Ecosystems Section 15 and 16

Essential Questions How is energy captured and used in ecosystems to counteract entropy? How are organisms interdependent?

Ecology
The study organisms and their relationship to their environment An ecosystem is made up of a community of organisms and their interactions with their environment

Producers/Autotrophs
The Sun is the ultimate, original source of energy for most all ecosystems on the planet. Producers use energy directly from the sun to produce sugars that organisms use for food. Producer are autotrophs because they make their own food (photosynthesis)

Chemosynthesis
Some organisms live in the absence of light. They build sugars by using the energy stored in chemical bonds. This process is called chemosynthesis instead of photosynthesis.

Comsumers/Heterotrophs
Consumers are organisms that get their energy by eating producers or other consumers. They are called heterotrophs because they must depend on other organisms for their food.

Consumers/Heterotrophs
A cow eats grass. The cow doesnt make energy; it gets it from the grass. The cow breaks down the simple sugars made by the producers into energy to live.

Consumers/Heterotrophs
The consumer that eats the producer is called the primary consumer. The primary consumes are also known as herbivores.

Consumers/Heterotrophs
The consumer that eats OTHER consumers is called the secondary consumer. The secondary consumers are also known as carnivores.

Decomposers and Detrivores

Decomposers are also consumers and heterotrophs. The difference is that they break down dead organisms into detritus.

Decomposers and Detrivores

Detritus is eaten by detrivores which convert the organic material into inorganic material. When a wolf dies, bacteria and fungi are decomposers that break down dead tissue.

Decomposers and Detrivores

Detritivores (or detrivores) are usually small invertebrates like earthworms and nematodes (round worms) that recycle nutrients back into soil that are then taken in by plants thus completing the cycle. Some of the suns original energy is lost in the form of heat energy, the lowest type of energy.

Decomposers and Detrivores

Note that they do not recycle energy. Energy is a one-way pathway from the sun until it is used up. Matter is recycled; not energy.

Food Chains and Food Webs

A simple diagram to show the flow of energy from autotrophs to heterotrophs to decomposers is called a food chain. When drawing a food chain, always start with your producer. Draw your arrows in the DIRECTION of energy flow.

Food Chains and Food Webs

Create a food chain using at least 3 organisms found in Mississippi and place it in the box.

Food Chains and Food Webs

Food chains dont always fully show the flow of energy in an ecosystem. The relationships between organisms are typically much more complex. A food web shows overlapping food chains and reflect a more complex, more accurate view of an ecosystem.

Food Chains and Food Webs

Create a food web using at least 6 organisms found in Mississippi and place it in the box.

Trophic Levels and Energy Pryamids

Every step in a food chain or web represents a trophic level (feeding level). A tropic level indicates how many times energy has been transferred.

Food Chains and Food Webs

The first trophic level is producers. The second trophic level is primary consumers (herbivores). The third trophic level is secondary consumers. The fourth trophic level is tertiary (3rd) consumers.

Food Chains and Food Webs

Stored energy is transferred from one level to another when one organism eats another. Some energy is used by the organism to grow, reproduce, and do all the life functions. Some energy is lost as heat energy and radiate out into the environment.

Food Chains and Food Webs

These energy transfers are shown in Energy pyramids. Only about 10% of the energy at each level is transferred to the next higher level. The higher the organism is on the energy pyramid, the less energy is available for that organism.

Food Chains and Food Webs

Producers get 100% of their energy from the sun, so they make up the base of the pyramid. 10% of the energy stored in the plants are transferred to second level. 1% of the suns original energy, stored in the second level organisms are transferred to the third level.

Food Chains and Food Webs

These energy transfers create the pyramid.

 Complete page 238; 1-10 in the Green Book If you have PAID for your book, you do NOT have to write the questions. If you have NOT PAID for your book, write all questions. All Green Book Pages should have this heading:
Your name The Section Number The Page Number

Food Chains and Food Webs

YOU WILL BE COUNTED OFF if you dont have these on the top of the page.

Biomes
The Biosphere includes all the life of the Earth. The biosphere is divided up into Biomes. Biomes are characterized by their climate (abiotic factor), geography (abiotic factor), and the types of plants and animals found in the biome (biotic factors).

Biomes
Abiotic non-living things Sunlight, amount of rainfall, rocks, etc. Biotic Living things Types of living things Terrestrial biomes are land biomes. Aquatic biomes are water biomes. Lets complete the chart together!

Terrestrial Biomes
Tundra (next to the poles North Canada) Climate Cold winters, short cool summers. Ground is permanently frozen. Dominant Plants Mosses, small grasses Dominant Animals Small rodents, caribou, some birds no reptiles.

Terrestrial Biomes
Coniferous Forest (Northern US) Climate Cold winters, mild summers. Lots of precipitation. Dominant Plants Cone bearing plants Dominant Animals bears, deer, elk, bobcats.

Terrestrial Biomes
Deciduous Forest (Mississippi!!!) Climate Cool winters, warm summers. Dominant Plants Deciduous plants (this means they lose their leaves in the fall) Dominant Animals Animals you are familiar with in Mississippi Deer, bears, skunk, turkeys, raccoons.

