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Course objectives. Understand how living and non-living environments are interrelated Understand how cells function Understand principles of heredity Understand how the human body functions. Ecology. Ch 46. Ecology. Abiotic & biotic factors History ie scale Interactions.
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Course objectives • Understand how living and non-living environments are interrelated • Understand how cells function • Understand principles of heredity • Understand how the human body functions
Ecology Ch 46
Ecology • Abiotic & biotic factors • History ie scale • Interactions
Ecology and Environment • Understanding • Knowledge of impacts • Information for policy • Education
Ecological Scale • Organismal ecology • Population ecology • Community ecology • Ecosystem ecology • Landscape ecology
Organismal Ecology • Individual level interaction w/ environment • Morphology, Physiology, Behavior • Can influence geographic distribution
Population Ecology • Group of organisms of one species in a given area • Interactions w/ abiotic & biotic • Evolutionary important unit
Community Ecology • All species in a given area and their interactions w/ abiotic and biotic • Influences community structure • Ex. Predator prey interactions, competition, niche partitioning
Ecosystem Ecology • Interaction among all communities and the abiotic and biotic factors • Flow/ cycles of nutrients & energy
Landscape Ecology • Largest scope • Interactions amongst ecosystems • Atmosphere to deep ocean bottom • Biosphere
Population Ecology • Group of organisms of one species in a given area • Interactions w/ abiotic & biotic • Evolutionary important unit
Population • Group of individuals of a single species that simultaneously occupy the same general area • Characterized by density and spacing
Population Characteristics • Face similar environmental conditions • Exhibit variation, unit of evolution • Demography- Study of populations and how they change • Physical structure • Density • Dispersion • Population growth • Birth & death rates • Life Table • Age structure • Survivorship curve • Population size regulation • Density dependent/independent factors • Growth Models • Life history patterns
Density & Dispersion • Density • Number individuals per unit area/volume • Dispersion • Pattern of spacing among individuals w/in the geographic boundaries of the population • Used to understand the physical structure of a population • Patterns vary according to scale and animals interaction with environment
Impacts on Density & Dispersion • Ecological needs • Feeding strategy • Social structure (Intraspecific interactions) • Resource distribution • Limiting resource drives distribution patterns
Patterns of Dispersion • Clumped • Uniform • Random
Most common Clumping around patchy resource Nutrients Sunlight Mates Protection Clumped
Evenly spaced Typically due to competition for resource Uniform
Unpredictable spacing Absence of strong attractants/ repulsions Not common Random
Impacts • Feeding strategy • Reproduction • Social structure
Population Growth • Biotic potential • Highest rate of natural population size increase • Assumes no limiting factors • Usual number of offspring per reproduction • Reproduction table • Chances of survival to age of reproduction • Life Table • Survivorship curve • Frequency of reproduction • Reproduction table • Age of reproduction • Age structure
Reproductive Table • Summary of reproductive rates in a population • Female biased
Life Table • Track life expectancy • Info on survivorship • Study cohort • Individuals of same age from birth to death
Survivorship Curve • Visual representation of life table data
Survivorship Curve • 3 general survival patterns ie survival strategies • Type I • Low death rate early to middle life, incr death rate at old age. Ex humans • Few offspring produced with more care invested in each increases survivorship • Type II • Intermediate pattern- constant death rate over lifespan • Type III • High early death rate • Many offspring with little care investment
Population Growth • Rates & patterns of population growth • Study factors that influence patterns • Birth rate • Death rate • Immigration/ emmigration • 3 primary patterns of population growth • No growth • Unregulated/ unchecked growth • Regulated growth
Population Growth Models • Models used to characterize growth patterns • Zero population Growth • Exponential model • Logistic growth model
Zero Growth Model • Net birth rates & death rates are equal • Population exhibits no net growth • Greatly impacted by disturbance
Exponential Growth Model • No regulation in growth patterns • Net increase in population growth • Occurs in conditions when • Resources are abundant • Predators/ limiting factors are absent • Characterized by J shaped curve • Examples • Reintroduced populations • Protected species • Exploitation of new environment • Non-native species
Logistic Growth Model • “Realistic” growth model • Takes into account limitations in resources • Food, predator interactions, competition, etc. • Carrying capacity • Maximum population size the environment can support • Dynamic according to abiotic & biotic parameters • Characterized by S shaped curve
Regulation of Population Growth • Factors (abiotic or biotic) that influence and/or limit patterns of population growth • Why do populations stop growing? • Density independent • Density dependent • Negative feedback • Population cycles
Density Independent • A population-limiting factor whose effects are independent of population density • No negative feedback to control growth • Environmental conditions
Density Dependent • A population-limiting factor whose effects depend on population density • Competition for resources • Territoriality • Health • Predation Results in negative feedback systems
Competition for Resources • Increase intraspecific competition • Less resources allocated per individual • Results in decreased reproductive output
Territoriality • Territory (space) and it’s resources are a limiting factor
Health • As population size increases interaction increases • Transmission of disease & wastes increases