ecology...ecology ecology: the study of how living things interact with their physical environment...

Ecology

Ecology: the study of how living things

interact with their physical environment

Read and Take Notes pg. 63-78

#1-3 pg. 68 Due 11/21

#1-3 pg. 72 Due 11/22

#1-2 pg. 78 Due 11/28

Ecological Organization

Organism

• A living thing

• Anything that possesses all of the

characteristics of life


• Species: a group of organisms that can

mate & produce a fertile offspring


• Population: all the members of the same

species that live in certain place at a

certain time.


• Community: a collection of interacting

populations in an area


• Ecosystem: includes all of the organisms

& the non-living environment.

– community members

in the ecosystem

must interact to

maintain a balance.

Biome

• A group of ecosystems that share similar

climate and organisms

• Examples?

What Biome is Belleville?

• Is that what you see?

Ecological Organization• Biosphere: the portion of the earth where all life exists.

A 13 mile band that surrounds the earth.

• 6-7 miles into the atmosphere & 6-7 miles deep into the ocean. – Composed of many complex ecosystems.

Put in order:(small to large)

community

population

Biosphere

biome

organism

ecosystem

Ecosystems

An ecosystem is self-sustaining if:

1. A constant source of energy

is supplied.

2. Living things use this energy and

convert into organic molecules

3. A cycling of materials between

organisms and their environment

Resources

• Organisms with similar needs may compete

with each other for resources like:

– Food

– Space

– Water

– Air

– Shelter

Limiting Factors

• Limiting Factor:

anything that makes it more difficult for a species to live, grow, or reproduce in its environment

– Determines the types of organisms that exist in that environment

Acclimationwhen organisms adapt to changes

• Range of Tolerance: the ability of an organism

to withstand changes in their environment.

Abiotic Factors

• Abiotic factors: nonliving factors which affect the ability of organisms to survive and reproduce

Examples:

1. intensity of light

2. range of temperatures

3. amount of moisture

4. soil or rock type

5. availability of inorganic substances

6. supply of gases such as oxygen, carbon

dioxide, and nitrogen

7. pH

Examples of Abiotic Factors

What abiotic factors limit

vegetation at higher altitudes?

lack of soil

a low annual temperature

strong winds

steepness of the grade


What abiotic factors allow rainbow trout to love mountain streams?

the amount of dissolved oxygen due to current

water temperature

pollution

pH

shelter

river bottom for reproduction


What abiotic factors limit the organisms that can live there?

temperature

sunlight

lack of water

winds

shelter/shade

Biotic Factors

• Biotic factors: living factors which affect the ability of organisms to survive and reproduce

– Examples:• other organisms - predator, food source

Can an abiotic factor such as RAIN affect many biotic factors?

Rain - ________ - ________ - _________grass rabbit eagle

Nutritional Relationships• Two types : Autotrophs & Heterotrophs

– Autotrophs: organisms that synthesize their own food from inorganic molecules

Plants that contain

photosynthetic pigments,

such as chlorophyll.

Nutritional Relationships• Two types : Autotrophs & Heterotroph

– Heterotrophs: can NOT synthesize their own

food and are dependent on other organisms

for their food

Types of Heterotrophs

• Saprophytes: include those heterotrophic

plants, fungi, and bacteria which live on

dead matter (a.k.a. decomposers or

detritivores)


• Herbivores: plant-eating animals

Types of

Heterotrophs

Omnivores:

• consume both

plants and meat


• Carnivores: meat-eating animals

Types of Carnivores

Predators: animals which kill and

consume their other animals (prey)

Prey: animals which are killed by predators

More Predator/Prey Relationships

Types of Carnivores

Scavengers: those animals that feed on other

animals that they have not killed

Examples: crows vultures hyenas

Which is the Predator?

Critical Questions

• What is weather?

• What is climate?

• Where does wind come from?

• Where does weather come from?

• Why do we have different seasons?

• What factors influence climate?

• How does climate effect species?

• Why is the climate changing?

• How does climate change effect biodiversity?

Greenhouse effect

Climate and Seasons

Wind and Weather

Oceans and Weather

Competition

• Competition: occurs when two different

species or organisms living in the same

environment (habitat) utilize the same

limited resources

– Examples:

• food, water, space, light, oxygen, and minerals.

• The more similar the requirements of the

organisms involved, the more intense the

competition.

Limiting Factors

• Limiting Factor:

anything that makes it more difficult for a species to live, grow, or reproduce in its environment

– Determines the types of organisms that exist in that environment

Acclimationwhen organisms adapt to changes

• Range of Tolerance: the ability of an organism

to withstand changes in their environment.

Organisms in Ecosystem

• Habitat:

– A place where an organism lives out its life. It

is an organism’s home, their address.

• Niche:

- The organism's role in the community. How

an organism meets its need for food, shelter,

how it survives & reproduces. Interactions

with biotic & abiotic factors.

