Population Ecology
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Transcript of Population Ecology
Population Ecology
Tuna TrackerIn The News
Ecology• Study of the interactions between organisms and
the environment• Study of the physical and biological variables
governing the distribution & growth of living things
Population • Individuals of a given species occurring at
one place at one time
• Population ecology– Study of population growth & interactions
Population Size
• (births + immigrants) – (deaths + emmigrants) = Population change
• Immigration – movement into a population
• Emigration – movement out of a population
Growth Rate
• Subtract death rate from birth rate
• r = b – d– r is growth rate– b is birth rate– d is death rate
• Population growth = rN– N = initial population size
Exponential Growth
• Rate of increase remains constant
• Population size soon increases greatly
• Can only occur under ideal conditions
• This type of growth cannot continue forever
Exponential Growth of a Bacteria
Carrying Capacity• Indefinite exponential growth is limited• Shortages of growth factors will limit population
growth• Carrying capacity = maximum number that can
be supported in a particular environment
Sigmoid Growth Curve• Initial exponential growth and subsequent
stabilization at carrying capacity
Boom & Bust Cycle
• Sometimes populations do not level off
• Exponential growth with a sudden die-off
Population Size & Ability to Survive
• Very small populations are less able to survive than large populations
– Random events can wipe out small populations
– Small populations have less genetic variability
Population Density• Number of organisms per unit area
• Density influences survival
Dispersion
• Way that individuals are arranged
• Three patterns– Uniform– Random – Clumped
Uniform Distribution
• Individuals evenly spaced
• Often results from territoriality
• Also plants with allelopathy
Random Distribution• Lacking definite order
• Individuals do not influence others growth
Clumped Distribution
• Individuals form clusters
• Clumping due to interaction of individuals
Density Dependent Factors
• Factors that affect a population only if its density changes
• Types of density dependent factors– Competition – Predation – Parasitism
Competition
• Interaction among organisms for the same resources– Food– Living space
• Regulates population size & is a driving force of evolutionary change
Competition Types
• Intraspecific – among the same species
• Interspecific – between species
Predation
• One species will kill & eat another
• Interactions maintain natural populations
• More prey results in more predators
• Less prey reduces predator numbers
Parasitism• One species living at the expense of another• Regulates populations by weakening or killing
Density-Dependent Factors & Boom & Bust Cycles
• Example:– Lemmings have large increases & declines– Lemming populations increase, then
predators increase– Then, lemming populations are mostly
eliminated causing predator populations to decrease because of lack of food
– Then, lemming populations can increase….
Density-Independent Factors
• Operates regardless of population density
• Includes factors such as weather & physical disruptions
• A certain percentage of the population will die due to the event
Survivorship• Age distribution
– Proportion of individuals that survive to an age category
– Differs greatly from species to species
Mortality vs. Survivorship• Mortality – death rate
• Survivorship – proportion of an original population that survives to a certain age
Type I Survivorship• Low infant mortality
• Small number of offspring, parental care
• Most survive to an old age
Type II Survivorship• Often reproduce asexually
• Mortality is constant over lifespan
Type III Survivorship• High infant mortality• Those that survive are likely to live to old age• No parental care, high reproductive rate
Demography
• Statistical study of human population
• Human population is in exponential growth
Human Population Growth has Different Patterns
• Stable population– Remains the same– Same number entering reproductive age
as at end of reproductive age
• Population pyramid– Graphic representation of population age– Shows patterns in population change
Population Growth in Developed Countries
Population Growth in Developing Countries
World Population distribution
Share of the World Population
Interactions Within Communities
Parasites LostIn The News
Community
• Grouping of populations living together in a particular area at a particular time
Abiotic Factors
• Nonliving factors within the environment– Air– Water– Rocks
• Abiotic factors affect living (biotic) factors
Ecosystem• Biotic & abiotic factors in a certain area
• Community along with abiotic factors
Habitat
• Space within an area where an organism lives
• Each organism plays a certain role
Niche• Two ways of defining
– An organism’s role in the environment– Organism’s use of biotic & abiotic resources
Competition
• Organisms that live near one another strive to obtain the same limited resource
• Competitive exclusion principal– If 2 species are competing with one another
