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Unit 3 Ecology

Unit 3 Ecology. How organisms get along! . Ecology - . The study of the interactions between living things and their environments is known as ecology. There are steps within the “ecology world.” Each of the following terms represents a different level. .

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Unit 3 Ecology

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  1. Unit 3 Ecology How organisms get along!

  2. Ecology - • The study of the interactions between living things and their environments is known as ecology. • There are steps within the “ecology world.” Each of the following terms represents a different level.

  3. Biosphere – the entire part of the earth where living things exist. This includes soil, water, light, and air. The biosphere can be divided into different biomes. • Examples of biomes include tundra, grassland, deciduous forest, etc.

  4. Ecosystem – regions that include both abiotic and biotic factors. For example, a lake, the surrounding forest, the atmosphere above it, and the organisms that live in or feed off the lake all count as an ecosystem.

  5. Community – a group of plants and animals that show some interdependence. For example, you, your dog, and the fleas on your dog, would all be members of the same community.

  6. Populations – group of the same organisms, that can successfully reproduce, that live in the same area. Ex: pride of lions, troop of gorillas, gaggle of geese.

  7. Levels of Organization • Biosphere • Biomes • Ecosystem • Community • Population • Organism

  8. WHAT SHAPES AN ECOSYSTEM? • Biotic Factors – anything living that might affect other organisms within an ecosystem (ex: birds, trees, mushrooms, bacteria, etc.).

  9. Abiotic Factors – Physical, or non-living factors that shape ecosystems (ex: temperature, precipitation, wind, soil type, sunlight, etc.).

  10. Habitat – The area where an organism lives. A habitat includes both biotic and abiotic factors.

  11. Niche – The ecological role and space that an organism fills in an ecosystem. • The niche involves both the place where an organism lives and the roles that an organism does in its habitat.

  12. Biodiversity – the total of all the different species/organisms in the biosphere. • Biodiversity is one of Earth’s greatest natural resources. Species of many kinds have provided us with food, industrial products, and medicines (painkillers, antibiotics, anticancer drugs, etc.).

  13. SYMBIOTIC RELATIONSHIPS • Symbiosis – any relationship in which two species live closely together. There are three main types of symbiosis.

  14. Mutualism – where both organisms benefit. (ex: flowers and insects, anemones and clownfish)

  15. Commensalism – where one organism lives off another with no harm to the “host” organism. (ex: orchids and trees, barnacles and whales)

  16. Parasitism – where one organism harms the other organism (the host). (ex: dogs and ticks, mammals and tapeworms)

  17. Predation – interaction in which one organism (the predator) captures and feeds on another organism (the prey). Examples of predators include cheetahs, anglerfish, snakes, whales, etc.

  18. Competition – occurs when organisms of the same or different species attempt to use a resource in the same place at the same time.

  19. Human Impact • Unfortunately, humans have disturbed the existing ecological balance. Here are some of the consequences.

  20. Deforestation - destruction of forests Effects of deforestation: • soil erosion • loss of habitat • species extinction • global warming • disease • pollution • oxygen reduction.

  21. 2. Biological Magnification- concentrations of a harmful substance increase in organisms at higher trophic levels in a food chain or web

  22. Biological Magnification (ex: build up of DDT threatened populations of fish-eating birds (ospreys, brown pelicans, and eagles) by making their eggs fragile. Rachel Carson wrote Silent Spring to let people know of the danger of biological magnification.

  23. 3. Global Warming - increase in the average temperature of the biosphere • an increase in CO2 and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere causes heat to be trapped by the ozone layer.

  24. 4. Acid Rain - rain made acidic by nitrogen and sulfur in the air, results from burning fossil fuels. Acid rain can kill plants by damaging their leaves and changing in the chemicals in the soil. It may also dissolve and release toxic elements from soil.

  25. 5. Loss of Biodiversity – human activity can reduce biodiversity by destroying habitats, hunting species to extinction, introducing toxins into food chains, and introducing invasive species (ex: Kudzu is considered a noxious weed that climbs over trees or shrubs and grows so rapidly that it kills them by heavy shading).

