This document introduces the concepts of ecology, ecosystems, biotic and abiotic factors. It defines ecology as the study of relationships between living and non-living things in environments. An ecosystem includes all biotic factors such as plants, animals and microbes as well as abiotic factors like air, water and soil. Biotic factors interact with each other and abiotic factors in complex ways. The document also discusses biomes as large regional communities defined by climate and plant life, and provides examples of biomes and ecosystems.

1. Introducing

2. Eco logy Ecology the study of the relationships between biotic and abiotic factors in environments eco (G) root home, abode log, -o, y (G) suffix study of ecoclimate ecosystem ecotourism zoology epidemiology climatology

3. Ecosystem includes all abiotic and biotic factors in one particular environment Biotic Factors Abiotic Factors the living parts of an ecosystem the nonliving parts of an ecosystem

4. Bio Biotic Factors include plants, animals, fungi, microorganisms bio(s), bio(t) (G) root life biology biostatistics biography biotechnology biosphere biomechanics biotic biofeedback

5. Examples of Biotic Factors

6. A Abiotic Factors include air, water, soil, temperature, wind, source of energy (usually sun) a, an (G) prefix not, without atoxic amoral abiotic amusia

7. Examples of Abiotic Factors

8. Examples of Ecosystems Arizona Desert Mountains in Colorado Coral Reef in Belize

9. Ecosystems do not necessarily have clear boundaries due to biotic and abiotic changes can change daily as things move from one ecosystem to another Biotic Abiotic migration, seed dispersal flood, erosion, drought

10. Biotic Factors interact with each other in complex ways parasitism mutualism competition such as also interact with abiotic factors in the ecosystem dependent upon water, minerals, temperature, light

12. Biome a major regional or global biotic community, a super ecosystem, defined chiefly by the dominant forms of plant life and the prevailing climate

13. Major Biomes of the World desert grassland tropical rain forest deciduous forest coniferous forest tundra ocean

14. biome ecosystem community population organism organ system organ tissue Levels of Organization smallest unit of living things group of similar cells organized to work together group of different kinds of tissues working together group of organs working together one individual living thing all organisms of the same kind living in one area all interacting populations in an ecosystem all living and nonliving things interacting within a certain area large region with typical plants and animals that includes several ecosystems cell

15. Bibliography Arms. (1996). Environmental Science. Orlando,Florida: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Inc. 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.