Ecology is the study of the relationships between biotic and abiotic factors in environments. An ecosystem includes all abiotic and biotic factors in a particular environment. Biotic factors are the living parts of an ecosystem, such as plants, animals, and fungi. Abiotic factors are the nonliving parts, including air, water, soil, temperature, and wind. Biotic and abiotic factors interact with each other in complex ways and ecosystems can change daily due to these factors.

1. © 2004 Plano ISD, Plano, TX
Introducing

2. © 2004 Plano ISD, Plano, TX
the study of the relationshipsthe study of the relationships
between biotic and abiotic factorsbetween biotic and abiotic factors
in environmentsin environments
the study of the relationshipsthe study of the relationships
between biotic and abiotic factorsbetween biotic and abiotic factors
in environmentsin environments
ecoeco (G) root home, abode(G) root home, abodeecoeco (G) root home, abode(G) root home, abode
ecoecoclimateclimateecoecoclimateclimateecoecosystemsystemecoecosystemsystemecoecotourismtourismecoecotourismtourism
log, -o, ylog, -o, y (G) suffix study of(G) suffix study oflog, -o, ylog, -o, y (G) suffix study of(G) suffix study of
zozoologyologyzozoologyologyepidemiepidemiologyologyepidemiepidemiologyologyclimatclimatologyologyclimatclimatologyology
EcologyEcology

3. © 2004 Plano ISD, Plano, TX
Ecosystem
includes allincludes all abioticabiotic andand bioticbiotic factors infactors in
one particular environmentone particular environment
includes allincludes all abioticabiotic andand bioticbiotic factors infactors in
one particular environmentone particular environment
Biotic FactorsBiotic FactorsBiotic FactorsBiotic Factors
the living parts ofthe living parts of
an ecosysteman ecosystem
the living parts ofthe living parts of
an ecosysteman ecosystem
Abiotic FactorsAbiotic FactorsAbiotic FactorsAbiotic Factors
the nonliving partsthe nonliving parts
of an ecosystemof an ecosystem
the nonliving partsthe nonliving parts
of an ecosystemof an ecosystem

4. © 2004 Plano ISD, Plano, TX
Biotic FactorsBio
bio(s), bio(t)bio(s), bio(t) (G) root(G) root lifelifebio(s), bio(t)bio(s), bio(t) (G) root(G) root lifelife
include plants, animals, fungi,include plants, animals, fungi,
microorganismsmicroorganisms
include plants, animals, fungi,include plants, animals, fungi,
microorganismsmicroorganisms
biobiologylogybiobiostatisticsstatisticsbiobiographygraphybiobiotechnologytechnologybiobiospherespherebiobiomechanicsmechanicsbiotbioticicbiobiofeedbackfeedback

5. © 2004 Plano ISD, Plano, TX
Examples of Biotic
Factors

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Abiotic Factors
include air, water, soil, temperature,include air, water, soil, temperature,
wind, source of energy (usually sun)wind, source of energy (usually sun)
include air, water, soil, temperature,include air, water, soil, temperature,
wind, source of energy (usually sun)wind, source of energy (usually sun)
A
a, ana, an (G) prefix not, without(G) prefix not, withouta, ana, an (G) prefix not, without(G) prefix not, without
aatoxictoxicaatoxictoxicaamoralmoralaamoralmoralaabioticbioticaabioticbioticaamusiamusiaaamusiamusia

7. © 2004 Plano ISD, Plano, TX
Examples of Abiotic
Factors

8. © 2004 Plano ISD, Plano, TX
Examples of Ecosystems
Arizona DesertArizona DesertArizona DesertArizona DesertMountains in ColoradoMountains in ColoradoMountains in ColoradoMountains in ColoradoCoral Reef in BelizeCoral Reef in BelizeCoral Reef in BelizeCoral Reef in Belize

