Ecology

1. Ecology Principles of Ecology

2. Organization in the biosphere • Biosphere- portion of the Earth that supports life

3. Parts of the Biosphere • Abiotic factors- non-living parts of the environment Ex.- air temp.,water, light, soil • Biotic factors- all living organisms that inhabit an environment

4. Organization of the biosphere • Ecosystem- interactions among the populations in a community and the communities’ physical surroundings ( or abiotic factors) • Parts of an Ecosystem • Habitat- place where organism lives • Niche- role and position a species has in its needs for food and shelter • -all interactions with biotic and abiotic parts of its environment

5. Organization of the biosphere • Community • a collection of interacting populations • a change in one population causes a change in another

6. Organization of the biosphere • Population • group of organisms of one species that interbreed and live in the same place at the same time

7. Organization of the biosphere

8. Population Ecology • Population growth- increase of the size of a group over time • ZPG = Zero Population Growth • birthrate = death rate • Population Growth = birthrate-death rate x 100 1000

9. Population Ecology • Exponential Growth- as population gets larger, it grows faster • J-curve graph

10. Population Ecology • Carrying capacity- number of organisms of one species that an environment can support • S-shaped curve

11. Human Population Growth

12. Factors effecting population growth rate Age structure see fig. 4.11 p. 107 Immigration- movement into a population Emigration- movement from a population

13. Relationships in the community • Symbiosis- relationships between organisms where there is a close and permanent association among organisms • Three types • Mutualism • Commensalism • Parasitism

14. Types of Symbiosis • Mutualism- both organisms benefit Lichens are formed by algae and fungi living together. Algae can photosynthesize and make food which is shared by the fungus. The fungus in turn shelters the algae from a harsh climate.

15. Types of Symbiosis • Mutualism #2 • Bright and colorful clown fish live in and amongst the tentacles of the sea anemone, which look like beautiful aquatic flowers, but bear poisonous stinging cells called nematocysts. A slime layer covering the clownfish make them immune to the stinging cells, and the stinging tentacles of the sea anemone deter potential predators. The clownfish in turn protect the sea anemone from other fish that would feed on the anemone. Clownfish lay eggs within the sea anemone, which offers protection during their incubation and development.

16. Types of Symbiosis • Commensalism- one organism benefits, the other is unaffected • Barnacles attach to a whale or scallop shell. The barnacles get a home and transport, and the whale or scallop is not affected.

17. Types of Symbiosis • Commensalism #2 The Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis) forages in pastures and fields among livestock such as cattle and horses, feeding on the insects stirred up by the movement of the grazing animals. The egrets benefit from the arrangement, but the livestock, generally, do not. However as in most cases of commensalism, there is a "but". Cattle Egrets have been observed perching on the top of cattle picking off ticks, lending a slight tinge of mutualism to the arrangement.

18. Types of Symbiosis • Parasitism- one organism benefits, the other is harmed A tapeworm lives inside another animal, attaching itself to the host's gut and absorbing its host's food. The host loses nutrition, and may develop weight loss, diarrhea and vomiting. Usually parasites do not kill the host before they move on, as this would cut off their food supply.

19. Types of Symbiosis • Parasitism #2

20. Nutrition and Energy Flow • The ultimate source of energy is… theSUN!

21. Nutrition and Energy Flow • Food Chains- shows how matter and energy flow from autotroph to heterotroph to decomposer Autotroph/Producers use sun’s energy to create chemical compounds (photosynthesis) Ex. – plants and algae Carnivores/ 2nd and 3rd Order Consumers- feed on other animals Herbivores/1st Order Consumers- feeds on plants Heterotrophs/Consumers- organisms that feed on other organisms

22. Nutrition and Energy Flow • Decomposers- break down and absorb nutrients from dead organisms • Ex.- fungi and bacteria

23. Nutrition and Energy Flow • Other members of a food chain • Omnivores- feeds on plants and animals

24. Nutrition and Energy Flow • Other members of a food chain • Scavengers- eats animals that have already died

25. Nutrition and Energy Flow • Food Webs- all possible feeding relationships in a community

26. Nutrition and Energy Flow • Aquatic food web

27. Nutrition and Energy Flow • Trophic Levels- a feeding step in a food chain • only pass on approximately 10% of energy to next trophic level

28. Nutrition and Energy Flow • Pyramid of Energy- shows loss of energy at each trophic level

29. Nutrition and Energy Flow

30. Nutrition and Energy Flow

31. Nutrition and Energy Flow

32. Cycles in Nature Carbon Cycle

33. Cycles in Nature Water Cycle