Transcript Introduction to Ecology

IN:
What does ecology mean to
you? Draw a picture to give
your answer. (No words)
Ecology
I. Focus of Ecology
A. Population- group of
individuals of the same
species in a particular
geographical area
B. Community- assemblage
of populations of different
species
C. Ecosystem- all abiotic
factors and the community
of species in an area
D. Biosphere- the sum of all
the planet’s (biomes)
ecosystems;
13 miles of water and air
where life exists on our
planet
II. Environmental Factors
A. Abiotic Factors
1. Nonliving chemical and
physical components
2. Include temperature,
water, sunlight, wind, rocks
and soil, periodic
disturbances.
B. Biotic factors
1. Living components
2. Food source, interactions
III. Climate and the Biosphere
A. Global climate and local weather
create biomes
B. Biomes- Communities
characterized by a certain climate
and types of plants and animals
IV. Global Climate Effects
A. Seasons
B.Precipitation
C.Coriolis Effect
1. If Earth was smooth and had no interactions between land
and ocean masses, two very large convection cells would
arise between the polar and equatorial regions.
2. The spinning earth breaks these cells into smaller cells.
3. Friction with the spinning earth deflects the surface winds
(Coriolis effect)
• Sketch
and label
the picture
of global
wind
patterns in
your
notebook
OUT: Word Tent
Biosphere
Ecosystem, Population
Ecology, Biome, Community
• Use all the words under the tent in one
sentence to show you understand their
meaning. (NO DEFINITIONS) Underline
the words as you use them. NOTE: You
may change the endings and/or use a
term more than once.
V. Freshwater Biomes
A.
Lakes
1. Oligotrophic: deep,
nutrient poor
2. Eutrophic: shallow,
nutrient rich
B. Streams and Rivers
C. Wetlands-Swamps, bogs,
marshes.
D. Estuaries- area where fresh
and saltwater meet
VI. Marine Biomes
A. Intertidal Zone = area that is
exposed to the air at low tide
and underwater at high tide
B. Pelagic Zone: open water
1. Neritic Zone
a) Shallow regions over
continental shelves
b) Most productive region
2. Oceanic Zone: very deep
water past the continental
shelves
C. Benthic Zone
1. Seafloor
2. Abyssal zone: benthic
region in deep oceans
oceans, seas, salt water
VII. Terrestrial Biomes
A. Climate is main determinant.
B. Gradients are seen with
altitude.
VII. Terrestrial Biomes
C.
Types of Biomes
1. Tropical Forests
a) Near equator, the richest
biome, both in diversity
and in total biomass.
b) May be dry, deciduous, or
rain forests.
2. Grasslands
a) Temperate grasslandsinclude the Russian
steppes, the South
American pampas, and
North American prairies.
b) Savanna- tropical
grassland that contains
some trees.
VII. Terrestrial Biomes
3. Deserts- annual rainfall is less
than 25 cm
4. Chaparral- shrub land along
some coastal areas. 10-38˚C
(50-100˚F) Hot and Dry. Very
little precipitation. 30-100 cm
5. Temperate Deciduous Forests
a) The climate is moderate
b) Seasons are well-defined.
c) Trees have broad leaves.
d) Leaves turn color, fall off,
and die
6.
VII.
Terrestrial
Biomes
Taiga (Coniferous
Forests, Boreal Forests,
Temperate Rain Forests)
largest land biome, long
winters, very cold. 3085cm
7. Tundra- about 20
percent of the earth's
land surface, 6-10cm of
rainfall annually,
permafrost. Cold & dry
VIII. Ecosystem Structure
A. Habitat- where an
organism lives
B. Niche
1. Role an organism plays
in its community
2. Use of biotic and abiotic
factors
3. Species cannot coexist
with identical niches
Ex: Barnacle sp. on the coast of Scotland
VIII. Ecosystem Structure
C.
