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Transcript
What is Ecology? The study of organisms and their interactions with the environment. What is a Population? A group of organisms of the SAME species living in one place. What is a Community? All of the interacting organisms living in an area. (Many populations living together.) Biotic vs. Abiotic Factors Biotic Factor: Living parts of the environment. Abiotic Factor: Nonliving parts of the environment. What is an ecosystem? All of the ORGANISMS and the ABIOTIC FACTORS found in a particular place. What is the Biosphere? ALL parts of the Earth that support life. Energy Transfer in an Ecosystem What are Autotrophs? Organisms that make their own food! Plants Producers What are Heterotrophs? Consumers Can’t make their own food 4 Types of Consumers Herbivores Eat Producers! Primary (1º) Consumers Carnivores Eat other consumers! Secondary (2˚)/Tertiary (3º) Consumers Omnivores Eat both producers and consumers! Detritivores Consumers that feed on the “garbage” of an ecosystem, such as organisms that have recently died, fallen leaves and branches, and animal wastes. Scavenger: Vulture Ex: Bacteria/Fungi Decomposers: cause decay by breaking down. Energy Flow in an Ecosystem Trophic Levels indicate an organism’s position in the sequence of energy transfers. (layer in the structure of feeding relationships) Biomass: total mass of organic matter at each trophic level Energy Flow in an Ecosystem 10% Law: Only 10% of the total stored energy in one trophic level is transferred to the next trophic level. Food Chain A single pathway of feeding relationships among organisms in an ecosystem that results in energy transfer. Food Web (network of food chains) Food Webs Food Webs A certain ecosystem contains the following organisms: Grass Grasshoppers that eat grass Sparrows that eat grass and grasshoppers Frogs that eat grasshoppers Snakes that eat frogs and sparrows Foxes that eat snakes Hawks that eat snakes Mushrooms Create a food web showing the flow of energy from one organism to another. Pond Food Web A pond ecosystem contains the following organisms: Algae Flies that eat algae Birds that eat fish, grasshoppers, snakes, mice Otters that eat fish Fish that eat algae, flies,crayfish, frogs, and grasshoppers Grass Snakes that eat frogs and mice Grasshoppers and mice that eat grass Crayfish that eat algae Frogs that eat flies Create a food web showing the flow of energy from one organism to another. What is a Niche? An organism’s role in its environment Includes Range of conditions the species can tolerate How the species obtains resources Reproduction Time Fundamental vs. Realized Niche A. Fundamental: An organism’s full potential range of physical, chemical, biological conditions and resources it could theoretically use if there was no competition from other species. B. Realized: Range of resources it actually uses. A species’ fundamental niche is ALWAYS as large or larger than its realized niche. Community Ecology Ecosystem Relationships Competition Results from fundamental niche overlap Competitive Exclusion Principle G.F. Gause (1934) If two species, with the same niche, coexist in the same ecosystem, then one will be excluded from the community due to intense competition. Competitive Exclusion Principle Explain how two similar species of birds are able to inhabit the same area and even nest in the same tree without occupying the same niche. The birds’ behavior is an example of resource partitioning. One species may feed on insects, and the other may feed on seeds. They may nest on different levels of the tree. At least one factor in the birds’ niches must differ to allow them to exist closely together. Generalist vs. Specialist A. Generalist: Occupies a broad niche Can live in many places Eats a variety of foods Tolerate a wide range of environmental conditions B. Specialist: Narrow niche Only eat one type of food Lives in only one habitat Tolerate a narrow range of climate Community Ecology Ecosystem Relationships Symbiosis: Organisms of different species living in close association with one another. 1. Mutualism: Cooperative relationship Both organisms benefit Examples Lichen Pollination Community Ecology Ecosystem Relationships Clown Fish and Sea Anemones The clown fish is able to produce a special mucus that causes the anemone not to release its stings. It is also believed that the movements of the fish inform the anemone of its identity. In return for the anemone's protection, the fish brings scraps to it, and lures larger fish into the anemone's tentacles. Community Ecology Ecosystem Relationships Commensalism: One species benefits and the other is not affected Examples Whales/Barnacles Orchids/Trees Juvenile Fish/Jellyfish Community Ecology Ecosystem Relationships 3. Parasitism: One individual is harmed while the other individual benefits Examples Tapeworms Fleas, Ticks, Lice Community Ecology Ecosystem Relationships Parasites can be grouped into two general categories: 1. Ectoparasites (ticks, fleas, lice, leeches, lampreys, mosquitoes) 2. Endoparasites (diseasing causing bacteria, malaria parasite, tapeworms) Community Ecology Ecosystem Relationships Predation Natural selection favors adaptations that improve the efficiency of predators at finding, capturing, and consuming prey. Biological Magnification Increasing Concentration of a harmful substance in organisms at higher trophic levels in a food chain or food web. Example: DDT (a pesticide) Affects the entire food web, although top carnivores are at highest risk In 1962, Rachel Carson (a biologist) wrote a book called Silent Spring that alerted people to the dangers of biological magnification. Biological Magnification