Ecology Ecology – – the study of how the study of how organisms interact with their organisms interact with their environment environment
Mar 15, 2016
EcologyEcology –– the study of how organisms the study of how organisms interact with their environmentinteract with their environment
Levels of OrganizationLevels of Organization
OrganismOrganismPopulationPopulationCommunityCommunityEcosystemEcosystemBiomeBiomeBiosphereBiosphere
Biosphere – the portion of the earth Biosphere – the portion of the earth that supports lifethat supports life
Biotic – Living Biotic – Living
Abiotic – Non-living Abiotic – Non-living – TemperatureTemperature– Air or Water Air or Water
CurrentsCurrents– SunlightSunlight– SoilSoil– RainfallRainfall– Etc.Etc.
Ecosystem InteractionsEcosystem Interactions
Habitat – where an Habitat – where an organism livesorganism livesNiche – the role or Niche – the role or position an organism position an organism has in its habitathas in its habitat– (may be described in (may be described in
terms of requirements terms of requirements for living space, for living space, temperature, temperature, moisture, mating moisture, mating conditions, etc.)conditions, etc.)
Community InteractionsCommunity Interactions
Competition – occurs Competition – occurs when one or more when one or more organism uses a organism uses a resource at the same resource at the same timetimePredation – One Predation – One organism consuming organism consuming another organism for another organism for foodfood
Symbiotic RelationshipsSymbiotic Relationships
SymbiosisSymbiosis – the close relationship that – the close relationship that exists when two or more species live exists when two or more species live togethertogether– Mutualism: both benefit Mutualism: both benefit – Commensalism: one benefits, the other is Commensalism: one benefits, the other is
neither benefits nor is harmed neither benefits nor is harmed O O – Parasitism: one benefits, the other is harmed Parasitism: one benefits, the other is harmed
MutualismMutualism
CommensalismCommensalism
ParasitismParasitism
Flow of EnergyFlow of EnergyTrophic Levels – Each Trophic Levels – Each step in a food chainstep in a food chainAutotrophs make up first Autotrophs make up first levellevelHeterotrophs make up Heterotrophs make up remaining levelsremaining levelsDecomposers break Decomposers break down dead organisms, down dead organisms, Detritivores eat fragments Detritivores eat fragments of dead matter (Both of dead matter (Both return nutrients to soil)return nutrients to soil)
Food Webs (more realistic than Food Webs (more realistic than food chains)food chains)
Ecological PyramidsEcological Pyramids
Diagrams that show relative amounts of Diagrams that show relative amounts of energy, biomass, or numbers of organisms energy, biomass, or numbers of organisms on each levelon each level– Pyramid of EnergyPyramid of Energy– Pyramid of BiomassPyramid of Biomass– Pyramid of NumbersPyramid of Numbers
Pyramid of EnergyPyramid of Energy
Pyramid of BiomassPyramid of Biomass
Pyramid of NumbersPyramid of Numbers
Cycling of Matter Cycling of Matter
Biogeochemical CyclesBiogeochemical Cycles – Exchange of – Exchange of matter through the biosphere involving matter through the biosphere involving living organisms, chemical processes, and living organisms, chemical processes, and geological processesgeological processes
Hydrologic (Water) CycleHydrologic (Water) Cycle
Carbon CycleCarbon Cycle
Nitrogen CycleNitrogen Cycle
Phosphorous CyclePhosphorous Cycle
Ecological SuccessionEcological Succession
The change in an ecosystem that happens The change in an ecosystem that happens when one community replaces another as when one community replaces another as a result of changing abiotic and biotic a result of changing abiotic and biotic factorsfactorsTwo typesTwo types– Primary successionPrimary succession– Secondary successionSecondary succession
Primary SuccessionPrimary Succession
Occurs in lifeless area Occurs in lifeless area where there were where there were originally no originally no organisms and soil organisms and soil has not yet formed has not yet formed Ex: Volcanic Island Ex: Volcanic Island arising from sea or arising from sea or retreating glacierretreating glacier
Secondary SuccessionSecondary Succession
Occurs where an Occurs where an existing community existing community has been cleared by has been cleared by some disturbance that some disturbance that leaves the soil intactleaves the soil intactEx: Growth after fires, Ex: Growth after fires, hurricanes, etc.hurricanes, etc.
