Transcript Introduction to Ecology

Introduction to Ecology
Marc Daniels
Biology
What Is Ecology?
• Ecology is the study of how organisms interact
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with the environment
The environment consists of abiotic and biotic
factors
Biotic factors are living factors (other organisms)
Abiotic factors are physical, non-living factors
Historical Factors help us determine movement
of individuals
• There are 4 different types of ecology
Why Do We Study Ecology?
• Ecology helps us understand the
abundance and distribution of organisms.
• It provides a scientific foundation for the
conservation of species and natural areas.
Types of Ecology
• Organismal Ecology
– Explores the morphological, physiological, and
behavioral adaptations that allow for
individuals to live successfully in an area.
– Focuses on how organisms interact with one
another and their physical environment
Types of Ecology
• Population Ecology
– A population is a group of individuals of the
same species that live in the same area at the
same time
– Focuses on how the number of individuals
change over time, which includes analyzing
and predicting population trends.
Types of Ecology
• Community Ecology
– A Community is a group of species that
interact with one another in a particular area
(includes more that one specie)
– Focuses on interactions between species such
as predation, parasitism, competition, as well
as how organisms respond to disturbances
(fires, floods, man made creations, etc.)
Types of Ecology
• Ecosystem Ecology
– An Ecosystem consists of all the organisms in
a particular region along with non-living
components. (biotic and abiotic factors)
– Focuses on how nutrients and energy move
between organisms, as well as how abiotic
factors such as climate, pollution, etc. affect
organisms.
Factors That Shape Climate
• Factors that shape temperature, moisture,
sunlight, and wind
– Varies due to varying amounts of sunlight that
hit our earth
• More sunlight near the equator, with sunlight
lessening at altitudes north and south of the
equator
• Seasons are caused by the tilt of the earth (23.5
degrees)
http://www.dkimages.com/discover/previews/784/563581.JPG
Factors That Shape Climate
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Air circulation due to heated
and cooling air creates
Hadley Cells
Warmer air holds more water,
but areas in between falling
hot air tend to be dry areas
(30 degrees north and south)
http://mynasadata.larc.nasa.gov/images/hadleycell.gif
http://whyfiles.org/174earth_observe/images/hadley.jpg
Terrestrial and Aquatic
Ecosystems
• Biome- a type of terrestrial ecosystem that
is unique to a given region.
• Often characterized by the types of plants
that are within the area.
• Categorized by precipitation, temperature,
as well as the variation of the two.
http://ridge.icu.ac.jp/gen-ed/biogeog-jpgs/biomes.jpg
Different Types of Biomes
• Tropical Wet Forests/Rain Forests
– Near equatorial regions
– Precipitation and temperatures are high
– Variation in temperature is low, rain supports
all year long growth
– Plants are typically broad leaved evergreens
– Very diverse plants and animals- wide array of
habitats for animals.
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Laboratory/Biome/Images/mission.jpg&imgrefurl=http:/
/earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Laboratory/Biome/&h=353&w=521&sz=60&hl=en&start=6&um=1&tbnid=eyOcNv3NWX1CpM:&tbnh=8
9&tbnw=131&prev=
Different Types of Biomes
• Subtropical Deserts
– Near 30 degrees south and north
– Temperatures vary more than in rain forests
– Temperatures do not fall below zero
– Drier regions that get little rain fall (Why is
this?)
