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BIO 340: ECOLOGY
I. What is Ecology?
A. Definition:
?
BIO 340: ECOLOGY
I. What is Ecology?
A. Definition:
The study of the interactions of organisms with one another and
with their environment. - Ricklefs Glossary
BIO 340: ECOLOGY
I. What is Ecology?
A. Definition:
The study of the interactions of organisms with one another and
with their environment. - Ricklefs Glossary
“The scientific study of the distribution and abundance of
organisms and their interactions with the environment.”
These interactions affect the
distribution and abundance of
organisms in time and space.
BIO 340: ECOLOGY
I. What is Ecology?
A. Definition:
B. What it is not:
BASIC
APPLIED
Human Physiology
Medicine
BIO 340: ECOLOGY
I. What is Ecology?
A. Definition:
B. What it is not:
BASIC
APPLIED
Human Physiology
Medicine
Ecology
Conservation Biology
Wildlife Management
Agricultural Science
BIO 340: ECOLOGY
I. What is Ecology?
A. Definition:
B. What it is not:
BASIC
APPLIED
Human Physiology
Medicine
Ecology
Conservation Biology
Applied Ecology
Wildlife Management
Agricultural Science
Environ. Science
Sustainability Science
BIO 340: ECOLOGY
I. What is Ecology?
A. Definition:
B. What it is not:
Science, not a social or political agenda
BIO 340: ECOLOGY
I. What is Ecology?
A. Definition:
B. What it is not:
Science, not a philosophy
BIO 340: ECOLOGY
I. What is Ecology?
A. Definition:
B. What it is not
C. The Challenges:
- complexity and diversity
Explain this Cost Rican Rainforest….
BIO 340: ECOLOGY
I. What is Ecology?
A. Definition:
B. What it is not
C. The Challenges:
- complexity and diversity
Explain this Cost Rican Rainforest….
Now this one in New Guinea…
BIO 340: ECOLOGY
I. What is Ecology?
A. Definition:
B. What it is not
C. The Challenges:
- complexity and diversity
- landscape context
And now these fragments of different size/isolation
Explain this Cost Rican Rainforest….
Now this one in New Guinea…
BIO 340: ECOLOGY
I. What is Ecology?
A. Definition:
B. What it is not
C. The Challenges:
- complexity and diversity
- interaction change
- as organisms develop
BIO 340: ECOLOGY
I. What is Ecology?
A. Definition:
B. What it is not
C. The Challenges:
- complexity and diversity
- interaction change
- as organisms develop
- with changes in population size
BIO 340: ECOLOGY
I. What is Ecology?
A. Definition:
B. What it is not
C. The Challenges:
- complexity and diversity
- interaction change
- as organisms develop
- with changes in population size
- changes in communities over time: succession
BIO 340: ECOLOGY
I. What is Ecology?
A. Definition:
B. What it is not
C. The Challenges:
- complexity and diversity
- interaction change
- as organisms develop
- with changes in population size
- changes in communities over time: succession
- evolutionary changes over time causing divergence
Sharp-billed ground finches on different
islands in the Galapagos
BIO 340: ECOLOGY
I. What is Ecology?
A. Definition:
B. What it is not
C. The Challenges:
- complexity and diversity
- interaction change
Anectdotal natural history
stories
General Principles
II. Approaches in Ecology
A. Biological Scales
II. Approaches in Ecology
A. Biological Scales
Emergent properties at
each scale
II. Approaches in Ecology
A. Biological Scales
B. Ecological Roles
Primary Producers fix
energy in sunlight and
build/absorb organic
molecules….some bacteria,
some protists, and plants.
Consumers eat primary
producers, decomposers, and
other consumers as herbivores,
detritivores, predators, and
parasites… some bacteria, some
protists, and animals.
Decomposers eat dead
material and release
nutrients to the soil.
Bacteria and fungi.
II. Approaches in Ecology
A. Biological Scales
B. Ecological Roles
- the evolution of ecosystems
~ 4 bya
~2 bya
4.5 bya
~1 bya
~0.4 bya
present
Only bacteria and archaeans (all roles)
II. Approaches in Ecology
A. Biological Scales
B. Ecological Roles
- the evolution of ecosystems
~ 4 bya
~2 bya
~1 bya
4.5 bya
~0.4 bya
present
Evolution of eukaryotes
and multicellular animals
(consumers/detritivores)
II. Approaches in Ecology
A. Biological Scales
B. Ecological Roles
Evolution of plants
- the evolution of ecosystems
~ 4 bya
4.5 bya
~2 bya
~1 bya
~0.4 bya
present
II. Approaches in Ecology
A. Biological Scales
B. Ecological Roles
- the evolution of ecosystems
~ 4 bya
4.5 bya
~2 bya
~1 bya
Bacteria are still major contributors to primary
production (particularly in oceans)
Bacteria are still major consumers; all animals
have bacterial endosymbionts that live in the gut,
eating food
Bacteria are still major decomposers (with fungi)
Bacteria continue to form ecosystems in habitats
where nothing else can survive (geothermal
springs, oil deposits, etc.
~0.4 bya
present
II. Approaches in Ecology
A. Biological Scales
B. Ecological Roles
- the evolution of ecosystems
- chains, pyramids, and webs
Chain: one path of energy flow
II. Approaches in Ecology
A. Biological Scales
B. Ecological Roles
- the evolution of ecosystems
- chains, pyramids, and webs
Pyramid:
Either abundance or biomass in
trophic levels
II. Approaches in Ecology
A. Biological Scales
B. Ecological Roles
- the evolution of ecosystems
- chains, pyramids, and webs
Webs: all paths of energy flow.
