Ecology

1
Ecology

• Principles of Ecology

2
Organization in the biosphere

• Biosphere- portion of the Earth that supports
  life

3
Parts of the Biosphere

• Abiotic factors- non-living parts of the
  environment
• Ex.- air temp.,water, light, soil
• Biotic factors- all living organisms that inhabit
  an environment

4
Organization of the biosphere

• Ecosystem- interactions among the populations in
  a community and the communities physical
  surroundings ( or abiotic factors)
• Parts of an Ecosystem
• Habitat- place where organism lives
• Niche- role and position a species has in its
  needs for food and shelter
• -all interactions with biotic and abiotic parts
  of its environment

5
Organization of the biosphere

• Community
• a collection of interacting populations
• a change in one population causes a change in
  another

6
Organization of the biosphere

• Population
• group of organisms of one species that interbreed
  and live in the same place at the same time

7
Organization of the biosphere
8
Population Ecology

• Population growth- increase of the size of a
  group over time
• ZPG Zero Population Growth
• birthrate death rate
• Population Growth birthrate-death rate x 100
• 1000

9
Population Ecology

•  
• Exponential Growth- as population gets larger,
  it grows faster
• J-curve graph

10
Population Ecology

• Carrying capacity- number of organisms of one
  species that an environment can support
• S-shaped curve

11
Human Population Growth
12
Factors effecting population growth rate

• Age structure see fig. 4.11 p. 107
• Immigration- movement
• into a population
• Emigration- movement
• from a population

13
Relationships in the community

• Symbiosis- relationships between organisms
  where there is a close and permanent association
  among organisms
• Three types
• Mutualism
• Commensalism
• Parasitism

14
Types of Symbiosis

• Mutualism- both organisms benefit

Lichens are formed by algae and fungi living
together. Algae can photosynthesize and make food
which is shared by the fungus. The fungus in turn
shelters the algae from a harsh climate.
15
Types of Symbiosis

• Mutualism 2

• Bright and colorful clown fish live in and
  amongst the tentacles of the sea anemone, which
  look like beautiful aquatic flowers, but bear
  poisonous stinging cells called nematocysts. A
  slime layer covering the clownfish make them
  immune to the stinging cells, and the stinging
  tentacles of the sea anemone deter potential
  predators. The clownfish in turn protect the sea
  anemone from other fish that would feed on the
  anemone. Clownfish lay eggs within the sea
  anemone, which offers protection during their
  incubation and development.

16
Types of Symbiosis

• Commensalism- one organism benefits, the other is
  unaffected

• Barnacles attach to a whale or scallop shell. The
  barnacles get a home and transport, and the whale
  or scallop is not affected.

17
Types of Symbiosis

• Commensalism 2

The Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis) forages in
pastures and fields among livestock such as
cattle and horses, feeding on the insects stirred
up by the movement of the grazing animals. The
egrets benefit from the arrangement, but the
livestock, generally, do not. However as in most
cases of commensalism, there is a "but". Cattle
Egrets have been observed perching on the top of
cattle picking off ticks, lending a slight tinge
of mutualism to the arrangement.
18
Types of Symbiosis

• Parasitism- one organism benefits, the other is
  harmed

A tapeworm lives inside another animal, attaching
itself to the host's gut and absorbing its host's
food. The host loses nutrition, and may develop
weight loss, diarrhea and vomiting. Usually
parasites do not kill the host before they move
on, as this would cut off their food supply.
19
Types of Symbiosis

• Parasitism 2

20
Nutrition and Energy Flow

• The ultimate source of energy is

the SUN!
21
Nutrition and Energy Flow

• Food Chains- shows how matter and energy flow
  from autotroph to heterotroph to decomposer

Autotroph/Producers use suns energy to create
chemical compounds (photosynthesis) Ex. plants
and algae
Carnivores/ 2nd and 3rd Order Consumers- feed on
other animals
Herbivores/1st Order Consumers- feeds on plants
Heterotrophs/Consumers- organisms that feed on
other organisms
22
Nutrition and Energy Flow

• Decomposers- break down and absorb nutrients
  from dead organisms
• Ex.- fungi and bacteria

23
Nutrition and Energy Flow

• Other members of a food chain
• Omnivores- feeds on plants and animals

24
Nutrition and Energy Flow

• Other members of a food chain
• Scavengers- eats animals that have already died

25
Nutrition and Energy Flow

• Food Webs- all possible feeding relationships in
  a community

26
Nutrition and Energy Flow

• Aquatic food web

27
Nutrition and Energy Flow

• Trophic Levels- a feeding step in a food chain
• only pass on approximately 10 of energy to next
  trophic level

28
Nutrition and Energy Flow

• Pyramid of Energy- shows loss of energy at each
  trophic level

29
Nutrition and Energy Flow
30
Nutrition and Energy Flow
31
Nutrition and Energy Flow
32
Cycles in Nature
Carbon Cycle
33
Cycles in Nature Water Cycle