Module 1

Chapter 1- The study of ecology

Definitions

• Biotic - living components of the environment

• Abiotic - non-living components of the environment

• Ecosystem - a habitat where biotic, abiotic, and microorganisms co-exist as a functional unit. Ecosystems are usually self-contained.

• habitat - a place/site where an organism or population is normally found.

• microhabitat - extremely small area of habitat eg. wasps in trees

• Species - groups of organisms that have multiple features in common and are normally capable of inter-breeding.

• Population - all living things of the same species in a habitat at one time. they are capable of breeding among themselves.

• Community- all living things in a habitat. total of all populations in the habitat.

• Niche - its role in the ecosystem that will lead to a balanced and stable environment.

• Earth’s mantle - lies directly below the crust and the earth’s outer core.

• atmosphere - gases held around the planet by gravitational force.

• lithosphere - the upper layer of the earth (oceans and continents and parts of the cooler solid upper mantle).

• hydrosphere - part of the earth comprised of water (clouds, oceans, seas ice caps, rivers, underground water supplies, and atmospheric vapor)

• geosphere - contains all land masses and water masses (hydrosphere and lithosphere and the outer region is the atmosphere)

• biosphere - (aka zone of life) part of earth able to support life. (includes atmosphere, hydrosphere, and parts of the lithosphere)

• ecotone - the border between 2 major ecosystems. eg. coastlines etc.

• biomes - a place with its own climate and a community that has adapted to live there

• biotic potential - the maximum reproductive potential of an organism

• carrying capacity - the maximum population of a given organism that a particular environment can sustain without itself being degraded.

• ecology - the study of the interaction among organisms and the relationship between the biotic and abiotic environment.

• ecosystem stability - the ability of an ecosystem to withstand significant changes over time and to repair itself after a disturbance.

• environmental resistance - the sum of all factors (including limiting factors, predations, and diseases) which together act to prevent the biotic potential of an organism.

• indigenous - native to a particular area

• keystone species - a species that has a crucial role in the ecosystem that no other species can perform

• managed resource protected area -

Ecotone

• This is the border between 2 major ecosystems eg. coastlines.
• Contains plants and animals from close ecological regions.
• It supports many species (including unique species) not found in bordering ecosystems.
• It has features that are different from the 2 ecosystems it separates.

Biomes

a specialized and very large ecosystem that has its own vegetation, climate, soil conditions, and a distinctive biological community that has adapted to live there.

==Terrestrial Biomes==

eg. rainforests, deserts, grasslands, etc.

The most important variables for life on land include the amount of rain and temperature.

==Aquatic Biomes==

eg. rivers, lakes, mangroves, etc.

The most important variables of life in water include the salinity of water, depth, permanency of water, and available nutrients.

chapter 2 - the relationship between biotic and abiotic environment

biotic and abiotic environments

biological influuences within an ecosystem - biotic factors

physical/nonliving organisms - abiotic factors

together form a habitat

biotic factors

ecosystem -