*Ecology- The study of organisms and their relationship to each other and their environment
*Biotic Factor – Living factors
*Abiotic Factors – Non living components
*LEVELS OF ORGANIZATION IN ECOLOGY
- Individual
- Species
-Population
-Community
-Ecosystem
-Biome, ex. Taiga, tundra
- Biosphere
*Habitat – an organisms address where something lives at any scale
* Niche – and organisms job in the ecosystem
NICHES
A.
Autotrophs or Producers are able to produce their own food by means of chemosynthesis and photosynthesis
CHEMOSYNTHESIS – TO MAKE FOOD W. CHEMICAL ENERGY
Most popular in deep sea vents
Hydrogen Sulfide (from deep sea vents) + CO2 +O2 = Glucose + Sulfur Compound
PHOTOSYNTHESIS – TO MAKE FOOD WITH LIGHT ENERGY
Sunlight + Water+CO2 = O2 + Glucose
B.
Heterotrophs or Consumers cannot make their own glucose for energy so they must gather food from their surroundings to obtain energy
CARNIVORES – Organisms that derive energy and nutrients requirements from a diet consisting mainly or exclusively of animal tissue whether through predation or scavenging (SCAVENGERS)
HERBIVORES – Organisms who solely eat plant materials
OMNIVORES – Organisms whose diets area blend of plant and animal materials
DETRIVORES – Organisms that feet on dead or decomposing matter
C.
Saprotrophs or Decomposers turn once living or organic matter to nutrients
*Primary Productivity – How much organic matter can be supported by a given area
* Nutrient Limitation – the limited number of nutrients in soil such as phosphorus, nitrogen and potassium
*Algal Bloom – Nitrogen/Phosphorus wash into water sources from farming fertilizers. Algae go “crazy” and blooms rapidly. This blocks sunlight from other organisms and limits the amount of oxygen to the rest of the ecosystem
