What is Ecology?

• Defined: Study of how life interacts on Earth

How do you interact with the environment?

How do you interact with the environment?

How do you interact with the environment?

How do you interact with the environment?

What is Ecology?

• Defined: Study of how life interacts on Earth• Point of this unit? Show the impact that life has

on the environment… and vice versa

Levels of Ecology

• Defined: Group of one species living in the same area• Populations change based on:

– Births, Deaths, Immigration, Emigration, Limiting Factors

Click on information box

Populations

What’s this population called?

What’s this population called?

What’s this population called?

What’s this population called?

What’s this population called?

What’s this population called?

What’s this population called?

What’s this population called?

What’s this population called?

Population Patterns

We’ve studied bacteria populations…

Population Patterns

We’ve studied plant populations…

Population Patterns

We’ve studied fungus populations…

Population Patterns

We’ve studied all kinds of animal populations…

Population Patterns

• Populations go through stages:1) Slow growth

• Population is slowly adapting to particular environment

Population Patterns

• Populations go through stages:1) Slow growth

• Population is slowly adapting to particular environment

2) Exponential growth• High birth rates due to

natural selection & resources

Population Patterns

• Populations go through stages:1) Slow growth

• Population is slowly adapting to particular environment

2) Exponential growth• High birth rates due to

natural selection & resources

3) Carry capacity• Defined: greatest

number of individuals that the environment can sustain

• Birth & death rates eventually balance

• Populations go through stages:1) Slow growth

• Population is slowly adapting to particular environment

2) Exponential growth• High birth rates due to

natural selection & resources

3) Carry capacity• Defined: greatest

number of individuals that the environment can sustain

• Birth & death rates eventually balance

• What stage is the human population in?

Population Patterns

Fighting diseaseImproving agricultureBuilding more shelters

Sanitizing water

Exponential growth

After Carrying Capacity?

Some populations stabilize for the long term

Some populations experience a sharp decline called a “crash”

Which will humans experience?

stable

crash

Age Pyramids Can Predict Future Growth

Typical Reproductive years

Large portion of the population will soon enter their reproductive years

Large portion of the population currently able to reproduce

Smallest portion of the population past their reproductive years

Slow Future Population Increase

Typical Reproductive years

Stable Population

Typical Reproductive years

Declining/Negative Growth

Mr. Kobe’s experience with population ecology

Male Female

1 year 10,000 11,000

2 years 7,000 7,500

3 years 3,000 3.400

4 years 1,000 1,100

+5 years 520 600

Data Analysis

• What does this data tell you?

• What would you do if you were the state of IL?

7,000 7,500

3,000 3,400

1yr

2yr

3yr

4yr

Male Female

520

1,000

600

1,100

Male Female

1 year 10,000 11,000

2 years 7,000 7,500

3 years 3,000 3.400

4 years 1,000 1,100

+5 years 520 600

Communities

• Defined: Many populations living in the same area

Many species of fish…

Many species of corals…

Many species of invertebrates…

Communities

• Defined: Many populations living in the same area

Many species of plants…

Many species of insects…

Many species of reptiles…

Communities

• Defined: Many populations living in the same area

Many species of plants…

Many species of insects…

Many species of amphibians…

Many species of birds…

Communities

• Defined: Many populations living in the same area• Each organism has it own HABITAT

– Habitat: Place where an organism lives

In a tree hole you

might find…

Communities

• Defined: Many populations living in the same area• Each organism has it own HABITAT

– Habitat: Place where an organism lives

In a hole in the ground you might

find…

Communities

• Defined: Many populations living in the same area• Each organism has it own HABITAT

– Habitat: Place where an organism lives

Lift up a rock and

you might find…

Communities

• Defined: Many populations living in the same area• Each organism has it own HABITAT

– Habitat: Place where an organism lives• Each species has its own NICHE

– Niche: The role/needs of a species

How can 5 different populations of birds live in the same tree? Wouldn’t they compete and fight each other off?

