Introduction to Ecology

1. Introduction to Ecology CP Environmental Science Introduction, Biomes, and Climatographs, and Habitats 2009-10

2. Ecology • Ecology is a branch of biology • The “study of organisms in their habitat, and the interrelationships between organisms and their environment” • Environment • Living: biotic • Non-living: abiotic

3. Ecosystem - a functional unit • Definition (3) • “a group of organisms that live together and interact with each other and their non-living environment” • If no human interference, or natural disasters, a SUSTAINABLE system • But, not a constant – ecosystems slowly change over near time and over long-term • Natural vs. Human created • Parts of an ecosystem • Biotic • Abiotic

4. Relationships Within an Ecosystem An ecosystem is a group of organisms that live together and interact with each other and their environment.

5. The Biosphere (2-3) • That part of the earth that supports life • Parts of • Atmosphere: max, 7 miles up • Hydrosphere: to 12 miles below sea level, deepest trenches in ocean • Lithosphere: only upper few hundred feet; soil and must below; could include caves!

6. What are the Key Characteristics of Terrestrial Biomes?

7. Biomes • Factors determining biomes • Average annual rainfall • Average annual temperature • SO, what factors for a large region, determine rainfall and temperature • Climatographs – analyze to determine average rainfall and temperature, and changes throughout year • Determine biome using a climatograph • KNOW: Names and locations of • Forest Biomes (3) • Major biomes in U.S. (5): tundra(arctic and alpine); desert;grasslands; deciduous forest; coniferous forest • Information on each biome • Map of worlds biomes

8. Analysis of Climatographs • Look at the climatographs on the following pages. • Determine which biome or climate region it represents • Climatographs of each biome • Explain why you think that the climatograph represents to that region.

9. #1 – Climate Region – Why?

10. #3 – Climate Region – Why?

11. #5 – Climate Region – Why?

12. #6 – Look at the 2 climatographs on the left. Both climatographs represent cities found at the same latitude (39ºN), why are their climatographs different?

13. Habitats • Why care about habitat? • Components of a habitat analysis • Food • Water • Cover • What determines where an animal/plant lives • Temperature, soil (and, to some extent, type of rocks), and moisture (precipitation) • Macroclimate • Microclimate

14. COVER FOOD WATER Habitats and Wildlife RequirementsGreatest threat to most species is habitat destruction resulting in threatened, endangered, and often extinct species Define habitat (6) Habitat triangle: Habitat fragmentation (8-9)- many species require large, unbroken tracts of habitat Edges (9)- definition and examples The Good: Why often high species diversity? The Bad: Temp changes, winds, predators, highways

15. Community of Life • Community – all populations of plants, animals, and other life in a given habitat • Population- the total number of a given species in a given habitat • Species – group of organisms that interbreed to produce fertile offspring

16. Species • Defining a species • Sialia sialis - binomial nomenclature • What is a hybrid? • Subspecies/variety/breed • Practical significance • Endangered species act • Breeding species, especially endangered species • Why is difficult to define a species?

17. How have humans impacted habitats and species? • A look at PA forests

18. Cavity Nests - (7) Why did the bluebird decline? Was its habitat destroyed? Properly placed nesting boxes like this one provide much needed habitat for Eastern bluebirds. Although the cavity is now too large, this old wooden fence post has provided a home for many bluebirds. Now it may provide protection for other cavity nesters.

19. The Bluebird • Introduced Species • Starlings • House Sparrows • Cowbirds • Insecticides • Bluebird numbers are recovering! • Nesting boxes • Reduction in pesticide use

20. Species Interactions - Woodpeckers • Downy vs. hairy (6) • How can two such very close species coexist? • Resource partitioning • Niches are different

21. Changes in the Neighborhood Winners and Losers • Before colonists – PA extensive mature forests – large trees, little understory • PA forests extensively cut in late 1700’s and 1800’s • As forests recovered – great habitat for deer, grouse, turkey • What animals did not benefit and declined or were extirpated? • Bobcat • Fisher • Black bear • Ruffed Grouse • Habitat – PA Game Commission (read habitat) • White tailed deer (read habitat and management

22. Habitat Fragmentation • Creates edges– border between two habitats • Some species thrive – eg., rabbits • Others need continuous forest • What are some PA animals that need non-fragmented habitats? • Woodland songbirds • So, what is the “moral” of the story? • Rapid decline in many NA songbirds – WHY?

23. Food Chains and Food Webs (10.2) • Know all terms! • Given a list of animals, sketch a food chain • Given a list of animals (focus on PA animals) sketch a food web

24. Food and Energy Relationships – terms (1.6) • Sun’s energy (25) • What type of energy reaches the earth? • What happens to that energy • Absorbed • By plants • By other materials • Reflected • How is that energy converted to chemical energy by plants (25) • Know photosynthesis formula

25. Laws of Thermodynamics (energy) • First Law of Thermodynamics • “You can’t get something for nothing” • Second Law of Thermodynamics • “..and you don’t even break even!”

26. Flow of energy (1.6) • Photosynthesis • Producers always at base of pyramid- Why? • Biomass/energy pyramid (25-26) • Why a pyramid shape? • Where does energy go? • Contrast to numbers “pyramid” (26) • Is it possible to not be in a pyramid shape (fewer producers than 1st level consumers)?

27. Energy Enters the Ecosystem First Law of Energy: Energy is never created nor destroyed, but is constantly being converted to different forms Photosynthesis: Light energy is converted to what kind of energy? CO2 + H2O + light Carbohydrates + O2 What happens to this chemical energy?

29. Food Web Name the: scavengers;omnivore;carnivore; herbivores; consumers; producers; detritus feeders;decomposers Consumer levels - primary, secondary, tertiary What kinds of parasites (and hosts) might be in this ecosystem?

31. Energy Pyramids • Why does the biomass of organisms get smaller as move through food chain? • Think of second law of energy: “When energy is changed from one form to another, amount of usable energy is always decreased.” • Where does energy go? • Does the energy get recycled in the ecosystem? The 10% Rule

33. Productivity (27) • Define • What determines the productivity of an ecosystem? • Contrast ecosystems- what are the most productive natural ecosystems? • How do we increase productivity of an agricultural ecosystem?