BiomesBiomes
A large group of ecosystems that share A large group of ecosystems that share the same climate and have similar types of the same climate and have similar types of communitiescommunities– Terrestrial (land)Terrestrial (land)– AquaticAquatic
Major Terrestrial BiomesMajor Terrestrial Biomes
TundraTundra
Taiga (Boreal or Coniferous Forest)Taiga (Boreal or Coniferous Forest)
Temperate (Deciduous) Forest Temperate (Deciduous) Forest (Georgia’s Biome!)(Georgia’s Biome!)
Temperate GrasslandTemperate Grassland
DesertDesert
SavannaSavanna
ChaparralChaparral
Tropical Rain ForestTropical Rain Forest
Aquatic EcosystemsAquatic EcosystemsFreshwaterFreshwater– Rivers and StreamsRivers and Streams– Lakes and PondsLakes and PondsTransitional Transitional – WetlandsWetlands– EstuariesEstuariesMarineMarine– IntertidalIntertidal– Open OceanOpen Ocean– Coral Reefs and Coastal OceanCoral Reefs and Coastal Ocean
Lake ZonesLake Zones
Lake TypesLake Types
Oligotrophic – deep Oligotrophic – deep and nutrient poorand nutrient poor
Eutrophic – shallow Eutrophic – shallow and nutrient richand nutrient rich
Wetlands and EstuariesWetlands and Estuaries
Ocean ZonesOcean Zones
Intertidal, Coral Reef, and Deep Intertidal, Coral Reef, and Deep Sea VentSea Vent
Population CharacteristicsPopulation Characteristics
DensityDensitySpatial DistributionSpatial DistributionPopulation RangesPopulation Ranges
Dispersal PatternsDispersal Patterns
Limiting FactorsLimiting Factors
Density-Independent Factors – any factor Density-Independent Factors – any factor in the environment that does not depend in the environment that does not depend on the number of members per unit area on the number of members per unit area (ex: weather events)(ex: weather events)
Density-Dependent Factors – depend on Density-Dependent Factors – depend on the number of members per unit area the number of members per unit area (ex: disease, competition, parasites)(ex: disease, competition, parasites)
Population Growth RatesPopulation Growth Rates
Exponential Growth ModelExponential Growth Model
J-shaped CurveJ-shaped CurveNo limitsNo limits
Logistic Growth ModelLogistic Growth Model
S-Shaped curveS-Shaped curveStops growing when it Stops growing when it reaches the carrying reaches the carrying capacity (maximum capacity (maximum number of individuals number of individuals in a species that an in a species that an environment can environment can support for the long support for the long term)term)
Predator/PreyPredator/Prey(Boom and Bust Cycles)(Boom and Bust Cycles)
Survivorship CurvesSurvivorship Curves
Human Population GrowthHuman Population Growth
Age StructuresAge Structures
Biodiversity – variety of life in an Biodiversity – variety of life in an areaarea
Importance of BiodiversityImportance of Biodiversity
Direct EconomicDirect EconomicIndirect EconomicIndirect EconomicAesthetic and Aesthetic and scientific valuescientific value
Threats to BiodiversityThreats to BiodiversityHabitat LossHabitat LossOverexploitationOverexploitationFragmentation of Fragmentation of HabitatHabitatPollutionPollution– Biological Biological
MagnificationMagnification– Acid PrecipitationAcid Precipitation– EutrophicationEutrophication– Introduced SpeciesIntroduced Species
Conserving BiodiversityConserving Biodiversity
Natural ResourcesNatural ResourcesRenewable Renewable ResourcesResourcesSustainable UseSustainable UseProtected AreasProtected AreasBiodiversity Hot SpotsBiodiversity Hot SpotsCorridors between Corridors between Habitat FragmentsHabitat Fragments
BioremediationBioremediationBiological Biological AugmentationAugmentationLegally protecting Legally protecting biodiversitybiodiversityETC…!!!ETC…!!!
MonitoringMonitoring
RestorationRestoration
CorridorsCorridors
What is YOUR Ecological What is YOUR Ecological Footprint?Footprint?
What will YOU do?What will YOU do?
http://www.footprintnetwork.org/en/index.php/GFN/page/calculators
I am the Lorax.I speak for the trees.I speak for the trees, for the trees have no
tongues.