Ecology NotesEcology Notes

Can’t we all just get along?Can’t we all just get along?

Chapter 2Chapter 2 

•Biosphere-All areas that sustain life

• 

• Biotic Factors-living factors

• 

• Abiotic Factors-non living factors

•

Organization RevisitedOrganization Revisited

8.8.Population (interbreeding species)Population (interbreeding species)

9.9.Biological Community (all species in a Biological Community (all species in a given area that depend on each other)given area that depend on each other)

10.10.Ecosystem All biotic and abiotic Ecosystem All biotic and abiotic factors in the communityfactors in the community

11.11.Biome: Areas of similar climatic Biome: Areas of similar climatic conditionsconditions

12.12.Biosphere: All areas that sustain lifeBiosphere: All areas that sustain life

Communities

Habitat: The place where a plant or animal lives. Example: Squirrel lives in several different trees in the forest, skunk lives in a single hollow log.

Niche: An organisms role in the community.Example: Most green plants convert sunlight into energy and release oxygen. Other animals are dependent on the plants for survival. VERY important.

Ex: Pond Community:

Community InteractionsCommunity Interactions• Competition Competition refers two organisms or species refers two organisms or species

competing for some limiting resource. competing for some limiting resource. • be food or nutrients, space, mates, nesting sitesbe food or nutrients, space, mates, nesting sites

A lion fending off a hyena for food.

PredationPredation

• A A predator predator is an animal or other is an animal or other organism that hunts and kills other organism that hunts and kills other organisms, called organisms, called preyprey, for food in , for food in an act called an act called predationpredation. .

OUCH!!!!

Symbiosis Symbiosis

The living together of two different The living together of two different organisms organisms

NeutralNeutral

• Not taking part or giving assistance Not taking part or giving assistance when it comes to organisms living when it comes to organisms living together. together.

• Gets along with other organisms, but Gets along with other organisms, but do not give assistance to life in any do not give assistance to life in any wayway

Commensalisms Commensalisms

• A symbiotic relationship between two A symbiotic relationship between two organisms of different species one organisms of different species one benefits the other is unaffected.benefits the other is unaffected.

• Remora’s attaching to a sharkRemora’s attaching to a shark

Barnacles on a whale

Birds on a cow

MutualismMutualism

• An interaction between two or more An interaction between two or more species in which both species benefit species in which both species benefit from the other. from the other.

Acacia Tree – Ants live in the horns and bring nutrients to the tree while the tree gives them protection off the ground.

ParasitismParasitism• A symbiotic relationship in which one A symbiotic relationship in which one

organism lives off of the other organism lives off of the other organism, but does not kill it. organism, but does not kill it. – Parasites (mosquitoes & Head Lice)Parasites (mosquitoes & Head Lice)

Energy in an EcosystemEnergy in an Ecosystem• Autotroph-Autotroph-

• Organisms that can make their own food for energy Organisms that can make their own food for energy from the sun (Plants and some protists and bacteria)from the sun (Plants and some protists and bacteria)

• Heterotroph Heterotroph

• obtain energy from other sourcesobtain energy from other sources

Energy in an EcosystemEnergy in an Ecosystem• Herbivore :Herbivore :

• organisms that eat plants almost exclusivelyorganisms that eat plants almost exclusively

• Carnivore Carnivore

• organisms that eat other organisms almost exclusivelyorganisms that eat other organisms almost exclusively

• DetritivoreDetritivore

Energy in an EcosystemEnergy in an Ecosystem• Omnivore: Omnivore:

• can utilize both plants, animals and can utilize both plants, animals and other organisms as energy sourcesother organisms as energy sources

Energy in an EcosystemEnergy in an Ecosystem

• Detritivores: Detritivores:

• break down dead and decaying break down dead and decaying materials for energymaterials for energy

• The figure below shows a simple food chain for The figure below shows a simple food chain for land production.land production.

• 1) How much solar energy does a vegetarian utilize 1) How much solar energy does a vegetarian utilize when eating 1,000 calories of plant material?  Use when eating 1,000 calories of plant material?  Use the information from the figure to calculate this.the information from the figure to calculate this.

• 2) How much solar energy (in calories) does a meat 2) How much solar energy (in calories) does a meat eating person utilize when eating 1000 calories of eating person utilize when eating 1000 calories of meat?  Use the diagram above to make your meat?  Use the diagram above to make your determination.  The numbers below each figure are determination.  The numbers below each figure are the number of calories stored at each trophic level.the number of calories stored at each trophic level.

Food Web= The path that energy Food Web= The path that energy moves along from one trophic level moves along from one trophic level to the next and back again in a to the next and back again in a complex fashion.complex fashion.

Grassland Food WebGrassland Food Web

Ecological Pyramids

Primary Producers :Plants, Algae, Protists

Consumers:Anything that uses producers for energy

Decomposer Break down dead material

Biochemical CyclesBiochemical Cycles• The physical parts of the ecosystems cycle constantly.The physical parts of the ecosystems cycle constantly.

• water, carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus pass from water, carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus pass from nonliving environments to living organisms, and back to nonliving environments to living organisms, and back to nonliving environments. nonliving environments.

• These paths form closed circles, or cycles, called These paths form closed circles, or cycles, called biogeochemical cycles.biogeochemical cycles.

• biogeochemical cycle,biogeochemical cycle, a pathway forms when a a pathway forms when a substance enters living organisms such as trees from the substance enters living organisms such as trees from the atmosphere, water, or soil; stays for a time in the living atmosphere, water, or soil; stays for a time in the living organism; then returns to the nonliving environment.organism; then returns to the nonliving environment.