Material Cycles

• Material Cycles:

– In a self-sustaining ecosystem, materials must

be recycled among the organisms and the

abiotic environment.

– The same materials can be reused.

– Examples of Cycles:

• Water

• Carbon-Oxygen

• Nitrogen

Symbiotic Relationships

• Symbiosis: close, long-term, biological interaction between two species

–Types of symbiosis:

• Commensalism

• Mutualism

• Parasitism

Types of Symbiosis

• Commensalism: one organism is

benefited and the other is unharmed (+,0)

– Example: barnacles on whales, bioluminescent

bacteria , pilot fish and shark, cattle egret

Types of Symbiosis

• Mutualism: both organisms benefit from

the association (+,+)

– Example: Nile crocodile and plover, pollinators,

manatee and small fish, clown fish and anemone,

The human microbiome!

Types of Symbiosis

• Parasitism: one organism benefits at the

expense of the host (+,-)

– Example: tapeworm and heartworm in dogs

athlete's foot fungus on humans

leech sucking blood from host

Mosquitos, ticks

Symbiosis

Mutualism Parasitism

Commensalism

Flow of Energy Through an Ecosystem

• Energy Flows Through an ecosystem in ONE DIRECTION.– It is not recycled!

• Organisms use approximately 90% of the energy they take in for metabolic activity (life processes)– Most of this energy is lost to the environment as heat.

• Only about 10% of the energy that an organism takes in is stored in its structures and available for organisms at the next trophic level (step of the food chain)

• This relationship can be shown in an energy pyramid

The Food Chain

• Series of steps that show feeding relationships and flow of energy through an ecosystem

– Each STEP IN FOOD CHAIN = TROPHIC LEVEL

– Starts with producer

• Convert energy from sunlight

Energy Flow in an Ecosystem

• Food chain: a single pathway

Food Webs

• Food web: Interrelated food chains in a

community

– Most organisms may be

consumed by more

than one species

Food Webs

• Show all the feeding relationships or interconnected food chains within an ecosystem

Trophic Levels

An organism’s

position in a

sequence of energy

transfers

First trophic

level

Second

trophic

Third

trophic

Fourth

trophic

Energy Transfer

• There is a decrease in the

overall energy as you move up

in trophic levels.

• There is much more energy in

the producer level in a food web

than at the consumer levels

• Approximately 10% of ingested

nutrients is passed on to the

next trophic level to build new

tissue

Energy Flow, continuedWhy is the % of energy passed on to the next

trophic level so low?

• No transfer of energy 100%, therefore some energy is lost in the form of heat

• Some animals escape from being eaten & just die. Their energy in their bodies do not pass to a higher energy level.

• Some animal parts can not be eaten.

Cougar eats deer, can not extract energy from antlers, hooves or hair.

The ENERGY Pyramid

Biomass: amount of organic matter

producers

primary consumers

secondary consumers

tertiary consumers

Terrestrial Energy Pyramid

Complete the Energy Pyramid using these organisms:

Eagles, Green Plants, Mice, and Snakes

Green Plants

Mice

Snakes

Eagles

Succession

Read and Take Notes…

pg. 106-109

Succession• a gradual process of change and replacement

of populations in a community.– occurs when the environment is altered.

– These changes cause species to replace others, resulting in long-term gradual changes

– Ecosystems tend to change until a climax community is formed.

Primary Succession

• The development of plant communities in

an area that has never supported life.

• examples: bare rock, lava flow or glaciers.

Primary Succession - in a Pond

Aquatic succession of a lake

Thick aquatic vegetation is filling in this shallow pond;

eventually, soil and dead plant matter may support terrestrial

vegetation

© 2017 Pearson Education, Inc.

Primary succession on bare rock

Moss and lichens invade bare rock and act as collectors,

accumulating enough soil for complex plants to become

established


The Start of Primary Succession

• Pioneer organisms: the first organisms to inhabit a given location

(example: lichens on bare rock)

– Breaks down rock into soil

– Establish conditions under

which more advanced

organisms can live.

Lichens

• complex life form that is a symbiotic

partnership of two separate organisms, a

fungus and an alga.

Lichens contribute to a phenomenon known as biological

weathering.

The lichen mycobionts break down rocks and release

minerals by producing certain chemicals.

http://passel.unl.edu/pages/informationmodule.php?idinformationmodule=1124303183&topicorder=5&maxto=6

Primary Succession ExampleAdirondack Bog Succession

1. water plants at pond edge

2. sedges and sediments begin to fill pond

3. sphagnum moss and bog shrubs fill pond (cranberries)

4. black spruce and larch

5. birches, maple, or fir

Secondary Succession

• is the change of species that follows disruption

of an existing community

• Occurs in areas that previously contained life

and SOIL!!!

