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Ecology. Rain Forest damp, dark raining, dripping, steaming monkey, jaguar, frog, anaconda climbing, stalking, slinking furry scaled endangered. What is ecology?. Is this ecology?. Or this?. Ecology is study of interactions between.
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Ecology Rain Forest damp, dark raining, dripping, steaming monkey, jaguar, frog, anaconda climbing, stalking, slinking furry scaled endangered.
Is this ecology?
Ecology is study of interactions between • non-living components in the environment… • light • water • wind • nutrients in soil • heat • solar radiation • atmosphere, etc. AND Biotic factors- all living organisms inhabiting the Earth
Origin of the word…”ecology” • Greek origin • OIKOS = household • LOGOS = study of… • Study of the “house/environment” in which we live.
Geo physics Shaping the Land Mass
The four main abiotic factors that affect both land topography and animal survivability. Weather - rain, cloud cover, sun, wind etc. Temperature – how warm, hot or cold the climate is. Soil – what are the components of the soil? Nutrient rich or poor. Light – how much light is available for the organism. What about caves?
There are four main abiotic reservoirs • Water cycle
Carbon cycle 90% of Earth’s O2 production
Phosphorus Cycle • Abundant phosphorus stimulates plant and algal productivity. • Major component of water pollution. • Reduced levels of dissolved oxygen.
Organization of Life Biosphere Ecosystems Communities Populations Organisms
Organism- any unicellular or multicellular form exhibiting all of the characteristics of life, an individual. • The lowest level of organization
Population-a group of organisms of one species living in the same place at the same time that interbreed and compete with each other for resources (ex. food, mates, shelter)
Ecosystem- populations in a community and the abiotic factors with which they interact (ex. marine, terrestrial)
Biosphere- life supporting portions of Earth composed of air, land, fresh water, and salt water. • The highest level of organization
Habitat • The place in which an organism lives • provides the kinds of food and shelter, the temperature, and the amount of moisture the organism needs to survive
Feeding Relationships Producer- all autotrophs (plants), they trap energy from the sun • Bottom of the food chain
Feeding Relationships Consumer- all heterotrophs: they ingest food containing the sun’s energy • Herbivores • Carnivores • Omnivores • Decomposers
Feeding Relationships Consumer- Herbivores • Eat plants • Primary consumers • Prey animals
Feeding Relationships Consumer-Carnivores-eat meat • Predators • Hunt prey- Other animals for food.
Feeding Relationships Consumer- Carnivores- eat meat • Scavengers • Feed on carrion, dead animals
Feeding Relationships Consumer- Decomposers • Breakdown the complex compounds of dead and decaying plants and animals into simpler molecules that can be absorbed
Food Chain A food chain is a simple model of the feedingrelationship in an ecosystem.
Trophic Levels • Producer: (autotrophs) anchor of chain; produce all organic matter for other organisms • Heterotrophs (consumers) • Primary consumer: directly consume producers = herbivores • Secondary consumer: consume herbivores • Tertiary & Quaternary consumers: consume secondary & tertiary consumers, respectively
RULE OF 10 • Only 10% of energy is transferred from one trophic level to the next. • Example: • It takes 100 kgs of plant materials (producers) to support 10 kgs of herbivores • It takes 10 kgs of herbivores to support 1 kg of 1st level predator
Numbers Pyramid • 2nd Law of Thermodynamics When converting energy, the system will always lose some energy as heat
Biomes of the world • Tropical Rainforest • Desert • Mediterranean Woodland • Mid-latitude Grassland • Mid-latitude • Deciduous Forest • Tundra
Niches A niche is the way an organism interacts with other living things and with its physical environment. Or a plant's or animal's ecological niche is a way of life that is unique to that species. How would you describe the niche of the following slide?
Ruddy turnstone searches under shells and pebbles for small invertebrates Herring gull is a tireless scavenger Avocet sweeps bill through mud and surface water in search of small crustaceans, insects, and seeds Brown pelican dives for fish, which it locates from the air Black skimmer seizes small fish at water surface Dowitcher probes deeply into mud in search of snails, marine worms, and small crustaceans Louisiana heron wades into water to seize small fish Oystercatcher feeds on clams, mussels, and other shellfish into which it pries its narrow beak Piping plover feeds on insects and tiny crustaceans on sandy beaches Flamingo feeds on minute organisms in mud Scaup and other diving ducks feed on mollusks, crustaceans, and aquatic vegetation Knot (sandpiper) picks up worms and small crustaceans left by receding tide
Mutualism Both species benefit from the interaction.
Flowers and their Pollinators (examples: Bees and hummingbirds gather nectar and spread pollen.) What is the benefit here?
Mutualism Sloth Algae Moth
Commensalism Commensalism is a relationship between two living organisms where one benefits and the other is neither harmed nor helped.
The clownfish lives among the forest of tentacles of an anemone and is protected from potential predators.
Introduced Species Competition Grey squirrels are well established in England and Wales with an estimated population of 2.5 million while red squirrels have retreated to the north. The questions is why. Grey squirrels weigh twice that of red squirrels and native to the US. Intro. 100yr ago. Also have a tendency to be more aggressive and have a longer life span. They forage on the ground where Red squirrels forage in the canopies (more food available.
