Unit: Ecology

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Unit Ecology

• Chapter 11 Ecosystems and Biomes
• Chapter 12 Interactions Within Ecosystems

11.1Ecosystems support life 11.2 Matter cycles
through ecosystems 11.3 Energy flows through
ecosystems 11.4 Biomes contain many ecosystems
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Concept Overview

• Temperature can vary from place to place
• 1. It surrounds all living things
• 2. All living organisms need it
• 3. It gives Earth most of its energy
• A. organism
• B. energy
• C. the ocean
• D. environment
• E. the sun
• 1. d, 2. b, 3. e

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Living things depend on the environment

• Ecology the scientific study of how organisms
  interact with their environment and all the other
  organisms that live in that environment
• Ecosystem describes a particular environment and
  all the living things that are supported by it
• Ex pond, desert
• Important how the living parts of the ecosystem
  relate to the nonliving parts

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Living things depend on the environment

• Pond
• Biotic factors living parts
• water, fish, plants in and around, animals feed
  on the plants, fish feed on microorganisms in the
  water
• Abiotic factors nonliving parts
• Air (carbon dioxide and oxygen), soil
  (nutrients), water, sunlight

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Biotic factors interact with an ecosystem

• Living things depend upon an ecosystem, and also
  have an impact on the ecosystem in which they
  live
• Plants (biotic) affect biotic and abiotic parts
  of ecosystems
• Biotic
• An important source of food help determine
  types of animals that can live there
• Abiotic
• affect temperature by blocking sunlight
• Roots hold soil in place
• Photosynthesis - Carbon dioxide and oxygen
• Animals (biotic) affect ecosystems
• Ex beaver builds a dam which changes the flow of
  a river and affects the surrounding landscape
• Ex herds of cattle can overgraze a grassland
  causing soil erosion, and climate impacts
• Ex corals form giant reefs that provide food and
  shelter for marine organisms
• Other examples?

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Many abiotic factors affect ecosystems

• Physical parts
• You can see or feel temperature, rainfall, water
  level, sunlight, etc.
• Chemical parts
• Minerals and compounds in the soil and water
• Fresh/salty water
• Abiotic factors determine what organisms the
  ecosystem will support

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Abiotic Factor Temperature

• Affects types of plants that will do will in an
  ecosystem, which determines the types of animals
  that can live there
• Ex Rainforest temperatures affect the plants
  that can grow and support a variety of monkeys,
  birds, and others
• Ex musk oxen have at hick coat of fur for
  survival in very cold environments (-40F), water
  buffalo has a light coat better for warmer
  temperatures

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Abiotic Light

• Sunlight and temperature are related
• Sunlight is also used for energy photosynthesis
• The food from plants supports almost all other
  living things on Earth
• Strength and amount of sunlight are important
• Desert cacti can survive where sunlight is
  strong
• Forest mosses and ferns do well with less light
• Ocean Ecosystems deeper water, less light
• Photosynthesis only performed to the first
  hundred meters below the surface

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Euphotic (or photic) zone- the depth of the
water in a lake or ocean, that is exposed to
sufficient sunlight for photosynthesis to occur.
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Abiotic Soil

• Soil mixture of small rock and minerals
• Organisms in the soil can break down the remains
  of dead plants and animals
• This decay provides important raw materials to
  living plants and animals
• Soil types vary and affect plant growth
• Lots of decaying, or organic, matter holds water
  well and allows air to reach plant roots
• Sandy soil holds water poorly
• Clay soil small packed particles, does not
  aerate well
• Minerals

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Abiotic Water

• All living things need water to carry out life
  processes
• Plants need water for photosynthesis
• Animals need water to digest food and release
  energy stored in the food
• Desert Oasis forms when underground water comes
  to the surface
• Ecosystesm with lots of water can support a large
  number of different types of plants, which in
  turn support a variety of types of animals
• Rainforest vs desert
• the types and number of living things in a
  land ecosystem will always be related to the
  amount of fresh water available for its
  inhabitants

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