Some Terms and Definitions • Ecosystems: A grouping of plants, animals, and microbes occupying an explicit unit of space and interacting with each other and their environment. • Ecotone: Transitional region between different ecosystems.
Jan 01, 2016
Some Terms and Definitions
• Ecosystems: A grouping of plants, animals, and microbes occupying an explicit unit of space and interacting with each other and their environment.
• Ecotone: Transitional region between different ecosystems.
Ecosystems: A Description
• Biotic communities: grouping or assemblage of plants, animals, and microbes.
• Species: different kinds of plants, animals, and microbes in the community.
• Populations: number of individuals that make up the interbreeding, reproducing group.
• Associations: how a biotic community fits into the landscape.
Ecotones on Land
• Shares many of the species and characteristics of both ecosystems
• May also include unique conditions that support distinctive plant and animal species
Terrestrial-to-Aquatic-System Ecotone
• Shares many of the species and characteristics of both ecosystems
• May also include unique conditions that support distinctive plant and animal species
Interrelationships Between Ecosystem Components“Everythingisconnectedtoeverythingelse”
Interrelationships Example
abiotic x abiotic temperature and rainfall = climate
abiotic x biotic water temperature predicts fish species
biotic x abiotic human pollution of the environment
biotic x biotic predator/prey relationships, life cycles, trophic levels
The Structure of Ecosystems
• Trophic categories
• Trophic relationships: food chains, food webs, trophic levels.
• Nonfeeding relationships: symbiosis
• Abiotic factors
Autotrophs = Producers = Self feedersAutotrophs = Producers = Self feedersAutotrophs = Producers = Self feedersAutotrophs = Producers = Self feeders
Consumers = Heterotrophs
• Primary consumers = herbivores = rabbit: eat plant material
• Secondary consumers = carnivores = predators = coyotes: prey are herbivores and other animals.
Consumers = Heterotrophs
• Parasites = predator = either plant or animal: prey are plants or animals.
Detritus Food Web
Trophic Categories
Trophic Relationships: Food ChainTrophic Relationships: Food Chain
Third-order Consumer
Secondary Consumer
Primary Consumer
Producer
Match Organisms with Trophic Level(s)
Trophic LevelsOrganisms Producer Primary
ConsumerSecondary Consumer
Third-Order Consumer
Plants X
Rabbits X
Snakes X X
Owls X X
Bacteria X X X X
Match Trophic Categories with Trophic Level(s)
Trophic Levels
Category Producer Primary Consumer
Secondary Consumer
Third-Order Consumer
Autotrophs X
Herbivores X
Carnivores X X
Omnivores X X X
Parasites X X X X
Trophic Relationships Among Producers and Consumers
Food Webs = Food Chain Interrelationships
Trophic Level Energy FlowTrophic Level Energy Flow
Producer 10,000 Kcal
Third-order Consumer
Secondary Consumer
Primary Consumer- 100x
- 10x
- 10x
100 Kcal
10 Kcal
1Kcal
Biomass Pyramid
Trophic Levels: Pyramid of BiomassTrophic Levels: Pyramid of Biomass
1
2
3
4
5 Which level is occupied by:producers?primary consumers?secondary consumers?third-order consumers?
Trophic Levels: Pyramid of EnergyTrophic Levels: Pyramid of Energy
1
2
3
4
5Which level is occupied by:producers?primary consumers?secondary consumers?third-order consumers?
Nutrient Cycles and Energy Flow
HW Questions(answer these 5 questions in a Word doc and bring the word doc to next class (do not submit or email it)!
HW questions (Contd)
• Q4. Define and compare the terms species, population, association, and ecosystem.
• Q6. Compared with an ecosystem, what are an ecotone, landscape, biome, and biosphere?
• Q7. Identify and describe the biotic and the abiotic components of the ecosystem such as the Gulshan Lake that is a part of your community.
• Q8. Name and describe the roles of the three main trophic categories that make up the biotic structure of every ecosystem. Give examples of organisms from each category.