Levels of Biological &

Ecological Organization
NR216 Ecology Lecture 2
January 18, 2011
 Ecosystems include:
• ENERGY from the sun
• BIOTIC FACTORS :
– plants
– animals
– decomposers
• (fungi, bacteria, some insects)
• ABIOTIC FACTORS :
– atmosphere (gases, weather, wind)
– soil (nutrients, water, substrate
• PROCESSES
Levels of Biological Organization Related Scientific Disciplines

ECOLOGY
5. Biosphere Landscape Ecology
4. ECOSYSTEM (Biome) Ecosystem Ecology
3. Community Community Ecology
2. Population Population Ecology
ORGANISM (& 1. species) Autecology, Behavioural Ecology

BIOLOGY
Organ system Anatomy
Organ Morphology
Tissue Physiology
CELL
Cellular Biology
Sub-cellular components
Biochemistry
Biological molecules

Atoms & molecules CHEMISTRY

Energy & matter PHYSICS
Numbers & Space MATHEMATICS

Earth Sciences
Join with Biological Sciences at the ECOSYSTEM level
Atmospheric Sciences
 Levels of Ecological
Organization
1. The species
• Individual species interact with their
environment
• according to their genetic “programming”.
• This is called their “autecology”; in the
case of trees, their silvics or growing
characteristics.
 Levels of Ecological
Organization
2. Populations
• Individuals of the same species that live
together are members of a population.
• They share the same habitat and the
same pool of resources, and have the
potential to interbreed.
 Levels of Ecological
Organization
3. Communities
• Populations of different species that live
together in the same place are called
communities or associations.
• Different species can use different or
overlapping resources within the habitat
they share.
 Levels of Ecological
Organization
4. Ecosystems
• A community (biotic factors) and the non-
living (abiotic) factors with which it
interacts is called an ecosystem.
• An ecosystem is affected by the flow of
energy, originating from the sun, and the
cycling of essential elements and
nutrients.
 Levels of Ecological
Organization
5.a. Biomes
• Biomes are major terrestrial groupings of
plants, animals and microorganisms that
occur over wide geographical areas that
have distinct physical characteristics
• (eg. Boreal forest, temperate rainforest,
desert, arctic tundra).
 Levels of Ecological
Organization
5.b. Aquatic Ecosystems
• Most marine and freshwater ecosystems
lack the structures created by large
dominant plant life.
• Biome-like aquatic ecosystems are usually
defined by their physical characteristics
and life forms.
 Levels of Ecological
Organization
6. The Biosphere

All of the world’s biomes,

marine and freshwater assemblages,
and their physical supports.

The earth  !