ObjectivesObjectives• Define ecology and Identify Define ecology and Identify a key theme in ecologya key theme in ecology

• Identify levels of Identify levels of organization in the biosphereorganization in the biosphere

• Describe the interdependenceDescribe the interdependenceof biotic and abiotic factors of biotic and abiotic factors in an ecosystemin an ecosystem

What is What is Ecology?Ecology?

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Interactions between

Organisms and Their

Environment

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What is Ecology?What is Ecology?•The The study of interactionsstudy of interactions that that

take place between take place between organismsorganisms and theand the bioticbiotic andand abioticabiotic factors in theirfactors in their environmentenvironment..

• It It explainsexplains how living how living organisms organisms affectaffect each other each other and the world they live in.and the world they live in.

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What is a key theme

of Ecology?

InterdependenceInterdependence

Dependence of Dependence of every organismevery organism on on its its connections connections withwith other other living living thingsthings and and nonliving partsnonliving parts of of its environmentits environment

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Habitat & NicheHabitat & Niche•HabitatHabitat is the is the place an place an organismorganism lives lives

•NicheNiche is an is an organism’s organism’s specific way of specific way of lifelife

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The Nonliving The Nonliving EnvironmentEnvironment

• Abiotic factors-Abiotic factors- the the nonliving parts of an nonliving parts of an organism’s organism’s environment.environment.

• Examples Examples include air include air currents, temperature, currents, temperature, moisture, light, and soil.moisture, light, and soil.

• Abiotic factors Abiotic factors affect an affect an organism’s lifeorganism’s life..

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The Living EnvironmentThe Living Environment•Biotic factors-Biotic factors- all the all the

living organisms that living organisms that inhabit an environment.inhabit an environment.

•All All organisms depend organisms depend on others directly or on others directly or indirectlyindirectly for food, for food, shelter, reproduction, or shelter, reproduction, or protection.protection.

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Abiotic or Biotic?Abiotic or Biotic?

BioticBiotic

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Abiotic or Biotic?Abiotic or Biotic?

AbioticAbiotic

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Abiotic or Biotic?Abiotic or Biotic?

AbioticAbiotic

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Abiotic or Biotic?Abiotic or Biotic?

BioticBiotic

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Levels of Organization

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What are the Simplest Levels?

•AtomAtom•MoleculeMolecule•OrganelleOrganelle•CellCell•TissueTissue•OrganOrgan•SystemSystem

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Levels of OrganizationLevels of Organization• EcologistsEcologists have organized have organized

the interactions an organism the interactions an organism takes part in into takes part in into different different levels according to levels according to complexitycomplexity..

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11stst Level of Organization Level of Organization•OrganismOrganism::

An individual An individual living thing that living thing that is made of is made of cells, cells, uses energy, uses energy, reproduces, reproduces, responds, responds, grows, and grows, and developsdevelops

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22ndnd Level of Organization Level of Organization•PopulationPopulation::

A group of A group of organisms, all organisms, all of the of the same same speciesspecies, which , which interbreedinterbreed and live in the and live in the same place at same place at the same the same timetime..

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33rdrd Level of Organization Level of Organization•Biological Biological

CommunityCommunity::All the All the populations populations of different of different speciesspecies that that live in the live in the same place at same place at the same the same time.time.

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44thth Level of Organization Level of Organization•EcosystemEcosystem::

Populations of Populations of plants and animals plants and animals that interact with that interact with each other in a each other in a given area with the given area with the abiotic components abiotic components of that area. of that area. (terrestrial or (terrestrial or aquatic)aquatic)

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55thth Level of Organization Level of Organization•BiosphereBiosphere::The The portion of portion of Earth that Earth that supports supports life.life.

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The BiosphereThe Biosphere

• Life is found in air, on Life is found in air, on land, and in fresh and land, and in fresh and salt water.salt water.

• The The BIOSPHERE BIOSPHERE is the is the portion of Earth that portion of Earth that supports living things.supports living things.

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What level of What level of organization?organization?

OrganismOrganism

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What level of What level of Organization?Organization?

CommunityCommunity

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What level of What level of Organization?Organization?

PopulationPopulation

Speaking of Populations…• There are many of the bizarre words

used for collective groupings of animals.

• Let’s look at some familiar groups and ones that are not so familiar.

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An Army of Ants

A Bed of Oysters

A Drove of Sheep

A Gaggle of Geese

A School of Fish

A Tribe of Monkeys

A Flock of Wild Turkeys

A Swarm of Bees

Sleuth of Bears

A Shoal of Seahorses

Pack of Spotted Hyenas

A Coalition of Cheetahs

A Pod of Dolphins

A Quiver of Cobras

A Parade of Elephants