Ecology

1. Ecology

2. Ecology – is the scientific study of interactions among organisms and between organisms and their environment Biosphere – contains the combined portions of the planet in which all of life exists; land, water, atmosphere - Range: 8 km above earth  11 km below Biome – a group of ecosystems that have the same climate and dominant communities Ecosystem – a collection of all the organisms that live in a particular place together with their nonliving, physical environment

5. Communities- different populations that live together in a defined area Populations – groups of individuals that belong to the same species and live in the same area Species - a group of organisms so similar to one another that they breed and produce fertile offspring

6. Field site Experimental plots, field sites, laboratory Many sites for data collecting Tapes, compass, Global Positioning System, thermometer, sensors Tapes, compass, Global Positioning System, thermometer, sensors Aerial views, Global Positioning System, weather balloons Binoculars, microscope, telescope Satellite images Binoculars, microscope, telescope Notes, automated data storage Notes, automated data storage Automated data storage Test kits Test kits Large database, multiple sensors Mathematical analysis and graphics, statistics Mathematical analysis and graphics, statistics Mathematical analysis and graphics, statistics, simulations Ecological Methods Observation Experiment Model Building Sites Measuring Tools Magnifying Tools Written Record Chemical Testing Computer/ Calculators

7. Sunlight is the primary source of energy for life on earth • Minor energy source: inorganic chemical compounds Autotrophs or Producer: an organism that can capture energy from sunlight or chemicals and produce its own food Photosynthesis: autotrophs use light energy to power this reaction to produce their own food CO2+ H2O (Light) carbohydrates (food) + O2 • process is responsible for renewing in O2 atmosphere Chemosynthesis: autotrophs use chemical energy to produce food • bacteria in volcanic vents or salt marshes

10. Heterotrophs or Consumers: organisms that rely on other organisms for their food • Herbivores: energy from only plants • Carnivores: energy from only animals • Omnivores: energy from plants & animals • Detritivores: energy from animals remains or dead matter (worms) • Decomposers: energy from breaking down organic matter (bacteria, fungi)

11. Food Chain: series of steps in which organisms transfer energy by eating or being eaten Trophic Level: a step in a food chain or food web How many trophic levels are shown? What direction does the arrow point?

12. Food Web: network of complex interactions formed by the feeding relationships among the various organisms in an ecosystem Trophic Level: a step in a food chain or food web

13. Only part of energy stored in one trophic level is passed to the next • Much of energy is used for life processes; metabolism • Much energy is converted to heat ~ 10% of energy passed from one trophic level to the next Energy Pyramid Shows the relative amount of energy available at each trophic level. Organisms use about 10 percent of this energy for life processes. The rest is lost as heat.

14. Biomass Pyramid Represents the amount of living organic matter at each trophic level. Typically, the greatest biomass is at the base of the pyramid. Biomass: total amount of living tissue in a trophic level

15. Pyramid of Numbers Shows the relative number of individual organisms at each trophic level.

16. What are the most abundant elements in living organisms? • Matter is recycled between ecosystems Biogeochemical cycles: process in which elements, chemical compounds, and other forms of matter are passed from one organism to another and from one part of the biosphere to another • Matter is not used up; it is transformed • Energy travels in a one way path in ecosystems

17. Condensation ~ cloud formation • Precipitation ~ rain, sleet, snow • Runoff • Seepage • Ground Water • Root Uptake • Transpiration Water cycle – driven by energy of the sun Evaporation: liquid gas (by energy of sun)

18. Transpiration: gaseous water released from leaves of plants (a product of photosynthesis)

19. Carbon cycle • Carbon is found in the air, ocean, rocks, and essentially element in all living organisms

20. Carbon cycle • What is the problem occurring with the carbon cycle on earth?

21. The Greenhouse Effect: natural situation in which heat is retained in the atmosphere Green Houses Gases: -CO2 • Methane (CH4) • water vapor • trap heat energy and maintain Earth’s temperature range Greenhouse Effect Sunlight Some heat escapes into space Greenhouse gases trap some heat Atmosphere Earth’s surface

22. Global Warming: elevated greenhouse gases causing increase in average global temperature Some heat escapes into space Sunlight Greenhouse gases trap some heat Atmosphere Earth’s surface

23. Nitrogen cycle All organisms require nitrogen to make amino acids (building blocks of proteins) • N2 gas 78% atmosphere N2 in Atmosphere • Nitrogen fixation: bacteria take N2 gas  nitrogen compounds • - producers use compounds to make proteins • - consumers eat producers and make their own proteins • - decomposers return nitrogen to soil as ammonia (NH3) when organisms die • Denitrification: Soil bacteria convert nitrates (nitrogen compounds)  N2 gas NO3- and NO2- NH3

24. Nitrogen fixing bacteria often live in nodules on legume roots Legumes - alfalfa, clover, peas, beans, lentils, soy, and peanuts

25. Phosphorus Cycle • All organisms require phosphorus to form part of DNA (essential molecule that contains the genetic code for all life processes) • P does not enter atmosphere • most P is stored in land, rock, soil, minerals • plants bind phosphate for organic use through food web

26. Primary Productivity: rate organic matter is produced by producers by photosynthesis and chemosynthesis Do you think the primary productivity on earth is greater in summer or winter?

