Ecology

1. Ecology Cassandra Good Kayla Maggio Katherine Hubbard

2. What is Ecology? Your Definition: Ecology is the scientific study of interaction of organisms with one another and with the physical chemical environment. Our Paraphrase: Ecology is the relationships between different species and their environment.

3. Community A community is when two or more species live in the same area. The interactions that are formed, such as the food supply and predator prey system, between the two species effects which species can survive, or if they can live in harmony. An example of a community would be the different kinds of coral living in a coral reef. The coral is living in the same space as other coral, as well as other sea plants and sponges. The fate of the community depends on how the coral interacts with each other and whether or not the food supply and other factors can support both species. Community is part of ecology because a community is interaction between species and environments, the same as Ecology. Sources: http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=community%20in%20ecology%20powerpoint&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CCYQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.uic.edu%2Fclasses%2Fbios%2Fbios101%2FCommunity%2520Ecology.ppt&ei=RiRpU8ifMsfioATwmICACg&usg=AFQjCNF0G_JfinVqndTuGxkkYb5OGnt6zg

4. Prey Prey is an organism that is hunted by another organism and is one of the predators food source. The prey is usually weak or defenseless to the predator. An animals survival depends on the amount of prey available and whether it can support the predator population. An example of prey would be a Thompson gazelle. Many large African cats eat the Thompson gazelle, making it the prey. Without the interaction between the gazelle and big cats, the big cats would not be able to survive. The location of prey also depicts where other species will be located. For example, If the Thompson gazelle population was relatively low in one given area, the big cat population would be low as well. Since prey has to be able to support another species survival, the prey will have to over produce to survive on their own. This is one of Darwin's theories. Prey is a part of ecology because the interactions with the predators will effect which species will survive, as well as the location of the two organisms. Sources: esajournals.org

5. Mutualism Mutualism is a positive relationship between two organisms, where both species are benefited by each other. Although it may seem that each species is working together for the benefit mutually, the relationship is more of a “reciprocal exploitation” (Smith, p.1). While a mutualistic relationship can happen when two or more organisms are living in the same space, they also can benefit each other and form a relationship when not living in the same area. An example of a mutualistic relationship is the honey badger and a honey guide. The small bird detects a bee hive and leads the honey badger to it. The badger can use its strength to open it to eat the honey found inside and the honey guide can feed on the remains. Both animals are benefited with the source of food the other provides. Mutualism is part of ecology because the relationships between animals and plants allows advantages not only in the environment, but with factors such as food and reproduction. Sources: www2.mcdaniel.edu/Biology/eco/mut/mutualism.html

6. Limiting Factors Limiting factors are parts of an environment that restricts an animals reproduction. They can also be a part of the animal itself and restrict how it can survive. An example of limiting factors is the temperature for starfish. If the water is too cold, the starfish’s metabolism slows down, eventually killing the animal. Other factors such as climate, food availability, and predation can limit a whether or not a species can reproduce. Limiting factors relate to ecology because how the organisms can interact with it’s environment effects if the animal or plant can survive.

7. Pioneer Species A pioneer species is an organism that begins living in an area that currently has little to no life forms. These species are usually plants like moss and other bacterium that can adapt to living in almost anywhere. This can be caused by over population or accidental distribution. After living in the environment for a while, the pioneer species attract other life and start an ecosystem that would not be able to survive without them. A pioneer species is lichen. This form of algae breaks down rocks and turns them into soil for future plants to sprout. Then the plants will bring other forms of life, eventually creating a wide span of organism with the same starting point, lichen. Pioneer species are part of ecology because depending on how they react with a given environment, they could start future ecosystems.

8. Species Population Species population is the amount of species in the same geographical area. Population ecology is often used in conservative ecology, as well. An example of this would be like in Arizona, there are a lot of coyotes within the region, and they are all the same species. This has to deal with ecology due to the fact that the definition of ecology is how organisms interact with their environment, and since this topic has to deal with environments and species, these are similar.

9. Habitat A habitat is an environment where a specific specie or species live. Habitat types can range from tundra to tropical, underwater to the desert, and the grassy fields to a mountainous paradise. A species tends to live in an area to fit their physical needs and eco-friendly necessities. For example, an electric eel needs to live in shallow, muddy waters so it can get air every 10 minutes for their circulatory system. They purposely live in muddy waters so that other creatures or hunters cannot find them. This relates to ecology because every species has an environment and adapts to it.

10. Competition Competition in ecology is much like our modern-day society. For example, male lions often fight to be the leader of their pact. This is much like our marketing world. Like in the video we watched a few days ago, it mentioned that an old, family owned hardware store versing a giant, modernized Home Depot just isn’t going to work out. Like the lions, they fight until the other cannot fight anymore, then the winner is declared. Which in the modern-day society case, the winner was Home Depot because it caused the hardware store to shut down. In ecology, competition is where two or more species are fighting for the same resources like food, water, shelter, etc.

11. Commensalism Commensalism is a two-species relationship type where one of the species benefits and the other one is not harmed. An illustration of this would be a bird and a tree; the bird has shelter, but the tree is not harmed.

12. Carry Capacity Carry Capacity is known as how many offspring a species can have. Female cats can produce up to 6 – 9 kittens in a litter. So, 9 would be their carrying capacity. Although, a female cat can produce about 29 litters in 10 years, which could be considered as their overall carrying capacity. Carry capacity relates to ecology because the number of offspring an animal can carry depend on their relationship to the environment.

13. Niche Niche is the relation of species and the population in an ecosystem. How a population responds to it’s resources and enemies in the environment is affected by interaction between organisms. For example, a squirrel's niche is chewing on acorns and it’s habitat is the forest. This ties to ecology because niche and environments are nearly similar.

14. Predator Animals that survive by preying on other organisms for food is a predator. The predator feeds on smaller organisms, forming a food chain. For example, a water buffalo is under the lion in the food chain. Therefore, a lion’s prey is a buffalo, so the lion is the predator. This has to deal with ecology because animals are interacting with other animals in the environment.

15. Symbiosis Symbiosis is when two unlike organisms live together in the same area. This can also be considered a mutualism relationship, because both organisms get something they need out of the relationship. A hummingbird and flowers are a perfect example of this. The hummingbird gets it’s craved nectar out of the flower while the bird is pollinating. Symbiosis can be dependent by either physical or emotional needs. Symbiosis is related to ecology because it is the interaction between organisms.

16. Parasitism Parasitism is a form of dependent living in which two organisms that are unrelated co-exist over a long period of time. Parasitism often occurs in humans, animals, and plants. Parasitism is often harmful to one specie, yet helpful to the next. Parasites like tape worms find their way into dog’s, and often human’s, intestines. They make a home there and feast off of left over food that has yet to be digested…yum. Although parasitism isn’t the most charming part of ecology, it still plays a major role in it by giving parasites and bacterium a habitat to live in.

17. Succession Succession is the slow process of change in an ecosystem while the other ecosystem is being damaged. In foresty areas, tall trees and bushes are commonly found. When grass and weeds appear, they kill off those plants and create an ecosystem of their own. In ecology, this is talked much about due to the fact that some environments are thriving while others are struggling to sustain the species and plants living among it.