ECOLOGY n Ecology the study of interactions among

ECOLOGY!

n *Ecology= the study of interactions among organisms and their environments.

n n n I. Biotic and Abiotic Factors A. Biotic Factors-- all living things that inhabit an environment 1. relationships with organisms of the same or different species. B. Abiotic Factors: The nonliving environment 1. air, currents, temperature, moisture, soil, light etc. 2. Affect species survival and success in the environment.

II. levels of organization A. organism= an individual living thing B. population= a group of organisms of the same species that inhabit a specific area and interbreed. C. community= a collection of populations of different species that interact D. ecosystem= made up of the interactions among the populations in a community and the community's physical/ abiotic surroundings. E. Biosphere-- portion of the earth that supports life

n n n III. Organisms in Ecosystems A. Habitat = where an organism lives B. Niche-- the role and position a species has in its environment (includes all interactions of the species with biotic and abiotic components of its habitat)

Habitat vs. Niche Exit Questions n n Explain the concept of an ecological niche in your own words, giving an example of your choosing. (2 points) Clearly explain how the habitat of a killer whale is different from the niche of a killer whale. (2 points)

n n n IV. Relationships between organisms A. predator-prey relationship B. Competition C. Symbiosis (living together)-- close and permanent association among organisms of different species

n n n *Three types of symbioses 1. parasitism-- one species benefits, the other is harmed (ticks, fleas, tapeworms etc. ) a. parasite b. host 2. mutualism -- both organisms benefit (acacia tree and ants) 3. commensalism-one species benefits and the other is neither helped nor harmed n ex. Orchid epiphytes, geese and falcon (Red breasted geese nest near falcons where they are protected from predators) It is hard to say if this ad is authentic. Nevertheless, in the early 1900 s, “diet treatment with “sanitized tapeworms” was widely advertised. ” according to this American Diabetes Association Paper http: //care. diabetesjournals. org/content/diacare/23/1/118. full. pdf Ant and Caterpillar symbiosis Video (2: 42 min. ) http: //video. nationalgeographic. com/vide Sharks and symbiosis (Unlikely travel companions) https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=d

n n https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=g. Fkdi CQxbyg Symbiosis in the Sea (Jonathan Bird’s Blue World)

Which Symbiosis is it?

SECTION 2. 2 Nutrition and Energy Flow n How organisms Obtain Energy Trophic Levels n Producers (autotrophs) n Make their own food (organic matter) by photosynthesis. n examples? n Consumers (heterotrophs) n Must eat organic matter (other organisms) to get nutrition.

n n Types of consumers n Primary (1 st order) consumers (herbivores) n Eat producers n Secondary (2 nd order) consumers n Eat primary consumers n Tertiary (3 rd order) consumers n Eat secondary consumers n Etc… n Scavengers (eat dead stuff) n Omnivores (eats plants and animals) n Decomposers-- break down dead and decaying matter into simpler molecules they can eat. http: //www. teachersdomain. org/resource/hew 06. sci. life. reg. foodweb/ Coral reef video on

n n II. Matter and Energy Flow in Ecosystems Food Chain n Shows what each organism eats in a line. n Trophic level= a feeding step n Start with producer and end with top predator. n Arrows point in direction of energy flow (to the eater…) n Diagram an example

n Food Web (more accurate) -- shows all possible feeding relationships

n n n Energy Pyramid= 90% of energy is lost (as heat) between trophic levels (only 10% is passed on to next level) Pyramid of Biomass= how much weight of living material at each trophic level Pyramid of Numbers= how many organisms at each trophic level.

Thought Questions n n 1. Draw a food chain with at least 3 organisms for any ecosystem you know about. Label each trophic level 2. For your food chain, draw an energy pyramid. Assume that there are 1, 500, 000 Calories at the producer level. Show many Calories are available at each higher level on your diagram. 3. Food Web Activity: Choose 8 organisms and create a food web. 4. Hypothesize what would occur if one or two organisms were removed from your food web.

n Some stats n n n n One person in seven goes to bed hungry every day. One-third of the world’s population is undernourished. There are 25, 000 starvation-related deaths each day. Each night more than 300 million children go to bed hungry. Every day, over 12, 000 children (one every 7 seconds) die from hungerrelated causes. Approximately 146 million or 27 percent of children under age 5 in developing countries are underweight. Nearly 17 percent of babies in developing countries are born with a low birth weight compared with only 7 percent of babies in industrialized countries. What would be the best way to eat, if you wanted to be able to feed the whole world? Sources: www. one. org, www. bread. org, www. unicef. org, www. who. int, www. unep. org

skip III. Cycles in Nature Hopefully, you know these already. Review in the Biology book on pages 52 -57: The Water Cycle The Carbon Cycle The Nitrogen Cycle The Phosphorus Cycle Your Task: 1. Summarize the main processes for each in your assignments 2. Make a clear, labeled diagram of each cycle in your assignments! n

