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An Introduction to Ecology and the Biosphere

An Introduction to Ecology and the Biosphere. The Scope of Ecology . The scientific study of interactions between organisms and their environment. Ecology incorporates the hypothetico-deductive approach, using observations and experiments to test hypothetical explanations.

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An Introduction to Ecology and the Biosphere

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  1. An Introduction to Ecology and the Biosphere

  2. The Scope of Ecology • The scientific study of interactions between organisms and their environment. • Ecology incorporates the hypothetico-deductive approach, using observations and experiments to test hypothetical explanations. • Ecologists study the interactions between the biotic and abiotic environments.

  3. Abiotic Components • All nonliving chemical and physical factors in the environment. • Light • temperature • climate • water • nutrients • rocks and soil

  4. Biotic Factors • All the living factors present in an environment. • Animals • plants • single-celled organisms • multi-celled organisms

  5. Aquatic Biomes • Aquatic biomes occupy the largest area of the biosphere. • Major parts of aquatic biomes are: • photic zone - where sufficient light reaches • aphotic zone - no light reaches • benthic zone - bottom of all aquatic biomes made of sand, organic, and inorganic sediments.

  6. Aquatic Biomes (con’t) • Marine Biomes include: • Intertidal Zone - exposed to daily tidal fluctuations and wave action • Coral Reefs - cnidarians secrete a calcium carbonate shell that seres as the support for all reef species. • Oceanic Pelagic Biome - open ocean where zooplankton feed on phytoplankton which serves as the food source for nekton (free-swimming)

  7. Terrestrial Biomes • Distribution of terrestrial biomes is based mainly on regional variations in climate. • Vertical Stratification - canopy, low-tree stratum, shrub understory, ground layer, forest floor, and root layer. • Permafrost - permanently frozen soil

  8. Tropical Forests • Vertical stratification • high rainfall • most biodiverstiy • nutrient poor soil due to increased decomposition of dead organic matter by bacteria

  9. Desert • Sparse rainfall (30 cm or less) • surface temp. above 60 C during the day • Plants have adaptations to retain water such as needles, thick waxy cuticle, and CAM photosynthesis.

  10. Tundra • High winds and cold temperatures create alpine tundra plant communities. • Frozen top layer of soil • Little annual rainfall • moose and reindeer graze on the small plants and lichens

  11. Principle of Allocation • An organisms organized way of partitioning energy in order to maintain homeostasis. • escape from predators • obtaining nutrients • growth • reproduction • homeostasis

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