27. Limiting Nutrient: nutrient least in quantity that will slow production by producers (often P)

28. Problems Increases aerobic bacteria Lowers oxygen levels Other organisms like fish can die Blocks light to lower plants Algae builds up as sediment and decreases depth of water Algal Blooms caused by influx of limiting nutrient

29. Organisms not only live together in ecological communities, but they also constantly interact with one another. These interactions, which include predation and competition, help shape the ecosystem in which they live. 1. Based on your own experiences, define predation. Give one example of predation. 2. Based on your own experiences, define competition. Give one example of competition.

30. Biotic Factors: biological influences on an organism in an ecosystem Abiotic Factors: physical or nonliving factors that shape an ecosystem Abiotic Factors Biotic Factors Habitat: area where an organism lives (biotic & abiotic factors) Resource: any necessity for life (water, nutrients, light, food, space) Ecosystems are always changing due to natural & human disturbances ECOSYSTEM

31. Niche: full range of physical & biological conditions in which an organism lives and the way in which the organism uses those conditions (temperature range needed to live; what eats it; what it eats....) • Competitive Exclusion Principle: no 2 species can have same niche Cape May Warbler Feeds at the tips of branches near the top of the tree Bay-Breasted Warbler Feeds in the middle part of the tree Yellow-Rumped Warbler Feeds in the lower part of the tree and at the bases of the middle branches Spruce tree

32. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z31y-ZtegZ8

33. Community Interactions 1. Competition: organisms of the same or different species attempt to use an ecological resource at the same place at the same time 2. Predation: an interaction in which one organism captures and feeds on another organism 3. Symbiosis: any relationship in which two species live closely together

34. Community Interactions 1. Competition 2. Predation 3. Symbiosis: any relationship in which two species live closely together A) MUTUALISM B) COMMENSALISM C) PARASITISM

35. Community Interactions 1. Competition 2. Predation 3. Symbiosis: any relationship in which two species live closely together A) MUTUALISM B) COMMENSALISM C) PARASITISM ACTIVITY: In groups title, draw and describe and example each type of symbiosis.

36. 3. Symbiosis A) MUTUALISM: type of symbiosis in which two species benefit from the relationship

37. 3. Symbiosis B) COMMENSALISM: type of symbiosis in which one species is helped; other is neither helped nor harmed

38. 3. Symbiosis C) PARASITISM: type of symbiosis in which one organism lives on or inside another organism and harms it

39. Characteristics of Populations • Geographic distribution • Density • Growth rate

40. Population density: number of individuals per unit area Three factors that affect population size: • the number of births • the number of deaths • the number of individuals that enter or leave the population • A population grows if its birthrate is greater than its death rate • Immigration: the movement of individuals into an area • Emigration: the movement of individuals out of a population Why move? Move to find new territory; Shortage of food

41. - Plots to create a “J-Curve” Exponential Growth: growth pattern in which the individuals in a population reproduce at a constant rate Exponential growth occurs under ideal conditions: a population has abundant space and food and is protected from predators and disease

42. Logistic Growth • a few individuals in a new environment at first unlimited food – results in exponential growth • as resources become less available the growth of a population stops or slows • plots to create “S-Curve”

43. Logistic Growth: occurs when a population’s growth slows or stops following a period of exponential growth • 1. Occurs when birth rate decreases 3. immigration decreases • 2.death rate increases 4. emigration increases Carrying Capacity: largest number of individuals of a population that an environment can support

44. Number of Yeast Cells Time (hours) http://www.briarcliff.edu/departments/biol/BIO111/anima/logistic_growth_vid.mov

45. Based on the information in the table, what part of the graph represents the world population? Explain.

46. Industrial Revolution begins Agriculture begins Bubonic plague Plowing and irrigation

49. Imagine a small island that has a population of five rabbits. 1. How might each of the following factors affect the rabbit population? a. climate b. food supply c. Predation 2. Now imagine another small island that has a population of 500 rabbits. How would the same factors affect this population? 3. Which of the factors depend on population size? Which factors do not depend on population size?

50. Limiting Factor: A factor that causes population growth to decrease • Density-Dependent Limiting Factor: a limiting factor that depends on population size • Operate most strongly when a population is large and dense 1) Competition • Intraspecies competition: between organisms of the same species • Interspecies competition: existing between different species • major force behind evolutionary change • evolve to occupy separate niches 2) Predation • Predator-Prey Relationship: mechanism of population control in which a population is regulated by predation 3) Parasitism and Disease • microscopic bacteria, tapeworm etc