Interactions: Environment and Organisms

INTERACTIONS:
ENVIRONMENT AND
ORGANISMS
Outline:
 Ecological Concepts
 Natural Selection and Evolution
 Organism Interactions
 Community and Ecosystem
Interactions
Ecological Concepts
 Ecology is the study of ways organisms interact
with each other and with their nonliving
surroundings.
 Environment means everything that affects an
organism during its lifetime.
Abiotic factors: Nonliving things that influence an

organism, such as energy, nonliving matter, living space,
and ecological processes.
Biotic factors: All forms of life with which the

organism interacts.
Ecological Concepts
Limiting Factors
 Limiting factors are any factors whose shortage
or absence restricts species success.
–Scarcity of water or specific nutrients (plants).
–Climate, availability of a specific food (animals).
 Range of tolerance indicates a range of

conditions in which an organism can survive.
 Some species have a broad range of tolerance,
while others have a narrow range of tolerance.
Habitat and Niche
 The habitat of an organism is the space in
which an organism lives; it is defined by the
biological requirements of each particular
organism.
 The niche of an organism is the functional

role (profession) the organism has in its
surroundings.
–This term includes all the ways an organism affects
the organisms with which it interacts as well as how it
modifies its physical surroundings.
Habitat and Niche
Moss Habitat
Habitat and Niche
Ecological Niche of a Beaver

Genes, Populations, and Species
 Genes are distinct pieces of DNA that

determine the characteristics an individual
displays.
 A population includes all organisms of the
same kind found within a specific geographic
region.
 A species is a population of all the organisms
potentially capable of reproducing naturally
among themselves and having offspring that
also reproduce.
Natural Selection
 Natural selection is the process that

determines which individuals within a species
will reproduce and pass their genes to the
next generation.
 The changes seen in the genes and

characteristics displayed by successive
generations of a population of organisms over
time is known as evolution.
Natural Selection
Several conditions and steps are involved in the

process of natural selection:
1.Individuals within a species show genetically
determined variation.
2.Organisms within a species typically produce
more offspring that are needed to replace the
parents when they die. Most of the offspring die.
3.The excess number of individuals results in a
shortage of specific resources.
Natural Selection
4. Due to individual variation, some individuals

have a greater chance of obtaining needed
resources and therefore have a greater likelihood
of surviving and reproducing than others.
5. As time passes, the percentage of individuals

showing favorable variations will increase while
the percentage showing unfavorable variations
will decrease.
Kinds of Organism Interactions
 Predation is a kind of interaction in which one

animal kills/eats another.
–Predator benefits from food.
–Prey adaptation is manifested in a higher
reproduction rate.
Competition
 Competition is a kind of interaction in which

two organisms strive to obtain the same
limited resource.
–Intraspecific competition is competition

between members of same species.
–Interspecific competition is competition
between members of different species.
Competition
The competitive exclusi
on principle holds that
no two species can occ
upy the same ecologica
l niche in the same pla
ce at the same time.
–Less-fit species must
evolve into a slightly di
fferent niche.
Symbiotic Relationships
 Symbiosis is a close, long-lasting, physical

relationship between two different species. At
least one species derives benefit from the
interaction.
There are three categories of symbiotic

relationships:
–Parasitism
–Commensalism
–Mutualism
Symbiotic Relationships
 Parasitism is a relationship in which one

organism (parasite) lives in or on another
organism (host), from which it derives
nourishment.
–Ectoparasites live on the host’s surface. Fleas,
lice, molds, mildews
–Endoparasites live inside the body of the host.
Tapeworms, malaria parasites, bacteria, fung
Symbiotic Rela
tionships
Commensalism is
a relationship in w
hich one organism
benefits while the
other is not affecte
d.
Symbiotic Rel
ationships
Mutualism is a r
elationship in whi
ch both species b
enefit. The relatio
nship is obligator
y in many cases, a
s neither can exist
without the other
.
Community and
Ecosystem
Interactions
Major Roles of Organisms in Ecosystems
1. Producers (autotrophs)
2. Consumers
 Primary consumers (herbivores)
 Secondary consumers (carnivores)
 Omnivores
3. Decomposers
Food Chains and Food Webs
Food Web
“Everything is connected to everything

else”
Energy Flow Through Ecosystems
APPLIES:
• First Law of Thermodynamics

“energy cannot be created nor destroyed”
• Second Law of Thermodynamics

“whenever is transformed, it dissipates”
Biogeochemical Cycles
“matter cannot be created nor
destroyed in any chemical reaction,
it can only be changed form to
another”
-LAW OF CONSERVATION OF MATTER
Hydrologic Cycle
Carbon Cycle
Nitrogen Cycle
Phosphorus Cycle

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INTERACTIONS:

Abiotic factors: Nonliving things that influence an

Biotic factors: All forms of life with which the

 Range of tolerance indicates a range of

 The niche of an organism is the functional

Ecological Niche of a Beaver

 Genes are distinct pieces of DNA that

 Natural selection is the process that

 The changes seen in the genes and

Several conditions and steps are involved in the

4. Due to individual variation, some individuals

5. As time passes, the percentage of individuals

 Predation is a kind of interaction in which one

 Competition is a kind of interaction in which

–Intraspecific competition is competition

 Symbiosis is a close, long-lasting, physical

There are three categories of symbiotic

 Parasitism is a relationship in which one

“Everything is connected to everything

• First Law of Thermodynamics

• Second Law of Thermodynamics

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