Ecology and Biodiversity
4d analyze the importance of biodiversity
5b research animal adaptation and behavior related to survival
5a apply concepts of adaptation by analyzing how organisms are classified into groups and subgroups.
What is ecology?
the study of organisms and the environment.
Ecology is the study of how the flora, fauna, soil, and air of an area exist and interact.
I know what soil and air are, but flora and fauna?
Flora refers to plant life
Fauna refers to animal life.
These, flora and fauna, are referred to as the biotic components of an ecosystem.
Soil, air, water and sunlight are the abiotic components an ecosystem.
What is an ecosystem?
a group of interdependent organisms together with the environment that they live in and depend on.
Interdependent means that to depend on each other.
How do animals and plants depend on each other?
Some animals eat plants. They are called herbivores.
Some animals eat only other animals. They are called carnivores.
Some animals eat both plants and animals. They are omnivores.
Some animals feed on the bodies of dead organisms. They are known as scavengers.
Each one of these type of animals is part of the energy flow of an ecosystem.
Where does the energy come from and go?
All energy in an ecosystem comes from the sun.
Producers, usually plants, turn the sunlight into the sugars that other organisms use for energy.
Consumers cannot make their own food.
Primary consumers (prey) eat the producers
Secondary consumers (predators) eat the primary consumers
Decomposers, usually bacteria, break down wastes and dead organisms and return the raw material to the environment completing a circle of life.
The interaction of these organisms is known as a food web.
What happens if one of the populations of a food web leave the web?
One of several things could happen.
The consumers dependent on that population as a food source will have to find a new food source.
Or they will have to move elsewhere to find food.
Or they will begin to die out.
These are examples of adaptations!
Animal Adaptation
The ground hog going back into its burrow shows it has a protective adaptation to flee from larger creatures. (in this case the shadow is the stimulus)
The bright coloring of a male cardinal, a reproductive adaptation, helps it attract a mate. While the dull colored female blends into the surroundings.
When you try to swat a fly, and it flies away, it moves in case the stimulus of air moving indicates a predator is near.
Humans adapt too.
When you are startled by a sudden noise, your body experiences several changes
Your eyes widen, to better see the threat.
Your heart rate increases, to get more blood to the muscles.
Your breathing quickens, to get more oxygen to the muscles
Your muscles tense, prepared for action.
These are know as fight or flight responses. They are protective adaptations that allows an individual to get ready to fight or run for their lives, if the situation requires it.
Other adaptations
Most mammals sweat. An adaptation that allows the organism to maintain a constant body temperature.
Plants have adaptations, too.
Moving toward light is phototropism
The roots growing down and the stem growing up is an adaptation caused by gravity.
Adaptation and Classification
These adaptations are often used to distinguish between subgroups of the same species of animal and plants.
One example would be the domestication of wolves into the dogs of today.
More about domestication of wolves