Chapter 18 Ecology

Biotic factors

All organisms in the area & living component of environment

Abiotic factors

Environment's non living components, chemical & physical factors (light, temp)

Habitat

Specific environment, biotic & abiotic factors

Hierarchy of interactions

Organisms, population, community, ecosystem

Organismal ecology

Evolutionary adaptions that help organisms meet challenges in abiotic environment

Population ecology

Factors that affect population density & growth

Population

Group of individuals of same species living in specific area

Community ecology

Interactions between species affect community structures & organization

Communities

Organisms that inhabit particular area

Ecosystem ecology

Energy flow & cycling of chemicals among abiotic & biotic factions

Ecosystems

All abiotic factors & community of species in an area

Types of abiotic factors

Energy source, temperature, water, inorganic nutrients

Solar energy

From sunlight, captured by chlorophyll for photosynthesis & powers ecosystems

Temperature

Vital because of effect on metabolism

Aquatic organisms face problems if

Water balance of solute concentration doesn't match surroundings

Aquatic abiotic factors

Water, salinity, currents, tides

Abiotic terrestrial factors

Wind, storms, fire

Evolutionary adaptions

Ability of organisms to live in diverse environments, close relation between ecology & evolutionary

Physiological responses

Related to range of environmental conditions a species faces

Acclimation

Gradual, reversible, physiological adjustment in response to environmental change

Endothermic

Birds & mammals that can tolerate extreme temperatures

Ectothermic

Reptiles that can only tolerate limited range of temperatures

Anatomical responses

Respond to environmental challenges with change in body shape/structure

Behavioral response

Respond to bad change in environment by moving locations

Biomes

Terrestrial or aquatic life zone, characterized by vegetation or physical environment

Freshwater biomes

Used for drinking water, crops, sanitation, industry

Types of freshwater biomes

Standing & flowing water

Standing water

Lakes & ponds

Flowing water

Rivers & streams

Lakes & ponds

Community of plants, algae, & animals

Photic zone

Shallow water near share, upper layer where light for photosynthesis is available

Aphotic zone

Deeper levels too low to support photosynthesis

Benthic realm

Bottom of all aquatic biomes

Phytoplankton

Collective group of algae & Cyanobacteria near surface of water

Rivers & streams

Body of flowing water that changes between source & end

Wetlands

Transitional between aquatic & terrestrial, provides water storage & improves water quality

Pelagic realm

All open water

Zooplankton

Free floating animals that are abundant

Coral reefs

Located in photic zone near coasts, biodiversity hotspot

Twilight zone

Permanently dark, bizarre deposit feeder animals

Intertidal zone

Ocean meets land, sedentary organisms attach to rocks

Estuaries

Transition from river to ocean, very productive

Temperate zones

Have milder climates than tropics or polar regions

Mountains

Higher elevation> lower air temp, blocks air flow which causes different climates on sides of mountain

Temp& rainfall

Determine types of plants & biome in a region

Tropical forest

Near equator, layered structure with various habitats

Savanna

Mainly warm with grass & few trees & few rainfall

Desert

Driest biome, low & unpredictable rainfall, very cold or hat

Chaparral

Small coastal areas like California, adaption to fires

Grassland

Treeless with cold temperatures frequent droughts

Broadleaf forest

Nigh precipitation 1 many large trees

Coniferous forest

Northern hemisphere, mainly come evergreen trees, includes taiga ( largest land biome)

Tundra

Covers arctic 1 bitter cold, high wind, low rain, very high mountains

Permafrost

Permanently frozen subsoil

Polar ice

North of arctic & south of Antarctica,