for the same limited resource , the species able to use the resource most efficiently will eventually eliminate the other species
Competition in Nature• Sage & grass both need the same soil nutrients• Sage out competes grass by secreting toxic
chemicals
Barnacle Competition• Balanus & chthamalus
– Both live in the intertidal zone– This intertidal zone is their niche
Fundamental Niche• Chthamalus can live out of
water longer than Balanus• Fundamental niche
– Everywhere a species can inhabit
Realized Niche• When both species are present
– Each actually lives where it competes best– This defines their realized niche
Predation
• Predator – kills & eats another species
• Prey – eaten by another species
• Predator-prey relationships affect each other’s populations
• Several outcomes are possible
Predator-Prey Example• Didnium – the predator• Paramecium – the prey• Predator & prey
introduced into new environment
Outcome 1
• Predator exterminates prey
• Predator then dies due to lack of food
Outcome 2• Some prey hide in sediment• Predator eats those in clear fluid• Predator dies because it cannot find more food
Outcome 3• Prey is introduced in successive intervals
• Predator-prey follow cyclical pattern
Plant –Herbivore Coevolutioin• Plants develop defenses against being eaten• Natural selection chooses animals able to feed
on plants with new defenses
Protective Adaptation• Some animals have adapted to eating plants
that are toxic• Some (like monarch butterfly) are able to store
toxins from food• Stored toxin protects the animal from predation
Protective Coloration• Some highly poisonous organisms
advertise with bright colors• Warning coloration is effective defense
Mimicry
• Unprotected species have come to resemble harmful or distasteful species
– Batesian mimicry
– Example: grasshopper that looks like a tiger beetle
Mimicry• Protective coloration of different animals
come to resemble each other• Both posses similar defenses
– Mullerian mimicry– Example: Monarch & Viceroy butterflies
Camouflage
• Animal blends into its surroundings
• Not seen by predators
• Example: cabbage butterfly caterpillar
Camouflage
Symbiosis
• One organism lives with another
• Three types– Commensalism– Mutualism – Parasitism
Termite Gut Symbiosis
Commensalism• One species benefits• The other species neither benefits or is harmed• Examples: barnacles living on whales
Mutualism• Both species benefit from relationship
• Example: clownfish & anemones
Mutualism• Red billed oxpeckers & impala
Parasitism• One species benefits
• One species is harmed
• Example: humans & hookworms
Plant Parasitism
Succession
• Change in communities over time
• Generally linked to disturbance
Primary Succession
• Starts on surfaces not previously supporting organisms
• Soil must accumulate
• Pioneer community becomes established– Usually plants able to grow under harsh
conditions
Primary Succession
• Pioneer community paves way for growth & development of native vegetation
• Plant community changes through time
• Eventually a climax community establishes
Primary Succession Mount St. Hellens
Succession of a Pond
Secondary Succession
• Areas with soil have been disturbed
• Community does not start from no soil stage
• Common due to human activity
Ecosystems
Food of the SeaIn The News
Ecosystem
• Includes abiotic environment & community
• Types of organisms of an ecosystem– Producers– Consumers– Decomposers
Producers • Make their own food
• Base of the food chain
• Plants & photosynthetic protists
Consumers• Heterotrophs – feed on other organisms
• Kill & eat their food
Decomposers • Special group of consumers
• Nourishment from dead matter
• Recyclers
An Ecosystem
Ecosystem Boundaries• May or may not be distinct
Transfer of Nutrients
• Ultimate source of most energy is the sun
• Green plants capture energy from the sun
• Consumers eat producers & other consumers
• Detritivores convert organic materials to nutrients usable by plants
Trophic Levels
• Feeding levels & transfer of energy
– Producer
– Primary consumer – feed on producer
– Secondary consumer – eat primary consumer
– Tertiary consumer – eat secondary consumer
Food Chain
Food Web
• Many species do not strictly feed on one trophic level
• Interactions become more complicated
• Food web – group of interwoven food chains
Energy Flow Through Ecosystems
• Most energy is lost & does not transfer to the next trophic level
• Higher trophic levels must have fewer individuals– Next highest trophic level has about 1/10th the
number of individuals, biomass & energy
Flow of Energy
Numbers in Trophic Levels
Biomass in Trophic Levels
Energy in Trophic Levels
Obtaining Substances for Life
• Materials cycle through ecosystems
• Reservoir –area with most of a material
• Examples of ecosystem cycles– Water (hydrologic cycle)– Nitrogen– Phosphorus– Oxygen– Carbon
Water Cycle
• Most living things are primarily water
• Life’s chemical reactions require water
• 90% of water that reaches atmosphere comes from plant transpiration
• Atmospheric water condenses
Water Cycle
• Plants take up about 1000 kg of water to produce 1 kg of biomass
• Groundwater provides ¼ of water used by humans in U.S.