The Water Cycle, Draw This The Water Cycle, Draw This

The Water Cycle, The Water Cycle, • Water Shed: Water Shed: an area where an area where

rainwater, snow, and ice rainwater, snow, and ice converge on a single point.converge on a single point.

• Condensation:Condensation: when water when water vapor is cooled it becomes a vapor is cooled it becomes a liquidliquid

• PrecipitationPrecipitation When enough When enough liquid accumulates in the liquid accumulates in the atmosphere, it falls back to atmosphere, it falls back to earth. As precipitation or rainearth. As precipitation or rain

The Water Cycle, The Water Cycle,

• In the living portion of the In the living portion of the water cycle, much water is water cycle, much water is taken up by the roots of taken up by the roots of plants.plants.

• Transpiration: Transpiration: After passing After passing through a plant, the water through a plant, the water moves into the atmosphere moves into the atmosphere by evaporating from the by evaporating from the leavesleaves

The Phosphorus CycleThe Phosphorus Cycle

Phosphorus is an Phosphorus is an essential part of both essential part of both ATP and DNA.ATP and DNA.

Phosphorus is usually Phosphorus is usually present in soil and rock present in soil and rock as well as animal wastesas well as animal wastes

We use this waste as We use this waste as fertilizerfertilizer

The Phosphorus CycleThe Phosphorus Cycle

The Phosphorus CycleThe Phosphorus Cycle

Eutrophication: the accumulation of biomass like phosphorous in water sheds and basins causing algae growth and killing native plants and organisms

Can be caused by humans or occur naturally.

The Carbon CycleThe Carbon Cycle

• In the carbon cycle, carbon atoms may return to In the carbon cycle, carbon atoms may return to the pool of carbon dioxide in the air and water in the pool of carbon dioxide in the air and water in three ways:three ways:

1. Photosynthesis: CO2 goes into plants 1. Photosynthesis: CO2 goes into plants while O2 comes out of plantswhile O2 comes out of plants

2. Respiration2. Respiration Carbon dioxide produced Carbon dioxide produced because of cellular respiration.because of cellular respiration.

3. Combustion3. Combustion Carbon also returns to the Carbon also returns to the atmosphere through combustion, or burning.atmosphere through combustion, or burning.

Carbon Carbon CycleCycle

Section 3 Cycling of Materials in EcosystemsChapter 41

The Nitrogen CycleThe Nitrogen Cycle• Organisms need nitrogen to build Organisms need nitrogen to build

proteins and nucleic acids.proteins and nucleic acids.

The Nitrogen Cycle, The Nitrogen Cycle, continuedcontinued

• The nitrogen cycle is a complex process with four The nitrogen cycle is a complex process with four important stages:important stages:

1. Nitrogen Fixation. When bacteria help provide 1. Nitrogen Fixation. When bacteria help provide plants with usable nitrogenplants with usable nitrogen

2. Ammonification2. Ammonification ammonia is produced by bacteria ammonia is produced by bacteria during the decay of nitrogen-containing urea.during the decay of nitrogen-containing urea.

3. Nitrification3. Nitrification is the production of nitrates from is the production of nitrates from ammonia.ammonia.

4. Denitrification4. Denitrification is the conversion of nitrate to is the conversion of nitrate to nitrogen gas.nitrogen gas.

Population DensityPopulation Density

• The total number The total number of individuals living of individuals living in a specific areain a specific area

• Example Example person/km2person/km2

Population DistributionPopulation Distribution

A. Randomly ex. Deer in the woodsA. Randomly ex. Deer in the woods

B. Clumps ex. Elk on Highway 52 (Before B. Clumps ex. Elk on Highway 52 (Before CWD)CWD)

C. Uniformly ex. Birds on a wireC. Uniformly ex. Birds on a wire

Gains and Losses in Population Gains and Losses in Population SizeSize

• Immigration- Organisms that move Immigration- Organisms that move into a populationinto a population

• Emigration- Organisms that move Emigration- Organisms that move out of a populationout of a population

• Mortality-similar to death rate; the Mortality-similar to death rate; the number of organisms that have diednumber of organisms that have died

• Natality- birth of organismsNatality- birth of organisms

• Exponential Growth: Exponential Growth: growth that occurs very growth that occurs very rapidlyrapidly

• Doubling Time: Doubling Time: Amount Amount of time it takes for a of time it takes for a population to double it’s population to double it’s sizesize

• r-selected life strategy r-selected life strategy curvecurve

• Examples (insectsExamples (insects

Biotic PotentialBiotic Potential

• The rate at which a population could The rate at which a population could grow if nothing was holding it back, no grow if nothing was holding it back, no limitslimits

• Limiting factors: Limiting factors:

1.1.SpaceSpace

2.2.WaterWater

3.3.NutrientsNutrients

4.4.ShelterShelter

What will happen in the future?What will happen in the future?• Density Dependent Factors:Density Dependent Factors:

1.1.Food Food

2.2.Water Water

3.3.Disease Disease

4.4.WasteWaste

Density IndependentDensity Independent

1.1.LightLight

2.2.TemperatureTemperature

3.3.WeatherWeather

Carrying Capacity and K-Carrying Capacity and K-Selected Life StrategiesSelected Life Strategies

• When populations When populations birth rate equals birth rate equals the death ratethe death rate

• K-selected life K-selected life strategystrategy

• ““K” stands for K” stands for carrying capacitycarrying capacity

• Examples “ Examples “ humans, whaleshumans, whales