Download Introduction to Ecology


Areas of the Earth that are defined by:
› Climate
› Geography
› Precipitation
› Vegetation
› Species variety
Dense vegetation
 Wide variety of
species
 Tall trees
 Little light reaches
forest floor
 Hot, humid climate
 Rainfall: 155 in./yr.
 Temp: 34°C

Also called prairies or
plains
 Wide variety of
grasses
 Limited variety of
species because of
protection
 Rainfall: 20 in./yr.
 Temp: 30°C

Rainfall: less than
10 in./yr.
 Temp: 38°C
 Very limited
species and
vegetation variety
 Cacti and reptiles

Hardwood trees, that
shed their leaves in
autumn (Why?)
 Four distinct seasons
 A fair variety of
species
 Rainfall: 40 in./yr.
 Average temp: 28°C
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Permafrost
Extremely cold winter
climate
Very little vegetation
Limited species
variety
Rainfall: 15 in./yr.
Temp: 12°C – (-26°C)
Alpine: above tree
line of very high mts.
Coniferous trees
 Fairly limited
variety of plants
and animals
 Very cold winters,
warm summers
 Wet climate all
year round
 Rainfall: 23 in/yr
 Temp: 14°C

Dry winters, wet
summers
 Warm temps, but not
extremely hot
 Limited plant and
vegetation variety
 Good species variety
 Rainfall: 59 in./yr.
 Temp: 25°C

Create a bar graph of the average rainfall of
each biome.
 Use proper graphing skills!

Rainfall (in./yr.)
160
140
120
100
Rainfall (in./yr.)
80
60
40
20
0
Rainforest
Tundra
Grassland
Desert
Deciduous
Coniferous
Savanna

Ecology – study of interactions between living
organisms and the other living and non-living
components of their environment
Biotic Factors – living
components
 Abiotic Factors – Nonliving components

 Cell
 Tissue
 Organ
 Organ
System
 Organism
 Population
 Community
 Ecosystem
Organism – a single individual animal, plant, fungus, or
other living thing
Population – a group of organisms of the same species
that live in the same area
Community – a group of populations that live in the
same area
Ecosystem – all of the living and non-living things that
interact in an area

Biosphere – the part of Earth where life exists,
includes all living organisms on earth
A
producer is an
organism that makes
(produces) its own food
through the process of
photosynthesis.
Also known as an
Autotroph
A consumer is an organism
that gets its energy by
eating (or consuming) other
organisms.

Makes energy through
cellular respiration

Primary consumers eat producers (ex.
grasshoppers, antelope)

Secondary consumers eat primary consumers
(ex. meadowlarks, wolves)

Tertiary consumers eat secondary consumers (ex.
prairie falcon)
A decomposer is an
organism that breaks down
dead plant and animal
matter into simpler
compounds.

Release the last bit of
energy from once-living
matter and return it to the
soil.
Food Chain – a
pathway that tells what
eats what
 Ex.

Food Web – the
connection of all food
chains in a community
 Ex.

Necessary as a system of checks and balances
 Population control is important for ecosystem
balance


Competition – two or more species compete for
the same resource
› Intraspecific – between members of same species
› Interspecific – between different species

Reasons for competition:
1. Food
2. Mating
3. Living space

Predation – the act of one organism consuming
another organism
› Predator – the hunter
› Prey – the organism being hunted

Symbiosis – close relationship that exists between
two or more species (3 types)
Mutualism is a relationship between two species in
which both species benefits from the relationship.
Commensalism is a relationship where one species
benefits while the other neither benefits nor harmed
by the relationship.
Parasitism is a relationship between two species in
which one species benefits while the other is harmed
by the relationship.

Mortality
› The death rate of a population

Natality
› The birth rate of a population

Immigration
› When organisms of the same species move into an
area where others of their type can be found

Emmigration
› When organisms of the same species move out of an
area where others of their type can be found
Population Growth =
immigration + nataliy > emmigration + mortality
 Population Decline =
immigration + nataliy < emmigration + mortality
 http://www.worldometers.info/world-population/