III. Cycles in Nature Matter is constantly recycled on earth! This is necessary for life!

water

Water Cycle n n n Evaporation Transpiration Condensation Precipitation Runoff

Where do trees get their mass from? n https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=2 KZb 2_vc NTg

carbon

Carbon Cycle n n n Photosynthesis Respiration Carbon moves through food web Combustion Fossilization and Fossil Fuels

The Oxygen Cycle and Carbon Cycle are related

Nitrogen Cycle

Nitrogen Cycle n n n Nitrogen Fixation Nitrification Assimilation Nitrogen moves through food web Decomposition and Ammonification Denitrification

Phosphorus cycle

Phosphorus Cycle n Weathering from n n n Weathering from Rocks Phosphate in soil and water Enters plants (enters food chain) Phosphorus moves through food web Decomposition Uplifting

Think! Thought Questions n n Why are nutrients recycled? (1 pt. ) What processes are involved in all of the cycles (besides the water cycle)? (1 point) Compare (give similarities) and Contrast (give differences) between the flow of matter and the flow of energy in ecosystems. (2 pts. ) What important molecules require nitrogen? Phosphorus? Carbon? (2 pts. )

Chapter 3 (Biology Book) n n n Chapter 3: Communities and Biomes I. Communities (Ch. 3. 1) A. The types of organisms that make up a community will depend on the biotic and abiotic factors of the environment. 1. Adaptation= a trait that helps an organism survive in a certain environment http: //www. pbs. org/wgbh/nova/scienc enow/3209/05. html frozen frogs

n n B. Limiting factors—any biotic or abiotic factor that restricts the existence, numbers, reproduction, or distribution of organisms. (examples? ) 1. Carrying Capacity – the number of organisms of a particular species that an environment can support.

n n n C. Ranges of Tolerance 1. Tolerance = the ability of an organism to survive variations in the environment. 2. Species may be able to tolerate certain conditions but won’t be as healthy as they are in optimal conditions. (examples? )

Exit Questions n n n Explain how limiting factors affect the carrying capacity of an ecosystem for an organism, giving one example. (2 pts. ) Explain how the adaptations of an organism influence the survival of that organism in its environment, giving one example. (2 pts. ) Explain how tolerance of an organism for a specific abiotic variable influences the distribution (locations where it is found) of that organism, giving one example. (2 pts. )

n n n n II. Succession: Changes over Time A. Succession= the orderly, natural changes and species replacements in a community B. 2 Types of Succession 1. Primary succession-colonization of new sites that have no life and no Soil. a. Pioneer species— the first species to colonize an area. (ex. Lichen) b. many changes in species composition c. Climax community—a stable, mature community that undergoes little or no change in species is called a climax community. lichen

n n n 2. Secondary Succession —sequence of community changes that takes place after a community is disrupted by natural disasters or human actions. * Same steps as for primary succession BUT… a. takes less time (soil already present) b. occurs in an area that previously contained life c. pioneer species are different http: //www. dis covery. com/tvshows/othershows/videos/a ssignmentdiscoveryshortssuccession. htm

Succession Comic Strip n Create 2 comic strips (with explanations) showing the following: n n n 1. Primary succession for a tropical island. 2. Secondary succession for a tropical island. Be sure to clearly show and explain how they are different.

n n 3. 2 Biomes! I. Biome= a large group of ecosystems that share the same type of climax community

A. Terrestrial Biomes 1. The type of biome in an area is determined mostly by abiotic factors such as: n n Climate Precipitation Temp. Etc.

2. Major terrestrial biomes Tundra n treeless n permafrost n low nutrient soil n slow decay n Around poles. n

Taiga—northern coniferous forest n Dominated by coniferous trees n acidic/nutrient poor topsoil n long harsh winters, short summers. n

Desert n Very low precipitation n Sparse vegetation n Plants and animals adapted to low water conditions n n ex. kangaroo rat ex. cacti

Grassland n grasses dominate n experience a dry season, often fire. n unpredictable precipitation n fertile soil. n

Temperate deciduous forest— n broadleaf trees that lose leaves seasonally. n

n Tropical rain forest n n Highest biodiversity of terrestrial biomes. Rains frequently/ high precipitation. Canopy prevents understory plant growth. soil is nutrient poor.