Terrestrial Biomes
Grassland (The mid-west) Climate Fertile soils, moderate precipitation, cold winders and hot summers. Fires are common. Dominant Plants grasses, low rain prevents large trees. Dominant Animals prairie dogs, buffalo, large herbivores.

Terrestrial Biomes
Chaparral (Pacific coast) Climate hot, dry summers; mild, cool, rainy winters Dominant Plants woody shrubs Dominant Animals insects, lizards, snakes, chipmunks, mice, rabbits, fox, coyotes, mountain lion, owls, birds

Terrestrial Biomes
Desert (Mexico, North Africa, SW US) Climate Hot days and cold nights Dominant Plants cacti and succulents Dominant Animals bobcats, mountain lions, owls, hawks, antelopes, sheep, rats, lizards, rattlesnakes

Terrestrial Biomes
Savanna (Africa) Climate Warm with seasonal rainfall Dominant Plants grasses, small clusters of trees and shrubs Dominant Animals elephants, rhinos, antelope, zebra, giraffe, insects, ostrich, eagles, lions, leopards.

Terrestrial Biomes
Tropical Rainforest (Near equator, South America) Climate year-around high temperatures; high rainfall Dominant Plants broad leaf evergreen trees, ferns, large variety. LOTS of diversity. Dominant Animals all types of animals in a large variety; most biodiversity.

Aquatic Biomes
Aquatic Biomes are usually determined by the depth and temperature of the water as well as chemicals that are dissolved in the water (salt and oxygen). There are two main groups freshwater (less than 1% salt) and saltwater (marine)(about 3% salt).

Freshwater Aquatic Biomes

Flowing Water biomes include rivers and streams. Rivers and streams differ by SIZE. In general the faster the water, the cooler, clearer the water is. There are fewer plants.

Freshwater Aquatic Biomes

Many animals and plants have adaptations that help anchor them in place or streamlined bodies.

 Standing water biomes include lakes and ponds. Lakes and ponds differ by SIZE. In general standing water is warmer and more turbid (dirtier). Standing water harbors many unsafe microorganisms. Phytoplankton are the producers of many aquatic food chains. The primary consumers are often zooplankton.

Freshwater Aquatic Biomes

Saltwater Aquatic Biomes

The saltwater biomes includes areas called the aphotic zone, the coastal ocean, the intertidal zone, coral reefs, and estuaries.

Saltwater Aquatic Biomes

Aphotic zone Deep in the water where it is dark and no sunlight reaches. All producers in the aphotic zone are chemosynthetic autotrophs that do not need light.

Saltwater Aquatic Biomes

Photic zone Area of water where light does penetrate. Lots of photosynthetic organism live here which attract other animals to this area. Between the photic zone and aphotic zone is the twilight zone.

Saltwater Aquatic Biomes

Costal ocean Saltwater; area from the outer continental shelf to the low-tide mark Sunlight usually penetrates to the bottom Kelp grows in certain areas Includes lots of fishes, snails, seals, sea urchins, and whales.

Saltwater Aquatic Biomes

Intertidal zone Area between low tide and high tide; subject to tidal changes Organisms live here that can stand to be out of the water. They spend some time in sunlight and sometimes exposed to air and temperature. Because of currents, organisms are usually attached to the bottom or have ways to hold on.

Saltwater Aquatic Biomes

Coral Reefs Made of calcium carbonate formed by corals; warm saltwater; usually no deeper than 40 meters. Home to colorful fishes, sea anemones, starfish, and the coral. Most diverse aquatic biome.

Saltwater Aquatic Biomes

Estuaries Where freshwater rivers and streams merge with the oceans; varying salt concentrations Brackish water Animals and plants must be adapted to the varying salt concentrations.

Ecological Relationships
Since plant fibers are harder to digest than animal, herbivores have evolved special adaptations to chew and digest their food.
Large, flat molar teeth Chew the cud Special bacteria in the stomach Stomach chambers.

Ecological Relationships
Predator-Prey A predator hunts, kills, and eats prey. Prey is what the predator eats. A hawk consuming a rabbit for example.

Ecological Relationships
Predators have evolved physical and behavioral adaptations that help them catch their prey.
Keen eyesight Sharp claws or teeth Fur coloration

Ecological Relationships
Prey have adaptations to keep them from being eaten.
Poison frogs have bright, green color to warn predators of the danger. Mimicry refers to a harmless organism mimicking the poisonous one so that predators will leave them alone.

Ecological Relationships
Competition Anytime organisms try to use the same resource
Light, food water, space, mates Organisms will either adapt or die Extinction is often the very end of natural selection. They are out competed. If extinction happens because they were wiped out competely, it is known as competitive exclusion.

Ecological Relationships
A relationship between organisms living together closely is called symbiosis. The three types of symbiosis common in biology is mutalism, commensalism, and parasitism.

Ecological Relationships
Mutualism Both species benefit in the relationship. Flowers produce nectar to attract the bees; the bees pollinate the flowers.

Ecological Relationships
Commensalism One species gets the benefit of living together, but another species isnt benefited or harmed. Barnacles are attached to whales. The barnacles get a place to live and the whales get no benefit.

Ecological Relationships
Parasitism One organism gets all the benefit and the other organism is harmed. Parasite infects the host. Parasites usually dont kill the host, then only weeken the host. Heartworms, some nematodes like tapeworms, some fungi and bacteria.