Ecology

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Ecology

• The interaction of an organism and its environment

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• Biology is multidimensional

Cell Tissue Organ Organ System Organism Population
Community Ecosystem
This array is an example of what
dimension? Levels of Organization What fields of
biology are at each extreme? Biochemistry and
Biophysics In this course our focus will be
upon The Plant!
3
Ecosphere
What is the white mass at the top? What is the
big green-brown body in the upper half? What
season is it in Connecticut? What are the white
swirls? Where is the equator?
http//www.solstation.com/stars/earth.jpg
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Biome deciduous forest biome
What is one source for the water?
http//www.theexplorationplace.com/eforest/satelli
tepic.jpg
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Ecosystems forest, riverine, old field, disturbed
http//www.natureconservancy.ca/images/upload/ATLN
B20-20Saint20John20River20Hardwood20Forest2
0-20Aerial20-20Communications20NB207220DPI2
0RGB20JPG.jpg
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Forest ecosystem a community of trees
What are the different colors and shapes? What
are we not seeing without a closer look?
http//www.usaid.gov/our_work/environment/forestry
/images/panama_forest.jpg
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Forest Community What do producer, consumer,
decomposer mean?
http//www.sfrc.ufl.edu/4h/blabea2s.jpg
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Population of trees--OK only if ONE species? Is
that valid?
http//www.fountainforestry.com/Dunn.JPG
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Organism one tree
Why is this one tree so different from those
individuals in the previous picture?
http//www.oplin.org/tree/fact20pages/maple_sugar
/tree.jpg
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Organ System branch with stem, buds, petioles,
leaves
http//oregonstate.edu/dept/ldplants/images/acru6.
jpg
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Organ one leaf
blade
http//canada.culminis.com/canada/Silver20Maple2
0Leaf.JPG
petiole
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Tissues epidermis, palisade and spongy
mesophyll, xylem, phloem
epidermis window, lens
palisade mesophyll photosynthesis
xylem water and mineral intake
phloem sugar and amino acid export
http//gecko.gc.maricopa.edu/lsola/Leaf/Leafxs.jp
g
spongy mesophyll evaporative cooling
(photosynthesis)
epidermis regulates water loss and gas
exchange
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Cell a mesophyll protoplast (Cell wall was
digested off by cellulase)
cell membrane import/export
chloroplast photosynthesis
nucleus transcription replication
vacuole toxic waste processing
cytosol fermentation glycolysis
http//www.botany.wisc.edu/images/mesophyll-protop
last_lg.jpg
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Organelles endoplasmic reticulum, nucleus,
mitochondrion, oleosome
endoplasmic reticulum internal transport
nucleus transcription, replication
http//www.tmd.ac.jp/artsci/biol/textbook/nucleus.
gif
DNA
zymogen granule enzyme protein storage and
secretion compartment
mitochondrion respiration
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Macromolecular DNA
ribose sugar (green white)
phosphate (yellow red)
nitrogenous bases (blue green white red)
http//sbchem.sunysb.edu/msl/dna.gif
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Environmental Requirements For Plants
Water (H2O) Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Sunlight and
Heat Minerals (most from soil) Macroelements
(above plus) Nnitrogen Pphosphorus
Kpotassium Cacalcium Mgmagnesium Feiron
Ssulfur Microelements (enzyme cofactors) Co Mn
Cu Zn Si Mo B Al Cl
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Forest Community Trophic Levels What
do producer, consumer, decomposer mean?
http//www.sfrc.ufl.edu/4h/blabea2s.jpg
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Food Web and Trophic Pyramid
energy processed
2 Carnivores 10 kcal m-2 yr-1 1 Carnivores
400 Herbivores 4,000 Producers 21,000
Energy lost at each transition and with life
cost at each level
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Food Web and Trophic Pyramid
biomass
1 Carnivores 0.1 g DW m-2 Herbivores
0.6 Producers 470.0
plants outweigh all consumers combined!
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Food Web and Trophic Pyramid
biomass
Which trophic level has the higher rates of
growth and/or reproduction?
Zooplankton 21g DW m-2 Phytoplankton 4
What happens if I use weed and feed on my lawn?
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Food Web and Trophic Pyramid
population size
2 Carnivores 1 Carnivores Herbivores Producers
This might be expected for a grasslands ecosystem
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Food Web and Trophic Pyramid
population size
2 Carnivores 1 Carnivores Herbivores Producer
This might be expected for a tropical single-tree
ecosystem
What is the compensating factor making this
stable? If the tree is unique in a very diverse
tropical rainforest, if the associated species
have obligate relationships, what happens if we
harvest this one tree?
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Competition Spirodela is excluded by Lemna when
grown together
Did/Will you observe competitive exclusion in the
arboretum?
Spirodela http//www.univ-ubs.fr/ecologie/Photos/l
emna.jpg
Allelopathy chemical inhibition of other
organisms nearby.
Lemna http//www.mobot.org/jwcross/duckweed/Lemna_
graphics_New/L_gibba2.jpg
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Symbiosis Mutualism
Legume - Rhizobium Pollinator - Flowering
plant Ant - Acacia Trees - Mycorrhizal
fungi Lichen
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Symbiosis Commensalism
Tree - Vitis labrusca
http//www.all-creatures.org/pica/ftshl-grape-24.j
pg
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Symbiosis Parasitism
Vitis labrusca - Phylloxera infestans
http//ohioline.osu.edu/b919/images/919_080.jpg
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Symbiosis Herbivory
Ungulate or Rodent - Plant Opuntia - Cactoblastis
cactorum - Cyclura rileyi
http//www.gri.msstate.edu/research/cmdmn/images/c
actoblastis.jpg
http//www.oceanoasis.org/fieldguide/images/opun-l
ag-fruit-rebman.jpg
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Symbiosis Carnivory
Carnivorous plant - Animal
http//www.falle.de/scripts/fleischfresser/fallen_
dionaea_z.jpg
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Succession Primary
Pioneer Species colonizing rock, creating soil
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Succession Secondary
Successional Seres Old Field going back to
Forest
http//www.freewebs.com/kingsprovince/Old20field.
jpg
Is a Climax Community a valid concept? (Chestnut,
Dogwood)
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Terrestrial Landmarks and Photoperiod Swings
The sun passes directly overhead for more days
per year than anywhere else Minimal photoperiod
swings
The sun passes directly overhead only one day per
year Photoperiod swings
Tropical Climate
The sun fails to rise at least one day per
year Extreme photoperiod swings
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Effect of Latitude and Solar Incidence
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Effect of Latitude, Longitude (proximity to water)
How harsh is the winter in Willimantic,
Connecticut?
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Effect of Latitude

