The Biosphere!

3-1 What is Ecology?

Study of the interaction among organisms
and between organisms and their
environment

Coined by Earnest Haeckel in 1866

Biosphere:
planet, life, water, land, air and part of the
atmosphere
Levels of Organization
Study of the interactions between a
particular organization and its
surroundings.
Species
Population
Community
Ecosystem
Biome
Biosphere
Levels of Organization
Species
Group of organisms so similar that they
can breed and produce fertile offspring.

Population
Groups of individuals that belong to the
same species living in the same area.
Levels of Organization
Community
Groups of different populations within a
defined area.

Ecosystem
Collection of organisms that live in a
particular place with nonliving; or physical
environment.
Levels of Organization
Biome
Group of ecosystems that have the same
climate and similar dominant communities.

Biosphere
The earth
Ecological Methods of Study
Tools and techniques for studying the
living world.
Observing

Experimenting

Modeling
3-2 Energy Flow
Producers:
Sunlight is the main source of energy for
life
It is the ultimate producer

Autotrophs
Energy Flow
Autotrophs:
Photosynthesis

Chemosynthesis
Without the presence of light this process is
used to release energy from inorganic
molecules
Energy Flow
Consumers:
Heterotrophs
Herbivores
Carnivores
Omnivores
Detritivores
Decomposers
Feeding Relationships
Energy flows through an ecosystem in
one direction:
From sun or inorganic compounds
To autotrophs
Then to various heterotrouphs
Feeding Relationships
Relationships between producers and
consumers is based on who eats whom
Food Chains
Food Webs
Trophic Levels
Food Chains
Transfer of energy by eating and being
eaten.
Example
Algae Zooplankton Small fish
Squid Sharks

Pg. 69 in book
Food Web Quaternary,
tertiary,
and secondary
consumers

A network of Tertiary
and

interconnecting Secondary
consumers

food chains. Secondary

and

Primary
consumers

Primary
consumers.

Producers
(plants)
Food Web
Figure 3-8
Trophic Level Trophic level

Quaternary
conusumers

Each step in a food Hawk Killer whale

chain or food web Tertiary

consumers

Snake Tuna

Secondary
consumers

Mouse Herring

Primary
consumers

Grasshopper Zooplankton

Producers

Plant Phytoplankton
A terrestrial food chain A aquatic food chain
Ecological Pyramids
Diagram that shows the relative
amounts of energy or matter within
each trophic level

3 Types:
Energy Pyramid
Biomass Pyramid
Pyramid of Numbers
Energy Pyramid
0.1% Third Level
Shows the Consumers

relative amount 1% Second

of energy Level
available at each Consumers

trophic level. 10% First

Organisms use Level
about 10 percent Consumers
of this energy for 100% Producers
life processes.
The rest is lost as
heat.
Biomass Pyramid
Amount of
living organic 50g of Human
Tissue
matter in each
trophic level. 500g of
chicken

5000g of Grain
Pyramid of Numbers
Shows the 1 Hawk
relative number
5 Snakes
of individual
organisms at 50
Rabbits
each trophic and Mice
level.
5000 Flowers and
Grasses
3-3 Cycles of Matter
Matter is recycled within and between
ecosystems
Biogeochemical Cycle:
Elements, chemical compounds and other
forms of matter are passed from one
organization to another and from one part
of the biosphere to another
The Water Cycle
Evaporation:
Liquid to atmospheric gas

Transpiration:
Evaporation from leaves; from liquid water
to water gas
The Water Cycle

Condensation
Precipitation

Evaporation Transpiration
Runoff

Seepage

Root
Uptake
Nutrient Cycles
Carbon Cycle

Nitrogen Cycle

Phosphorus Cycle
Carbon Cycle
Carbon plays a major role in live.
4 major processes to move carbon
through this cycle:
Biological Processes
Geochemical processes
Mixed biogeochemical processes
Human activities
Carbon Cycle
CO2 in atmosphere

Photosynthesis

Cellular
respiration

Burning of
fossil fuels
and wood
Higher-level
Primary consumers
consumers
Carbon compounds Detritus
in water

Decomposition
Nitrogen Cycle
All organisms require nitrogen to make
amino acids which are the building
blocks for proteins.

Nitrogen fixation:
Bacteria convert ammonia to nitrates and
nitrites.
Phosphorus Cycle
It is essential to living organisms
because it forms part of DNA and RNA.

Released as rocks and sediments

break down.
Nutrient Limitations
Factors that controls the primary
productivity of an ecosystem is the
amount of available nutrients.

Limiting Nutrient: a single nutrient that

is scarce or cycles very slowly