PAP Bio 9/5-6• WU• Finish experimental design/ set up • Eco II PP HW: no change

EcologyEcology

Energy Flow

• AutotrophsAutotrophs are are producersproducers, they , they can synthesize their own organic nutrients. can synthesize their own organic nutrients.

• They can do this by photosynthesis or They can do this by photosynthesis or chemosynthesis. chemosynthesis.

• Chemosynthetic bacteria get energy and Chemosynthetic bacteria get energy and raw materials from vents called "smokers" raw materials from vents called "smokers" on the ocean floor. on the ocean floor.

• Tube worms rely upon the bacteria that Tube worms rely upon the bacteria that coexist with them to make food at the coexist with them to make food at the bottom of the ocean.bottom of the ocean.

• HeterotrophsHeterotrophs are are consumersconsumers, they must , they must consume preformed organic nutrients consume preformed organic nutrients synthesized by other organisms. synthesized by other organisms.

"I MUST BE A HETEROTROPH, I CAN'T SYNTHESIZE THESE !!"

Examples of heterotrophs:Examples of heterotrophs:

• SaprophytesSaprophytes are are decomposersdecomposers they eat dead they eat dead or decaying material. Examples are mushrooms or decaying material. Examples are mushrooms and bacteria of decay.and bacteria of decay.

• Scavengers – eat carrion Scavengers – eat carrion

• HerbivoresHerbivores- eat plants- eat plants

• CarnivoresCarnivores- eat meat- eat meat

• OmnivoresOmnivores- eat both plants and meat- eat both plants and meat

""What shall I eat today...meat or veggies....."What shall I eat today...meat or veggies....."

SYMBIOSISSYMBIOSIS means "living together" means "living together"

• Types of Symbiosis

• parasitism: the parasite benefits at the expense of the host

• mutualism: both organisms benefit from the association

• commensalism: one organism is benefited and the other is unharmed

• The remora benefits from its’ The remora benefits from its’ association with the shark.association with the shark.

•The Clown fish and sea anemone both The Clown fish and sea anemone both benefit from living togetherbenefit from living together

• This skin fluke causes tissue This skin fluke causes tissue damage on the koi it attaches to.damage on the koi it attaches to.

• A A food chainfood chain indicates the transfer of indicates the transfer of energy from producers through a series of energy from producers through a series of organisms which feed upon each other organisms which feed upon each other

• The algae and The algae and plants are the plants are the producersproducers..

• The aquatic The aquatic crustaceans are crustaceans are primary primary consumersconsumers – they – they eat the producers.eat the producers.

• Fish are Fish are secondary secondary consumersconsumers – they – they eat the primary eat the primary consumers.consumers.

• The raccoons The raccoons represent a 3represent a 3rdrd level level of consumer.of consumer.

Food WebsFood Webs

• A A food webfood web is a series of interrelated food is a series of interrelated food chains which provides a more accurate chains which provides a more accurate picture of the feeding relationships in an picture of the feeding relationships in an ecosystem, as more than one thing will ecosystem, as more than one thing will usually eat a particular species.     usually eat a particular species.    

Trophic LevelsTrophic Levels

• An An energy pyramidenergy pyramid provides a means of provides a means of describing the feeding and energy describing the feeding and energy relationships within a food chain or web.    relationships within a food chain or web.   

• Each step of an energy pyramid shows that Each step of an energy pyramid shows that some energy is stored in newly made some energy is stored in newly made structures of the organism which eats the structures of the organism which eats the preceding one.   preceding one.  

• The pyramid also shows that much of the The pyramid also shows that much of the energy is lost when one organism in a food energy is lost when one organism in a food chain eats another.   Most of this energy chain eats another.   Most of this energy which is lost goes into the environment as which is lost goes into the environment as heat energy. heat energy.

• Producer organisms represent the greatest amount of Producer organisms represent the greatest amount of living tissue or biomass at the bottom of the pyramid.  living tissue or biomass at the bottom of the pyramid.  

• The organisms which occupy the rest of the pyramid The organisms which occupy the rest of the pyramid belong to the feeding levels indicated in each step. belong to the feeding levels indicated in each step. 

      • On average, each feeding level only contains 10% of On average, each feeding level only contains 10% of

the energy as the one below it, with the energy that is the energy as the one below it, with the energy that is lost mostly being transformed to heat. lost mostly being transformed to heat. 

or tertiary