• 2% of U.S. groundwater is polluted– Industry – Pesticides
Carbon Cycle
• CO2 found in atmosphere & oceans
• Producers & some consumers incorporate carbon into organic molecules
• Animals & combustion return carbon to atmosphere
Oxygen Cycling
• Plants use CO2, release O2
• Consumers use O2, release CO2
• Some CO2 is liberated by decomposition
Nitrogen Cycle
• Important plant nutrient
• Atmosphere is reservoir
• Nitrogen fixing bacteria convert N2 to ammonia
Phosphorus Cycle
• Required plant nutrient
• Soil has only small amounts
• Animals obtain phosphorus by eating plants
End chapter 40
Biomes & LifeLife Zones Biomes & LifeLife Zones
Food for ThoughtIn The News
Biomes• Large ecosystems occurring over wide areas of
land within specific climatic regions• Support communities of characteristic organisms
Patterns that Determine Biomes
• Amount of solar radiation
• Global atmospheric circulation
• Features of the earth (topography)
Solar Energy• Some parts of earth receive more energy
• Greater latitude, colder climate
Circulation Patterns• Differential heating creates six coils
of rising & falling air• Rotation of earth deflects winds
– Trade winds of equator– Westerlies of middle latitudes
Precipitation• Warm air rises & is cooled
• Cool air holds less moisture
• Warm air absorbs available moisture
Shadow Effect
• Air traveling up a mountain is cooled– Precipitation forms– Windward side is moist– Leeward side is arid
Ocean Circulation
• Ocean moves in great spiral patterns
• These surface currents affect climate– Redistribute heat
Climatic Regions Classify Biomes
• Tropical rain forest
• Savannas
• Deserts
• Temperate grasslands
• Temperate deciduous forests
• Taiga
• Tundra
Elevation & Biomes
Tropical Rain forests• High temperature & rainfall
– 200 – 450cm/yr (80 – 175 in/yr)– Average 25º C (77º F)
• Found on both sides of the equator
Rain Forests
• Extensive canopy of plants– 2% of light reaches forest floor– Plants do not grow well on forest floor
• Epiphytes grow on trees
• Giant diversity of life
• Poor soils, do not support agriculture
Savannas
• Areas near the equator
• High temperature, moderate rainfall– 90 – 150 cm/yr (35 – 60 in/yr)
Savannas
• Open grasslands, scattered shrubs & trees
• Supports large number of grazing herbivores
• Large number of plant eating invertebrates
Termite Mounds of Australia
Deserts
• Low precipitation– 25 cm/yr (10 in/yr) or less
• 20 to 30 degrees north & south of equator
Deserts
• Organisms with adaptations
• High diversity, small populations
• Many nocturnal animals
Temperate Deciduous Forests
• Distinct seasons
• Trees are deciduous
• Precipitation moderate– 75 – 150 cm/yr (30 – 60 in/yr)
Temperate Deciduous Forests
• Upper canopy of dominant trees
• Animal life abundant in trees & forest floor
• Includes many human population centers
Temperate Grasslands
• Includes prairies & steppes• 25 – 75 cm/yr (10 – 30 in/yr) of precipitation
Temperate Grasslands
• Large quantities of perennial grass
• No trees
• Grazing animals & burrowing rodents
• Rich soils
• Many areas converted to agriculture
Taiga• Long cold winters
• Little precipitation– Most is in summer– Plants go through life cycle in
short amount of time
Taiga
• Cone bearing trees common
• Many large mammals
Tundra
• Found at the top of the world
• Permanent ice
• Low precipitation like deserts
Tundra
• Life is apparent in short summer
• Grasses & sedges
Fresh-water Ecosystems
• Intertwined with terrestrial ecosystems
• Includes only 2% of earth
• Ponds & lakes, rivers & Streams
• Different water depths have different communities
Life Zones of a Lake
Rivers & Streams
• Characterized as an open ecosystem
• Nutrients washed into water– Feeds heterotrophs– Autotrophs rare
Estuaries
• Freshwater meets saltwater
• Producers are mostly algae & phytoplankton
• Nutrients abundant
• High diversity of organisms
Oceans
• Covers nearly ¾ of Earth
• Variety of habitats– Intertidal zone– Neritic zone– Open sea zone
Intertidal Zone
• Harsh environment for life
• Tide rolls in & out
• Abundant light for photosynthesis– Variety of producers
• Different habitats based on substrate– Rocky shore– Sandy shore
Rocky Shore
Sandy Shore
Neritic Zone
• On continental shelf
• Abundant plant & animal life
• Includes coral reefs
Open-sea Zone
• Beyond continental shelf
• Many diverse forms of life
Regions of Open-sea
• Photic – Light penetrates– Supports phytoplankton
• Mesopelagic – No photosynthetic organisms– Water pressure increases