• The thin white line around the earth is its
  atmosphere!
• Air pockets called cells have the circulation
  indicated by arrows.
• Arrows coming down indicate high pressure, less
  precipitation.
• Arrows pointing outward indicate low pressure,
  and high precipitation.
• Pattern repeated in Southern Hemisphere (not
  shown)

H
L
30N
H
westerlies
horse latitudes
NE trade winds
0
L
equatorial doldrums
SE trade winds
horse latitudes
westerlies
30S
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Effect of Elevation
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Biomes on Earth
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Biome Temperature Precipitation Key Plants Other Features
Rainforest High High Broadleaf evergreen trees, epiphytes, lianas (vines) The soils are infertile and the species diversity is very high
Savannas and Deciduous Tropical Forest High Seasonal Drought Grasslands with scattered broadleaf deciduous shrubs and trees Periodic fire is common, C4 photosynthesis
Desert High Low but a "wet" season Succulents and some annual herbs Small/no leaves, thick waxy cuticles, hairy epidermi, CAM photosynthesis
Grasslands Temperate Moderate Low Perennial bunch and sod grasses Land exploited for crops
Temperate deciduous forest Temperate Moderate Even Deciduous trees and perennial herbs Obvious herbaceous plants vary with season
Temperate mixed and conifer forests Moderate Moderate Mixtures of broadleaf and conifers Transition between temperate and taiga, soils are infertile
Mediterranean scrub Temperate moist winter dry summer Evergreen and summer deciduous trees and shrubs, thicket/coppice Also known as chaparral (NW) and maquis (OW)
Taiga Severe temperate Moderate Low Coniferous forest Soils are acid and infertile, possible permafrost
Tundra Extreme temperate Low Very low shrubs, grasses, lichens, herbs Permafrost present in soil, much plant biomass is below ground