ID These Biomes

Planet Earth Video Assignment 1. As the video shows each new biome, write which biome it is, and explain how you can tell. 2. Describe one relationship between different species shown in the video. 3. Describe the flow of energy for one biome. 4. Explain the effect of one limiting factor in the video.

Ch. 4: Population Dynamics n n Think: What factors cause fluctuations in population size in an ecosystem? How and Why? Factors affecting population size n n Birth rate Death Rate Immigration Emigration

I. Population Growth A. Exponential Growth (J-shaped curve)—as pop. gets larger, it grows faster B. S-Shaped growth curve—When population reaches its carrying capacity, growth levels off C. Carrying capacity= the number of organisms of one species that an environment can support Animation A Grain of Rice Story

Wolves Exit Questions n n n Read “The Wolves of Yellowstone” Explain the importance of predators (such a wolves) to populations in an ecosystem using examples from the article to support your explanation. Describe the niche of wolves. Interesting video on the impact of wolves https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=ysa 5 OBh. Xz-Q

n n n Why is pop. Growth limited? D. Limiting factors limit pop. Growth E. Two types of limiting factors 1. Density-dependent factors – factors that affect the population differently depending on the population’s density. n Organism interactions (ex. Disease, competition, predation, crowding) 1918 flu 2. Density-independent factors -- affect the population regardless of its population size. n (ex. freezes, hurricane, floods, forest fires) Simulation activities! Hurricane Katrina

n n F. Reproductive patterns 1. r strategists— n n n rapid life histories rapid reproduction Thrive in unpredictable environments 2. k strategists n n n Large reproduce and mature slowly long-lived often care for young

n n n 4. 2 Human Population Growth A. Demography—the study of human population growth characteristics 1. effects of birth/death rates 2. immigration and emigration 3. Age Structure

In your assignments… n n n Explain why exponential growth CAN’T continue forever. Why does population growth level off? Compare and contrast r and k strategists giving an example of each. Compare and contrast Density dependent factors with density independent factors, giving an example of each.

n n n Ch. 5 Biodiversity and Conservation Section 5. 1 I. Biodiversity= variety of life in an area A. usually increases as you get closer to equator (warmer places—tropical rainforest, coral reefs) B. Larger areas= more biodiversity than smaller areas

n II. Importance of Biodiversity n n n ecological relationships between organisms Importance to people— n medicines n n n Ex. Taxol-Pacific Yew), mold- penicillin, rosy periwinkle—drugs for Hodgkin’s disease (lymphatic cancer) and leukemia, Willow bark—aspirin, cinchona tree bark —quinine) Foods Materials and Resources

n n III. Loss of Biodiversity A. Extinction B. Threatened species— population of the species is declining rapidly (Af. Eleph, loggerhead) C. Endangered Species— numbers of the species are so low that extinction is possible. (Black rhino, CA condors, manatees)

n n IV. Threats to Biodiversity A. habitat loss= biggest threat B. habitat fragmentation—separating wilderness areas from other wilderness areas C. Habitat Degradation

C. Habitat degradation n n Damage to habitat by pollution, etc. See next slides for examples…

Acid Precipitation n “Acid Rain” n n Due to fossil fuel burning leaches nutrients from soil Burns plants Acidifies lakes…

Ozone layer (O 3) and CFC’s n n The ozone layer protects us from UV radiation! CFC’s have depleted the ozone layer.

Eutrophication n n Excess nutrients/fertilizers Causes algae blooms n Can cause water to be depleted of oxygen.

Pesticides n n Chemicals that kill Pest organisms like insects Ex. (DDT) n Effects are often far-reaching: Pelicans? n island fox and eagles? n

Exotic/ invasive species n n Non-native species Often these species harm native species! n How? Predation n Competition n Etc. n Examples: brown tree snake, cane toad, fennel n https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=by. HSh. IHg. Mw 4 Jonathan Bird’s Blue World (Invasive species good) https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=r. I 8 Ii. Lq. IEV 0 cane toads Biological invaders: http: //www. pbs. org/wgbh/evolution/library/10/3/l_103_03. html

Biodiversity Exit Questions n n Define biodiversity and explain why it is important. (2 points) Explain several threats to biodiversity, giving examples. (8 points)

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n n n n n C. Habitat degradation— damage to habitat by pollution 1. Acid Precipitation (leaches nutrients from soil and burns leaves. . . ) 2. Ozone layer (O 3) and CFC’s 3. water pollution a. excess fertilizers —eutrophication b. detergents, heavy metals, industrial chemicals, trash 4. Land pollution a. pesticides (DDT) n island fox and eagles? Pelicans? b. landfills