Earth Science: Levels of Biological Organization

Earth Science

• The biosphere is the portion of Earth where life occurs, including the land, water, and air that support life.

Levels of Biological Organization

• Cell: the smallest unit of living things
• Tissue: a group of similar cells
• Organ: a group of differentiated tissues doing the same work
• Organ system: a group of organs performing different functions
• Organism: an individual living thing
• Population: a group of similar organisms occupying a definite area
• Community: a group of different populations interacting with one another
• Ecosystem: a group of communities interacting with their abiotic factors
• Biosphere: all ecosystems on Earth with their physical environment
• Earth: the planet

Ecosystem

• An ecosystem is a system formed by the interaction of a community of organisms with their physical environment.
• The biosphere describes a group of ecosystems.

Components of the Ecosystem

Abiotic Factors

• Water: an inorganic substance that helps in seed germination, acts as a habitat for aquatic organisms, and is known as the 'universal solvent'.
• Soil: a material formed from small particles of rock mixed with organic materials and minerals, found in the upper layer of the Earth's crust.
• Wind: the horizontal movement of air used for transportation, pollination, and as a source of energy.
• Sunlight: the main source and oldest of all energy sources, affecting animals and plants.
• Temperature: the hotness or coldness of an area, affecting the presence or absence of animals in different habitats.

Biotic Factors

• Autotrophs: self-feeding organisms that produce their own food through photosynthesis, acting as producers in food chains.
• Heterotrophs: consumers in an ecosystem that feed on other organisms or organic matter.

Types of Consumers

• Herbivores: organisms that feed only on plants.
• Carnivores: organisms that feed on meat.
• Omnivores: organisms that feed on both meat and plants.
• Decomposers: organisms that convert materials from dead or decaying matter into nutrients for the soil.

Types of Consumer as to Level of Nourishment

• Primary consumers: consumers that feed on producers.
• Secondary consumers: consumers that feed on primary consumers.
• Tertiary consumers: consumers that feed on secondary consumers.

Interaction Between Biotic and Abiotic Factors

• Abiotic-abiotic interaction: interaction among physical factors.
• Biotic-biotic interaction: interaction among living factors.
• Biotic-abiotic interaction: interaction between living and non-living factors.

Symbiosis

• Symbiosis is a relationship between two or more organisms in which one or both organisms benefit.
• 5 types of symbiosis:
  • Mutualism: relationship where both organisms benefit.
  • Commensalism: relationship where one organism benefits while the other is unaffected or unharmed.
  • Parasitism: relationship where one organism benefits while the other is harmed or affected.
  • There are two types of parasites: Endoparasite (inside the body) and Ectoparasite (outside the body).
  • Competition: relationship where two or more organisms living in the same area compete with one another for the resources needed.