Introduction to Ecology · 4. Ecosystem ecology studies the energy flow and chemical cycling in a...
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8/13/2017 1 Introduction to Ecology Ecology derives components from each of the Four Big Ideas in Biology Big Idea 1: The process of evolution drives the diversity and unity of life Big Idea 2: Biological systems utilize free energy and molecular building blocks to grow to reproduce & to maintain dynamic homeostasis Big Idea 3: Living systems store, retrieve, transmit, and respond to information essential to life processes Big Idea 4: Biological systems interact, and these systems and their interactions possess complex properties. Big Idea 4 is where most of our study of ecology is found! 2
Transcript of Introduction to Ecology · 4. Ecosystem ecology studies the energy flow and chemical cycling in a...
8/13/2017
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Introduction to Ecology
Ecology derives components from each of the Four Big Ideas in Biology
Big Idea 1: The process of evolution drives the diversity and unity of life
Big Idea 2: Biological systems utilize free energy and molecular building blocks to grow to reproduce & to maintain dynamic homeostasis
Big Idea 3: Living systems store, retrieve, transmit, and respond to information essential to life processes
Big Idea 4: Biological systems interact, and these systems and their interactions possess complex properties. Big Idea 4 is where most of our study of ecology is found!
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Ecology Defined
.
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Ecology is
the study of
organisms
and their
interactions
with the
environment.
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Levels of Organization
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Types of Ecology
Ecologist use observations & experiments to test explanations for distributions and abundance of species.
1. Organismal ecology is the study of physiology and behavior interacting with environmental challenges
2. Population ecology studies the factors impacting the number of individuals of a species in an area
3. Community ecology is the study of how organisms interact with each other and the environment
4. Ecosystem ecology studies the energy flow and chemical cycling in a given area
Types of Ecology
Identify the category of ecological research that would investigate each of the following questions.
1. How do trout select a mate?
(A)Organismal ecology
(B)Population ecology
(C) Community ecology
(D)Ecosystem ecology
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Types of Ecology
Identify the category of ecological research that would investigate each of the following questions.
2. What factors control photosynthetic productivity in a tropical rainforest?
(A)Organismal ecology
(B)Population ecology
(C) Community ecology
(D)Ecosystem ecology
Types of Ecology
Identify the category of ecological research that would investigate each of the following questions.
3. What factors influence the diversity of species that make up a rain forest?
(A)Organismal ecology
(B)Population ecology
(C) Community ecology
(D)Ecosystem ecology
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Abiotic and Biotic Interactions
14http://www.sci.uidaho.edu/scripter/geog100/lect/16-ecosystems-biomes/ecosystems-files/ecosystems.htm
Abiotic and Biotic Interactions
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Importance of Abiotic Factors
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Not every organism can live everywhere on Earth
Abiotic factors determine which organisms can survive where:
The Coral Reef is an environment teaming with life, but many organisms would find this environment unsuitable due to its abiotic factors (too much water, temperature, availability of light, etc. )
Importance of Biotic Factors
W. J. Fletcher tested the effects of two algae-eating animals, sea urchins and limpets, on seaweed abundance near Sydney, Australia. In areas adjacent to a control site, either the urchins, the limpets, or both were removed.
EXPERIMENT
80
60
40
20
0
Limpet
Seaurchin
Both limpetsand urchinsremoved
Onlyurchinsremoved
Only limpets removed
August1982
February1983
August1983
February1984
Control (bothurchins andlimpets present)
Seaw
eed
co
ver
(%)
Removing bothlimpets andurchins orremoving onlyurchins increasedseaweed coverdramatically.
Almost noseaweed grewin areas whereboth urchins andlimpets werepresent, or whereonly limpets wereremoved.
Seaw
eed
co
ver
(%)
100
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Macroclimate
consists of patterns on
the global, regional,
and landscape level
Microclimate consists
of very fine patterns,
such as those
encountered by the
community of
organisms underneath
a fallen log
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Earth’s Climate Varies By Latitude & Season
And Is Changing Rapidly
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Earth’s Climate Varies By Latitude & Season
And Is Changing Rapidly
•Seasonal variations of light and temperature
increase steadily toward the poles
•Seasonality at high latitudes is caused by the tilt of
Earth’s axis of rotation and its annual passage
around the sun
•Belts of wet and dry air straddling the equator shift
throughout the year with the changing angle of the
sun
•Changing wind patterns affect ocean currents
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•
• Global Climate Change
• Changes in Earth’s climate can profoundly
affect the biosphere
• One way to predict the effects of future global
climate change is to study previous change
• As glaciers retreated 16,000 years ago, tree
distribution patterns changed
• As climate changes, species that have difficulty
dispersing may have smaller ranges or could become extinct
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Earth’s Climate Varies By Latitude & Season
And Is Changing Rapidly
Homeostasis
• Organisms must maintain homeostasis, a steady-state internal environment, despite changes in the external environment.
• Organisms respond to abiotic factors in 1of 2 ways:
1. Regulators maintain a nearly constant internal environment, despite external conditions
2. Conformers allow internal environment to vary- This occurs in organisms whose environments remain relatively stable
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EURASIA
AFRICA
SOUTHAMERICA
INDIA
135 million years ago
Present65 million years ago
225 million years ago
120°80° 0°
120°120°
120°
80°80° 80°80°40°
40°120° 120°
120°
GONDWANALANDGONDWANALAND
120°
LAURASIALAURASIA
ANTARCTICAANTARCTICA
AUSTRALIAAUSTRALIA
NORTH AMERICANORTH AMERICA
MADA-GASCAR
MADA-GASCAR
Historical Biogeography
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Biogeography: Leopard Distribution
Biogeography: Leopard Distribution
• Leopards have the largest distribution of any wild cat, occurring widely in eastern and central Africa, although populations have shown a declining trend and are fragmented outside of sub-Saharan Africa.
• Within sub-Saharan Africa, the species is still numerous and even thriving in marginal habitats where other large cats have disappeared.
• But populations in North Africa may be extinct
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Biogeography
• Serves as a starting point to understanding limits on distribution of species
Species absentbecause
Yes
No
Dispersallimits
distribution? Behaviorlimits
distribution?Biotic factors
(other species)limit
distribution?Abiotic factors
limitdistribution?
Yes
No
Yes
No
Area inaccessibleor insufficient time
Habitat selection
Predation, parasitism,competition, disease
WaterOxygenSalinitypHSoil nutrients, etc.
TemperatureLightSoil structureFireMoisture, etc.
Chemicalfactors
Physicalfactors
Ecology: The Big Picture
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1. Biological systems interact, and these systems and their interactions possess complex properties.
2. Abiotic and biotic factors influence populations, communities, ecosystems, and the biosphere.
3. Over time species have adapted, died, or moved to more suitable environments.
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Created by:
Susan RamseyVirginia Advanced Study StrategiesNotable contributions by S. Meister
