biology - ecology

ecology

the interaction among + between organisms and their environment

population

the number of individuals of a species in a given area (ex: all the deer in nys)

community

all of the populations in a given area (ex: all kingdoms in an area)

ecosystem

interactions between the community and the physical environment (matters cycle, energy flows through) (ex: fish tank, terrarium)

biome

largest geographic area w/ a similar climax community and physical conditions (ex: forest, desert, etc...)

biosphere

the part of the planet that supports life, mostly the surface

climax community

end stable community (doesn't change; view doesn't change)

types of feeders

autotroph, heterotroph

autotroph

makes own food (photo = sunlight; chemio = not sunlight, hydrothermal vents)

heterotroph

eats other things for food (omnivore, carnivore, herbivore, detritivore)

omnivore

plant and meat eaters

carnivore

meat eater

herbivore

plant eater

detritivore

"dead" thing eaters (ex: dead animals or decaying plants)

roles of living things NICHE

producer, consumer, decomposer

producer

eats sunlight; plants & algae (does not eat other animals)

consumer

eats level before it (primary eats plants, secondary eats herbivores, etc...)

decomposer

breaks down waste and dead organisms (bacteria and fungi)

ecosystem facts

- Self sustained
- Energy flows through
- Requires a constant source of energy
- Materials are cycled
- Stable

food chain, food web, pyramid of energy (what is being transferred)

energy is transferred between levels

ecological succession

-original organisms are slowly replaced by others, change in the community
-succession continues until a climax community is reached
- the climax community is maintained until is is upset/disrupted by and event (ex: fire, flood, eruption)

primary succession

-begins with no existing life, bare rock
-starts with pioneer organisms

secondary succession

-disaster/disruption (ex: flood, fire, eruption)
-life is rebuilt quicker than primary succession

flora and fauna

plants and animals

2 types of tundra

alpine (high altitude) and arctic (high latitude)

tundra

*no trees due to permafrost
flora = lichens, moss, grass, small plants
fauna = reindeer, caribou, arctic fox (HERBIVORES)

taiga

-evergreen forests/conifers
*trees have needles w/ wet (dry environment)
flora = pine, spruce
fauna = moose, wolves, deer, bear, beaver

temperate deciduous forest

-new england
*thick understory
flora = oak, maple, (broad leaves, SHED IN FALL)
fauna = bear, deer, birds, insects

grassland (prairies)

-most productive farmland (deep rich soil)
*not enough rain to support a forest
fauna = coyote, badgers, bison herds, zebra, giraffe, lion

-other names are savanna & chaparral

deserts

-too dry to support grass
*lowest precipitation
flora = cactus, yucca, mesquite (special adaptations)
fauna = nocturnal animals

tropical rainforest

- greatest biodiversity
*6-12 ft of rain a yr; rains daily during rain season
flora = tall canopy (50m high)
fauna = lives in treetops

-LITTLE LIGHT REACHES GROUND DUE TO THICK CANOPY

understory

thick layer of vegetation under main canopy

symbiotic relationships

occurs when 2 different species live in close proximity
at least 1 must be benefitted

mutualism

both are benefitted; symbiotic relationship
(ex: clownfish and anemone)

commensalism

one is benefitted, one is not affected; symbiotic relationship
(ex: whale and barnacles)

parasitism

one is benefitted, one is harmed; symbiotic relationship
(ex: parasite and host, tapeworm and dog, etc...)

tropic level

each step in a food chain or food web

types of trophic levels

1st = producer
2nd = primary consumer
3rd = secondary consumer
4th = tertiary consumer
etc...

what is energy lost as from each level?

heat (reactions in body)

how much energy is transferred from each trophic level

10%

(1000 to 100 to 10 to 1 to 0.1 etc...)

pyramid of energy

shows energy being transferred through trophic levels

ecological pyramid

shows biomass at each level, 3 types

biomass

the total mass of organisms in a given area or volume.

niche

role the organism plays (what it eats, what nest is made from, when it is active)

habitat

particular part of the ecosystem where an organism lives

competition

intraspecific and interspecific

intraspecific

same species; population density and resources

interspecific

different species; degree to which niches overlap determine the intensity of competition

biological Magnification

increasing concentration of a harmful substance in organisms at higher trophic levels in a food chain or food web

carbon cycle

The organic circulation of carbon from the atmosphere into organisms and back again

-living organisms release carbon dioxide as a byproduct of cellular respiration

-photosynthesis removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and uses it to make organic compounds

-carbon dioxide is given off when dead organisms and other organic materials decompose (Burning organic material releases carbon dioxide)

-carbon dioxide is released when limestone is heated during the production of cement

-ocean water releases dissolved carbon dioxide into the atmosphere when water temperature rises

-carbon dioxide is also removed when ocean water cools and dissolves more carbon dioxide from the air

water cycle

the continuous process by which water moves from Earth's surface to the atmosphere and back

exchange pool

water stored for a short period of time (ex: puddle)

reservoir

water stored for a long period of time (ex: ocean, lake)

biogeochemical cycles

cycle through which water or a chemical element such as carbon is continuously recycled through the biotic and abiotic components in an ecosystem (exchange pools and reservoirs)

aquatic biomes

waterbed biomes; freshwater and marine

limiting factors = sunlight and oxygen

terrestrial biomes

biomes on land (tundra, taiga, deciduous forest, desert, rainforest, grassland)

nitrogen cycle

-the nitrogen cycle moves nitrogen back and forth between the atmosphere and organisms.

*bacteria change nitrogen gas from the atmosphere to nitrogen compounds that plants can absorb

-other bacteria change nitrogen compounds back to nitrogen gas, which re-enters the atmosphere.

nitrification

the process in which nitrifying bacteria change ammonium ions (formed as a result of ammonification) into nitrites and nitrates

denitrification

process in which denitrifying bacteria convert some of the nitrates in soil (formed as a result of nitrification) back into nitrogen gas, returning it back into the atmosphere

phosphorus cycle

the movement of phosphorus atoms from rocks through the biosphere and hydrosphere and back to rocks

1. weathering
2. absorption by plants
3. absorption by animals
3. return to the environment through decomposition

keystone species

changes in its population will affect many other species in the ecosystem