Ecosystem Organization - Biology Slideshow PDF

Ecosystem Organization  Ecology  The branch of biology studying the relationships and interactions between organisms and the environment  In order to study ecology, scientists look at how organisms are related to one another and how they are related to the environment...

Ecosystem Organization  Ecology  The branch of biology studying the relationships and interactions between organisms and the environment  In order to study ecology, scientists look at how organisms are related to one another and how they are related to the environment in which they live – the ecosystem  Ecosystem  An ecosystem includes all living organisms in a defined area and their nonliving environment.  Ecosystems are made up of living and nonliving factors:  Biotic factors - living  Abiotic factors - nonliving  Think about the biotic and abiotic factors in your environment! Biotic Factors  Anything living: Abiotic Factors  Parts that make up the environment that are not living:  Abiotic vs. Biotic Factors  Abiotic factors = non-living components that affect living organisms  Ex. Temperature, sunlight, rocks  Biotic Factors = all living things or their materials that directly or indirectly affect organisms in its environment (includes interactions)  Ex. Plants, animals, fungi, bacteria Review biotic  A(n) ___________ factor is a living (or once living) component of an ecosystem. abiotic  A(n) ___________ factor is a non-living component of an ecosystem. Review biotic  An ecosystem is the interaction between __________ and abiotic __________ factors Biotic or Abiotic? Biotic Abiotic Biotic or Abiotic? Biotic Abiotic Biotic or Abiotic? Biotic Abiotic Biotic or Abiotic? Biotic Abiotic Biotic or Abiotic? Biotic Abiotic Interactions between biotic and abiotic factors  What abiotic factors are important for a plant to grow? 1. Sun  Provides warmth to living organisms  Provides solar energy (light) for green plants to make their own food  The number of hours of daylight triggers seasonal events, such as: -plants flowering -birds migrating 2. Water  Important for life processes of all living things (plants and animals) such as: -distributing food particles through their bodies -digesting food  Important for organisms that live under water, such as: -trout -whales -algae 3. Air  Provides oxygen (O2), which animals breathe  Provides carbon dioxide (CO2) for plants to use to make their own food 4. Soil  Provides a home for many animals that live underground -earthworms  Provides nutrients for plants  Plants grow in soil  Activity Organize the following words into TWO lists, Biotic and Abiotic Factors: Snake Rain Oxygen Clouds Mountain Sand Moss Leaf People Goldfish Wind Ph of soil Mud Sunlight Air Weather Tulip Bumblebee Raccoon Temperature Polar Bear Soil Earthworm Rocks Gold Minerals Salamander Moon Deer Volcanoes Lake Ice Fire A cell Maple tree Climate Raspberry bush Corn on Eagle the plant Guided Practice Organize the following words into TWO lists, Abiotic and Biotic Factors: Biotic Abiotic Goldfish Moss Polar Bear Wind Clouds Sand Leaf Raccoon Earthworm Sunlight Ph of soil Weather Bumblebee Tulip Salamander Oxygen Air Mountain Maple tree People Deer Mud Minerals Ice Eagle A cell Corn on Moon Soil Rocks the plant Raspberry bush Lake Temperature Volcanoes Snake Fire Climate Rain Gold  Level of organization is used to show how organisms interact with each other & their environment Order in Everything  Scientists have realized that life can be ordered in a hierarchy of ecosystem organization  A hierarchy is a system of things ranked one above the other  Let’s look at the ecosystem hierarchy going from simple to complex Level 1: Single Organism  An organism is any living thing – a plant, a germ, a human, a fish, a bird, etc.  One organism by itself is the simplest level of ecosystem organization  An organism is classified as being a member of a species – a distinct sort or kind of organism Example: whitetail deer Level 2: Population  A population is made up of all the individuals of a given species in a specific area or region at a certain time.  A group of organisms of the same kind Example: a herd of whitetail deer Level 3: Community  A community includes all organisms in a given area  Sizes of communities vary greatly  Populations within a community are interdependent because of the food webs that bind them together  Example: Level 4: Ecosystem  An ecosystem includes all organisms in a defined area and their nonliving environment  When you study an ecosystem, you look at how the living and nonliving parts interact and affect each other  The Earth is the largest of all ecosystems, called the biosphere The Biosphere  The biosphere can be divided into smaller regions that have distinct characteristics. These regions are called biomes.  The major biomes include:  Desert  Rainforest  Grassland  Tundra  Taiga  Temperate forest  Aquatic Let’s Review!  Starting at the bottom, the levels of ecosystem organization are:  Organism  Population  Community  Ecosystem  Biome  Biosphere Can you give an examples of these levels, starting from the bottom? What does each level include? Guess which vocabulary word fits the picture the best: This mushroom This is a is a single population organism of jellyfish These animals are This is an part of a ecosystem! community Types of Plants according to Water Requirements HYDROPHYTES HYDROPHYTES  Grow in water or in soil which is saturated with water  Water may be fresh or saline  Lakes ,ponds,pools,rivers,etc. Constitute fresh water bodies  Phytoplanktons ;non vascular hydrophytes  Vascular hydrophytes may arranged to 3 natural groups they are, XEROPHYTES XEROPHYTES  Plants which grows in xeric habitat such as * places like deserts, plain peaks, sand hills * shortage of water *high rate of transpiration  they are modified to withstand unfavourable conditions Classification of xerophytes  Depending upon the ability of xerophytes to withstand unfavourable situation they are classified as; 1.drought escaping 2.drought evading 3.drought enduring 4.drought resisting HALOPHYTES  Inhabit in saline soils  Tolerant to a high concentration of soluble inorganic salts  The plants are affected by these dissolved inorganic salts  The effect may be partially osmotic and partially chemical  To maintain turgidity cell sap is much more concentrated  TROPOPHYTES  A tropophyte is a plant that can survive in a climate with alternating wet and dry seasons. The word "tropophyte" comes from the Greek word tropos, which means "turning".  