Post on 03-Jan-2016
What is Ecology?
• Ecology is the scientific study of the relationship between organisms and their environment
• Ecologists study these relationships
What is the Biosphere?
• Living things can be found in the air, on land, and in both fresh and salt water.
• The biosphere is the surface of the Earth that supports life.
• The biosphere extends from the high atmosphere to the bottom of the ocean.
What Are Abiotic Factors?
• The non-living parts of an organism’s environment
• Examples are:
Air, water, sunlight, soil, humidity, temperature
Why do you think ecologists study these features?
How might these factors affect living things?
What Are Biotic Factors?
• All of the living organisms in an environment are biotic factors
• Living organisms affect other organisms
• Living things compete against one another
• Ecologists study how living things interact with both biotic and abiotic factors
• All organisms are interdependent – they can’t exist alone
Ecosystems
• An ecosystem is made up of a community interacting with its environment
• Three kinds of ecosystems:
1. Terrestrial: Located on land
2. Freshwater aquatic
3. Salt water aquatic
Habitat
• Habitat is the place where an organism lives out its life.
• Habitats have specific biotic and abiotic factors that an organism needs to survive and reproduce.
• Habitats may change or disappear due to natural causes or interference by man.
What kind of habitat would a frog need?
The Niche
• A niche is the role and position a species has in its environment.
• Includes all its interactions with biotic and abiotic parts of its habitat.
• Species in different niches don’t compete for the same resources.
• Competition is reduced.
Symbiosis
• Relationships between organisms can be classified.
• Close and permanent relationship is called a symbiosis.
• Three main types:
1. Commensalism
2. Mutualism
3. Parasitism