Regions of Open-sea
• Abyssal – Deep water
• Benthos – Sea floor bottom
The Biosphere
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The Biosphere
• The global ecosystem
• Includes all life on Earth
Nonrenewable Resources
• Formed at a rate more slowly than they are consumed
• Examples:– Coal– Oil – Copper– Iron
Fuel Resources
• Fossil fuels (nonrenewable)– Coal– Oil – Natural gas
• Currently 77% of worlds energy supply– Coal 20%– Oil 36%– Natural gas 21%
Nuclear Power
• Nonrenewable, but large supplies
• 2.2 lbs. produces as much electricity as 2200 tons of coal
• Problems– Cost of building power plants– Disposal of radioactive waste
Mineral Resources
• Inorganic
• Occur naturally
• Present in fixed amounts
• Supplies will eventually be used
Municipal Solid Waste
• Many things thrown away– Paper– Food waste– Plastics– Metals– Rubber– Leather– Textiles– Glass – Wood
Municipal Solid Waste
Strategies to Conserve
• Reduce consumption
• Reuse some items
• Recycling
• Buying recycled goods
Renewable Resources
• Replace themselves over time
• Renewable energy sources– Solar power– Water power– Wind power– Geothermal energy– Bioenergy
Solar Power• Use of sun for heating or to produce
electricity• Solar cells convert energy into
electricity• May be major source of energy by
2030
Water Power• Falling water drives turbines to produce
electricity• Wave power uses energy in sea waves• Tidal power• Problems: high cost & unsteady rate
Wind Power• Wind to generate electricity• U.S. may generate 10-20% of energy by 2030
Geothermal Energy
• Hot water or steam from within Earth
• Uses– Directly for heating– Converted to electricity
Bioenergy
• Using living plants to produce energy
• Types of bioenergy– Burning of wood– Decomposition of animal waste
• Produce methane-rich gas• Produce electricity
– Ethanol production from plants
Pollution
• Threatens the biosphere• Substances that physically or chemically
change water• Types of contaminants
– Infections agents– Runoff, drainage & hazardous waste dumps– Toxic substances– Thermal pollution– Solid waste
Dumping Pollutants into Water
• Point source – where they enter water
• Non-point source – enter in various places– Sediments in runoff
• Often from agriculture
– Mine drainings– Poisons leaching from hazardous dumps– Pesticides, herbicides, & fertilizers
Toxic Dump Threatening Groundwater
Toxic Substances
• Come from many sources
• Most do not degrade
• Biological concentration– Toxins accumulate in fatty tissues
• Biological magnification– Amounts increase in food chain
Biological Magnification of DDT
Pollution from Organic Nutrients
• Common sources– Sewage treatment plants– Paper mills– Meat packing plants
• Food for bacteria that grow in water
• Decreases oxygen in waters
Pollution from Inorganics
• Common sources– Croplands– Laundry detergents
• Can lead to eutrophication– Heavy plant growth– Plants die– Bacteria decompose plants, use oxygen
Mismanagement of Solid Waste
• Sanitary landfills help, but problems still exist– Space is running out– Groundwater contamination is possible
Air Pollution Sources
Burning Fossil Fuels• Major source of air pollution
• Causes smog or grey air
Secondary Pollutants• Sun causes reactions with chemicals in air• New pollutants are created• Ozone is principal secondary pollutant
– Irritating to eyes & respiratory system
Ground Level Ozone in U.S. Cities
Acid Rain• Caused by precipitation in polluted air
• pH of waters are lowered
Acid Rain Effects
• Acidifies lakes– Kills aquatic life
• Leaching of metals
• Eats away stone
• Kills plants
Acid Rain Effects
Damage to Ozone Level• Ozone in stratosphere shields UV rays• Main source of damage is chlorofluorocarbons
Deforestation
• 2% of Earth (rainforests) has 50% of plants & animals
– Contribute to 25% of medicines
• Plays important role in worlds climates
Deforestation• Population & poverty is high• Logging & farming efforts reduce forests
– Poor soils do not support agriculture for long
Forest Conservation
• Reserves are a partial answer
Global Warming
• High CO2 levels block outward heat radiation– Creates greenhouse effects
• Other gases contribute– Methane– Nitrogen oxides
Species Extinction
• Factors threatening species– Habitat destruction– Pollution– Illegal trade
• Results in reduction of biological diversity
Value of Biological Diversity • Elimination of species affects other species• Sources of food, medicine, …• Less diversity in crops means more vulnerability