Chapter+1

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 * Natural selection:** adapts animals that are fit to strive in a certain environment by letting only the fit animals to survive and reproduce.


 * Adaptations:** changes in animals through generations that make their behaviors and characteristics more suited to survive in their environment.


 * Niche:** the role of an organism in its habitat. The “role” means how it helps its surroundings, weather it is eating fungi or cleaning the forest floor.


 * 3 major interactions**


 * Competition:** the struggle between organisms that use the same recourses.


 * Predation:** kills another organism in order to feed.


 * Symbiosis:** close relations with two organisms that benefit one of the two organisms.


 * Predator adaptations:** adaptations that help an organism kill its prey.


 * Prey adaptations:** helps an organism escape from its predator(s).


 * Mutualism:** organisms live together and all benefit from each other.


 * Commensalism:** two organisms live together and one benefits while the other is not harmed.


 * Parasitism:** one organism lives inside or on top of another.

In this illustration, the biotic factors are the :deer, shrubs, leaves, trees, grubs, insects and grass. The abiotic factors are sunlight, rain and dirt.

__Determining Population Size__ __Direct Observation__: counting the amount of organisms in a population __Indirect observation__: making inferences based on the environment that they live in. __Sampling:__ Estimating by counting organisms in a unit and then multiplying by the number of units. __Mark and Recapture:__ capturing an amount of organisms and marking them, setting them free and recapturing them again later. Then using a mathematical formula to determine the total population of organisms in an area.

__Changes in Population size:__ __Births and Deaths:__ Counting the amount of births and deaths in a population of organisms. __The population statement:__ If birth rate > death rate, population size increases If death rate > birth rate, population size decreases. __Immigration and Emigration:__ Immigration is moving into a population. Emigration is leaving a population. __Graphing Changes in a population:__ Graphing change in population on x,y graph where y is a number and x is time. __Population Density:__ The number of individuals in an area of a specific size. Population density= number of individuals divided by unit area.

__Limiting Factors:__ - Food and water - Weather conditions - Space

__Food and Water:__ Carrying capacity is the largest population that an area can support. __Space:__ Only a certain amount of living things can live in a certain place without running out of basic necessities. __Weather:__ Weather conditions can change the habitat therefore determining whether a species can survive or not.

Here is a video about how animals interact with each other on the African plains. This movie illustrates "communities" among animals. A community is a group of different populations that interact with each other. Some abiotic factors are also mentioned. Abiotic factors are things such as rocks, fires, weather, and other non-living things that affect ecosystems. media type="youtube" key="AJracGoRUTs" height="344" width="425"media type="youtube" key="-AqT0keKeU4" height="344" width="425"<--- Here is a video about some of the vocabulary in section 1 of this chapter. Be patient with it, because it takes pauses and stops periodically,but it's very informational.

Changes in Communities When an area is damaged, it takes time for plants and animals to grow and live there again. Through **succession**, the ecosystem gradually rebuilds itself. ** Succession ** is the predictable change in a group of living things.
 * Primary Succession ** is the change in an area where there was not any soil or life, for example, a new island.

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 * Volcanic Eruption**- Shortly after an eruption there is no soil, only ash and rock.


 * Soil Eruption**- As pioneer species grow and die, soil forms. Some plants grow in new soil.


 * A banded field**- Grasses wild flowers have taken over.


 * Tree growth begins**- After a few years, pine seedlings and other plants replace some of the grasses and wildflowers.


 * A forest Develops**- As trees grow, the specific trees begin to crowd out the grasses and wildflowers.


 * Mature community**- Eventually, a mixed forest of pine, oak and hickory dominates the landscape.

**Pioneer Species ** are the first organisms to inhabit a formerly lifeless area. This area did not have any soil. The pioneer species break up rocks and create nutrient filled soil as they die, making it easier for other plants to grow. Their seeds are usually carried to an area by the wind or through the water.

Figure 1: **Primary Succession** and **Pioneer Species** (Yost, 2010)

**Secondary Succession ** is the change in an area that has been damaged, perhaps by fires, hurricanes, tornadoes or humans, but still contains soil and life. The difference of primary and secondary succession is that secondary occurs in an area where an ecosystem still exists.

Figure 2: **Secondary Succession** (After Damage) (Yost, 2010)

View more about **succession [|here]**<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">.

<span style="color: black; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; text-align: center;">**References** <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: center;">Yost, B. (2010). Primary Succession vs. Secondary Succession. In //Carmel High School Biology//. Retrieved February 12, 2010, from <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 12pt;">[|http://www.ccs.k12.in.us/chsteachers/BYost/Biology%20Notes/primary_succession_vs.htm]

An ** Organism ** is a living thing that gets the things it needs to live, grow, and reproduce from it's an environment. media type="youtube" key="wj8TGhcCnxs" height="344" width="425" An ** Ecosystem ** is an area where living and non-living organisms live. The Ecological Organization of a Prairie dog, for example, goes like this: The Organism is the Prairie dog. The Population is the whole Prairie dog population. The Community is the group of all of the living things that live in the same habitat. The Ecosystem is everything above, along with the non-living things that live in that habitat.
 * Chapter 1; Section 1 **
 * Photosynthesis ** is the process that plants and algae use to make their food, using sunlight, water and CO2.


 * Abiotic Factors** are the things that aren't alive, and live in the organism's habitat. 5 examples of Abiotic Factors are sunlight, water, temperature, oxygen and soil.

Sunlight is necessary in a habitat, because it is required for photosynthesis. If plants can't grow, than the herbavoric organisms can't eat, which messes up the whole food chain.

Water is necessary for the same reasons as sunlight. Water makes up most of our bodies (65%), and it's the same sort of idea for most organisms.

Temperature is necessary because certain organisms can't live in certain environments. Other organisms change their ways to fit into their habitats. Prairie dogs, for example, dig holes in the ground to keep themselves cool in the winter and warm in the summer.

Oxygen is necessary for organisms to breathe. Without it, it's impossible to function, and you can only stay alive for a certain amount of time. Even fish and other organisms that live underwater breathe using the dissolved oxygen in the water.

Soil is necessary for plants to grow in. Prairie dogs use the soil as their homes. Tons of microscopic organisms, like bacteria, use the soil for their home as well.

This is the major vocabulary words from Chapter 1, Section 1 of the textbook.



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