Studied by 20 people
Ecology
The study of the interaction of organisms and the living and non-living components of the environment
Interdependence
The survival of organisms depends on the interactions between the living and non-living aspects of the environment
Ecological Model
Represents and describes the components of an ecological system
Biosphere
The broadest, most inclusive level of organization
In the biosphere
Where are all organisms found?
Ecosystems
Include all of the organisms and nonliving environments found in a particular area
Community
All of the interacting organisms living in an area
Population
Includes all the members of a species that live in one place at one time
Organism
The simplest level of organization
Biosphere, ecosystem, community, population, and organism
Name the 5 levels of ecological organization in order from largest to smallest.
Habitat
The place where an organism lives
Biotic factors
The living components of an environment
Abiotic factors
The nonliving components (physical and chemical characteristics) of the ecosystem
Tolerance curve
A graph that shows the performance of an organism versus an environmental variable
Acclimate
To adjust
Conformers
Organisms that do not regulate their internal conditions, they change as their environment changes
Regulators
Organisms that use energy to control some of their internal conditions within a wider variety of environmental conditions
Dormancy
A state of reduced activity
Migrate
To move to a better habitat
Niche
A specific role or way of life with an environment
Generalists
Organisms that can tolerate a wide range of environmental conditions
Specialists
Organisms that have narrow niches
Autotroph (Producers)
An organism that makes its own food by capturing energy to make organic molecules
Chemotrophs
Carry out a process called chemosynthesis
Chemosynthesis
Used energy stored in inorganic molecules to produce carbohydrates
Gross Primary Productivity
The rate at which producers in an ecosystem capture energy of sunlight by making organic compounds
Biomass
The amount of organic material that is produced in an ecosystem
Only other organisms
Can access energy that is stored as biomass
Net Primary Productivity
The rate at which biomass accumulates
Consumers
Must get energy by consuming organic molecules
Herbivores
Organisms that eat producers; Predators that eat plants
Carnivores
Organisms that eat other consumers; Predators that eat animals
Omnivores
Organisms that eat both producers and consumers
Detritivores (Decomposers)
Consumers that feed on the “garbage” of the ecosystem
Energy is transferred
What happens when organisms eat each other?
From the producers to the consumers
How does energy in an ecosystem flow?
Food chain
A single pathway of feeding relationships among organisms in an ecosystem that results in energy transfer
Food web
Many food chains interlinked to look like a web
On average, only about 10% of the energy from one trophic level will make it to the next level
What is the 10% rule?
Organisms on the lowest trophic level (Producers)
What organisms are most abundant in an ecosystem?
Yes, because they carry less energy therefore they support less individuals
Do higher trophic levels contain less individuals? Explain.
Predation
Predator eats prey
Heterotrophs
Organisms who eat for energy; Either predators, parasites, or both
Running away, hiding, resembling inedible objects, deceptive coloring, and chemical defenses
Give 5 examples of how animals avoid predators.
Mimicry
One species closely resembles another species
Batesian mimicry
A harmless king snake is a mimic of the venomous coral snake (Example)
Because they cannot run away
Why are plants especially vulnerable to predators?
Thorns, spines, sticky hairs, and thick leaves
Give 4 examples of physical defenses plants have developed.
Interspecific competition
a type of interaction in which two or more species are competing for the same limited resource
Competitive exclusion
When one species is eliminated from a community because of competition for the same limited resource
Symbiosis
A close long-term relationship between two organisms
Parasitism, mutualism, and commensalism
Name the 3 types of symbiotic relationships.
Parasitism
A host is harmed by a parasite (+,-)
Mutualism
Two species derive some benefit from one another (+,+)
Pollination of a plant by a bee
Give an example of a mutualistc relationship.
Tapeworms, fleas, and ticks latching onto a host
Give an example of a parasitic relationship.
Commensalism
One species benefits and the other species is unaffected (+,=)
Scavengers eating the leftovers that another animal left behind
Give an example of a commensalistic relationship.
Ecological succession
The gradual, sequential regrowth of a community of species in an area
Primary and secondary
What are the two types of succession?
Primary succession
Occurs in an area that has never previously supported life
Secondary succession
The sequential replacement of species that follows a disruption of an existing community.
Primary: An island formed by a volcano
Secondary: Fire or human activity
Give an example of both primary and secondary succession
Pioneer species
Organisms that predominate early succession.
Climax community
When a community proceeds through the predictable series of stages until it reaches a stable end point
Evaporation, transpiration, and precipitation.
What are three important processes in the water cycle?
Evaporation
Water returns to its original gaseous form as water vapor, and is added back into the atmosphere
Transpiration
The process by which water evaporates from the leaves of plants in terrestrial ecosystems
Precipitation
Water returns from the atmosphere to the Earth
To make protein and nucleic acids
Why do organisms need nitrogen?
Nitrogen cycle
The complex pathway that nitrogen follows in an ecosystem
Nitrogen fixation
Nitrogen must be converted to a nitrate in order to be usable for plants
Nitrogen fixing bacteria, but some may even use lightning
What do most organisms rely on to transform atmospheric nitrogen gas into a usable form?
Ammonification
The process of converting ammonia to ammonium from urine, feces, and decaying bodies
Nitrification
Occurs when soil bacteria convert nitrites to nitrates
Denitrification
Returns nitrogen to the atmosphere when anaerobic bacteria break down nitrates and release them back into the atmosphere
Phosphorus
An essential material for animals; Needed for bones, teeth, and DNA and RNA
Plants get the phosphorus they need from soil and water, whereas animals get it by eating plants
How do plants and animals differ in the way they get phosphorus?
Through their roots
How do plants absorb phospates?
Phosphate PO43−
When rocks erode small amounts of phosphorus, it dissolves as _____ in the soil/water
Note 
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