This document defines key terms and concepts in ecology. It explains that ecology is the study of how organisms interact with their environment. An ecosystem is a group of organisms and their surrounding environment. Within an ecosystem, organisms can be producers, consumers, or decomposers. Producers, like plants, gain energy from the sun, while consumers obtain energy by eating producers or other consumers. There are three types of consumers: herbivores that eat plants, carnivores that eat meat, and omnivores that eat both plants and meat. Consumers can be primary, secondary, or tertiary depending on what they eat in the food chain. The document also describes food webs and different types of symbiotic relationships between

1. ECOLOGY
Review

2. ECOLOGY TERMS
 Ecology
is the study how organisms live
and interact in the environment
 An ecosystem is a group of organisms and
their environment
 Environment is everything that surrounds
the organisms
 A habitat is the place where organisms
live

3. ECOSYSTEMS
 Living
things in an ecosystem are either
producers, consumers or decomposers
 Living things in an ecosystem depend on
each other for energy
 Producers usually get their energy from
the sun
 Producers make their own food
 Plants are examples of producers

4. ECOSYSTEMS, continued
 Consumers
usually get their energy from
the producers or other consumers
 Consumers usually eat the producers or
other consumers
 A cow would be a primary consumer
because it eats producers
 A snake would be a higher consumer
because it eats other consumers like mice

5. CONSUMERS
3

types
Herbivores – eat plants only
 Like

Carnivores – mainly eat meat
 Like

a deer
a shark
Omnivores – eat both plants and meat
 Like
us

6. CONSUMERS, continued
 Consumers



can be
primary (they eat producers)
Secondary (if they eat the primary
consumer)
Tertiary (if they eat the secondary
consumer)

7. FOOD CHAIN
 Energy
flows from producers to consumers
in a food chain
 Here is an example of a food chain
The energy from the sun give the tree what it needs to grow and
makes its food. The giraffe eats the leaves which gives it energy. The
lion will eat the giraffe which will give it energy.
Which one is the primary consumer?

8. FOOD WEB
* Food webs show how
energy is distributed in
an entire ecosystem.
* Think back to the
previous food chain.
Lions don’t just eat
giraffes.
* So a food web show
all of the possibilities in
the ecosystem.
Image taken from librarythinkquest.org

9. SYMBIOSIS
 Organisms
interact with one another in
their ecosystem besides just “eating” one
another
 Symbiosis is the close relationship
between organisms that live together

10. TYPES OF SYMBIOTIC
RELATIONSHIPS
 Mutualism
– both organisms benefit from
the relationship
 Commensalism – one benefits from the
relationship, but the other is neither
harmed nor does it benefit
 Parasitism – one benefits while the other is
harmed

11. MUTUALSIM


Both benefit – it’s a “MUTUAL” relationship
Example: Otters and kelp (brown seaweed)



The otters twist up in the kelp to anchorage
them for an easy ride and to sleep in the water.
This gives the otter stability in the water.
The otters eat the sea urchins that try to feed on
the kelp. This gives the kelp protection.
Both benefit!!!
Image taken from http://www.vtaide.com/png/symbiosis.htm
.

12. COMMENSALISM
 One
benefits, the other is neither harmed
nor does it benefit
 Example: Cows and cattle egret (bird)




The bird lives with the cows
As the cows move around its movement
stirs up insects from the ground
The egret eats the insects
The egret benefits with food but nothing is
gained or lost in regards to the cow!
Image taken from http://www.vtaide.com/png/symbiosis.htm
.

13. PARASITISM
 One
benefits while the other is harmed
 Example: Tick and any other organism



For example, with a dog, the tick attaches
to the dog and drinks its blood.
The tick benefits because it is getting food
But the dog is being harmed
Image taken from http://www.vtaide.com/png/symbiosis.htm
.