9. © 2004 Plano ISD, Plano, TX
do not necessarily have clear boundariesdo not necessarily have clear boundaries
due todue to bioticbiotic andand abioticabiotic changeschanges
do not necessarily have clear boundariesdo not necessarily have clear boundaries
due todue to bioticbiotic andand abioticabiotic changeschanges
Ecosystems
BioticBioticBioticBiotic AbioticAbioticAbioticAbiotic
migration, seedmigration, seed
dispersaldispersal
migration, seedmigration, seed
dispersaldispersal
flood, erosion,flood, erosion,
droughtdrought
flood, erosion,flood, erosion,
droughtdrought
can change daily as things move from onecan change daily as things move from one
ecosystem to anotherecosystem to another
can change daily as things move from onecan change daily as things move from one
ecosystem to anotherecosystem to another

10. © 2004 Plano ISD, Plano, TX
interact with eachinteract with each
other in complexother in complex
waysways
interact with eachinteract with each
other in complexother in complex
waysways
Biotic Factors
also interact withalso interact with
abiotic factors inabiotic factors in
the ecosystemthe ecosystem
also interact withalso interact with
abiotic factors inabiotic factors in
the ecosystemthe ecosystem
parasitismparasitism
mutualismmutualism
competitioncompetition
parasitismparasitism
mutualismmutualism
competitioncompetition
dependent upondependent upon
water, minerals,water, minerals,
temperature, lighttemperature, light
dependent upondependent upon
water, minerals,water, minerals,
temperature, lighttemperature, light
such assuch as

11. © 2004 Plano ISD, Plano, TX

12. © 2004 Plano ISD, Plano, TX
a major regional or global biotica major regional or global biotic
community, acommunity, a super ecosystemsuper ecosystem,,
defined chiefly by the dominantdefined chiefly by the dominant
forms of plant life and theforms of plant life and the
prevailing climateprevailing climate
a major regional or global biotica major regional or global biotic
community, acommunity, a super ecosystemsuper ecosystem,,
defined chiefly by the dominantdefined chiefly by the dominant
forms of plant life and theforms of plant life and the
prevailing climateprevailing climate
Biome

13. © 2004 Plano ISD, Plano, TX
desertdesertdesertdesert
grasslandgrasslandgrasslandgrassland
tropical rain foresttropical rain foresttropical rain foresttropical rain forest
deciduous forestdeciduous forestdeciduous forestdeciduous forest
coniferous forestconiferous forestconiferous forestconiferous forest
tundratundratundratundra
Major Biomes of the World
oceanoceanoceanocean

14. © 2004 Plano ISD, Plano, TX
Levels of Organization
smallest unitsmallest unit
of livingof living
thingsthings
smallest unitsmallest unit
of livingof living
thingsthings
group ofgroup of
similar cellssimilar cells
organized toorganized to
work togetherwork together
group ofgroup of
similar cellssimilar cells
organized toorganized to
work togetherwork together
group ofgroup of
differentdifferent
kinds ofkinds of
tissuestissues
workingworking
togethertogether
group ofgroup of
differentdifferent
kinds ofkinds of
tissuestissues
workingworking
togethertogether
group ofgroup of
organsorgans
workingworking
togethertogether
group ofgroup of
organsorgans
workingworking
togethertogether
one individualone individual
living thingliving thing
one individualone individual
living thingliving thing
all organismsall organisms
of the sameof the same
kind living inkind living in
one areaone area
all organismsall organisms
of the sameof the same
kind living inkind living in
one areaone area
all interactingall interacting
populations inpopulations in
an ecosysteman ecosystem
all interactingall interacting
populations inpopulations in
an ecosysteman ecosystem
all living andall living and
nonlivingnonliving
thingsthings
interactinginteracting
within awithin a
certain areacertain area
all living andall living and
nonlivingnonliving
thingsthings
interactinginteracting
within awithin a
certain areacertain area
large regionlarge region
with typicalwith typical
plants andplants and
animals thatanimals that
includesincludes
severalseveral
ecosystemsecosystems
large regionlarge region
with typicalwith typical
plants andplants and
animals thatanimals that
includesincludes
severalseveral
ecosystemsecosystems
cell

15. © 2004 Plano ISD, Plano, TX
McLaren, James E, and Rotundo, Lisa (1985).
Heath Biology. D. C. Heath and Company.
The American Heritage Dictionary of the
English Language, Third Edition. (1992).
Houghton Mifflin Company.
Arms. (1996). Environmental Science.
Orlando,Florida: Holt, Rinehart and
Winston, Inc.
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