Ecology

1. Ecology

2. Ecology-study of organisms and their interactions with the environment Biotic factors Abiotic- non-living

3. Climate vs. weather • Climate- overall patterns of temperature, precipitation, sunlight, wind, etc. Mainly determined by distance from the equator. • Macroclimate- global or regional • Microclimate- Hazleton- colder than the rest of the area • Weather- day to day

4. Succession • Primary succession-occurs where there is no soil. It occurs on rock, such as volcanic rock. Lichens are the first organisms. They break down the rock and for soil. A succession of species then move in depending upon the biome. A climax community results. • Secondary succession- occurs where a climax community is disturbed, such as deforestation. The soil remains. The organisms will be different and less diverse than the original species.

5. Biomes • Savannas- grasses and some trees; think Africa • Desert- less than 25 cm of rainfall per year. Deserts can be cold. • Chaparral- coastal areas with mild rainy winters and long, hot, dry summers. Plants are adapted to fires. Ex. Corsica • Temperate grasslands- grasses; large grazing animals.

6. More biomes • Temperate broadleaf/deciduous forests- us • Coniferous forest/Taiga- cone-bearing trees, cold; lots of snow • Tropical- most diversity. There is an entire community in the canopy. Epiphytes live in many of the trees.

7. Aquatic biomes-oceans • Photic- areas that get sunlight • Aphotic- no sunlight- the abyss • Coastal • Continental shelf- a lot of fish • Benthic zone- on the bottom of the ocean • Thermoclines- narrow areas that separate warm upper water from cold lower water

8. Freshwater biomes- moving or standing water • Littoral zone- shallow water near the edge; a lot of plants • Limnetic zone- well let; not near edge • Oligotrophic lakes- deep, nutrient poor lakes • Eutrophic lakes- shallow with more nutrients; fill in over time. Eutriphication • Streams and rivers- diversity depends upon temperature, speed, and how clean the water is.

9. Estuaries • Can be found where freshwater streams or rivers meet saltwater. • There is a lot of life there. Great breading grounds.

10. Population Ecology • Density- number of individuals per unit area. • Dispersion- clumped, uniform , random • Demography- the study of populations. Demographic transition occurs in human pop. • Type I- low death early in life; older age groups dying. U.S. • Type II- survivorship curves- constant death rate at all ages. Ex. Squirrels, humans in India • Type III- high death rate of young, then flat for older individuals. Ex. Clams, humans in Ethiopia

11. Survivorship Curves

12. 2 types of growth rates • Exponential- growth under ideal conditions with no limits due to food, shelter, etc. • Logistic- shows carrying capacity. Limits due to resources Logistic Exponential

13. More Factors Affecting Populations • Immigration, emigration, births, deaths • Availability of resources causes populations to meet carrying capacity. What do you think that number is for humans? • Complete analyzing data on page 123

14. Factors that regulate density • What is a limiting factor? • Density dependent- competition, space, disease, predation. The larger the population, the greater the effects. • Density independent- natural disasters. population size is irrelevant.

15. Ecological footprint • The effects organisms, especially humans, have on the environment.

16. Reproductive strategies • K- strategy- organism takes care of young to insure survival. • R- strategy- many offspring; no care. Large numbers insure some may survive.