Transcript INTRODUCTION - Schoolwires

Introduction to Ecology: Historical Foundations
and Developing Frontiers
Chapter 1
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Outline
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Overview of Ecology
Ecology of Forest Birds
Forest Canopy Research
Climatic and Ecological Change
The Scope of Ecology
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Overview of Ecology
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Ecology: Study of relationships between
organisms and the environment.
 Simple definition does not convey the
extreme breadth of this discipline.
Ecosystem: Includes all organisms living in
an area, and the physical environment with
which these organisms interact.
 Biosphere: Highest level of ecological
organization.
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Ecology of Forest Birds
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MacArthur studied ecology of five species of
warblers in spruce forests in N.A.
 Theory predicted two species with
identical ecological requirements could not
coexist indefinitely.
 Studies found warblers coexisted by
feeding in different zones of the same
tree.
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Warbler Feeding Zones
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Stable Isotope Analysis
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Chemical elements have different atomic
masses (isotopes)
Proportions of isotopes vary across the
environment and this is reflected in the body
tissue of organisms
 Recent advances in ecology take
advantage of this variation
 By examining body tissue, ecologists
can determine food sources and habitat
use
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Forest Canopy Research
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Due to heavy rainfall, many rainforest soils
are nutrient-poor.
 Nutrient stores in rainforest canopies are
associated with epiphytes.
 Epiphyte mats contain significant
quantities of nutrients.
 Trees send roots up to epiphyte mats
to access nutrients.
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Climatic and Ecological Change
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Many environmental changes occur over
large spatial or temporal scales.
Davis monitored plant pollen deposited in
lake sediments in the Appalachian Mtns.
 Documented large temporal changes to
nearby plant communities.
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Vegetation History from Pollen Sediments
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The Scope of Ecology
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Ecology: Study of relationships between
organisms and the environment.
 Wide variety of approaches.
 Large temporal and spatial scales.
 Field
 Lab
 Observational
 Manipulative
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Review
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Overview of Ecology
Ecology of Forest Birds
Forest Canopy Research
Climatic and Ecological Change
The Scope of Ecology
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