVELS OF ORGANIZATION IN REVIEW
Biosphere
Biosphere (Largest, includes all
others) Biome Ecosystem Community Population Indiv
idual (Smallest)
Biome
Ecosystem
Community
Population
Individual
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ENERGY FLOW

• Each organism REQUIRES ENERGY to sustain lifes
  processes.
• Where do organisms get energy?
• The environment
• Other organisms
• Flow of energy through an ecosystem is necessary
  for
  sustaining life

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What is the MAIN SOURCE of energy for life on
earth?

• SUNLIGHT (Light Energy)
• Less than 1 of suns energy that reaches
  Earths surface is used by living things, but
  that is enough to sustain life on Earth
• A few ecosystems obtain energy from other sources
  than sunlight.

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PRODUCERS or AUTOTROPHS

• Organisms capable of CAPTURING ENERGY from
  sunlight (photosynthesis) or chemicals
  (chemosynthesis) to PRODUCE complex ORGANIC
  MOLECULES (FOOD)
• Autotrophs are ESSENTIAL to flow of energy
  through an ecosystem. Without them, life within
  an ecosystem cannot survive.
• Ex Plants such as kelp

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PHOTOSYNTHESIS

• The process that allows most autotrophs to
  CREATE FOOD using energy from sunlight.
• LIGHT ENERGY from sun powers the chemical
  reaction that converts inorganic compounds to
  organic compounds
• Chemical Equation
• 6H20 6CO2 ? C6H12O6
  6O2
• Water carbon dioxide ? glucose oxygen

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Examples of Autotrophs that use light energy

• Contain chloroplasts for photosynthesis
• ON LAND
• Plants (such as hyacinths)
• IN AQUATIC ENVIRONMENTS
• Mostly algae, cyanobacteria

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Examples of Autotrophs that use chemical energy

• Use chemosynthesis to make food
• CHEMOSYNTHESIS Process of using energy within
  CHEMICAL BONDS of inorganic molecules such as
  hydrogen sulfide to make carbohydrate.
• Ex bacteria in deep sea vents or hot springs
  can obtain chemical energy from mineral
  water (inorganic chemical compounds)

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• Which of the following is NOT true of
  autotrophs?
• A. produce food through the processes
• of photosynthesis and chemosynthesis
• B. are also known as producers
• C. obtain energy from consuming other
• organisms
• D. include organisms such as algae and
• bacteria

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CONSUMERS or HETEROTROPHS

• CANNOT use light energy from sunlight or
  chemical energy from inorganic compounds to make
  food
• MUST acquire energy from other organisms
• Ex animals, fungi, some bacteria

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• Which of the following is true of heterotrophs?
• A. use light energy to produce their food
• B. use chemical energy to produce their
• food
• C. include organisms such as plants and
• algae
• D. obtain energy by consuming other
• organisms

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TYPES OF HERTEROTROPHS

• Herbivores
• Obtain energy by eating ONLY PLANTS
• Ex cows, caterpillars, deer
• Carnivores
• Obtain energy by eating animals
• Ex snakes, owls
• Omnivores
• Obtain energy by eating BOTH plant and animal
• Ex humans, bears, crows

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TYPES OF HERTEROTROPHS

• Detritivores
• Feed on plant and animal remains and other
  detritus
• DETRITUS dead matter
• Ex mites, earthworms, snails, crabs
• Decomposers
• Break down organic matter to obtain energy
• Ex bacteria and fungi

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• An new organism has been discovered that obtains
  energy by consuming the remains of organisms.
  This organism can be classified as a
• A. detritivore
• B. decomposer
• C. omnivore
• D. carnivore

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FEEDING RELATIONSHIPS

• Energy moves along a ONE-WAY PATH
• Energy flows in one direction in ecosystem,
  starting from
• Sun or inorganic compounds to
• Autotrophs (producers) to
• Heterotrophs (consumers)
• Feeding relationships are established,
  connecting producers and consumers, based on whom
  eats whom.

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True or False
False

• Energy flows in a one way path through an
  ecosystem starting with heterotrophs and moving
  to autotrophs.

