Ecology & Ecosystems

Interaction of organisms and their environment.

Nonliving factors - determine what type of organisms can survive in an environment (temp, light).

Living factors - all the living organisms (plants & animals) in the environment.

individual, population, community, ecosystem, biome, biosphere.

The role a species plays in its ecosystem (all the components of an organisms life)

Two species cannot occupy a niche for a long period of time.

using solar energy & inorganic matter to make molecules.

using inorganic molecules from volcanic vents as an energy source to convert inorganic carbon to organic molecules (nitrifying bacteria)

Carnivores, Herbivores, Omnivores, and Decomposers

organic molecules are broken down to release ATP for growth, repair, and reproduction.

energy moves generally in one direction

shows energy available from previous group (10% of energy is passed on, 90% is used for life processes or lost as heat). Each level is called a tropic level.

yes

Total energy of universe is constant, it just changes form - so can’t create own energy (energy is not recycled in a food chain).

Amount of entropy (disorder) is always increasing. Living organisms have a constant input of energy so they don’t head toward entropy.

used to build living things, recycled within and between ecosystems, originates from earth water and air.

biological interactions include transpiration and respiration.

building blocks of all organic molecules. Fixation using carbon dioxide to make organic compounds.

important in protein production; plants use nitrogen for metabolism. Fixation - N^2 is turned into ammonium by bacteria and decomposers.

organisms attempt to get the same resources at the same time and in the same place (competitive exclusion principal)

Keeps organisms in check by controlling populations of prey so they don’t overtax the environment. Same organisms have adapted to predation through camouflage, mimicry, etc.

parasite benefits human doesn’t (+/-)

Both organisms benefit off of eachother (+/+)

One organism benefits off of another and the other doesn’t benefit or lose (+/0)