– Plants have low growth rate, or break
dormancy and grow rapidly when there is
rainfall
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Laboratory/Biome/Images/mission.jpg&imgrefurl=http:/
/earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Laboratory/Biome/&h=353&w=521&sz=60&hl=en&start=6&um=1&tbnid=eyOcNv3NWX1CpM:&tbnh=8
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Different Types of Biomes
• Temperate Grasslands
– Relatively dry areas (low rainfall)
– Grasses are dominant life form
– Temperatures can range from hot to below
freezing
– Long warm summers, and short cold winters
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Laboratory/Biome/Images/mission.jpg&imgrefurl=http:/
/earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Laboratory/Biome/&h=353&w=521&sz=60&hl=en&start=6&um=1&tbnid=eyOcNv3NWX1CpM:&tbnh=8
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Different Types of Biomes
• Temperate Forests
– Similar to Temperate Grasslands, but there is
relatively high precipitation that is constant
throughout the year
– Increased precipitation allows for the
development of forests
– Plants typically have a period of dormancy
(dropping leaves in autumn and growing in
the spring)
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Laboratory/Biome/Images/mission.jpg&imgrefurl=http:/
/earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Laboratory/Biome/&h=353&w=521&sz=60&hl=en&start=6&um=1&tbnid=eyOcNv3NWX1CpM:&tbnh=8
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Different Types of Biomes
• Boreal Forests/ Taiga
– Regions just below the Arctic Circle, often called subarctic.
– Very cold winters, with cool short summers (have a
high variation in temperatures)
– Little evaporation, so moisture is abundant although
precipitation is low.
– Low diversity of organisms and low productivity
– Dominated by cold-tolerant conifers (pines, spruce,
larch trees)
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Laboratory/Biome/Images/mission.jpg&imgrefurl=http:/
/earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Laboratory/Biome/&h=353&w=521&sz=60&hl=en&start=6&um=1&tbnid=eyOcNv3NWX1CpM:&tbnh=8
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Different Types of Biomes
• Arctic Tundra
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Areas above the sub-arctic
Very short growing season (two months)
Temperatures are below freezing
Low precipitation, but low evaporation rates
Lack of trees, but there are short plants such as
shrubs (growing season too short to support growth)
– Low species diversity and productivity
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Laboratory/Biome/Images/mission.jpg&imgrefurl=http:/
/earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Laboratory/Biome/&h=353&w=521&sz=60&hl=en&start=6&um=1&tbnid=eyOcNv3NWX1CpM:&tbnh=8
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Different Types of Biomes
• Lakes, Ponds, and Wetlands
– Bodies of freshwater
• Ponds are small, lakes are large enough to be
affected by wind and have waves
• Wetlands are shallower, with soil saturated into the
water, and contain plants that grow above the
surface of the water
• Wetlands consist of Swamps, Marshes, and Bogs
http://www.shastalake.com/images/shasta-lake-5-25-2006.jpg
http://www.aquapools.net/images/Ponds/ponds_1013.jpg
http://bulimbacreek.org.au/__data/page/13738/tingalpa_-_wetlands2.jpg
Marshes, Swamps, and Bogs
• Marshes– lack trees, have a slow and steady rate of water flow
– Typically connected to a lake or stream system
• Swamps
– Similar to marshes
– Tree and shrub dominated
Both are productive habitats because of the supply of
sunlight and water
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Florida_freshwater_marshes_usgov_image.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wiki
pedia/commons/7/75/Florida_
freshwater_swamp_usgov_image.jpg
Marshes, Swamps, and Bogs
• Bogs– Are not productive environments
– In areas where water flow is low or nonexistent
– Stagnant water flow-> oxygen poor >decomposistion-> lack of nitrogen
http://upload.wi
kimedia.org/wiki
pedia/en/c/c6/Br
own_Lake_Bog_
OH.jpg
Different Types of Biomes
• Streams
– Bodies of water that move constantly in one direction
• Creeks- small streams
• Rivers- large streams
– Colder streams are faster, narrower
– Warmer streams are slower, and wider (more
favorable for the growth of plants)
– Estuary- the environment that forms where the river
meets the ocean (fresh water meets saltwater)
http://bulimbacreek.org.au/__data/page/13738/tingalpa_-_wetlands2.jpg
Different Types of Biomes
• Marine Environments
– Distinguished by it’s water depth
– Sunlight penetrates water differently at
different depths
– Contains multiple areas/zones such as the
photic zone, aphotic zone, and benthic zone
http://funnel.sfsu.edu/courses/geol102/graphics/kareng/life.env2.jpg
http://funnel.sfsu.edu/courses/geol102/graphics/kareng/life.env.jpg
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/images/biomes/aquatic2.jpg