Ecology Unit

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Ecology Unit

• SOL BIO 9 a,b,d,e

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What is ecology?

• Ecology- the scientific study of interactions
  between organisms and their environments,
  focusing on energy transfer
• It is a science of relationships.

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What do you mean by environment?

• The environment is made up of two factors
• Biotic factors- all living organisms inhabiting
  the enivornment
• Abiotic factors- nonliving parts of the
  environment (i.e. temperature, soil, light,
  moisture, air currents)

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Biome
Ecosystem
Community
Population
Organism
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• Organism- any unicellular or multicellular form
  exhibiting all of the characteristics of life, an
  individual living thing.
• The lowest level of organization

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Population- one species living in the same place
and compete for resources (ex. food, mates,
shelter)
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Community- all the different species that live in
a certain area.
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Ecosystem- all the living creatures of a
community and the abiotic factors with which they
interact (ex. marine, terrestrial)
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• Biome- collection of ecosystems with similar
  climates.
• The highest level of organization

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• Habitat vs. Niche

Habitat- the place in which an organism lives out
its life biotic and abiotic factors (a
creatures address) Ex. Bullfrogs habitat -
wetlands
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• Habitat vs. Niche

Niche - the role a species plays in a community
how it makes its living (a creatures job) Ex.
Bullfrogs niche where it lives, how it eats,
where it does things, when it does things.
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• Habitat vs. Niche

Many creatures can share the same habitat, but
never the same niche!!!!!
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• Habitat vs. Niche

Limiting factor - any biotic or abiotic factor
that restricts an organisms niche
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Habitat vs. Niche

• Examples of limiting factors-
• Amount of water
• Amount of food
• Temperature