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FOOD CHAINS

• Shows the passage
  of energy through
  an ecosystem
• A series of steps in
  which organisms
  transfer energy by
  eating and being
  eaten

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FOOD WEBS

• Describes the feeding relationships among
  organisms in an ecosystem that form a network of
  complex interactions

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TROPHIC LEVELS

• Each step in a food
  chain or web
• Producers 1st Trophic
  Level
• Consumers 2nd, 3rd, or
  Higher Levels
• Each organism depends
  on the trophic level below it

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• Which of the following is in the first trophic
  level?
• A. rabbits
• B. plants
• C. foxes
• D. toads

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ENERGY PYRAMID

• Shows the amount
  of energy in each
  
  trophic level
• Only about 10
  of energy in a
  trophic level is
  
  transferred to
  organisms in
  next level
• Organisms use much of energy for life processes
  (respiration, movement, reproduction) or is lost
  to environment as heat

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• What percentage of energy is transferred from
  one trophic level to the next?
• 10

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BIOMASS PYRAMID

• Shows the amount of living tissue (biomass) at
  each trophic level
• Represents the amount of potential food available
  for each trophic level of an ecosystem
• Because only 1/10th
  energy is transferred,
  each
  level can only
  support 1/10th
  
  living tissue
  
  of level
  
  below it

Lion (40g/m2)
Giraffe (400g/m2)
Trees (4000g/m2)
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• If the autotrophs in an ecosystem have 4000 Kcal
  of energy, how much energy will the primary
  consumers have?
• 400 Kcal

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• If the first trophic level in an ecosystem has
  1200 Kcal of energy, how much energy will the
  third trophic level have?
• 12 Kcal

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PYRAMID OF NUMBERS

• Shows number
  of organisms
  at each trophic
  
  level
• Usually shows
  decreasing
  number of
  organisms at
  successive
  
  feeding levels

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True or False
False

• Larger populations are found at higher trophic
  levels.

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PYRAMID OF NUMBERS

• Forest pyramid
  does not
  represent a
  typical
  pyramid
• A single tree
  has a large
  amount of
  
  biomass but is
  only one
  organism

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Energy

• Flows in a one-way path
• Ecosystems constantly need more energy inputted
  from the sun

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Matter

• Is NOT used up
• Is RECYCLED
• (transformed)

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True or False
True

• Matter is not used up and moves through cycles
  but energy is used up and move in a one-way path.

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Nutrient Cycles

• Nutrient Chemical substance (a type of
  matter) organisms need to live
• (chemicals needed to build tissues and carry
  out life functions)
• Nutrients are NOT used up they are recycled in
  ecosystems

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CARBON AND OXYGEN CYCLES
The movement of CARBON in an ecosystem is
CLOSELY LINKED TO OXYGEN. Since this is the
case, their PATHS are oftentimes DESCRIBED
TOGETHER as ONE CYCLE.
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Carbon Cycle

• In the atmosphere carbon is present as CO2
• CO2 is also present in oceans and diffuses in and
  out of the atmosphere
• The element Carbon is a key ingredient in living
  tissue (needed for all organic molecules)

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Carbon Cycle

• Carbon enters and is stored
  in ecosystems . . .
• CO2 is taken up by plants through
  photosynthesis
• 6CO2 6H2O ? C6H12O6 6O2
• (plants release oxygen)
• The carbon becomes part of the tissue of the
  plant

Sunlight
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Carbon Cycle

• The carbon is then passed to consumers when they
  eat the plant.
• The carbon becomes part of the tissue of the
  consumer

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Carbon Cycle

• The burial and decomposition of dead organisms
  deposits carbon into the soil.
• Pressure converts this carbon into fossil fuels
  that are stored underground
• Carbon is also stored in the bodies of marine
  animals and sediments that are deposited on the
  ocean floor

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Carbon Cycle

• Carbon is released from ecosystems and enters the
  atmosphere . . . .
• Uplift, Erosion, and volcanic activity release
  carbon into the atmosphere and oceans
• Human activity such as mining, cutting and
  burning forests, and burning fossil fuels
  releases carbon into the atmosphere

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Carbon Cycle

• Organisms release carbon through respiration
• 6O2 C6H12O6 ? 6H2O 6CO2
• (organisms take in oxygen)

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Carbon Cycle

• Carbon is also released into the atmosphere
  through the break down of ocean sediments

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• Which of the following is not a way that carbon
  is released from an ecosystem into the
  atmosphere?
• A. respiration
• B. burning fossil fuels
• C. erosion
• D. photosynthesis

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CO2 in Atmosphere
Photosynthesis
Volcanic activity
feeding
Respiration
Erosion
Human activity
Respiration
Decomposition
CO2 in Ocean
Uplift
Deposition
Photosynthesis
feeding
Fossil fuel
Deposition
Carbonate Rocks
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Nitrogen Cycle

• Nitrogen is present in the atmosphere as nitrogen
  gas (N2)
• Nitrogen is needed
  by living things
  to make proteins

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Nitrogen Cycle

• Nitrogen enters and is stored in ecosystems . . .
  