Each has a different niche in the community.

Eats insect A & nests in

March

Eats insect B & nests in

JuneEats insect

C & nests in September

Ecosystems• Defined: All the living &

non-living in a given area• Biotic (living) Factors:

– Animals, Plants, Fungi, Bacteria, Protista

• Abiotic (non-living) Factors:– Rocks, climate, soil,

water, etc…• What have we learned?

Ecosystems• Defined: All the living &

non-living in a given area• Biotic (living) Factors:

– Animals, Plants, Fungi, Bacteria, Protista

• Abiotic (non-living) Factors:– Rocks, climate, soil,

water, etc…• What have we learned?

1)The biotic affects the abiotic

Cattle (living) can overgraze and ruin topsoil (nonliving)

Ecosystems• Defined: All the living &

non-living in a given area• Biotic (living) Factors:

– Animals, Plants, Fungi, Bacteria, Protista

• Abiotic (non-living) Factors:– Rocks, climate, soil,

water, etc…• What have we learned?

1)The biotic affects the abiotic

Humans (living) can pollute water (nonliving)

Ecosystems• Defined: All the living &

non-living in a given area• Biotic (living) Factors:

– Animals, Plants, Fungi, Bacteria, Protista

• Abiotic (non-living) Factors:– Rocks, climate, soil,

water, etc…• What have we learned?

1)The biotic affects the abiotic

2)The abiotic affects the biotic

Above is a healthy coral reef with lots of life

Below is the same reef exposed to a higher water temperature (non-living)

Ecosystems• Defined: All the living &

non-living in a given area• Biotic (living) Factors:

– Animals, Plants, Fungi, Bacteria, Protista

• Abiotic (non-living) Factors:– Rocks, climate, soil,

water, etc…• What have we learned?

1)The biotic affects the abiotic

2)The abiotic affects the biotic

Ecosystems often contain a “keystone species.”

Keystone species = one that has a tremendous impact on the entire ecosystem

Biomes• Defined: Large

area with distinct climate, plant, and animal life

Tundra

Biomes• Defined: Large

area with distinct climate, plant, and animal life Deciduous forest

Biomes• Defined: Large

area with distinct climate, plant, and animal life

Grasslands

Biomes• Defined: Large

area with distinct climate, plant, and animal life

Rainforests

Biomes• Defined: Large

area with distinct climate, plant, and animal life

Deserts

Biomes• Defined: Large

area with distinct climate, plant, and animal life

Taiga

Biomes• Defined: Large

area with distinct climate, plant, and animal life

• Learned? Climate determines where life can survive

Biomes• Defined: Large

area with distinct climate, plant, and animal life

• Learned? Climate determines where life can survive

Why can’t reptiles survive in the tundra biome?

Biomes• Defined: Large

area with distinct climate, plant, and animal life

• Learned? Climate determines where life can survive

Why can’t oak trees survive in the desert biome?

The Biosphere• Defined: All organisms and the part of the Earth where life exists

The Biosphere• Defined: All organisms and the part of the Earth where life exists

• Biosphere changes can affect life

Crust

Mantle

core

The Biosphere

Crust

Mantle

core

• Defined: All organisms and the part of the Earth where life exists

• Biosphere changes can affect life

• Ex: More CO2 in the atmosphere… causes warmer temps

CO2

CO2CO2

CO2CO2

CO2

CO2

CO2

CO2

CO2

CO2

CO2

CO2

CO2

CO2

The Biosphere• Defined: All organisms and the part of the Earth where life exists

• Biosphere changes can affect life

• Ex: More CO2 in the atmosphere… causes warmer temps

Review1) What is ecology?2) What are two reasons that populations will increase?3) What are two reasons that populations will decrease?4) What are factors that control population growth called?5) How does a population, community, ecosystem, biome,

and biosphere differ?6) What is a keystone species?7) Place the levels of ecology in order from smallest to

largest.– Ecosystem, Population, Biosphere, Community, Biome