THE BIOSPHERETHE BIOSPHERECh. Ch. 3 3 p.62-83p.62-83

What is What is EcologyEcology?? Study of interactions betweenStudy of interactions between

organismsorganisms and and between between organisms organisms and their environmentand their environment..

Ernst Haeckel – coined term Ecology in 1866

Greek word “oikos” means house

Natures “houses”come in many sizes

Levels of OrganizationLevels of Organization Ecologist study Ecologist study

organisms ranging organisms ranging from the various levels from the various levels of organization:of organization: SpeciesSpecies PopulationPopulation CommunityCommunity EcosystemEcosystem BiomeBiome BiosphereBiosphere

SpeciesSpecies Group of similar organisms that can breed Group of similar organisms that can breed

and produce fertile offspringand produce fertile offspring

group of organisms, all of the same species, group of organisms, all of the same species, which interbreed and live in the same area.which interbreed and live in the same area.

PopulationPopulation

CommunityCommunity an assemblage of different populations that an assemblage of different populations that

live togetherlive together

EcosystemEcosystem Collection of organisms that live in a place with Collection of organisms that live in a place with

the nonliving environmentthe nonliving environment

BiomeBiome Group of ecosystems with the same climate Group of ecosystems with the same climate

and dominant commutiesand dominant commuties

Tropical rain forest

Tropical dry forest

Tropical savanna Temperate woodlandand shrubland

Desert

Temperate grassland

Boreal forest(Taiga)

Northwesternconiferous forest

Temperate forest

Mountains andice caps

Tundra

EcosystemEcosystem

BiosphereBiosphere The part of the earth where life exists including The part of the earth where life exists including

land, water, air, and atmosphereland, water, air, and atmosphere

Three Ecological Methods of Three Ecological Methods of StudyStudy

1.1. ObservingObserving• What species live here?What species live here?

• How many individuals of species are there?How many individuals of species are there? 2.2. Experimenting Experimenting

• Used to test a hypothesis Used to test a hypothesis • Ex - making artificial environments in the labEx - making artificial environments in the lab

3.3. Modeling Modeling • Making models to gain insight into complex Making models to gain insight into complex

phenomena phenomena • Ex. - Global warmingEx. - Global warming

Autotrophs vs. HeterotrophsAutotrophs vs. Heterotrophs

AutotrophsAutotrophs – – make their own make their own foodfood so they are so they are called called PRODUCERSPRODUCERS

HeterotrophsHeterotrophs – – get their food from get their food from another source so another source so they are called they are called CONSUMERSCONSUMERS

Two Main forms of Two Main forms of Energy for AutotrophsEnergy for Autotrophs SunlightSunlight

The main source of The main source of energy for life on energy for life on earthearth

PhotosynthesisPhotosynthesis

Chemical Chemical Some organisms Some organisms

such as bacteria, rely such as bacteria, rely on the energy stored on the energy stored in inorganic in inorganic compoundscompounds

ChemosynthesisChemosynthesis

Types of ConsumersTypes of ConsumersHerbivores- only eat plants Carnivores - only eat meat

Omnivores

Eat plants and meat

Detritivores and Decomposers

Feeds on plant and animal remains

How does How does EnergyEnergy flow flow through an Ecosystem?through an Ecosystem?

Energy flows Energy flows through an through an ecosystem in ONE ecosystem in ONE direction,direction, sunsun or or chemicalschemicals

AutotrophsAutotrophs

heterotrophsheterotrophs

Energy Flow in Ecosystems:Energy Flow in Ecosystems:

Feeding RelationshipsFeeding Relationships Food ChainFood Chain – steps of – steps of

organisms transferring organisms transferring energy by eating & energy by eating & being eatenbeing eaten

Food WebFood Web – network – network of all the food chains of all the food chains in an ecosystemin an ecosystem

Food WebFood Web

Ecological Pyramids Ecological Pyramids

Energy Pyramid

Biomass Pyramid

Pyramid of Numbers

Trophic LevelTrophic Level – – each stepeach step in a food chain or food in a food chain or food webweb

Pyramid of Numbers -Pyramid of Numbers -relative relative number of individualsnumber of individuals at each trophic level at each trophic level

Pyramid of Biomass - Pyramid of Biomass - amount of amount of potential food availablepotential food available for each trophic level for each trophic level

Pyramid of Energy - Pyramid of Energy - amount of amount of energy available at each trophic levelenergy available at each trophic level

Most of the Most of the energy is energy is used by the used by the organisms organisms for life for life processesprocesses

Some of the Some of the energy is lost energy is lost as heatas heat

Only Only 10% of the energy from10% of the energy from each trophic level each trophic level is passed on to is passed on to the next levelthe next level

How doesHow does MatterMatter move move through an ecosystem?through an ecosystem? Unlike the one way flow of Unlike the one way flow of

energy, matter is energy, matter is recycledrecycled within & between ecosystemswithin & between ecosystems

Nutrients are passed between Nutrients are passed between organisms & the environment organisms & the environment through biogeochemical cyclesthrough biogeochemical cycles

Biogeochemical CyclesBiogeochemical Cycles:: Bio –lifeBio –life Geo – EarthGeo – Earth Chemo – chemicalChemo – chemical

1.1. WATERWATER CYCLE CYCLE

2.2. NUTRIENTNUTRIENT CYCLES: CYCLES:

a)a) CARBONCARBON CYCLECYCLE

b)b) NITROGENNITROGEN CYCLECYCLE

c)c) PHOSPHORUSPHOSPHORUS CYCLECYCLE

Why are nutrients Why are nutrients important ?important ?

95% of your body is made of…95% of your body is made of…1)1) OXYGENOXYGEN

2)2) CARBONCARBON

3)3) HYDROGENHYDROGEN

4)4) NITROGENNITROGEN

Every living organism Every living organism needs nutrients to needs nutrients to build tissues and build tissues and carry out essential carry out essential life functionslife functions. .

Availibility of nutrientsAvailibility of nutrients

If a nutrient is in short If a nutrient is in short supply, it will limit an supply, it will limit an organisms growth. It is organisms growth. It is called a limiting nutrientcalled a limiting nutrient

When a limiting nutrient When a limiting nutrient is dumped into a lake or is dumped into a lake or pond, an algal bloom pond, an algal bloom occurs and can disrupt occurs and can disrupt the ecosystemthe ecosystem

THE WATER CYCLE THE WATER CYCLE

CARBON CYCLE CARBON CYCLE (see fig.3-13)(see fig.3-13)

4 PROCESSES MOVE CARBON THROUGH ITS CYCLE:

1) Biological

2) Geochemical

3) Mixed biochemical

4) Human Activity

CO2

CO2

NITROGEN CYCLE NITROGEN CYCLE (see fig.3-14)(see fig.3-14)

Nitrogen-containing nutrients in the biosphere include:

1) Ammonia (NH3)

2) Nitrate (NO3-)

3) Nitrite (NO2-)

ORGANISMS NEED NITROGEN TO MAKE

AMINO ACIDS FOR BUILDING PROTEINS!!!

N2 in Atmosphere

NH3

N03- &

N02-

PHOSPHORUS CYCLE PHOSPHORUS CYCLE (see fig.3-15)(see fig.3-15)

PHOSPHORUS FORMS PART OF IMPORTANT LIFE-SUSTAINING MOLECULES (ex. DNA & RNA)