• Humans add synthetic fertilizer containing
  nitrogen to ecosystems
• Energy from lightning breaks nitrogen gas
  molecules which combine with
  oxygen to form nitrogen oxides
  that are carried to
  earth in rain

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Nitrogen Cycle

• Bacteria convert nitrogen gas (N2) to ammonia
  (NH3) through nitrogen fixation
• These bacteria are often found in roots of plants
  called legumes

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Nitrogen Cycle

• Other bacteria in the soil convert ammonia (NH3)
  to nitrates (NO3-) and nitrites (NO2-) through
  nitrification
• Nitrates and Nitrites are taken up by producers
• The nitrogen becomes part of the tissue of the
  plants

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True or False
False

• Bacteria bring nitrogen into an ecosystem from
  the atmosphere by converting nitrogen gas (N2)
  into ammonia through a process known as
  nitrification.

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Nitrogen Cycle

• The nitrogen is then passed to consumers when
  they eat the plant.
• The nitrogen becomes part of the tissue of the
  consumer

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Nitrogen Cycle

• When organisms excrete waste or die and decompose
  nitrogen is released to the soil as ammonia
• The ammonia can be converted back into nitrates
  and nitrites through nitrification by bacteria
• The nitrates and nitrites can again be taken up
  by producers

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Nitrogen Cycle

• Nitrogen is released from the ecosystem and
  enters the atmosphere . . .
• When organisms excrete waste or die and decompose
  nitrogen is released to the soil as ammonia
• The ammonia can be converted to nitrogen gas by
  other bacteria through denitrification and
  released into the atmosphere

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• Which of the following is a way that nitrogen is
  released from an ecosystem into the atmosphere?
• A. respiration
• B. denitrification
• C. nitrogen fixation
• D. nitrification

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N2 in Atmosphere
Synthetic fertilizer manufacturer
Atmospheric nitrogen fixation
Denitrification
Uptake by producers
Reuse by consumers
Uptake by producers
Reuse by consumers
Decomposition, excretion
Decomposition, excretion
Bacterial nitrogen fixation
NH3
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Water Cycle

• All organisms need water (H2O) to survive

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WATER CYCLE Unlike in previous cycles youve
studied, Producers, Consumers, and Decomposers
have little impact on the water cycle.
Nonliving processes play a large role in
this cycle.
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Water Cycle

• How does water leave an ecosystem . . .
• Evaporation suns energy causes H2O from land
  surfaces and bodies of water to change from a
  liquid form to a gas in the atmosphere
• Transpiration Water evaporates from the leaves
  of plants

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Water Cycle

• As the warm moist air (water vapor) rises it
  cools and condenses into tiny droplets that form
  clouds in a process called condensation

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Water Cycle

• How does water enter an ecosystem . . .
• When the droplets become large enough the
  water returns to the earth in the form of
  rain/snow/sleet/hail in a process called
  precipitation

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• Which of the following releases water into the
  atmosphere from the leaves of plants?
• A. evaporation
• B. condensation
• C. transpiration
• D. precipitation

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Water Cycle

• When the water reaches the land it . . . .
• Runs along the surface of the land until it
  reaches a body of water (Runoff)
• OR
• Seeps into the soil and becomes ground water
  (Seepage)
• Water in the soil enters plants through their
  roots (Root Uptake)

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Water Cycle

• Water in the soil enters plants through their
  roots (Root Uptake)
• Water leaves plants through transpiration
• Consumers obtain water through eating and
  drinking
• Water is released through excretion

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True or False
False

• A water molecule in an ocean can be released
  into the atmosphere through transpiration. The
  water molecule will then be brought back to the
  earth through precipitation and back into the
  ocean through runoff.

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NUTRIENT LIMITATION

• Amount of nutrients available determines the
  speed in which the organic matter is created by
  the producers called PRIMARY PRODUCTIVITY.
• LIMITING NUTRIENT is one substance that can limit
  the progress made in an ecosystem.
• Adding limiting nutrient to
  ecosystem (ex fertilizers)
  can cause ALGAL BLOOM