  26. 6. CFC’s (chlorofluorocarbons) – group of chlorine-containing chemicals once found in aerosol cans, plastics, and coolants. CFCs are responsible for causing thinning of the ozone layer. The U.S. began reducing the use of CFCs in 1987, but the effects will still be seen for another 50 years.

  27. What Can We Do? • Sustainable development – using renewable resources at a rate that does not deplete them) (ex: replanting harvested trees, prevention of over fishing or hunting). Sustainable development also emphasizes the use of renewable resources over non-renewable resources.

  28. Renewable resource – a resource that can be replaced by natural processes (trees, water, wind, solar) • Nonrenewable resource – a resource that cannot be replenished by natural processes (fossil fuels: coal, oil, natural gas)

  29. Conservation – the wise management of natural resources, including the preservation of habitats and wildlife. Today, conservation efforts focus on protecting entire ecosystems as well as single species.

  30. Population Ecology • Is the study of how populations change. Three factors can affect population size: the number of births, the number of deaths, and the number of individuals that enter or leave the population.

  31. Each population has a carrying capacity – the maximum number of individuals of a species that a habitat can support. Most populations, however, don’t reach their carrying capacity because of limiting factors. • The factors that can limit a population are either density dependent or density independent.

  32. Density independent factors affect the population regardless of the size. • Some examples would be unusual weather, natural disasters, seasonal cycles, and human activities such as damming rivers and clear-cutting forests.

  33. Density dependent factors depend of the density of the population. • Resource depletion, competition, disease, and predation are all examples of density dependent factors.

  34. Population Growth • The growth rates of populations also vary greatly. • There are two types of growth: exponential growth and logistic growth.

  35. Exponential growth occurs when a population is in an ideal environment. Growth is unrestricted because there are lots of resources, space, and no disease or predation.

  36. Exponential growth occurs very quickly resulting in a J-Shaped curve.

  37. Logistic growth is when a population becomes restricted in size because of limited resources.

  38. Logistic growth forms an S-shaped curve because it reaches carrying capacity.

  39. Notes- Animal Behavior First, about Stimuli and Responses • Stimulus: anything that makes a response happen • 2 Types of STIMULUS - Internal - External • Responsesare behaviors done in response to a stimulus • Ex. Eating when your stomach growls - Ex. Jumping at a loud noise - “inside” - Ex. When your stomach growls - “outside” - Ex. A loud noise

  40. Behaviors • 1. Innate Behaviors Instincts; inborn behaviors • Ex: spiders can weave webs after being hatched • baby snakes can hunt from the time they are hatched

  41. Behaviors • 2. Learned Behaviors • behaviors are acquired during an organism’s lifetime • 4 Main types: • Habituation • Classical Conditioning • Operant conditioning • Insight Learning

  42. The 4 types of LEARNED behaviors • 1. Habituation • Simplest type • Stops a behavior that doesn’t help/hurt • Ex. Squirrels ignoring people on a running trail

  43. 2. Classical Conditioning Animal connects a ‘reward’ with a ‘stimulus’ Ex. Pavlovs’ Dogs • Connected reward (food) with stimulus (bell) • Over time salivated just when the bell rang

  44. 3. Operant Conditioning Animal learns to behave in a certain way through repeated practice in order to receive a reward or avoid a punishment. • EX. Trial-and-Error -repetition until figure out reward • Ex. Mice in mazes & pressing levers

  45. 4. Insight Learning • Most complicated type of learning • Applies prior knowledge to NEW situation • Ex. Monkey stacking boxes to get higher

  46. A few other notable behaviors…. • Courtship Rituals that end with mating Usually done because female choice of most “fit” male Examples: • Courtship dances • Singing • displays

  47. Migration • Periodic behavior (time based) • Movement from place to place • Ex: birds, monarch butterflies, whales

  48. Imprinting • Young animals mimic and follow the 1st thing they see • Ex: ducks and geese

  49. Social Hierarchy • Societal organism have specific roles and levels • JANE GOODALL studied this in primates

  50. Territorial Behavior • Organism claiming an area • Will often show aggression if another organism enters • Ex: Birds fighting • Scent marking by dogs

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