Reveals possible indirect
effects
II. Why is Ecology Important to Humanity?
A. It describes our interactions with the environment, too
II. Why is Ecology Important to Humanity?
II. Why is Ecology Important to Humanity?
A. It describes our interactions with the environment, too
1. Humans are part of nature, and interact with the environment:
- we are smart, social and technologically advanced predators, and can drive other
species to extinction.
13 Species Hunted to Extinction by Humans
…even in the largest habitat on earth, as a consequence of
nets and longlines…
~400 tons of mackerel caught in one pull of a
single purse seine
~30% of fished species
have populations that
have collapsed
II. Why is Ecology Important to Humanity?
A. It describes our interactions with the environment, too
1. Humans are part of nature, and interact with the environment:
- we are smart, social and technologically advanced predators, and can drive other
species to extinction.
- we facilitate the population growth of other species at every trophic level:
- crops (primary producers)
- livestock (herbivores)
- pets (predators)
(mutualism, not predation)
II. Why is Ecology Important to Humanity?
A. It describes our interactions with the environment, too
1. Humans are part of nature, and interact with the environment:
- we are smart, social and technologically advanced predators, and can drive other
species to extinction.
- we facilitate the population growth of other species at every trophic level:
- crops (primary producers)
- livestock (herbivores)
- pets (predators)
2. Ecology describes our population growth
- As a consequence of these interactions, our population has increased 7x in 150
years.
1860 – 1 billion
2010 – 7 billion
Jan 14, 2014 – 7.2 billion
Human Ecology:
- distribution...
Human Ecology:
- distribution...
Human Ecology:
- distribution...
Human Ecology:
- distribution...
Human Ecology:
- distribution...
Human Ecology:
- distribution... and abundance...
Human Ecology:
- distribution... and abundance...
Born 1928 (2 b)
Born 1960 (3 b)
Born 1987 (5 b)
II. Why is Ecology Important to Humanity?
A. It describes our interactions with the environment, too
1. Humans are part of nature, and interact with the environment:
2. Ecology describes our population growth
3. And, with other environmental sciences, describes the effects we are
having on every earth system
3. And, with other environmental sciences, describes the effects we are
having on every earth system
- Biosphere: We are using 40% of NPP, causing one of six mass extinction events
in earth history
3. And, with other environmental sciences, describes the effects we are
having on every earth system
396 – Dec 2013
- Atmosphere: We are changing the composition of the atmosphere and patterns of
energy flow
3. And, with other environmental sciences, describes the effects we are
having on every earth system
- Hydrosphere: We sequester 50% of the freshwater on the planet for our own use,
and are changing the pH of the oceans
1989
2009
The Aral “Sea” – formerly one of the 4 largest lakes
in the world
3. And, with other environmental sciences, describes the effects we are
having on every earth system
- Lithosphere: Through mountaintop removal and burning of fossil fuels, we are a
geological force.
II. Why is Ecology Important to Humanity?
A. It describes our interactions with the environment, too
B. It informs us about solutions - Sustainability
1. Humans have always affected these systems on a smaller scale, but our
previous strategy (moving) won’t work
Extensification
Intensification
II. Why is Ecology Important to Humanity?
A. It describes our interactions with the environment, too
B. It informs us about solutions - Sustainability
1. Humans have always affected these systems, but our previous strategy
(moving) won’t work
2. Sustainability
Brundtland Commission of the U.N. - Sustainable development is development
that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future
generations to meet their own needs.
II. Why is Ecology Important to Humanity?
A. It describes our interactions with the environment, too
B. It informs us about solutions - Sustainability
1. Humans have always affected these systems, but our previous strategy
(moving) won’t work
2. Sustainability
Brundtland Commission of the U.N. - Sustainable development is development
that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future
generations to meet their own needs.
HOW? …
II. Why is Ecology Important to Humanity?
A. It describes our interactions with the environment, too
B. It informs us about solutions - Sustainability
1. Humans have always affected these systems, but our previous strategy
(moving) won’t work
2. Sustainability
Brundtland Commission of the U.N. - Sustainable development is development
that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future
generations to meet their own needs.
HOW? … mimicry…
Before the industrial revolution, this was a sustainable system.
Emphasizes inputs and outputs
from the reservoir called “the
environment”…but what of
internal processes that could
buffer inputs or increase
outputs?
Pollution
Internal
efficiencies
Resources
II. Why is Ecology Important to Humanity?
A. It describes our interactions with the environment, too
B. It informs us about solutions - Sustainability
1. Humans have always affected these systems, but our previous strategy
(moving) won’t work
2. Sustainability
3. The Value of Biodiversity
3. The Value of Biodiversity
a. Ecological value: Diverse communities are more productive and more resistant
to change than less diverse communities. They provide ‘ecosystem services’ like
cleaning water, cleaning air, fertilizing soils, and producing food more effectively
than low diversity systems. Resistance to change means they are more stable –
more sustainable over time.
7,000 km2 = approx. ½ of Connecticut
3. The Value of Biodiversity
b. Utilitarian value: We use other species as physiological models, and as
sources of compounds for drugs and other materials; in addition to recreational use
(hunting, fishing) which has a serious economic impact.
- THE LOSS OF GENETIC INFORMATION IS FOREVER.
3. The Value of Biodiversity
c. Asthetic/Inherent value: Are we emotionally enriched by it – indeed, an
evolutionarily dependent on it? Do we have an obligation to assist species
imperiled by our actions?
That’s why all bio majors must
take an ecology class…
And why all FU students must
take a Humans and the Natural
Environment class…