Honors Intro To Ecology

Introducing
© 2004 Plano ISD, Plano, TX

Ecology
the study of the relationships
between biotic and abiotic factors
in environments
eco- = environment, habitat
-logy= study of
ecoclimate
ecosystem
ecotourism epidemiology
climatology
zoology

Levels of Organization
all
one
all
smallest
large
any
group
interacting
organisms
living
individual
place
region
of
unit
and
populations
that
of
similar
with
living
different
nonliving
of
organs
the life
living
typical
thing
same
cells
canin
an
organized
kind
plants
kinds
exist
working
ecosystem
things
livingand
on
of to
in
work
animals
interacting
one
together
tissues
Earth
together
areathat
within
includes
workinga
certain
together
several area
ecosystems
cell
Ecosystem
includes all abiotic and biotic factors in
one particular environment
Biotic Factors Abiotic Factors

the living parts of the nonliving parts
an ecosystem of an ecosystem

Examples of Ecosystems
Mountains
Coral
Arizona
ReefinDesert
inColorado
Belize

Ecosystems
do not necessarily have clear boundaries
due to biotic and abiotic changes
can change daily as things move from one
ecosystem to another
Biotic Abiotic
migration, seed flood, erosion,
dispersal drought

Bio
Biotic Factors
include plants, animals, fungi,

microorganisms
Bio = life
biotechnology
biomechanics
biostatistics
biofeedback
biography
biosphere
biology
biotic

Examples of Biotic
Factors

Biotic Factors
interact with each parasitism
other in complex such as mutualism
ways competition
also interact with dependent upon

abiotic factors in water, minerals,
the ecosystem temperature, light
**Abiotic factors DETERMINE Biotic factors**

Biotic Factors
Living organisms are affected by the living
components of its environment.
• Food
Shelter
Microbes
•
• Mates
• Light • Dinosaur
example

A
Abiotic Factors
include air, water, soil, temperature,
wind, source of energy (usually sun)
a, an = not, without
abiotic
amusia
amoral
atoxic

Examples of Abiotic
Factors

Abiotic factors are the non-living Components of the
Environment
• Abiotic factors include:

– Sunlight
– Water
– Temperature
– Wind
– Soil
– Special events such as:
• Fires
• Hurricanes
• Floods
• Volcanic eruptions
• Tsunamis

Other Abiotic Factors
Here are some abiotic factors that you may not have thought about.
– Calcium: The lack of availability of calcium will restrict the distribution of land snails.
If there is no calcium a shell can’t be secreted.
– Sand: the size of the sand grains in the soil can impact animal that are burrowers.
– Temperature: colder towards the poles or higher elevation. Organisms in temperate

climates must withstand hot and cold temps.
– Nitrogen: Not just nitrogen, but nitrate (NO3). This is the form of nitrogen
used by plants. When nitrate is not readily available in the soil, some
plants supplement it with a meat diet. (insectivorous plants).

ATMOSPHERE & CLIMATE
- Huge impact on ecosystems
- Determines types & distribution of organisms

Difference between weather &
climate?
• Weather is the day-to- • Climate is the prevailing
day conditions of an weather conditions of an
area area throughout the year
(temperature,
precipitation, humidity,
etc.)

Wind Patterns  Ocean Currents
• Wind flow = blue & tan arrows

• Ocean currents = pink arrows
• Ocean currents
– Created by the flow of winds.
– Ex: The Gulf Stream is one such current.
– Without the heat in this mass of water,
the climate of northern Europe would be
much cooler.
– This would alter the biological
communities found there.

Rain shadows greatly affect the availability of moisture!
• Land masses affect atmospheric movements
• Rain shadow effects are seen when moist oceanic air masses encounter mountains.
• The moist air is forced up, cools, and releases its moisture in the form of rain.
• On the back side of the mountains, the cooled air descends towards the surface, but
is quite dry.
• This may create arid or semi-arid conditions.

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Introducing

© 2004 Plano ISD, Plano, TX

eco- = environment, habitat

© 2004 Plano ISD, Plano, TX

Biotic Factors Abiotic Factors

© 2004 Plano ISD, Plano, TX

© 2004 Plano ISD, Plano, TX

© 2004 Plano ISD, Plano, TX

include plants, animals, fungi,

© 2004 Plano ISD, Plano, TX

© 2004 Plano ISD, Plano, TX

also interact with dependent upon

**Abiotic factors DETERMINE Biotic factors**

© 2004 Plano ISD, Plano, TX

© 2004 Plano ISD, Plano, TX

© 2004 Plano ISD, Plano, TX

© 2004 Plano ISD, Plano, TX

• Abiotic factors include:

© 2004 Plano ISD, Plano, TX

– Temperature: colder towards the poles or higher elevation. Organisms in temperate

© 2004 Plano ISD, Plano, TX

© 2004 Plano ISD, Plano, TX

© 2004 Plano ISD, Plano, TX

• Wind flow = blue & tan arrows

© 2004 Plano ISD, Plano, TX

© 2004 Plano ISD, Plano, TX

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Abiotic factors DETERMINE Biotic factors