Ecosystem Interactions PDF

Ecosystem All the interacting parts of a biological community and its environment. The relationship between living organisms and their environment. Ecosystems exists all around our planet, they can be as large as an ocean/desert or as small as a puddle/rotting log. Ecosystems are divided into two pr...

Ecosystem All the interacting parts of a biological community and its environment. The relationship between living organisms and their environment. Ecosystems exists all around our planet, they can be as large as an ocean/desert or as small as a puddle/rotting log. Ecosystems are divided into two pretty distinguishable components: ● Biotic: Living ● Abiotic: Non-living Examples: Deer eating grass Birds living in a tree Ants burrowing into the ground Reeds growing beside a marsh The environment in which we live is composed of a wide variety of living and non-living things. In fact, your life—all life—depends on and is connected with other living things. 01 Abiotic Composed of non-living things. 02 Biotic Composed of living things. Species vs. Population vs. Community Species A group of related organisms that share similar characteristics and are capable of reproducing. Population The same species living together in the same area. Community Populations of different species living and interacting in the same area. The Needs of Living Things Living things need….. 1 Water About three-quarters of our planet’s surface is covered with water. Water not only makes up the majority of Earth’s surface, but also contains the majority of all living things. 2 Food You need food for the nutrients it provides. Nutrients include substances such as carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, and minerals. All these substances supply your body with energy and materials that you need to move, grow, and to repair and maintain the health of the billions of cells in your body. Most other living things need nutrients for the same reason. The Needs of Living Things Living things need….. 3 Energy You need energy to walk, run, breathe, eat, digest what you eat, and grow. You need energy even when you’re sitting still and relaxing. Energy keeps your heart beating, air moving in and out of your lungs, and the rest of your organs working properly. So you need energy even when you’re asleep! Where do you get energy? 4 Oxygen When you eat, chemical reactions take place inside your body. These reactions use oxygen to break down the food to provide you with energy. With only a few exceptions, all living things need oxygen to provide the energy they need to survive. This includes animals, plants, fungi such as mushrooms, and microscopic life forms such as bacteria. Where do you get oxygen to survive? The Needs of Living Things Living things need….. 5 Habitat (suitable living conditions) Life can exist in harsh conditions. For example, certain kinds of microscopic bacteria and algae thrive in hot springs that can reach temperatures of up to 85°C. Other kinds of life exist in the Antarctic, where temperatures can reach as low as –90°C. However, most living things live best in a more moderate range of temperatures. They often build shelters to provide safety and comfort. Symbiosis Whenever living things live closely together where the relationship can better benefit one or both living things, this is called symbiosis. Mutualism Parasitism Example: A remora (small fish) attaches itself to the shark's skin and eats bacteria and microorganisms that are unhealthy for the Example: Tapeworms are common parasites that live in the intestines of animals which can feed of the food digested resulting in the body not receiving nutrients. Relationship between two different organisms where each partner benefits from the relationship. shark. Relationship in which one organisms benefits but the other is harmed. Commensalism Relationship in which one organism benefits, but the other is neither benefits nor is harmed. Example: Barnacles on whales are able to get shelter while the whale is not harmed. Mutualism Relationship between two different organisms where each partner benefits from the relationship. Clownfish & Sea Anemone The sea anemone is poisonous to most fish, but clown fish are immune. This makes the anemone a perfect home for the clownfish. In exchange, the fish cleans the anemone of algae and chases off any fish who may eat it. Ants & Aphids Ants are essentially farmers are they protect the aphids and provide them nutrients in exchange for the sugary food that the aphids produce. Parasitism Relationship in which one organisms benefits but the other is harmed. Mosquitoes & Humans Mosquitoes bite and feed on the blood of humans, causing itching and irritation. Aphids & Plants Aphids feed on plants, damaging them as they do so. Commensalism Relationship in which one organism benefits, but the other is neither benefits nor is harmed. Spiders & Trees Spiders depend on trees to provide a location for their webs, but the tree is completely unaffected by this interaction. Cattle & Egrets Egrets eat the bugs that come up as they are disturbed by the grazing of the cattle. The cattle do not benefit from this relationship, nor are they harmed. Symbiosis Although rarely mentioned, predation and competition are also forms of symbiosis. Predation Competition Predation occurs when members of one species (the predator) eat members of another species (the prey). Competition occurs when species compete for the same resources in the same location. This interaction is beneficial for the predator, but harmful for the prey (+/- interaction). Example: Food, water, or space are examples of resources for which organisms compete with each other. Example: A pride of lions attacking a larger animal, such as an elephant or wildebeest. Adaptation to the Environment Adaptation Adaptation is how organisms respond to their environment. Only those species that are best suited to their environment will survive and produce offspring. Over many generations, the offspring that inherit their parents’ successful characteristics continue to reproduce, whereas the species that are not well suited to their environment are less likely to survive and produce offspring. So, over time, the successful characteristics will be more common in the population. These changes in the behaviour and physical characteristics of species make them better adapted to their environment.