Secondary succession in an abandoned field


Secondary Succession

created by natural disasters or human

activity

• forest fire at Yellowstone National Park.

Resilience after a volcanic eruption

The 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens in Washington State

covered the ground with gray ash, but the forests soon

regenerated


Ground fires remove excessive fuel

Periodic ground fires are necessary to preserve the balance of

pine forests by removing excess fuel and killing competing

species


Secondary Succession Example

• If the BHS baseball field is not mowed,

would it be primary or secondary

succession?

Climax Community

• Climax community: a community that has

reach a stable state.

– populations remain stable and

exist in balance with each other

and their environment

– ecosystems may reach a

point of stability that can last for

hundreds or thousands of years

Climax Community

• A climax community persists until a

catastrophic change alters or destroys a

major biotic or abiotic resource – (ex. forest fires, abandoned farmlands, floods, areas

where the topsoil has been removed)

• After the original climax community has been

destroyed, the damaged ecosystem is likely to

recover in stages that eventually result in a

stable system similar to the original one.

Iceland had profound distubance

Forests were totally stripped from Iceland, making succession

impossible and leaving Iceland barren and tundra-like


Resilience mechanisms restore normal

ecosystem function in a short time


The world’s major terrestrial biomes


Biomes

• Biome: a large region characterized by a specific type of climate & certain plant and animal communities.

• A certain biome may exist in more than one location on earth.

• Biomes are terrestrial (dry) or aquatic (wet)– Dependent on:

• Temperature

• Solar radiation

• Precipitation

TROPICAL RAIN FOREST

– Tropical rain forests are home to more

species than all the other biomes combined.

– Rain forests get at least 2 meters of rain a

year!

TROPICAL DRY FOREST

– Tropical dry forests grow in areas where

rainy seasons alternate with dry seasons.

– In most places, a short period of rain is

followed by a prolonged period of drought.

TROPICAL GRASSLAND/

SAVANNA/SHRUBLAND

– This biome receives more seasonal rainfall

than deserts but less than tropical dry forests.

– Grassy areas are spotted with isolated trees

and small groves of trees and shrubs.

–

DESERT

– Deserts have less than 25 centimeters of

precipitation annually, but otherwise vary greatly,

depending on elevation and latitude.

– Many deserts undergo extreme daily temperature

changes, alternating between hot and cold.

TEMPERATE GRASSLAND

– Temperate grasslands experience warm to hot

summers and cold winters, with moderate seasonal

precipitation.

– The soil is fertile and there are occasional fires.

TEMPERATE WOODLAND

AND SHRUBLANDAbiotic Factors

– The woodlands experience hot dry summers and

cool moist winters.

– They have thin, nutrient-poor soils and experience

periodic fires.

TEMPERATE FOREST– Temperate forests have cold winters. In

autumn, deciduous trees shed their leaves. In

the spring, small plants burst from the ground

and flower.

– The fertile soils are rich in humus, a material

formed from decaying leaves and other

organic matter.

NORTHWESTERN

CONIFEROUS FOREST–

– Mild moist air from the Pacific Ocean

influenced by the Rocky Mountains provides

abundant rainfall to this biome.

–

BOREAL FOREST– Dense forests of coniferous evergreens along the

northern edge of the temperate zone are called boreal

forests, or taiga.

– Winters are bitterly cold, but summers are mild and

long enough to allow the ground to thaw.

– Boreal forests occur mostly in the northern part of the

Northern Hemisphere. The word boreal comes from the

Greek word for “north.”

TUNDRA

– Cold temperatures, high winds, a short

growing season, and humus-poor soils also

limit plant height.

Terrestrial Biomes

• Terrestrial Biomes:

– In general, six land biomes

– Characterized by climax vegetation

– Have characteristic flora (plants) and fauna

(animals)

Terrestrial Biomes: Tundra

• Climax flora: treeless. lichens, mosses, grasses

• Climax fauna: caribou, snowy owl

• Characteristics:

long & extremely cold winters

& permanently frozen subsoil called permafrost

• Location:

Continuous belt around N America, Europe & Asia

Terrestrial Biomes: Taiga

• Climax flora: conifers

or evergreen trees

• Climax fauna: moose, black bear, squirrels

• Characteristics:

long, severe winters

• Location:

south of the tundra & north of temperate forest

Terrestrial Biomes: Temperate-

Deciduous Forest• Climax flora: trees that

shed leaves

• Climax fauna: gray squirrel, fox, deer

• Characteristics: moderate precipitation, cold winters, warm summers

• Location:

South of taiga

Terrestrial Biomes: Tropical Forest• Climax flora: many

species of broad-leaved plants

• Climax fauna: snake, monkey, and leopard

• Characteristics: heavy rainfall(300 inches/year), constant warmth

• Biodiversity:

The size of 2 football fields may have 300 species of trees

• Location:

Near the equator

Terrestrial Biomes: Grasslands• Climax flora: grasses

• Climax fauna: prairie dog, bison, usually herd animals.

