Biology 1 Honors

Ecology

Ecology

The study of the interactions between organisms and their environment

Interdependence

The dependence of every organism on its connections with other living or nonliving parts of its environment

the levels of organization in environment

Biosphere, Ecosystem, community, population, organism

Biosphere

The broadest category. This includes earth and its atmosphere that can support life. All organisms are found within the biosphere.

Ecosystem

includes all living organisms and nonliving environment in a particular place (A pond)

Community

includes only the living organisms (algae, insects, fish)

Population

des all members of a single species (just fish)

organism

This includes one individual from that species

The order of organization

organism, organ system, organs, tissues, cells, organelles, molecule, atoms

Biotic factors

includes all the living things that can affect an organism (food chains)

Abiotic factors

includes the nonliving factors that can affect an organism (weather)

Energy Transfer

all organisms need energy to survive. The amount of energy transferred from one organism (trophic level) to the next decreases dramatically

Producer

These are autotrophs (plants). They can manufacture their own food to eat, photosynthesis.

Consumer

These are heterotrophs. These are animals, fungi and some bacteria. They cannot manufacture their own food. They rely on autotrophs

types of consumers

herbivores, carnivores, omnivores, detritivores

Herbavores

These eat producers (plants)

Carnivores

These eat other consumers (Meat eaters)

Omnivores

These eat both plants and animals

Detrivores

These feed on “garbage.” Dead organisms, animal waste, etc..

Decomposers

These cause delay by breaking down complex molecules into simple molecules

Food chain

single pathway of feeding relationships among organisms that result in energy transfer

Ecosystem Recycling

as energy flows through an ecosystem, matter must be recycled- 3 cycles

the water cycle

the movement of water between the atmosphere, land, and the ocean

evaporation

adding water (liq.) as water vapor (gas) to the atmosphere due to heat

transcription

the process where water evaporates from leaves of terrestrial plants

condensation

when water vapor (gas) cools and changes into liquid, forming clouds

precipitation

this occurs when so much water has condensed and the air cannot hold in any more, resulting in sleet (winter-small), hail (summer-larg), snow or rain

photosynthesis equation

Light+6H2O+6CO2→ C6H12O6+6O2

resp. equation

C6H12O6+6CO2→ 6H2O+6CO2+38 ATP’s

Cabon cycle

the movement of carbon from the non-living environment into living things and back. There are two processes in which carbon will show itself: fossil fuels and decomposition.

The Nitrogen Cycle

The path that nitrogen follows in an ecosystem

What do DNA AND RNA need?

nitrogen

Nitrogen is needed by

all organisms to make proteins and nucleic acids

How does the nitrogen Cycle start

nitrogen fixing in the soil and roots of some plants→ converts N2 gas (78%) into nitrate. This is the form that plants need. Nitrogen fixing bacteria

Predation

where an individual from one species, called a predator eats some or all of another species called prey

natural selection favors

predators by giving them adaptations to find, capture, and consumer

prey survival depends on

the ability to avoids being captured and eaten

Symbiosis

a close relationship between organisms

Mutualism

where both organisms benefit EX. pollination

commensalism

one organism benefits and the other is neither helped or harmed. EX. barnacles on a whale.

parasitism

one organism benefits and the other (host) is harmed. EX. ticks on a dog