MESOPHYTES  Mesophytes are plants that grow in environments with a moderate amount of water and temperature. They are the largest group of terrestrial plants.  Soil is the mixture of minerals, organic matter, gases, liquids, and the myriad of organisms that together support plant life. It is a natural body that exists as part of the pedosphere and which performs four important functions: it is a medium for plant growth; it is a means of water storage, supply and purification; it is a modifier of the atmosphere; and it is a habitat for organisms that take part in decomposition of organic matter and the creation of a habitat for new organisms. Soil Horizons (layers): Soil is made up of distinct horizontal layers; these layers are called horizons. They range from rich, organic upper layers (humus and topsoil) to underlying rocky layers ( subsoil, regolith and bedrock). O Horizon - The top, organic layer of soil is dark in colour, made up mostly of leaf litter and humus (decomposed organic matter) that make the soil fertile A Horizon - The layer called topsoil. Seeds germinate and plant roots grow. It is made up of humus (decomposed organic matter) mixed with mineral particles. It is a soft and porous layer. It is a shelter of living organisms like worms and rodents. B Horizon - Also called the subsoil. It contains clay and mineral deposits (like iron, aluminum oxides, and calcium carbonate) that it receives from layers above it when mineralized water drips from the soil above. This layer is hard and compact. Roots of bigger plants extends till this layer C Horizon - Also called regolith. It consists of slightly broken-up bedrock (weathered parents rocks with cracks and crevices). Plant roots do not penetrate into this layer; very little organic material is found in this layer. R Horizon - The unweathered rock (bedrock) layer that is the last of all the other layers. This layer is very hard.  A soil horizon makes up a distinct layer of soil. The soil profile is a vertical section of the soil that depicts all of its horizons. The soil profile extends from the soil surface to the parent rock material. By examining a soil profile, we can gain valuable insight into soil fertility. As the soil weathers and/or organic matter decomposes, the profile of the soil changes. Types of Soil  Soil has three examples of state: solid soil, soil with air in the pores and soil with water in the pores. Due to the number of different forms of organic and mineral compositions, there are various types of soil that undergoes different environmental pressures. Clay Soil Clay is one of the many types of soils that are distinguished as soil in which the particles are packed tightly together with each other with little or no air space. Because of this characteristic, clay is the densest and heaviest type of soil. Defining Factors: Fine particles Smooth when dry Sticky when wet Retains water Drains poorly Less spaces to let air pass Rich in nutrients Cool and dense Ideal for crops like: Leafy vegetables, Peas, Tomatoes, and Peppers Silty Soil Silty soil is extremely smooth and since it retains plenty of water, it is fertile. Despite the good characteristics of this kind of soil, it lacks nutrients compared to other types of soils. Silty soil is ideal for agricultural use as the particles in silty soil are miniscule. Defining Factors: Tiny particles Slippery when wet Not grainy or rocky Extremely fertile Retains water Easily transported by wind and water Good for agriculture purposes Easily compacted Ideal for crops like: All vegetables and fruits Loamy Soil Loamy soil is one of the perfect types of soil because it is a mix of sand, clay, silt and even some humus. The pH level of loamy soil is 6, with high calcium levels. The specific composition of loamy soil can vary, but with the right balance of additives, it can be made ideal. Defining Factors: Well-drained Fertile Mixture of sand, silt and clay Retains water Retains nutrients Strong granular structure Soft and crumbly Easy to work with Well aerated Ideal for crops like: Tomatoes, Carrots, Parsnips, and Potatoes Roses, Amaryllis, Marigolds, and Zinnias Chalky Soil These kinds of soils are found in limestone beds that have chalk deposits that are deep. This is not an ideal soil for growing plants because it can be hard to work with. Chalky soil is alkali and causes yellow and stunted plants. Defining Factors: Lime rich soil Stony Severely dry in summers Poor in nutrients Warms quickly in summers Porous Highly alkaline Free-draining Ideal for plants like: Honeysuckle, Jasminum, Rosa, and Geranium Peaty Soil The soil has a lot of organic material and is rich in water, which makes it one of the best types of soils for plants. But the soil needs to be drained first. Because of a high water and nutrient content, peaty soil keeps plants healthy even in dry weather. The acidic water content is good for controlling plant diseases and can be used to balance the pH level of other kinds of soils. Defining Factors: Dark brown in color Soft and spongy to the touch Contains acidic water Rich in organic matter Retains water Stores nutrients Improves soil buffering Ideal for plants like: Well aerated Sphagnum Moss, Ericaceous Found in bogs Shrubs, and Sedges Mixed in soil to improve structure Thank you!!