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Ecology

Discover the levels of organization in ecology, from biospheres to populations. Learn about diverse biomes like tundra, taiga, grasslands, forests, deserts, and rainforests, each with unique abiotic factors and dominant plants and animals. Explore marine biomes like coral reefs and open oceans, understanding energy flow, feeding relationships, and biogeochemical cycles.

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Ecology

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  1. Ecology

  2. Ecology • Ecology: The study of interactions between organisms and the living (biotic) and nonliving (abiotic) parts of the environment

  3. Levels of Organization

  4. Biosphere • The thin volume of Earth and its atmosphere • Supports life and abiotic factors

  5. Ecosystem • All of the living and non-living things in an area • Ex: Ponds, creeks, lakes, forests, grasslands…etc.

  6. Community • All of the living organisms that interact in an area

  7. Population • All of the members of a species in one area at one time • Ex: All of the deer that live in the Chickamauga battlefield now are a population

  8. Organism • Individual of a specific species • Simplest level of organization

  9. A Reminder….

  10. Biomes • A group of plants and animals in the same region and climate

  11. Tundra • Abiotic Factors: • Strong winds; Low precipitation. ; Short soggy summers; long, cold, dark winters; permafrost • Dominant Plants: • Mosses, lichens, sedges, short grasses • Dominant Animals: • Caribou, Musk Ox, Arctic Fox

  12. Tundra- Canada And Alaska

  13. Taiga • Abiotic Factors: • Long, cold winter; short, mild summer; moderate precipitation; high humidity; poor soil • Dominant Plants: • Spruce, fir, small berry shrubs, some broad leaf deciduous trees • Dominant Animals: • Lynx, Timber wolf, Weasel, Moose, Grizzly Bear

  14. Taiga- Canada and Alaska

  15. Temperate Grasslands • Abiotic Factors: • Warm to hot summers; cold winters; moderate seasonal precipitation; fertile soil; occasional wildfires • Dominant Plants: • Lush grasses and herbs, most plants are resistant to drought • Dominant Animals: • Bison, coyotes, badgers, wolves, antelope, prairie dogs

  16. Mid-Western US

  17. Temperate Deciduous Forest • Abiotic Factors: • Cold to moderate winters; warm summers; year round precipitation; fertile soil • Dominant Plants: • Broadleaf deciduous trees, flowering shrubs, mosses, ferns • Dominant Animals: • Deer, black bears, bobcats, squirrels, raccoons, turkeys

  18. Eastern US (Georgia)!

  19. Desert • Abiotic Factors: • Low precipitation; variable temperatures; soils rich in minerals but not organic matter • Dominant Plants: • Cactus, creosote bushes, plants with short growth cycles • Dominant Animals: • Kangaroo Rats, Bats, Roadrunners, Rattlesnakes, lizards

  20. Western US

  21. Tropical Rainforests • Abiotic Factors: • Hot and wet year-round; thin, nutrient poor soil • Dominant Plants: • Broadleaf Evergreen Trees, ferns, large woody vines and climbing plants, orchids • Dominant Animals: • Sloths, Jaguars, Anteaters, Toucans, Parrots, Piranhas, Snakes

  22. South America Caribbean Extreme South Florida Portions of Hawaii

  23. Savanna • Abiotic Factors: Warm temperature, Seasonal rainfall, Compact soil, frequent fires set by lightening • Dominant Plants: Tall perennial grasses, some drought tolerant and fire-retardant trees, shrubs • Dominant Animals: Lions, leopards, cheetahs, hyenas, giraffes, elephants, wildebeest, zebras

  24. South America, Africa, India and Australia

  25. Marine Biomes Open Oceans: Description: Organisms depend on temperature, the amount of sunlight and nutrients available Ocean covers ¾ of the Earth’s Surface • Dominant plants: phytoplankton • Dominant Animals:Zooplankton, jellyfish, seals, Whales, Sharks, Dolphins

  26. Coral Reefs Abiotic FactorsWarm, shallow enough for photosynthesis Dominant Plants: Seaweed, tiny floating plants, phytoplankton Dominant Animals:Tropical fish, snails, clams, sponges, moray eels

  27. Energy Flow • Producers: • Autotrophs • Produce food through photosynthesis • 6 CO2 + 6 H2O C6H1206 + 6 O2 • Chemosynthesis: • Bacteria that use chemical energy to make carbohydrates

  28. Consumers: • Heterotrophs: Rely on other organisms for food and energy • Herbivores: Eat Plants • Carnivores: Eat Meat • Omnivores: Eat plants and Meat • Detritivores: Eat plant and animal remains • Decomposers: Break down organic matter (bacteria)

  29. Feeding Relationships Sun Autotroph Heterotroph Decomposer

  30. Food Chains: Step by step eating relationship • Ex: Zebra eats grass. Lion eats zebra • Food Webs: Link of all food chains

  31. Trophic Levels: Each step in a food chain or a food web • 1st level: Primary producers (autotrophs) • 2nd level: Primary consumers (herbivores) • 3rd level: Secondary consumers (carnivores that eat herbivores) • 4th level: tertiary consumers (top carnivores)

  32. Energy Pyramid • The transfer of energy can be represented through an energy pyramid • Only 10 % of the energy is available for the next level up.

  33. Biomass • The amount of organic matter in an ecosystem • As the trophic level goes up, the percentage of biomass goes down Lowest % of Biomass Highest % of Biomass

  34. Biogeochemical Cycles • Matter recycles through the biosphere in these cycles: • Water cycle • Carbon cycle • Nitrogen cycle • Phosphorus cycle

  35. Communities • Communities: Groups of interacting populations within an ecosystem • Species interactions in communities: • Mimicry: Harmless species resembling a poisonous or distasteful species. Often mistaken to be dangerous

  36. Plant-Herbivore interactions • Physical defense such as spines, thorns, tough leaves --Chemical defenses such as poisonous, irritating or bad-tasting compounds

  37. Symbiosis: Living together in close association 1. Parasitism: One organism is harmed while the other benefits • Parasite (feeds on other organism) • Host (is what is being fed on) • Does not result in immediate death • Two Types of Parasites: • Ectoparasites: Live outside the host’s body • Endoparasites: Live inside the host’s body

  38. Ectoparasites

  39. Endoparasites

  40. 2.Mutualism: • Cooperative relationship where both species benefit • Ex. Lichens, flowers & Insects • 3. Commensalism: • Cooperative relationship where one species benefits and the other is not affected • Ex. Shark and Remora

  41. 4. Predation: • The way in which food is obtained by the killing and consuming of animals • The predator’s (the hunter) survival depends on the ability to capture food • The prey’s (the hunted) survival depends on the ability to avoid being captured

  42. Succession • Gradual, sequential re-growth of a species in an area • Primary succession: • Growth on surfaces where no soil exists • Pioneer species first to grow • Ex: after a volcanic eruption, moss grows on a rock

  43. Secondary Succession: • Soil that is left intact • Usually takes about 100 years to return to its previous state • Typically begins with grasses • Climax Community: • Stable end point to succession • Very rare, most are disturbed

  44. Populations • Number of species at a particular place at a particular time • Is always changing (dynamic) • Population Size: The number of individuals a population contains (usually estimated) • Population Density: The number of individuals per unit area or volume In the US there is approx. 30 people/Km

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