EcologyEcology

Ecology is….Ecology is….

The study of interactions among The study of interactions among organisms (critters) and their organisms (critters) and their environment or…..their surroundingsenvironment or…..their surroundings

““Houses of Nature”Houses of Nature”

Largest is the Biosphere every part of Largest is the Biosphere every part of earth where life isearth where life is

http://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a000000/a002600/a002648/

How to study ecologyHow to study ecology

Lets look at Ecology as an ecological Lets look at Ecology as an ecological house divided into rooms or levels of house divided into rooms or levels of organizationorganization

-Largest group is…..-Largest group is…..– BiomesBiomes based on climate conditions based on climate conditions

and plant communities that thrive there.and plant communities that thrive there. http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Laboratory/Biome/http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Laboratory/Biome/ http://http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/exhibits/biomes/index.phpwww.ucmp.berkeley.edu/exhibits/biomes/index.php

Ecosystem includes all Ecosystem includes all the followingthe following

AbioticAbiotic RocksRocks WaterWater SoilSoil ClimateClimate BioticBiotic Critters (organisms)Critters (organisms)

– BiodiversityBiodiversity

Size can range from log to grasslandSize can range from log to grassland

A community is…A community is…

every living thing that lives in the every living thing that lives in the house with you orhouse with you or

A group of different species that live A group of different species that live togethertogether

PopulationPopulation

Group of the same speciesGroup of the same species

OrganismOrganism

Individual living thingIndividual living thing

BiodiversityBiodiversity

Keystone species Keystone species

Cycling of MatterCycling of Matter

VocabularyVocabulary– Biogeochemical cycleBiogeochemical cycle– Hydrologic cycleHydrologic cycle– Oxygen cycleOxygen cycle– Carbon cycleCarbon cycle– Nitrogen cycle (nitrogen fixation)Nitrogen cycle (nitrogen fixation)

Biogeochemical cycleBiogeochemical cycle The movement of a particular The movement of a particular chemical chemical

through the biological (living) and through the biological (living) and geological (nonliving) substances can geological (nonliving) substances can change states as it travels through the change states as it travels through the cyclecycle

Hydrologic cycleHydrologic cycle Pathway of water from the atmosphere to the surface, Pathway of water from the atmosphere to the surface,

below ground, and back to the atmosphere water changes below ground, and back to the atmosphere water changes states alternating between solid ,liquid, and vaporstates alternating between solid ,liquid, and vapor

Oxygen cycleOxygen cycle

Carbon cycleCarbon cycle

Nitrogen CycleNitrogen Cycle

Phosphorus cyclePhosphorus cycle

Energy in Ecosystems (Next test)Energy in Ecosystems (Next test)

Producers-autotrophs –primary Producers-autotrophs –primary productivityproductivity– Limiting nutrientLimiting nutrient

Biogeochemical cycleBiogeochemical cycle– Almost all producers obtain energy from Almost all producers obtain energy from

sunlight ….but some usesunlight ….but some use Chemosynthesis Chemosynthesis CO2+H20+H2S (hydrogen sulfite) +O2---CO2+H20+H2S (hydrogen sulfite) +O2---sugar and sulfuric acidsugar and sulfuric acid

Consumers- heterotrophsConsumers- heterotrophs

classzone.comclasszone.com satellite evidence of satellite evidence of producersproducers