• Characteristics: rainfall and temperature vary greatly, strong winds

• Grasslands: also known as prairies, steppes, savannas & pampas.

• Location: interior of continents

Terrestrial Biomes: Desert• Climax flora: drought-

resistant shrubs and plants

• Climax fauna: kangaroo rat, lizard

• Characteristics: sparse rainfall (9 inches/year).

• Extreme temperature. Hot days cool nights.

Temperatures may have a 50 degree drop.

Aquatic Biomes

• Aquatic Biomes: the largest ecosystems

on Earth

– 70% of Earth’s surface is covered by water

– Water is the principal medium for life

– More stable then terrestrial biomes

• Moisture not a limiting factor

• Temperature changes are not as great

2 Types of Aquatic Biomes

• Marine Biomes: salt water biomes

– Most stable aquatic environment

– Habitat for large number of diverse organisms

– Ocean- Intertidal, Costal, Open, Photic, Aphotic (Estuaries)

• Freshwater Biomes: ponds, lakes, rivers & wetlands (Bogs, Marshes, Swamps)

– Will fill in due to seasonal die-back and erosion

– Eventually terminate in a terrestrial climax community

Freshwater Biomes

• Types of Lakes: (PE- Intro - 37:45, wetlands)

1. Eutrophic -rich in organic matter & vegetation

Murky water

Bacteria feed on decomposing matter &

uses up all the oxygen, killing all life.

2. Oligotrophic -little organic matter & vegetation

Clear water.

• Freshwater Biomes

(Lake PE 27)

• Wetlands: aka swamps & marshes

an area of land that is covered by water for a

certain amount of time during the year.

Why are wetlands so important?

filters out pollutants

controls flooding

stopover for migratory birds

recreational

Zone of Photosynthesis

• Plant production occurs at the edges of land

masses

• No light penetrates the deeper regions of aquatic

biomes

Aphotic

Competition

• Competition: occurs when two different

species or organisms living in the same

environment (habitat) utilize the same

limited resources

– Examples:

• food, water, space, light, oxygen, and minerals.

• The more similar the requirements of the

organisms involved, the more intense the

competition.

Organisms in Ecosystem

• Habitat:

– A place where an organism lives out its life. It

is an organism’s home, their address.

• Niche:

- The organism's role in the community. How

an organism meets its need for food, shelter,

how it survives & reproduces. Interactions

with biotic & abiotic factors.

Material Cycles

• Material Cycles:

– In a self-sustaining ecosystem, materials must

be recycled among the organisms and the

abiotic environment.

– The same materials can be reused.

– Examples of Cycles:

• Water

• Carbon-Oxygen

• Nitrogen

Water Cycle

• Water Cycle: involves the processes of

–Photosynthesis

–Transpiration

–Evaporation and condensation

–Respiration

–Excretion

Water Cycle

Carbon-Oxygen Cycles

• Carbon-Oxygen Cycle:

involves the processes of

– Respiration

– Photosynthesis

Carbon-Oxygen Cycle

oxygen

Nitrogen Cycle

• Nitrogen Cycle:

– Organisms must have nitrogen to

produce proteins and amino acids

– Living things cannot use nitrogen gas in

the air

– Life is possible due to nitrogen-fixation

• Nitrogen Fixation: Nitrogen gas is

converted to ammonia

Nitrogen Fixers

• Legumes: peas and beans contain

nitrogen-fixing bacteria in their roots

– Clover and alfalfa are other examples of

nitrogen fixers

Bean

Plant

Alfalfa

Nitrogen Cycle

Nitrogen Gas (N2)

Nitrogen fixation

Nitrogen-fixing

bacteria in plant

roots

Animals

eating

plantsDecomposition

Soil

bacteria

Biodiversity

• Evolutionary processes have resulted in a

diversity of organisms and a diversity of roles

in ecosystems.

• Biodiversity: the differences in living things in

an ecosystem

1. Increased biodiversity increases the stability

of an ecosystem.

2. Increased biodiversity increases the chance that at

least some living things will survive in the face of

large changes in the environment

What are some other reasons

biodiversity is valuable?

3. Biodiversity ensures the availability of a

rich variety of genetic material that may

lead to future agricultural or medical

discoveries with significant value to

humans.

4. Biodiversity adds aesthetic qualities to

the environment

Monoculture

• Monoculture: planting one species over a

huge area

– Why?

– Leaves an area more vulnerable to predation

or disease

GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY VALUE

A map showing

the distribution

of some of the

most highly valued

terrestrial biodiversity

world-wide (mammals,

reptiles, amphibians and

seed plants), with red for

high biodiversity and

blue for low biodiversity

High Biodiversity vs. Low Biodiversity

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