Autotrophic Organisms( PRODUCERS)
1. Chemoautotrophs
2. Photoautotrophs
D. Heterotrophic Organisms
(CONSUMER)
1. Herbivores
2. Carnivores
3. Omnivores
4. Detritivores/Decomposers- feed on
detritus (decomposing products of
organisms)
IX. Food Webs
A. The interconnected feeding
relationships that exist in
nature
B. A food web shows passage of
energy through a community
C. Food Chain- flow of one
pathway
X. Trophic Structure
A. Trophic Levels- Feeding
Levels
=organisms that are the
same number of steps
from the energy input
into the system
B. Primary Producers
1. Autotrophs
2. Photosynthesize to
create sugar
C. Primary consumers
1. Herbivores
2. Use sugar for
respiration
D. Secondary and tertiary
consumers (carnivores)
XI. Ecological
Pyramids
= a graph of
energy
relationships in
ecosystem
A. Ecological Efficiency: % of E
transferred from one trophic
level to the next (5-20%)
B. Pyramid of Productivity: loss
of Energy in trophic levels
C. Pyramid of Biomass: shows the
amount of biomass (dry
weight) in ecosystems
D. Pyramid of Numbers: shows the
total number of organisms at
each level in an ecosystem
Energy Pyramid
Biomass Pyramid
*90% less at each level
Numbers Pyramid
Robins
Grasshoppers
Snails
Blades of
Grass
OUT:
Grass - > Mouse -> Cat -> Coyote
Suppose 10,000 units of energy are available at the level of the
grasses. What is the total number of energy units lost by the time
energy reaches the coyote?
a. 90 units b. 990 units
c. 9900 units
d. 9990 units
D. 10,000 units in grass
1000 units in mouse
(10,000 X .9 = 9000 lost; 1000 left)
100 units in cat
(1000 X .9 = 900 lost; 100 left)
10 units left in coyote (100 X.9
= 90 lost; 10 left )
10,000 – 10 = 9990
XII. Biotic Interactions
A.
Intraspecific Competition- Between members of
same species
B. Interspecific Competition- Between members
of different species
1. Predation
a) including parasitism
b) may involve a keystone species/predator
2. Competition (intra/inter)
3. Commensalism
4. Mutualism
XIII. Biogeochemical Cycles
A.
B.
C.
D.
Water
Carbon
Nitrogen
Phosphorus
XIV. Human Disruption of Cycles
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
G.
Biological magnification
=increasing concentration of
pesticide through the food
chain
Agriculture
1. Reduction of Biodiversity
2. Habitat Destruction
Eutrophication of Lakes
Air Pollution
Greenhouse Effect
Depletion of Ozone
(chlorofluorocarbons)
Introducing Exotic Species
P112
• Search INTERNET for diagrams of the
WATER, CARBON, and NITROGEN
Cycles. Print them and glue onto page (or
other sheet) Write a paragraph to explain
each cycle (minimum 5 sentences)
XV. Ecological Succession
A. Transition in species
composition over time
B. Primary
1. Begin in lifeless area
2. No soil
3. Ex : volcanic activity or
retreating glacier
C. Secondary
1. Existing community has
been cleared by some
disturbance
2. Leaves the soil intact
3. Ex: Fire, farming
XVI. Biodiversity
A. Too much or not
enough
disturbance
reduces
biodiversity.
B. Patchiness creates
biodiversity and
overall stability.
XVII. Support for Biodiversity
A. 25% of all medical
prescriptions from plants
B. Genetic variability
C. Aesthetic and ethical
reasons
XVIII. Conservation Biology
A. Evolutionary/ecological view
1. Natural systems result from
millions of years of evolution
2. Ecosystem processes are
necessary to maintain the
biosphere
B. Preservation: setting side
select areas as natural and
underdeveloped
C. Resource conservation:
manage public lands for
“multiple use”
D. Bioremediation: use of living
organisms to detoxify polluted
systems